Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman took a dig at US President Joe Biden, labeling him “a pro-Russian candidate being controlled by the Kremlin” following a series of verbal slips during a NATO summit in Washington.
Biden, 81, inadvertently introduced Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as “President Putin” before correcting himself, a moment widely covered by Russian state TV. The incident, alongside Biden’s confusion between his Republican rival Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, sparked amusement among Kremlin-affiliated commentators.
Pro-Kremlin TV commentator Olga Skabeyeva shared a clip of Biden’s slip-on social media with a laughing emoji, mocking the President’s apparent mistakes as part of “The show from Joe.”
These verbal missteps come amidst internal Democratic calls for Biden to reconsider his re-election bid. Despite criticism, Biden has maintained his candidacy, asserting he remains the strongest contender against Trump in the upcoming November election.
The Kremlin acknowledged Biden’s errors, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissing them as slips of the tongue but condemning Biden’s characterization of Putin as “a murderous madman.” Peskov labeled Biden’s remarks disrespectful and unbecoming of a US head of state.
Inside Russia, media coverage focused heavily on Biden’s gaffes, with former Kremlin adviser Sergei Markov criticizing Biden’s frequent mistakes, attributing them to his belief that Biden seems to err daily due to being “retarded.”
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s outspoken Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, used Biden’s slip-up to satirize US allegations of Russian interference in American politics, further fueling the narrative that Biden’s missteps highlight perceived inconsistencies in US foreign policy.
Despite international scrutiny, Biden’s administration continues to navigate challenges on multiple fronts, including diplomatic relations with Russia, amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
