President Joe Biden on Thursday said Russian leader Vladimir Putin has concerned him for “40 years,” when he was asked whether he’s worried about Putin vowing retaliation for NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms inside Russia.
ABC News’ David Muir asked Biden in an exclusive interview about Putin’s comments the evening before. Putin warned that Russia could give long-range weapons to others to attack Western targets. It would be a response to the United States and Germany allowing Ukraine to use their weapons to strike Russian targets along the border — itself a response to Russia’s attacks on Ukraine.
“[Putin] said ‘the supply of high-precision weapons to Ukraine for strikes on Russian territory is direct participation in this war,’” Muir said to Biden, quoting Putin’s remarks. “He went on to say that this is the way to serious problems, and again talked about Russia's nuclear capabilities. Does that concern you?”
“I've known him for over 40 years; he's concerned me for 40 years,” Biden said. “He's not a decent man, he's a dictator, and he's struggling to make sure he holds his country together while still keeping this assault going.”
“We're not talking about giving them weapons to strike Moscow, to strike the Kremlin,” the president continued. “Just across the border, where they're receiving significant fire from conventional weapons used by the Russians to go into Ukraine to kill Ukrainians.”
