The first reaction from the Kremlin has come after the decision of the American president, Joe Biden, to withdraw from the race to stay in the White House for another term.
“The elections are still four months away, and that’s a long period of time in which a lot can change,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told SHOT newspaper, writes The Guardian.
“We have to be patient and carefully monitor what happens. The priority for us is the special military operation,” Peskov said, using the euphemism for the war in Ukraine that President Vladimir Putin prefers.
Putin has said several times that he thinks Biden is a better choice as the next US president than Trump is for Russia, even after Biden called the Kremlin chief “crazy.”
Russian state television led news bulletins with news of Biden’s withdrawal from the race and Biden’s endorsement of Harris, although it said it was unclear whether Harris would win the Democratic nomination.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on the Telegram messaging app that he wishes Biden good health and added that the goals of the special military operation will be achieved.