Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had seen some parts of the debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. However, his support for Biden as the next US president remained unchanged.
When asked by a state television reporter if Biden or Trump was better, if his previously expressed support for Biden had altered after the debate, and if he had seen it, Putin responded:
"Nothing has changed."
Did you read this?
"Did we not know what could come? We knew," Putin added.
Putin has often stated that he believes Biden is a better choice for future US president than Trump, despite Biden's portrayal of the Kremlin head as a "crazy SOB."
Putin stated that he had observed some of the debate between Biden and Trump but had other things to attend.
"I saw some fragments," Putin said. "But I have enough to do."
Biden, 81, delivered a fumbling performance during the debate, bringing concerns about his age and mental health to the center of the campaign.
Putin stated that he paid little attention to incomplete media reports about the argument, but he couldn't ignore it because the United States remained a big force.
.jpg)
When asked about Trump's claims that if he won the presidential election, he could end the Ukraine war quickly, Putin said Russia took him seriously but had no idea what Trump's peace ideas were.
"The fact that Mr Trump, as a presidential candidate, declares that he is ready and wants to stop the war in Ukraine, we take this completely seriously," Putin said.
"I am not, of course, familiar with possible proposals for how he plans to do this. This is the key question. But I have no doubt that he means it sincerely, and we support it."
