President Vladimir Putin responded today to US President Joe Biden's description of the Russian leader as a killer by citing America's past and present troubles, from slavery and the slaughter of Native Americans to racial injustice.
Biden was asked in an interview this week whether he thought Putin was a killer, and he replied, "I do," a remark that prompted Russia to recall its ambassador in Washington for consultations and warn about further retaliation.
Putin was asked about Biden's comment during a video call marking the anniversary of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, and he responded with an "it-takes-one-to-know-one"-style remark, saying his counterpart's words reflected the United States' own problems. At the same time, he offered to have a phone call with Biden to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Putin pointed at the US atomic bombing of Japan during World War II, as well as its history of slavery and slaughtering Native Americans, noting the painful legacies weighing on the United States.
"Otherwise, where would the Black Lives Matter movement come from?" he said, citing racial injustice and the killing of African Americans.
The exchange of tough statements follows a declassified report from the US national intelligence director's office that found Putin authorised influence operations to try to help Trump in his failed bid to win reelection in November. The Kremlin has dismissed the report as baseless.
"(Putin) will pay a price," Biden said in the interview, asked about the declassified report.
Biden's administration warned that Russia would face sanctions soon over its attempt to influence last year's US election and the massive Solar Wind hacks.
The spiraling tensions have brought US-Russian relations to the point where they were at the end of President Barack Obama's administration, a chilly strain that differed markedly from Trump's efforts to court Putin.
Asked what he would tell Biden in response to his remarks, Putin said: "I would tell him: 'Be well.' I wish him health, and I say that without any irony or joking."
Putin said the US establishment likes to air accusations against other countries as part of its efforts to "solve domestic and foreign policy problems."
He noted that Russia would still cooperate with the United States where and when it supports Moscow's interests, adding that "a lot of honest and decent people in the US want to have peace and friendship with Russia."
"We are aware of it, we value it and will rely on them in the future," Putin said.
"I know that the US and its leadership is generally inclined to have certain relations with us, but only on issues which are of interest to the US and on its conditions," Putin said. "But we know how to defend our own interests, and we will work with them only in the areas we are interested in and on conditions we see as beneficial to ourselves. And they will have to reckon with it."
Speaking in separate comments later, Putin said he would ask the Foreign Ministry to arrange a call with Biden in the next few days to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, regional conflicts and other issues.
"I wouldn't delay it for long, I would like to go to the taiga for a quick break over the weekend, so we can do it tomorrow or Monday," Putin said in televised remarks, without specifying where in Siberia he plans to visit.
"We must continue our relations," he noted. "Last time, President Biden initiated a call and now I would like to offer President Biden to continue our discussions. It would be in the interest of both Russian and the US people and other countries, bearing in mind that we bear a special responsibility for global security as the largest nuclear powers."
