Putin praises ‘predictable’ and ‘old-style’ Biden as more reliable alternative for Russia than Trump

“He’s a more experienced person, he’s predictable, he’s an old-style politician,” the Russian president said of Biden in a state television interview when asked which of the two leading candidates would be better for Russia, according to video released by the Kremlin. 

His intervention highlighting Biden’s political longevity and traditionalist approach amounted to doubtful praise for a US president battling perceptions at home that he’s too old to seek a second term. After Biden denounced Trump on Tuesday for “shameful” threats to allow Russia to invade some NATO allies, it also undercut claims that the incumbent is the only one tough enough to stand up to Putin.

In the interview, the Kremlin leader dismissed a question about 81-year-old Biden’s mental acuity by praising his sharpness at their last summit in Geneva nearly three years ago. “Even then, there was talk he wasn’t competent, but I didn’t see anything like that,” said Putin, 71. “Yes, he looked at his notes, but I also looked at mine. It was nothing.”

Even as he praised Biden, Putin also had approving words for Trump about his position on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which Moscow views as a threat. 

“There is probably some logic from his point of view,” he said of the Republican frontrunner’s comments that he wouldn’t want the US to defend NATO allies against a Russian attack if they weren’t meeting pledges on defense spending.

“Trump’s always been called a non-systemic politician,” Putin added. “He has his own view of how the US should develop relations with its allies and there have been sparks in the past, as well.”

At a rally in South Carolina on Wednesday evening, Trump said Putin, by praising Biden, “has just given me a great compliment….