Putin laments revival of Russia’s ‘evil empire’ image in US election campaign

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Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a press conference about the results of the Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Kyrgyzstan. Photo: EPA

Published: 2:05pm, 18 Sep 2016Updated: 10:05pm, 18 Sep 2016

President Vladimir Putin said he laments attempts in the US presidential campaign to revive the image of Russia as an evil state, and said he likes candidates who favour relations on a equal footing.

“We see an attempt to recreate the image of the so-called evil empire and scaring the people that way. This is very sad,” Putin told reporters on Saturday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, referring to Ronald Reagan’s 1983 description of the Soviet Union. “Our liking belongs to those who declare publicly about the need to build relations with Russia on an equal basis, and see a great sense in it for their country and the international community.“

Donald Trump and his running mate said last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a stronger leader than US President Barack Obama. Photo: Bloomberg

Putin didn’t mention him by name, but Republican nominee Donald Trump’s praise for Putin has emerged as an issue in the 2016 US presidential campaign. President Barack Obama this week criticised what he called Trump’s adulation of Putin, saying the billionaire considers the Russian a “role model,” in a broad attack on the candidate’s fitness for the job. Obama was speaking at a September 13 event in Philadelphia for Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Obama commented on Trump and Putin as the US government accused Russian hackers of breaking into computer systems at Democratic campaign committees before the convention where Clinton was nominated.