Relations between the United States and Russia are frayed due to a number of issues, with the latter named a threat by security officials. As the November elections near and as former vice president Joe Biden maintains his lead in polls, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already weighed in on cooperating with a possible Biden administration by 2021.
During his birthday, Putin appeared on the state television channel Rossiya-24, where he commented on the possibility of working with a possible Biden administration following the US elections in November. Putin said that while he has taken note of Biden’s anti-Russia rhetoric, he was also encouraged by the Democratic presidential nominee’s stance on arms control or New START, the nuclear arms pact between the two countries. The pact is set to expire in February.
“As far as the candidate from the Democratic party is concerned,” said Putin. “We also see quite sharp anti-Russian rhetoric. Unfortunately, we are used to this,”
“Candidate Biden publicly said he was ready for an extension of New START or to reach a new treaty to limit strategic…weapons, and that is a very serious element of our cooperation in the future,” said the Russian leader, who added that Russia is ready to work with any future president of the United States.
The intelligence community has already warned that Putin and other officials from Russia may already be trying to interfere in the upcoming elections again. Biden has also expressed concern in foreign interference back in July, having received intelligence briefings as well.
Recently, Biden addressed the public at Gettysburg during a campaign stop, where he quoted former Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers’ words about racial injustice. A video of Rivers went viral following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Biden quoted Rivers in his campaign speech, which called once again for an end to racial injustice.
“Doc Rivers, the basketball coach,” said the former vice president. “Choking back tears when he said, ‘We’re the ones getting killed. We’re the ones getting shot. We’ve been hung. It’s amazing how we keep loving this country and this country does not love us back.’ I think about what it takes for a Black person to love America. That is a deep love for this country that has for far too long never been recognized.”