On October 7, 2020, responding to a question from the Rossiya 1 TV channel on the US elections, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that countering imperialism and capitalism can provide a unifying agent between Moscow and a Biden administration. "Back in the 1930s, Communist International leaders wrote that both black and white workers had a common enemy – imperialism and capitalism. They also wrote that these people could become the most effective group in the future revolutionary battle. So, this is something that can be seen, to a degree, as common values, if not a unifying agent for us. I am not afraid to say so. This is true," Putin said.
Below is the transcript of Putin's answer to the Rossiya 1 TV channel:[1]
(Source: Obamawhitehouse.archives.gov)
'The Democratic Party Is Traditionally Closer To The So-Called Liberal Values, Closer To Social Democratic Ideas… And It Was From The Social Democratic Environment That The Communist Party Evolved. After All, I Was A Member Of The Soviet Communist Party For Nearly 20 Years'
Russian President Vladimir Putin: "… As for the Democratic candidate, what can I say? We can hear rather sharp anti-Russian rhetoric as well. Regrettably, we have become used to this. But some things are worth mentioning. First, the Democratic Party is traditionally closer to the so-called liberal values, closer to Social Democratic ideas, if compared to Europe. And it was from the Social Democratic environment that the Communist Party evolved.
"After all, I was a member of the Soviet Communist Party for nearly 20 years, or more precisely 18 years. I was a rank-and-file member, but it can be said that I believed in the party’s ideas. I still like many of these left-wing values. Equality and fraternity. What is bad about them? In fact, they are akin to Christian values. Yes, they are difficult to implement, but they are very attractive, nevertheless. In other words, this can be seen as an ideological basis for developing contacts with the Democratic representative.
"It is a fact that African Americans constitute a stable electorate, one of the electorates of the Democratic Party. It is a well-known fact, and there is nothing new about this. The Soviet Union also supported the African Americans’ movement for their legitimate rights. Back in the 1930s, Communist International leaders wrote that both black and white workers had a common enemy – imperialism and capitalism. They also wrote that these people could become the most effective group in the future revolutionary battle.
"So, this is something that can be seen, to a degree, as common values, if not a unifying agent for us. I am not afraid to say so. This is true.
"Do you remember – well, you are a young man [Pavel Zarubin, Rossiya 1 TV channel journalist], but people of my generation remember a time when huge portraits of Angela Davis, a member of the US Communist Party and an ardent fighter for the rights of African Americans, were on view around the Soviet Union.
"Therefore, we believe that this is something we can talk about and that can be used as the basis for mutual understanding but this is far by no means all there is. For example, candidate Biden has said openly that he was ready to extend the New START or to sign a new strategic offensive reductions treaty. This is a very serious element of our potential collaboration in the future.
"Therefore, I would like to repeat what I have said more than once before. We will work with any future president of the United State, the one whom the American people give their vote of confidence."
[1] Kremlin.ru, October 7, 2020.
