Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that he saw nothing criminal in Hunter Biden’s past business ties with Ukraine or Russia, marking out his disagreement with one of Donald Trump’s attack lines in the US presidential election.
Mr Putin was responding to comments made by Mr Trump during televised debates with Democratic challenger Joe Biden ahead of the November 3 election.
Mr Trump, who is trailing in opinion polls, has used the debates to make accusations that Mr Biden and his son Hunter engaged in unethical practices in Ukraine. No evidence has been verified to support the allegations, and Joe Biden has called them false and discredited.
Mr Putin, who has praised Mr Trump in the past for saying he wanted better ties with Moscow, has said Russia will work with any US leader, while noting what he called Joe Biden’s “sharp anti-Russian rhetoric”.
Mr Putin appeared less friendly towards Mr Trump in remarks broadcast by Russian state TV on Sunday. In what may be seen by some analysts as an attempt to try to curry favour with the Biden camp, he took the time to knock down what he made clear he regarded as false allegations from Mr Trump about the Bidens.
“Yes, in Ukraine he (Hunter Biden) had or maybe still has a business, I don’t know. It doesn’t concern us. It concerns the Americans and the Ukrainians,” said Mr Putin.
“But, well, yes he had at least one company, which he practically headed up, and judging from everything he made good money. I don’t see anything criminal about this, at least we don’t know anything about this (being criminal).”
-
US President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at HoverTech International in Allentown, Pennsylvania. AFP -
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden poses for a selfie during a visit to a voter activation center in Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. REUTERS -
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks with supporters outside a voter service center, in Chester, Pennsylvania. AP Photo -
President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a rally during the last full week of campaigning before the presidential election on in Allentown, Pennsylvania. AFP -
Supporters gather before President Donald Trump holds a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania. With 8 days to go before the election, Trump is today holding 3 rallies across Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state. AFP -
Supporters queue before President Donald Trump holds a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania. With 8 days to go before the election, Trump is holding 3 rallies across Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state. AFP -
Karen Heck demonstrates with her dog outside the venue where President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania. With 8 days to go before the election, Trump is holding 3 rallies across Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state. AFP -
Maryland residents wait in line to vote at the Bohrer Park Activity Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Today marks the first day of early in-person voting in the state of Maryland. AFP -
People wait in line to vote at the Montgomery County Executive Office Building in Rockville, Maryland. Today marks the first day of early in-person voting in the state of Maryland. AFP -
A man wearing a Confederate flag themed sweatshirt walks with his children while queueing before President Donald Trump holds a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania. With 8 days to go before the election, Trump is holding 3 rallies across Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state. AFP -
Vice President Mike Pence jogged across the tarmac at the Hibbing, Minn., airport before speaking during a campaign stop there. AP Photo -
President Donald Trump stands at the podium as a video presentation of Joe Biden and other Democrats is shown at a campaign rally at Lancaster Airport, in Lititz, Pennsylvania. AP Photo -
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden during a visit to a voter activation center in Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. REUTERS -
An unidentified rally attendant wears a hat in support of President Donald Trump during a rally with Vice President Mike Pence at the Range Regional Airport in Hibbing, Minnesota. Pence will continue to campaign despite five members of his staff testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). Getty Images -
Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a campaign stop at the Hibbing, Minnesota Airport. AP Photo -
U.S. Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. REUTERS -
Olive Burrus listens to Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) at campaign stop at the Troy Community Center in Troy, Michigan. AFP -
Maria Guadalupe Arvallo, a member of Pai-Pai indigenous group, stands next to a section of the US-Mexico border fence at indigenous lands, east of Tecate, Baja California State, Mexico. Indigenous communities who live along the Mexico/US border are struggling due to US President Donald Trump's reinforcement and expansion of the border wall and the environmental and cultural affectations caused by its construction. AFP
Mr Putin also reacted with visible irritation when asked about comments Mr Trump has made concerning Mr Putin’s ties to the former mayor of Moscow, and to an alleged payment made to Hunter Biden by the ex-mayor’s widow. Mr Putin said he knew nothing about the existence of any commercial relationship between Hunter and the woman. Joe Biden says the accusation about his son is not true.
US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election to tilt the contest in Mr Trump’s favour, an allegation Moscow has denied. Russia has also dismissed accusations by US intelligence agencies of trying to interfere with this year’s election too.
