Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to back Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 election. He was questioned at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia. When asked about the U.S. election, Putin smiled and said it's up to the American people. He noted that since Biden supports Harris, "we will do the same, we will support her."
"She laughs so expressively and infectiously," he added, implying all is well with her.
Earlier this year, Putin had shown support for Biden before he stepped out of the race. He stated Biden was more predictable than Trump.
Rebekah Koffler, a former intelligence officer, explained Putin’s real strategy. She said Russians don't endorse candidates traditionally. But Putin prefers Kamala Harris as he believes she is easier to manipulate than Trump.
"They're messing with us," Koffler told Fox News Digital. It’s an influence operation meant to unbalance the Harris team by mocking and teasing.
Despite Putin’s remarks, U.S. intelligence reports say he would prefer Trump as president. In both 2016 and 2020, Russia ran disinformation campaigns to help Trump.
Investigations into the 2020 election found Putin authorized influence operations to harm Biden’s candidacy and support Trump. Russia has denied election meddling, though.
Trump has been vocal about reducing U.S. support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. His running mate, J.D. Vance, said he doesn’t care much about Ukraine’s fate. NATO leaders are concerned about how Trump might affect the alliance.
Putin claimed he is open to peace talks with Ukraine's President Zelenskyy. He said, "If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that."