Putin didn’t ‘set an alarm’ to watch Trump-Biden debate: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t set an alarm to wake up in the middle of the night to watch Thursday’s debate between President Biden and former President Trump.

“Well, look, I don’t think you expect the president of Russia might set an alarm clock, wake up before morning and watch the debates in the United States of America?” Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters.

The debate began at 9 p.m. in Atlanta, or around 4 a.m. in Moscow.

Peskov maintained that Putin is indifferent about the outcome of the November election, despite his seemingly close ties with the presumptive GOP nominee.

“We have a lot of issues that are really important for our country, which are relevant for us. These are the issues that our president is dealing with,” he said. “Debates in the United States are not part of the main issues on the agenda.”

On the debate stage Thursday, Trump hit Biden on foreign policy, noting Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In the past, the former president has praised Putin, calling him “very savvy” and “smart.” Trump has also been criticized for suggesting that Russia could “do whatever the hell they wanted” if a NATO member country failed to meet its defense spending minimum.

During the first presidential debate this cycle, Trump pointed to Putin’s terms to end fighting in Ukraine, calling them “unacceptable.” But the former president also avoided providing an explanation about how he would end the war if reelected — a pledge he has made on the campaign trail.

Early in the debate, the first time the candidates were face-to-face since 2020, Biden stumbled with his answers, which defined the narrative of the event. It also raised alarm bells for many Democrats, who have concerns about his ability to beat Trump in the polls this fall.

Putin said earlier this year that he would rather see Biden stay in office than Trump win another term, because the incumbent is “more predictable.”

Biden has spent much of his time in office creating a relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and supporting Ukraine’s efforts to end the attacks from Moscow.  

Politico noted that state run news agencies in Russia widely shared the results of a poll that showed Americans believed Trump won the debate.