Russia accuses Biden administration of creating atmosphere for attack on Trump

MOSCOW - The Kremlin on July 14 said it did not believe the current US administration was responsible for the July 13 assassination attempt on US presidential candidate Donald Trump, but that it had created an atmosphere that provoked the attack.

Trump was

shot in the ear during a rally in Pennsylvania,

in an attack now being investigated as an assassination attempt that left the Republican presidential candidate's face streaked with blood.

“We do not believe that the attempt to eliminate and assassinate Trump was organised by the current authorities,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“But the atmosphere around candidate Trump… provoked what America is confronting today.”

US President Joe Biden

condemned the attack,

saying that there was no place for that kind of violence in America.

Mr Peskov said Russia condemned any violence in the course of the political struggle.

His comments echoed those of some of Trump’s Republican allies, who immediately pinned the blame on Mr Biden.

Mr Peskov said: “After numerous attempts to remove candidate Trump from the political arena – using first legal tools, the courts, prosecutors, attempts to politically discredit and compromise the candidate – it was obvious to all outside observers that his life was in danger.”

He said there were no plans for Russian President Vladimir Putin to call Trump in light of the incident.

World leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rapidly condemned the attack, expressing shock, denouncing political violence and wishing Trump a quick recovery.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry used the shooting to urge Washington to stop funding Ukraine’s military and concentrate on improving domestic law enforcement instead.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, writing on Telegram, responded to remarks made by independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr following the shooting.

“Dear Bobby and all those who vote in the United States to supply Zelensky with arms,” Ms Zakharova said.

“Wouldn’t it be better for this money to finance the American police and other services that are supposed to ensure law and order within the United States?”

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022

has brought Russia’s ties with the West to their lowest ebb since the height of the Cold War.

Asked whether the Trump attack could affect the legitimacy of the US’ upcoming election, Mr Peskov said: “It is not for us to judge. We have not the slightest desire to interfere. This is a US matter.” REUTERS