Speaking Oct. 29 at the VTB Capital Investment Forum “Russia Calling,” as reported by TASS, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would accept whatever decision the American electorate makes in today’s presidential elections. “We will work with any administration,” he said, but expressed the hope that in the future, Washington’s actions will be more “measured” than they have been in the past. However, he conveyed that “we feel calm” about the situation.
The Russian leader pointed to the irony that, despite increased anti-Russia sanctions, trade volume between Russia and the U.S. has increased by 30%. He also referenced ways in which the two governments have worked effectively together, citing the stabilization of energy markets as an example. Donald Trump participated in this process personally “actively and rather effectively,” Putin said. “We managed to do this together. This also means that in those situations where we can join efforts, we act rather efficiently and there are spheres of activity, including economy, that are of common interest for all our countries.”
Putin explained that he didn’t want to comment any further on the U.S. elections because “some of our Western partners” will latch onto anything to prove Russia’s alleged interference in U.S. elections. He underscored that the U.S. is a superpower and an economic giant, which has an impact on the rest of the world. Should Joe Biden win, he observed, he’ll likely spend more money on social programs, but said that there is some concern about how such spending policies might affect the global economy, given the U.S.’s already staggering state debt.
An interesting adjunct to these comments were those of Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Oct. 29 in her weekly press briefing. In response to a question, she expressed the hope that “common sense” would prevail following the U.S. elections, and that Washington might realize that promoting the “anti-Russian myths” only serve to inflame political passions and bilateral tensions. “We also hope that our American colleagues will come to see that the complicated modern problems, from arms control and the settlement of regional crises to the novel coronavirus pandemic, can only be settled by joining or at least aligning the efforts and potential of the leading global players. In this sense, sustainable and predictable cooperation between Russia and the United States as responsible guarantors of international stability and security would be in their mutual interests and would meet the requirements of the international community as a whole.” The briefing is posted to the Foreign Ministry website. https://www.mid.ru/en/press_service/spokesman/briefings/-/asset_publisher/D2wHaWMCU6Od/content/id/4411063
