A Kremlin spokesperson said Russian President Vladimir Putin would like a U.S. president who is “more constructive” toward Russia and one that understands the “importance of the dialogue.”
In an interview with NBC News, Dmitry Peskov said Putin would be ready to work with “anyone who will understand that from now on, you have to be more careful with Russia and you have to take into account its concerns,” including former President Trump, if he were reelected.
Peskov did not mention Trump by name or comment if President Biden would fit that role.
While in office, Trump applauded Putin’s leadership and has been accused of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election.
Peskov criticized the former president for his comments about the war in Ukraine.
In March, Trump said he would “solve” the war in Ukraine in 24 hours if he were reelected. Peskov said it is “too complicated” to be resolved that easily, NBC News reported.
The spokesperson accused the U.S. and Western forces of unnecessarily prolonging the war in Ukraine and sending mixed messages about the support it would be sending.
Peskov said lawmakers have thrown billions of taxpayer dollars “into the wind” since, he claims, Ukraine has done little on the battlefield.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a visit to Washington, D.C., this week and failed to secure additional funding. President Biden met with Zelensky Tuesday, when he told the Ukrainian president not to lose hope and that the U.S. would supply aid “for as long as we can.”
Lawmakers have disagreed about supporting the war, saying issues with the southern border should be a priority for the U.S. Peskov told NBC News that the U.S. is “telling them [Ukrainians] — go and die.”
“Don’t worry, we [the U.S.] will give you enough money and enough armaments, but you should go and die,” he said. “And you know pretty well they cannot win.”
The House adjourned for the holiday break Thursday after advancing a $866 billion Pentagon annual policy and funding package. The Senate will meet again Monday with hopes to strike a deal for the border that would allow lawmakers to press onward with more aid for Ukraine.
Peskov said sending aid is only prolonging the war. “You have to understand your responsibility for this. You are making this conflict longer,” he said in the interview.