"Guilty Verdict, Political Act" Putin Backs Trump Again, Bromance Revival?

"Trump indictment made without direct evidence"
Trump conviction aimed at weakening US standing

Russian President Vladimir Putin fiercely criticized the guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump as politically motivated, saying "America is self-destructing."

According to major foreign media outlets such as CNBC and The Guardian on the 6th (local time), President Putin said at a press conference held at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia the day before, "It is clear worldwide that the indictment against former President Trump was made without direct evidence based on allegations formed from events that happened years ago," and criticized, "The judicial system is being used in the political struggle within the United States."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This is not the first time President Putin has mentioned the judicial risks facing former President Trump. Previously, he defended Trump’s four criminal trials, saying, "Everything happening to former President Trump is political persecution." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said last month regarding the guilty verdict on Trump’s 'hush money for sexual misconduct' case, "It is clear that legal and illegal means are being used there (in the U.S.) to eliminate political opponents."

President Putin also spoke about U.S. President Joe Biden. He pointed out that the Biden administration, the single largest weapons supplier to Ukraine, continues to make mistakes, and criticized, "The United States is burning down its own internal political system as well as its global leadership in democracy."

However, when asked which candidate he prefers in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November between former President Trump and President Biden, he said, "It does not matter who wins," and noted, "The possibility of a change in U.S. foreign policy toward Russia is low regardless of who it is." He added, "We will cooperate with whichever president the American people elect."

CNBC emphasized, "The relationship between President Putin and former President Trump, which appeared friendly from 2017 to 2021, became embroiled in controversy after allegations arose that Russia interfered in Trump’s 2016 election victory." Some voices have expressed concern over their 'bromance,' citing that Trump once threatened that if re-elected, he would not give "a single penny" to Ukraine, which is at war with Russia.

Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who served as the National Security Council (NSC) senior director for Europe and Russia during the Trump administration, warned, "President Putin may see former President Trump’s guilty verdict as an opportunity to weaken America’s global influence and strengthen his own position," and said Putin is likely "rubbing his hands with glee."

The sentencing for the trial is scheduled for July 11. Although an appeal from former President Trump’s side is expected, the likelihood of the verdict being overturned is considered slim.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.