MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden’s harsh remarks about Russian leader Vladimir Putin can be attributed to his old age, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev told reporters on Thursday, pointing out that he had met with Biden during the latter’s tenure as US vice president.
The US president said earlier in an interview with ABC News that the Russian authorities would have to "pay a price" for their alleged interference in US elections. In addition, when asked if he considered Putin to be "a killer," Biden answered in the affirmative.
"I met with incumbent US President Joe Biden at various international events," Medvedev pointed out. "He gave the impression of a reasonable person then," he added. "However, it seems that time hasn’t been kind to him," Medvedev said, declining to give further comment. "I can only quote Freud: ‘Nothing in life is more expensive than illness and stupidity’," Medveded said.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier told reporters that Biden’s remarks indicated the US president’s unwillingness to build relations with Russia. Putin himself responded to Biden’s remarks by wishing him "good health." The Russian president added that he said it "without irony and not as a joke.".