Putin spread anti-Semitic conspiracy - and mocked Kamala Harris' laughter

September 5, 2024   

Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked a new diplomatic storm on Thursday when he used a public appearance in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok to mock the US presidential candidates and make anti-Semitic remarks about the Ukrainian leadership. During the event, Putin was asked about his preferences in the US presidential race. In response, the Russian president responded with a distinctly sarcastic tone: "Our favorite was Mr. Biden. They took him out of the race and he called on his supporters to support Kamala Harris. That's what we will do too. We will support her." He added mockingly that "she has an infectious laugh," a comment that caused the audience in the hall to burst out laughing. Despite the open mockery, Putin added in a more serious tone that "whoever becomes president of the United States is the choice of the American people and we will respect it." However, the Russian president did not spare his criticism of the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump. Putin noted that Trump "has imposed so many sanctions and restrictions on Russia, more than any other president before him," and expressed hope that Harris would not take a similar approach. The remarks were made against the backdrop of new sanctions imposed by the United States on Russian media outlets, including the RIA Novosti news agency and the RT network, as well as its editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, who is considered the Kremlin's main propagandist. However, the most disturbing part of Putin's speech was his reference to the leadership of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Russian president said: "Sometimes I think that the one who leads Ukraine is an alien." This statement echoes an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory prevalent on Russian-language social media, which claims that Jews are not human but aliens who came to Earth with the aim of taking over the world. This is not the first time Putin has used problematic rhetoric towards Zelensky. Previously, during the war between Russia and Ukraine, he had already referred to the Jewishness of the Ukrainian president, stating that Zelensky was "a disgrace to the Jewish people." Experts believe that Putin’s appearance in Vladivostok was intended to bolster his image among the Russian public and divert attention from Russia’s internal problems. However, it also highlights the ongoing tensions in relations between Russia and the West, and the challenges facing the international community in dealing with Moscow’s belligerent rhetoric. While the Kremlin may claim that Putin’s remarks were made in humor, the implications of these statements for diplomatic relations and public discourse could be significant and far-reaching. It remains to be seen how the United States and other countries will respond to these remarks, and whether they will lead to a further escalation of international tensions.