Putin says he prefers second Biden term to having Donald Trump back in the White House

Putin says he'd prefer a 2nd Biden term to having Trump back in the White House

Kwan Wei Kevin Tan

February 15, 2024 5:21 PM

Vladimir Putin knows who he wants in the White House come November.

Joe Biden (left), Vladimir Putin (center), and Donald Trump (right).Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images; Contributor via Getty Images; Win McNamee via Getty Images

The Russian leader offered his assessment of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump during an interview with the state-owned television channel Russia-1 on Wednesday.

"Biden, he's more experienced, more predictable, he's a politician of the old formation," Putin told Russia-1 host Pavel Zarubin, per a translation shared by the Associated Press.

"But we will work with any US leader whom the American people trust," Putin added.

The Russian president's remarks may come as surprising to some, given that Biden has stridently opposed Russia's war in Ukraine.

Under the Biden administration, the US has provided Ukraine with more than $44 billion in military assistance since the war began in February 2022. Biden has also galvanised US allies to lend their support to Ukraine.

In comparison, Trump has heaped praise on Putin, though his own administration was dogged by claims of Russian election interference.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the former president said Putin's move was "genius" and "wonderful." And in July, Trump touted his relationship with Putin during a rally in South Carolina.

"As Putin said, 'You're the most vicious president ever. There's never been a president that did this to me.' And yet, I got along with him. Isn't that nice," Trump told rally attendees.

While Biden and Trump still have to campaign for the presidency in 2024, Putin is all but certain to secure his reelection.

Putin, who has held power since 2000, will seek his fifth term in office when Russia heads to the polls in March.

Representatives for Biden and Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

This article was originally published on Business Insider.

Kwan Wei Kevin Tan