Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday classified the legal proceedings against former US President Donald Trump as ‘politically motivated prosecution’.
The Kremlin, which is believed to have friendly relations with Trump, has spoken out in defense of the former president, who faces a series of charges related to electoral interference.
“As for the prosecution of Trump, for us in the current environment it is good because it shows the rottenness of the American system,” Putin said during his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum. “It is a politically motivated prosecution.”
Relations between Washington and Moscow have reached new lows since the Kremlin launched a major military offensive in Ukraine.
Putin said he does not expect any change in US attitudes toward Russia, regardless of who is elected president next year.
The Russian head of state accused Washington of stirring up anti-Russian feelings among ordinary Americans. “The current authorities have governed American society in an anti-Russian spirit,” he said. “They did it and now it will be very difficult one way or another to turn this ship the other way,” he added.
Providing Ukraine with F-16s “will only prolong the conflict”
In his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in the city of Vladivostok, the Russian president dismissed the significance of recent announcements by Ukrainian authorities stating that their armed forces will soon receive F-16 fighters from Kiev’s allies in the West.
“They will deliver F-16s. Will that change anything? I do not think so. It will only prolong the conflict,” Putin said.
Still talking about the war in Ukraine, Putin announced that 270,000 people had volunteered to join the army last semester, in addition to the 300,000 who had been mobilized.
“In the past six and seven months, 270,000 people have voluntarily signed contracts to serve in the Russian army… Moreover, the process continues, with 1,000 to 1,500 people signing contracts every day,” Putin said.
Source: DN
