Sardonic praise!

Vladimir Putin's sarcastic endorsement of Kamala Harris for the 2024 US presidential election indicates his veiled preference for Donald Trump who sounds soft on sanctions and US' NATO involvement

- PRABHU DAYAL

In an interview he gave on Thursday, September 5, while attending the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would back US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee, in the US presidential elections in November.

Putin said it was ultimately “the choice of the American people,” but he claimed that Russia backed Harris, the Democratic party’s nominee. “I told you, our favourite, if I may say so, was the current president, Mr. Biden. He was removed from the race, but he advised all his supporters to support Ms. Harris. So we will do it as well, we will root for her,” he said.

Democrats have always voiced their concerns about Trump’s relationship with Putin. Trump is widely seen as the Kremlin’s preferred candidate. Why, then, did Putin say he would have supported Biden, and that after the latter left the race, he would support Harris?

No one is taking Putin’s remarks at face value. He reportedly had a smirk on his face when he made these remarks about supporting Harris. The nature of his comments suggests he was trolling the Harris campaign.