Article content
A little laughter goes a long way for Vladimir Putin.
Advertisement 2
Article content
The Russian president appeared to show his humorous side after throwing his support to Vice President Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential race against former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Putin was at the Eastern Economic Forum in eastern Russia where he was asked to weigh in on the upcoming election.
The Russian president reportedly smirked and said that ultimately it was up to the American people to decide, but he did have a “favourite.”
“Our ‘favourite,’ if you can call it that, was the current president, Mr. [Joe] Biden,” Putin said, according to CNN.
“But he was removed from the race, and he recommended all his supporters to support Ms. Harris. Well, we will do so – we will support her.”
He admitted that he also gets a kick out of Harris’ infamous cackle.
Your Midday Sun
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
“She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that she is doing well,” Putin noted.
“Trump has imposed so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia like no other president has ever introduced before him, and if Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from such actions.”
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Earlier this year, Putin called Biden a “more experienced, predictable person” than Trump, which presumably works in Russia’s favour.
However, former U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency analyst and author of Putin’s Playbook Rebekah Koffler told Fox News: “The Russians don’t really endorse anyone, in the traditional sense.”
Trump took Putin’s apparent endorsement in stride, joking to a group of New York City officials during a campaign stop, USA Today reported.
Advertisement 4
Article content
“I don’t know if I’m insulted or he did me a favour.”
Putin’s comments come days after Mongolia ignored an international warrant for the Russian ruler’s arrest for alleged war crimes stemming from Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Recommended from Editorial
It was Putin’s first to a member nation of the International Criminal Court since it issued the warrant in March 2023.
Ahead of his visit, Ukraine urged Mongolia to hand Putin over to the court in The Hague, and the European Union expressed concern that Mongolia might not execute the warrant.
Instead, Putin received a red-carpet welcome in the main square of capital Ulaanbaatar, where a small group of protesters who tried to unfurl a Ukrainian flag before the ceremony were taken away by police.
As Putin was welcomed in Mongolia, Russian forces struck a military training centre in Pavlohrad, Ukraine, killing at least 50 people and wounding hundreds more, Ukrainian officials said.
Article content