President Joe Biden may be vying for Taylor Swift’s love and affection, but he received an unexpected gift from a secret admirer on Valentine’s Day instead. On February 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed his undying love and devotion for the leader of the free world.
Ok, not exactly. But Putin did come forward to weigh in on the 2024 election, stating his preference for Biden’s reelection to a Trump victory.
During a Valentine’s Day interview with a Russian state television correspondent, Putin said he preferred Biden to former President Donald Trump, citing Biden’s “experience.” “Biden is more experienced, more predictable; he’s a politician of the old formation,” Putin explained.
Putin went as far as to claim he did not see a cognitive decline during his meetings with Biden, but Putin himself has been accused of a mental decline. While Putin’s health is a closely guarded secret by the Kremlin, some experts and observers have speculated that Putin may be showing signs of cognitive decline like memory lapses, confabulations, childish humor, slow reactions, and bizarre physical movements.
Biden’s snub of Trump was unexpected. Democrats have made a career out of attempting to prosecute the former president on alleged “Russian interference” matters, which they claim benefitted Trump in the 2016 election. All attempts to prove Russian interference were hoaxes, and the only proven interference ended up being from failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s purchase of fraudulent Russian documents to attempt to disqualify Trump. These false documents then provided ammunition for years of persecution and prosecution from Democrats throughout Trump’s presidential term.
Trump and Putin’s relationship has been both complicated and controversial. Trump has praised Putin for being a strong leader and denied accusations that Russia interfered in the 2016 and 2020 U.S. elections on his behalf. This Democrat conspiracy theory was proven wrong.
However, Trump and Putin have also clashed on some issues, such as Syria, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea. Trump has imposed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea, its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, its use of chemical weapons against dissidents, and its cyberattacks against the U.S. and its allies. He has also withdrawn from some arms control treaties with Russia, such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces and Open Skies treaties.
On the other hand, Putin has sought to expand Russia’s influence and presence in regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, where the U.S. has been less engaged under Trump. He has also challenged U.S. resolve and deterrence by conducting military exercises and provocations near NATO borders and airspace.
Despite their apparent affinity, Trump and Putin met only a few times in person, and their interactions were shrouded in secrecy and controversy. The most notable example was their summit in Helsinki in July 2018, where Trump sided with Putin over American intelligence agencies on the issue of election interference.
Of course, in the end, Trump was proven right – Putin had nothing to do with the former president’s election in 2016.
While Trump may have vocally said he admired Putin, his actions during his presidential term were not friendly to Russia. Sanctions were imposed on Russia for multiple reasons, including its annexation of Crimea, support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, use of chemical weapons against dissidents, and cyberattacks against the U.S. and its allies.
In response to the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons against civilians in 2017, Syria, a key ally of Russia, was bombed. Furthermore, significant defense spending of $130 billion was approved, along with the addition of low-yield nuclear weapons to the U.S. arsenal to enhance America’s military advantage over Russia. Research and development on a new missile began after Russia deployed a non-compliant missile, breaching the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
Russia’s alleged “interference in the 2016 election” and the poisoning of a former spy in Britain led to the closure of Russia’s consulate in San Francisco and the expulsion of numerous Russian diplomats. Additionally, Ukraine was armed with lethal weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, to aid in defending itself against Russian-backed rebels.
Meanwhile, one of the first presidential actions taken by Biden was to waive sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 oil pipeline and eliminate America’s energy independence, creating a need for oil importation that both directly and indirectly benefits Putin.
Under Biden, the U.S. is seen to be weak – a perception that likely emboldened Putin to make his move on Ukraine. For Putin, a Biden endorsement is a no-brainer. It’s a choice between an incompetent amoeba and Mike Tyson.
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The Biden administration is frantically trying to distance itself from the Putin endorsement, claiming it’s reverse psychology to boost Trump’s chances by portraying Biden as weak and pro-Russian.
But Putin doesn’t need to do that – Biden has done it himself.