Russian President Vladimir Putin described US counterpart Joe Biden on Wednesday as more “predictable” than Donald Trump but said the Kremlin was prepared to work with whoever wins November’s election.
Asked by a journalist who Russia would like to see win in the likely contest between the Democratic incumbent and Republican frontrunner Trump, Putin said: “Biden, he’s more experienced. He’s predictable, he’s an old-school politician.”
Putin batted away questions about Biden’s age and health, with the president set to turn 82 just weeks after the election.
“When I met Mr Biden three years ago, it’s true, people were already talking about his inabilities, but I saw nothing of the sort,” said Putin, evidently referring to a summit in Geneva.
US polls show voters have strong concerns about Biden’s age.
The age issue has been compounded by two recent episodes in which Biden confused European leaders with dead predecessors.
The White House was forced to vehemently defend the president’s competence last week after a special counsel report described him as an “elderly man with a poor memory”.
Biden himself responded angrily to the accusation, but then compounded the problem by mixing up the presidents of Egypt and Mexico.
Trump, 77, has also mixed up people’s names recently, confusing his last rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley, with former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Putin, nonetheless, expressed strong opposition to Washington’s foreign policy under Biden.
“What we have to examine is the political position, and that of the current administration is extremely harmful and wrong,” said Putin.