Russia perceives US Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris as a more predictable adversary than Republican Donald Trump, yet there is no hope for an enhancement in relations with Washington, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. In an interview with TV reporter Pavel Zarubin, who has privileged access to the Kremlin, Peskov also seemed to downplay Trump's claim that he could conclude the Ukraine war within 24 hours if re-elected to the White House. Prior to Joe Biden's withdrawal from the November election and his endorsement of Harris, Russian President Vladimir Putin had expressed a preference for Biden over Trump, characterizing the latter as a seasoned 'old school' politician. With Biden no longer in contention, Zarubin, chuckling, asked Peskov: 'So, who is our candidate now?' Peskov, also laughing, responded: 'We have no candidate. However, the Democrats are more predictable. And what Putin said about Biden's predictability applies to most Democrats, including Ms. Harris.'
Although acknowledging that the election is a domestic US affair, Putin and Peskov have expressed various opinions at different times. For instance, in February, Putin commended Biden for his predictability but also touched on the delicate issue of his mental suitability for office, remarks seemingly intended to create discord. In June, Putin stated that Russia was indifferent to who the next US president would be, but noted that the US judicial system was evidently being utilized in a political struggle against Trump. In the interview published on Sunday, Peskov declared that US actions to 'undermine our country's interests' had crossed acceptable boundaries. Bilateral relations were at an all-time low, with 'no prospects' currently for their rehabilitation.
The Kremlin spokesman further stated that there was no 'magic wand' to instantly resolve the Ukraine crisis as Trump has promised. He deemed it 'fantasy' to envision the next US president declaring in their inaugural address that Washington would cease military support to Ukraine and advocate for peace talks, a move that would alter perceptions in Kyiv.
