The Kremlin has reacted angrily to US President Joe Biden’s remarks that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is “a killer,” calling the comment unprecedented and describing the relationship between the two countries as “very bad.”
Putin on Thursday nevertheless invited Biden to hold open online talks in the wake of the remarks.
In an interview with ABC that aired Wednesday, Biden said Putin “will pay a price” for his efforts to undermine the 2020 US election following a landmark American intelligence assessment that found the Russian government meddled in the 2020 election with the aim of “denigrating” Biden’s candidacy.
When interviewer George Stephanopoulos asked Biden if he thought Putin was “a killer,” the President said, “Mhmm. I do.”
Responding to the comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that “there hasn’t been anything like this in history.”
He said it was clear that Biden “definitely does not want to improve relations” with Russia and that the relationship between the two countries is “very bad.” When asked how it can affect relations, Peskov said “it is absolutely clear how,” but refused to elaborate.
“These are very bad statements by the President of the United States. He definitely does not want to improve relations with us, and we will continue to proceed from this,” Peskov said.
Putin himself responded Thursday saying, “I would like to offer President Biden [the opportunity] to continue our discussion, but on condition that we’ll do so what is called live, online. Without anything pre-recorded, in an open and direct discussion.”
“It seems to me, it would be interesting both for Russian people and for the US people, as well as for many other countries,” Putin added.
Russia state media TASS reported Putin has invited Biden to hold the discussion on Friday or Monday.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki weighed in on the invitation saying she wasn’t sure if the call would be something the administration would entertain.
“I’ll have to get back to you if that is something we’re entertaining. I would say that the President already had a conversation already with President Putin, even as there are more world leaders that he has not yet engaged with,” Psaki said during a press briefing. And we engage with Russian leaders, members of the government, at all levels. But I don’t have anything to report to you in terms of a future meeting.”
The Russian leader previously reacted to the comments by wishing Biden “good health” at a news conference.