MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin was joking when he said that Moscow was supporting Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the US presidential election in November, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Sky Arabia News.
Putin said earlier this month that Russia wanted Harris to win the contest in a mocking comment that cited her “infectious” laugh as a reason for choosing her over Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump.
The Russian leader's comment prompted the White House to say Putin should stop commenting on the Nov. 5 election.
“It was a joke,” Lavrov said, when asked how much the change of US president would affect Russia's foreign policy.
“President Putin has a great sense of humor. He often jokes during his statements and interviews.
“I don't see any long-term differences in our attitude to the current or previous elections in the United States, because it is ruled by the notorious 'deep state,'” Lavrov said, without providing evidence for the claim.
Lavrov's comments were published on the Foreign Ministry's website on Friday.
Meanwhile, amid the escalating conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he looked forward to meeting Republican presidential candidate Trump next week when he travels to the United States to present Ukraine's “victory plan” in the war against Russia.
Zelenskiy will attend sessions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly and also plans to meet with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris in separate meetings on September 26.
The Ukrainian leader said he also looked forward to meeting with Trump.
“Most likely we will have a meeting, I think, on September 26 and 27,” Zelenskiy told reporters on Friday evening, without providing further details.
