President Biden’s verbal assaults on President Putin have intensified, with the former directly implicating Putin and “his thugs” in the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a claim the Kremlin vehemently denies….reports Asian Lite News
At a San Francisco fundraiser, US President Joe Biden characterised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “crazy ***,” emphasising climate change as the paramount existential threat.
In January 2022, Biden was caught using “***” expletive toward a Fox News White House reporter.
Known for off-script moments, Biden has criticised the Chinese government, the Republican Party, and Israel’s actions in Gaza during recent fundraisers.
His verbal assaults on Putin have intensified, with Biden directly implicating Putin and “his thugs” in the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a claim the Kremlin vehemently denies.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin rebuked Joe Biden’s characterization, denouncing it as a debasement of the United States and resorting to Hollywood-style antics. Biden’s remark, made during a fundraiser in San Francisco, drew swift condemnation from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who labelled it as an attempt to emulate a “Hollywood cowboy.”
Peskov expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such language, highlighting Putin’s dignified conduct in diplomatic discourse. He criticized the use of crude vocabulary by American leaders and deemed it a disgrace to the nation.
Tensions between Russia and the West have escalated due to various issues, including the conflict in Ukraine, the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and allegations of Russia’s plans for space-based nuclear weapons.
This tumultuous period marks one of the most strained phases in US-Russia relations since the Cold War, with some diplomats likening it to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Biden’s blunt condemnation of Putin’s regime, particularly in response to Navalny’s death, has intensified the rift. Navalny, a vocal critic of Putin, had accused the Kremlin of attempting to assassinate him, an allegation Russia vehemently denies.
The Kremlin contends that the West’s rush to blame Putin without evidence is unwarranted and unjust. Biden’s declaration in Warsaw that Putin “cannot remain in power” further exacerbated tensions, with Russian hardliners interpreting it as a veiled attempt at regime change.
This animosity between the two leaders is not new. In 2021, Biden labelled Putin a “killer,” prompting a phone call between the two leaders where Biden offered an explanation for his choice of words.
Despite diplomatic efforts to mitigate tensions, the verbal sparring between the United States and Russia continues, exacerbating an already precarious relationship.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump broke his silence on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny but avoided condemning Moscow or President Vladimir Putin in his cryptic post, CNN reported.
Trump drew comparisons between Navalny’s mysterious death and his alleged “political persecution” and accused Joe Biden of “destroying” America.
The lack of a direct response from the GOP presidential frontrunner is likely to fuel fresh questions about how he would approach Russia in a potential second term, as it follows his comments earlier this month, that he would encourage the country to invade a NATO ally that was not spending enough on defence, as reported by CNN.
Notably, Trump faces 91 criminal charges but has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which span four separate cases against him.
Taking to his social media platform ‘Truth Social’, Trump said, “The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction.”
“Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION!” he added.
The news of Navalny’s death, which happened while he was incarcerated in Russia, drew swift and forceful reactions from Western leaders, including President Joe Biden, who blamed Putin and said, “What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality.”
The first time Trump mentioned Navalny’s name in the wake of his death was when he shared a piece by the Tippinsights editorial board on Sunday with the headline “Biden:Trump::Putin:Navalny,” claiming that there are some parallels between Navalny’s treatment in Russia and that of Trump’s in the US
On the other hand, former South Carolina Governor and Trump’s last remaining major GOP rival, Nikki Haley has repeatedly called out Trump for avoiding addressing Navalny’s death. Haley has called Navalny a “hero” and blamed Putin for his death.
“Trump needs to answer to that. Does he think Putin killed him? Does he think Putin was right to kill him? And does he think Navalny was a hero?” she told reporters Saturday at an event in South Carolina.