Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday appeared to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race against former President Donald Trump.
According to multiple reports, Putin was questioned during the Eastern Economic Forum he attended in eastern Russia over how he viewed the upcoming U.S. election.
The Russian president, apparently smiling alongside the event’s moderator, said ultimately it was up to the American people to decide but said that as President Biden has backed Harris, "we will do the same, we will support her."
"She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her," he added.
PUTIN CLAIMS HE PREFERS 'MORE PREDICTABLE' BIDEN OVER TRUMP
Earlier this year, Putin threw his support behind Biden before he dropped out of the race, claiming he preferred Biden to Trump as he is a more predictable candidate.
According to former DIA intelligence officer and author of "Putin’s Playbook," Rebekah Koffler, "The Russians don’t really endorse anyone, in the traditional sense.
"When it comes to preference, Putin and his regime prefer Kamala to deal with as a future U.S. president," Koffler told Fox News Digital. "Putin believes that he can manipulate Harris easily, unlike Trump, whom the Russians profiled as unpredictable and difficult to read.
"By issuing these statements, the Russians are just messing with us, specifically with the Harris Team," Koffler added. "It’s a classic influence operation to unbalance your adversary by mocking, teasing, and pleasing them, or rather appearing to please."
Despite Putin’s comments of apparent support for the democratic candidates over Trump, the U.S. intelligence community continues to assess that Putin would prefer a second Trump presidency, according to reports earlier this year.
WHY PUTIN PREFERS HARRIS OVER TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE
The assessment is reportedly consistent with actions authorized by Putin during the 2016 and 2020 elections, when Russia was found to have engaged in some election interference by running disinformation campaigns to boost Trump’s candidacy.
According to an investigation into the 2020 election, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence found "that Russian President Putin authorized, and a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations aimed at denigrating President Biden’s candidacy and the Democratic Party, supporting former President Trump, undermining public confidence in the electoral process, and exacerbating sociopolitical divisions in the U.S."
Russia has denied meddling in any U.S. election, though Putin’s apparent support for the Democratic candidates and their stated policy positions run counter to his strategic interests.
Trump has been critical of U.S. support to Ukraine in its war against Russia following the invasion more than two and a half years ago, and his chosen running mate, vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance, has openly said, "I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other."
Additionally, NATO leaders remain concerned over how a second Trump presidency could affect the military alliance, as he has suggested he would pull U.S. troops from Europe – a move some fear could destabilize the alliance and embolden Putin.
Trump has said he has a plan to end the war if he were elected, though he has remained tight-lipped on any concrete policy steps for doing so.
Putin on Thursday claimed he was open to engaging in peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said, "If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that."
The comments are a reversal to his previous statements when he said there was no possibility of talks amid Ukraine’s invasion into Kursk.
Putin also suggested that Brazil, India or China could act as a mediator in the talks – a condition Ukraine is unlikely to agree to as China has aided Russia in its war.
Reuters contributed to this report.
