Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview with first-strike journalist Tucker Carlson, says his sources have revealed to him that Joe Biden is "not running the country."
Biden's policies since he's been in office have portrayed America as a weak, vacillating nation blown back and forth by the winds of social ideologies that's he's emphasized.
Those ideologies include transgenderism and abortion, which Biden is insisting on imposing around the globe; global warming, on which he is demanding to spend trillions of dollars; and undermining the nation's elections by trying to ban President Donald Trump from the 2024 election.
Biden's age, 81, and his multiple mental blunders and verbal gaffes have just added evidence to that conclusion.
Putin had comments on all of those topics.
Watch the interview:
Rejecting the idea that he views the U.S. as an enemy, Putin said, according to a transcript posted by Peter Halligan on Substack, "We were allies in WWII. Russians helped settle Alaska, California and we were in Hawaii too. Our people are not enemies but those in D.C. are certainly not our friends."
Asked to name names, he responded, "It would be pointless. It is not up to us to solve your domestic issues. Besides, I’m sure you know the names better than us.
"Joe Biden may not even be aware of what’s going on. He may not understand the level of sanctions thrown at Russia. Who put those sanctions together? Those are our … adversaries."
To Americans, Putin would say, "Our message is Russia is not your enemy. We don’t want war. We’re ready for peace. Your leaders seek conflict. This is not what we want. Russia stands for its own people. We do not want what is not ours."
But he said Biden "is not running the country."
"Let’s say we have good sources that confirm that but it’s plain for anyone to see for themselves. The U.S. has now entered into a dark period. It has unaccountable leadership."
He suggested Biden is not significant anyway.
"The same forces which have always run it. You may change presidents but you do not change those in real power. That is who we have to deal with. Joe Biden is just a facade for this power structure."
On the 2020 election? He said, "I would rather not get into domestic American politics but will say my embassy reported your southern border was better run than that 2020 election."
When Carlson cited a poll showing support for Putin, the Russian said, "I don’t know if that should be taken seriously but Russian ideals have support. We believe in traditional values; marriage is between a man and a woman: men are men and women are women."
He said it's not for him to say who should be the next president in the U.S., but noted, "We had good relations when Mr. Trump was president. There was no war. Our relations were at a high point. That said nothing is predictable or stays the same. We will have to see."
He said, on the Democrat claims created by partisans and pushed for years that Russia interfered in the 2020 election, "Contrary to longstanding accusations we do not meddle in your elections. We don’t need to because the same people end up running things anyway."
On Trump being re-elected, he said, "For one thing he never insulted us. He has a great respect for Russia. We would start from a position of friendship and trust – then all problems are solvable. We could get it done."
He explained his conflict with Ukraine: "Did we invade or were we invaded? Look at the history. Look at the people living there. Historically it’s we who were invaded and are simply fighting back now. The lands and people are Russian and we will have again what was always ours."
And he said he laughed at the jokes by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, "when he was a comedian."
"Let's go back to laughs," he said.
On Elon Musk, he said, "We see Mr. Musk as a businessman – a highly successful one. He’s built a great fortune and a huge following. He’s a unique thinker with a force of personality who cannot be bought. Some fear that."
He wondered at the fact that "no one from the White House" has reached out to him since he congratulated Biden on his election.
"It’s puzzling to us that communications are colder now than during the Cold War."
He also noted he's close to Chinese President Xi, as China is one of Russia's biggest energy partners.
But he said it's not in Russia's interests "to clash" with the U.S.
On Biden's work to open America's southern border to illegal aliens: "We Russians find it ironically amusing your Congress will spend billions protecting foreign borders but neglect its own. It’s quite laughable but deadly."
He said, "People are dying daily crossing your border in an uncontrolled way. It is a free-for-all. The world hasn’t seen anything like it in the modern era – reckless for a country to throw itself wide open like that."
On climate change: "Humanity is not even a Type 1 civilization on the Kardashev scale. If we can’t harness the energy potential of the planet, how can we control the climate? I’m more concerned with real issues. Climate change is not one of them. The Earth does a fairly good job of regulating itself. And if Siberia gets a little warmer, all the better. More farmland for Russia."
On transgenderism: "It’s interesting to me that all the things which used to be a target of blackmail are now badges of honor. In Russia there are no laws either way, but we certainly do not force our children into it. … We have laws which protect our children. And we do not drape our embassies in rainbow flags. That’s correct. Otherwise we do not interfere in the private lives of adult citizens."
