Russian President Vladimir Putin did not set the alarm to wake up in the middle of the night to watch Thursday’s debate between President Biden and former President Trump.
“Well, look, I don’t think you expect the president of Russia to set an alarm clock, wake up before dawn, and watch the debates in the United States of America?” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: according to Reuters.
The debate began at 9pm in Atlanta, Georgia, or around 4am in Moscow.
Peskov said Putin is indifferent to the outcome of November’s elections, despite his apparently close ties with the presumptive Republican candidate.
“We have a lot of issues that are really important for our country, that are relevant to us. These are the issues our president is dealing with,” he said. “Debates in the United States are not part of the main issues on the agenda.”
On the debate stage Thursday, Trump attacked Biden on foreign policy, highlighting Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In the past, the former president has praised Putin, calling him “very experienced” and “intelligent.” Trump was also criticized for suggesting that Russia could “do whatever it wants” if a NATO member country failed to meet its defense spending minimum.
During the first presidential debate of this cycle, Trump took aim at Putin’s terms for ending the fighting in Ukraine, calling them “unacceptable.” But the former president also avoided providing an explanation for how he would end the war if he were re-elected — a promise he made during the campaign.
At the beginning of the debate, the first time the candidates were face to face since 2020, Biden stumbled in his answers, which defined the narrative of the event. It also raised alarm bells for many Democrats, who have raised concerns about their ability to defeat Trump in polls this fall.
Putin said earlier this year that he would rather see Biden remain in office than Trump win another term because the incumbent is “more predictable.”
Biden has spent much of his time in office building a relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and supporting Ukraine’s efforts to end Moscow’s attacks.
Politician noted those state news agencies in Russia widely shared the results of a poll that showed Americans believed Trump won the debate.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
