The election in the United States|The primaries

" Putin: Prefers Biden - more predictable than Trump  

 

Vladimir Putin prefers Joe Biden to Donald Trump in the White House, because Biden is more "predictable and experienced". He says so in an interview with state-run Russian media, according to Reuters.  

 

When asked which president is "better for (Russia)", Putin answers Biden, whom he calls "a politician of the old school". However, he adds: 

 

- We are prepared to work with the president in whom the American people have confidence.

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Analysis: Putin's praise of Biden a gift to Trump  

 

When Vladimir Putin was asked on Russian television who he most sees as the winner of the US election, the answer came quickly and wrapped in praise: Joe Biden. It may seem surprising - and may have its tactical reasons, writes the BBC's Steve Rosenberg. 

 

"Imagine if Vladimir Putin had openly said that he preferred Trump as president. What a gift to the Biden campaign.” 

 

Trump's opponents had jumped at the chance to paint him as the Kremlin's favorite candidate - now his team can instead refer to Putin's words to dismiss it, writes Rosenberg.  

 

Putin's words may also be an indirect signal to Trump not to take his support for granted, writes Michael Day for the British newspaper I. 

 

He refers to William Alberque, an analyst at the IISS think tank, who says that it may be a matter of Putin wanting to keep Trump on his toes, but that it may also reflect "a stranger truth: that Trump in the White House was not as favorable to Russia as the Kremlin first thought.”  

 

"Putin, the ultimate swindler, may be inserting some truths and half-truths into his lies to keep us guessing.