US former president Donald Trump from the Republican Party, and now the front-runner candidate of this party for the coming US presidential election on November 5th, 2024, must have been amused when hearing from Russia's President Vladimir Putin that Putin would prefer rather US incumbent president Joe Biden from the Democratic Party than himself winning the White House again. Putin said that Biden would be better for Russia “because he is a more experienced person, he is predictable, he is a politician of an old formation.” But Putin deliberately balanced between Biden and Trump by adding that Russia would “work with any leader of the US that gains the trust of the American people.” 

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg; Al Drago/Bloomberg

It was something like Putin's endorsement of Biden and could be described as Putin's hidden election campaign support for Biden. But it isn't in the real world. It would become more damaging than supportive, more harmful than beneficial for Biden. 

The main reason is at present, in America, all issues relating to Russia, to Putin, and the war in Ukraine between Russia and Ukraine are of extremely high sensibility, even domestically explosive. In the past, Putin had often shown his temptation to publicly express his preferred choice for US president to be elected like Trump in 2015 or his dislike for some US presidential candidates like Hillary Clinton in 2016. If he had the choice, he would certainly choose the Republican presidential candidate rather than the Democratic one. 

Otherwise, one has to be frank to mention that Putin's Russia has had more troubles with America in the time of Biden's presidency than under Trump's presidency. It is worth noting that Putin surprisingly discovered his love for Biden just after Trump's remark that he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines, i.e. paying more for their own security. If returning to the White House, Trump would most likely do what he has said and that would overturn the collective defense clause, making the identity of the alliance. Weakening and splitting NATO has always been one of Putin's major aim in the power game between Russia and the West. 

Putin argued that Biden is an experienced, predictable politician of an old formation but in reality, Biden proved himself as a very uneasy counterpart for Putin, not like Trump in his time as US president. Therefore, Putin indeed has more vital and urgent interests to long for Trump's return to the White House than to wish Biden to remain in the White House. By hiddenly endorsing Biden, Putin is aiming to create the impression in America that voting for Biden would be at the same time as voting for Russia and Putin in today's world. Trump would become the candidate who would benefit most from it.

Disclaimer: The reflections expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hanoi Times.