Russian president Vladimir Putin said in a recent interview that he could collaborate with Joe Biden as U.S. president based on their shared “left-wing values.”
Comrades in arms?: According to Putin, Biden’s Democratic Party and the Soviet Communist Party, to the Russian autocrat belonged for 18 years, share “social democratic ideas.”
- “In other words,” he said, “this can be seen as an ideological basis for developing contacts with the Democratic representative.”
During the Oct. 7 sit-down with Russia’s state-owned Rossiya TV, Putin weighed the pros and cons of Biden winning the upcoming election versus four more years of Trump.
- “As for the Democratic candidate, what can I say? We can hear rather sharp anti-Russian rhetoric as well. Regrettably, we have become used to this,” Putin said.
- “But some things are worth mentioning. First, the Democratic Party is traditionally closer to the so-called liberal values, closer to social democratic ideas, if compared to Europe. And it was from the social democratic environment that the Communist Party evolved.”
- “I was a member of the Soviet Communist Party for nearly 20 years, or more precisely 18 years,” Putin continued.
- “I was a rank-and-file member, but it can be said that I believed in the party’s ideas. I still like many of these left-wing values. Equality and fraternity. What is bad about them? In fact, they are akin to Christian values. Yes, they are difficult to implement, but they are very attractive, nevertheless.”
Putin also said Biden’s reference to Trump in the Sept. 30 presidential debate as “Putin’s puppy” was a compliment to Russia and “actually enhances our prestige, because they are talking about our incredible influence and power.”
America first: Regarding the prospect of Trump’s reelection, Putin noted favorably that the U.S. president “has repeatedly expressed interest in the improvement of Russian-American relations and we certainly appreciate that very much.”
- But Putin lamented those aspirations “have not been fully realized,” citing the Trump administration’s hardline nuclear diplomacy and “various kinds of restrictions and sanctions.”
“We will work with any future president of the United State, the one whom the American people give their vote of confidence,” Putin said.
While Putin again denied meddling in the U.S. election, American intelligence officials believe Russia is seeking to denigrate Biden and that people linked to the Kremlin are boosting Trump’s campaign.
