Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s ready to work with any U.S. leader, but still isn’t ready to recognize the election victory of Joe Biden.
“We will work with anyone who has the confidence of the American people,” Putin said on Russian state TV Sunday. “But that confidence can only be given to a candidate whose victory has been recognized by the opposing party, or after the results are confirmed in a legitimate, legal way.”
The comments are some of the most detailed since the election from Putin, one of a dwindling number of leaders who haven’t recognized Biden as the next U.S. head of state. Russia, accused by U.S. intelligence agencies of intervening in 2016 to help get Trump elected, has been wary of Biden, fearing an increase in sanctions pressure and clashes over human rights.
Putin described the Kremlin’s decision not to congratulate Biden as “a formality” with no ulterior motives. When asked if the move could damage U.S.-Russia relations, he said: “there’s nothing to damage, they’re already ruined.”
President Donald Trump “must recognize the results of the elections and all lawsuits must be completed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call Monday. “Only after that will the results be officially summed up. But obviously, that hasn’t happened yet.”
Russia was on several occasions called out as a conspirator in meddling in U.S elections at the time Donald Trump won and took office, and even though these accusations are to yet to be fully validated. America’s agencies such as the FBI and CIA have come out to say otherwise.
According to a CIA analysis carried out a few months ago, it stated that President Vladimir V. Putin was most likely continuing to approve and direct interference operations aimed at raising President Trump’s re-election chances.
Meanwhile, in early September this year, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned lawmakers that Russia would actively interfere in the upcoming U.S. presidential election by spreading misinformation about Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Wray described Russian efforts as a “steady drumbeat of misinformation” that he said could undercut American voters’ confidence in the democratic process. All these reports only signalled that intelligence agencies in America would continue to back their assessment of Russian activities despite the president’s attacks.
“I think the intelligence community’s consensus is that Russia continues to try to influence our elections,” Wray told the Democratic-led House Homeland Security Committee, adding that the FBI found similarities in Russian behaviour against the backdrop of the 2016 election.
Putin not ready to approve Biden’s presidency yet
However, despite the continuous reports from U.S intelligence agencies suggesting Russia is actively involved in influencing the politics of America, Putin has openly on several occasions referred to the accusations as false reports.
Putin has also called out the accusations levied on his country as political ploys to damage their relationship with the U.S further and he has condemned the American agencies for coming up with false reports that have no evidence.
Some of the Russian diplomats have also considered the reports from the U.S as signs that the country is more divided than it actually thinks and its only placing blame for its problems on the wrong people.
Vyacheslav Nikonov, deputy of the lower-house State Duma from the ruling United Russia party had this to say in the early weeks of the previously concluded U.S elections;
“The election results are the worst for America. Both candidates declared victory, while Trump also [claimed] multiple election irregularities. This election certainly won’t have a legitimate outcome. No matter who wins in court, half of Americans won’t consider him the legitimate president.”
Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the lower-house State Duma’s International Affairs Committee: “The show called the ‘U.S. presidential election’ isn’t over, it continues despite Donald Trump declaring his victory and calling for an end to counting the votes. His rival Democrat Joe Biden, however, also expressed his full confidence that he’ll be the next occupant of the White House.”
“As for Russian-American relations, we can’t expect any changes for the better if any of the candidate’s wins. That’s very unfortunate.”
Putin’s comment towards Biden’s presidency wasn’t a provocation as some might think but rather a statement that re-echo’s his fears seeing that the U.S presidential seat is still being contested even after the end of elections, and also what that means for the Russia-US relationship.
Source: Bloomberg
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