Russian President Putin attended a concert at the Hanoi Opera House in Hanoi on June 20, 2024.
Gavriel Grigorov | AFP | Getty Images
During last night’s CNN election debate, it appeared that Vladimir Putin was on stage alongside Democratic US President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump.
The Russian leader was mentioned about a dozen times during 90 minutes of verbal attacks on domestic and foreign policy between the two candidates. Both men have worked on the White House’s relationship with the Kremlin under their respective mandates and have very different views of the Russian leader.
Trump has denied accusations that Moscow interfered with his 2016 election, claiming that Putin would avoid conflict if he respected the leadership of a rival global superpower.
“As far as Russia and Ukraine are concerned, if we had a real president, a president who knew and was respected by Putin, he would never have invaded Ukraine,” Trump said. According to CNN’s transcript of the debate.
Trump called Ukrainian leader Zelensky the “greatest salesman of all time” and reiterated his criticism of the extent of U.S. financial support for Kyiv throughout the conflict. Two months ago, Washington approved a foreign aid bill that allocates about $60 billion to the war-torn country.
“Before I take office as president on January 20, I will resolve this war between Putin and President-elect Zelensky. I will resolve this war,” Trump said, without giving any details.
However, Trump said Putin’s recent demands to start peace talks – including the withdrawal of Kiev troops from Ukrainian territory illegally annexed by Russia – were “unacceptable.”
In another pledge, Trump vowed to secure the release of Wall Street journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia in March 2023 and faces trial on espionage charges.
“As soon as I take office, before I take office, I will get him out of office very quickly,” Trump said, noting that Putin “will probably ask for billions of dollars for this reporter.” The Russian leader has previously expressed interest in a prisoner swap with Gershkovic, rather than financial compensation.
Zelensky has previously called Trump’s claims that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours “very dangerous” and expressed concern about the Republican candidate’s potential return to the White House.
‘He wants all of Ukraine’
In keeping with the frosty relationship between the Kremlin and his administration, Biden took a cooler tone in describing Putin.
“The fact is that Putin is a war criminal. He killed thousands of people. He has made one thing clear, he wants to rebuild part of the Soviet empire, not just one part, he wants all of it “Ukraine,” Biden said. In addition to four illegal annexations since the 2022 invasion, Russia previously took control of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
“Do you think he’s going to stop right there? Do you think he’s going to stop if he occupies Ukraine? What do you think happens in Poland? What do you think happens in Belarus? What do you think happens in those NATO countries?” Biden asked.
The prospect that the conflict could escalate to Europe has long been the basis of the NATO military alliance’s support for non-member Ukraine, with Finland and Sweden abandoning their longstanding neutrality in favor of Ukraine. Join an alliance. Russia regards neighboring Ukraine’s desire to join NATO as a threat to its security and one of the reasons for its military action.
Trump accused North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, China’s Xi Jinping and Putin and other leaders of lacking respect for Biden that would lead the United States into “World War III.” In response, the current president retorted: “If in fact, you let Putin continue to join NATO? … You want to start the nuclear war he keeps talking about … and see what happens.
Biden also criticized his opponent’s involvement in the Ukraine war, saying Trump “encouraged (Putin): Do what you want to do.”
In 2022, Trump praised Putin’s “genius” strategy for invading Ukraine, saying that the Kremlin leader was a “very smart man” and that he “knows it very, very well.” nbc news the report said.
CNBC has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministries. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the Kremlin would not comment on the Biden-Trump debate because it was an internal U.S. matter, Reuters reported.
Putin’s preference for Biden?
Putin has rarely commented on the fate of the U.S. election and vowed to “work with any American leader,” but he did briefly express a preference for Biden for the top job.
“(Biden) is more experienced and more predictable. He is an ‘old school’ politician” he said in February.
Still, Putin has repeatedly criticized Washington’s staunch support for Ukraine and lambasted the U.S. justice system for allegedly weaponizing Trump, who was convicted of 34 felonies in late May.
“They (the United States) are burning their country, their political system, from within,” Putin said this month.
Since the 2022 invasion, Ukraine has become The largest beneficiaries of U.S. foreign aid Under the Biden administration, more than worth hundreds of billions of dollars Financial support, weapons and equipment.
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