In a recent statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the humorous remarks made by President Vladimir Putin regarding U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Putin's playful endorsement, which highlighted Harris's "contagious laugh" as a sign of her campaign's success, sparked varied reactions in the U.S. Lavrov, however, emphasized that such comments were not to be taken seriously, reiterating Moscow's view that the U.S. political landscape is dominated by a "deep state" that renders election outcomes inconsequential. This article delves into the implications of Lavrov's statements and the broader context of U.S.-Russia relations.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed that President Putin was joking when he endorsed US Vice President Kamala Harris’ election campaign.
It seems that some people believed Putin when he said Harris’s ‘contagious laugh’ meant she was doing well and that if she was doing well, she might impose fewer sanctions.
Lavrov also added as far as Russia was concerned, the outcome of the US election wouldn’t matter because Washington is controlled by the “deep state.”
RT reports: Speaking to reporters in Vladivostok earlier this month, Putin claimed that while he previously favored US President Joe Biden, he would root for Harris since Biden endorsed her after suspending his campaign in July. Harris “laughs so infectiously” that it suggests “everything is going well for her,” he added. Putin’s ‘endorsement’ immediately made headlines in the US, with the White House demanding that the Russian president “stop talking about our elections.”
Putin “has a good sense of humor” and “often resorts to jokes during his speeches and interviews,” Lavrov told Sky News Arabia earlier this week.
However, Moscow doesn’t “see any difference” between Harris, former US President Donald Trump, or any other American politician, “because the notorious ‘deep state’ is operating” in the US.
The term ‘deep state’ refers to the unelected and often unknown government bureaucrats who steer government policy, particularly the leaders of intelligence agencies and the military. Trump railed against the deep state throughout his presidency, accusing its members of obstructing his efforts to withdraw from Afghanistan and Syria, and orchestrating the ‘Russiagate’ hoax to damage his reputation and sour relations between Washington and Moscow.
Putin has asserted before that these shadowy bureaucrats are the real center of power in the US, telling American journalist Tucker Carlson in February that US policy is “not about the personality of the leader, it is about the elites’ mindset.”
“I have no illusions about the US leader,” Lavrov told Sky News Arabia, explaining that while Trump was friendly to himself and Putin, sanctions against Russia were still “introduced regularly, consistently and quite seriously” under his administration.
Likewise, despite Biden being “in such a physical condition that he has not been able to lead the country for a long time,” the US maintains its foreign policy. “It continues the military campaign through the Ukrainian regime, and in other parts of the world continues to block any resolutions at the UN Security Council that demand a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.”
This information reflects ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Russia, particularly relating to perceptions of political influence and foreign policy. The concept of the "deep state" has been a persistent narrative in American politics, notably during Trump's presidency and continuing under Biden, as it suggests a bureaucratic inertia that influences governance beyond elected officials. Lavrov's remarks illustrate Russia's skepticism towards U.S. electoral processes and its broader strategic posture.