Kremlin: Harris is more predictable than Trump, but neither will be good for Russia

MOSCOW – Russia sees US Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris as a more predictable opponent than Republican Donald Trump, though in any case, there is no prospect of an improvement in relations with Washington, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

In an interview with Pavel Zarubin, a TV reporter with favoured access to the Kremlin, Mr Peskov also appeared dismissive of Trump’s boast that he could end the Ukraine war within 24 hours if voters returned him to the White House.

Before US President Joe Biden

announced his withdrawal from November’s election

and threw his support behind Ms Harris, his vice-president, Russian President Vladimir Putin had said Moscow preferred Mr Biden over Trump, describing the former as an experienced “old-school” type of politician.

With Mr Biden out of the running, Zarubin asked Mr Peskov, laughing: “Then who is our candidate now?”

Mr Peskov, also laughing, replied: “We have no candidate. But, of course, the Democrats are more predictable. And what Putin said about Biden’s predictability applies to almost all Democrats, including Ms Harris.”

While stating that the election was an internal US matter, Mr Putin and Mr Peskov have offered a variety of opinions at different times.

In February, for example, Mr Putin

praised Mr Biden for his predictability

but also discussed the sensitive topic of his mental fitness for office in comments that appeared designed to sow mischief.

In June, he said Russia did not care who the next US president will be, but that the US court system was clearly being used in a political battle against Trump.

Mr Peskov, in the interview published on Sept 1, said US steps to “trample on our country’s interests” have exceeded acceptable limits.

Bilateral relations were at a historic low point, with “no prospects” at the moment of setting them on a path towards recovery.

He said there was no “magic wand” to resolve the Ukraine crisis overnight in the way that Trump has promised.

He said it was a “fantasy” to imagine that the next US president would announce in his or her inauguration speech that Washington was halting military aid to Ukraine and calling for peace negotiations, and that this would change mindsets in Kyiv. REUTERS