US warns Putin to ‘stay out of our elections’ after he says Russia prefers Biden over Trump

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to “stay out of our elections” following remarks he made favoring President Joe Biden winning a second term in office.

"Mr. Putin knows very well what this administration has been doing to counter Russia's malign influence around the world and certainly what they've been doing inside Ukraine," said White House National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby during a press briefing.

"We've demonstrated over and over and over again how willing we are to push back on what Russia is doing again, particularly in Ukraine, and Mr. Putin, just stay out of our elections," he said.

In an interview with Russian state television broadcast Wednesday, Putin said he preferred Joe Biden to Donald Trump.

He said Biden’s re-election is better for Russia because he is "more predictable." However, he said Moscow is ready to "work with any US leader whom the American people show confidence in."