Sat Sep 21 11:11:28 UTC 2024: ## Putin’s Harris Endorsement Was a Joke, Says Lavrov, as Zelenskyy Seeks Trump Meeting
**Moscow, September 22** – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed President Vladimir Putin’s earlier comment about supporting Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2020 US Presidential election as a joke. Putin had remarked that he preferred Harris due to her “infectious” laugh, prompting the White House to request that he refrain from commenting on the election.
“It was a joke,” Lavrov said in an interview with Sky News Arabia. “President Putin has a good sense of humor. He often jokes during his statements and interviews.” He further stated that Russia’s stance on US elections remains unchanged, citing the “notorious ‘deep state'” as the true influence behind US politics.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit the United States next week to present his “victory plan” for ending the war with Russia. During his visit, Zelenskyy will meet with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and attend sessions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly. He also hopes to meet with former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, to discuss his plan.
Zelenskyy describes the plan as a roadmap for forcing Russia to end the war diplomatically and emphasizes the need for swift action by key allies between October and December. The Ukrainian leader is seeking increased support from the US, including lifting restrictions on long-range missile strikes inside Russia, in order to bolster Ukraine’s defenses during this crucial phase of the war.
Despite Ukraine’s recent surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, Russian forces continue to advance slowly in eastern Ukraine. Zelenskyy has repeatedly reiterated the need for a “just peace” and dismissed the possibility of a ceasefire, arguing that it would only postpone Russian aggression.
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