Biden Says Putin Will "Pay a Price" for Interfering in U.S. Elections

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Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:23 pm

President Joe Biden said Russian leader Vladimir Putin will “pay a price” for interfering in United States elections after years of concerns from the intelligence community that Russian operatives meddled in the 2016 and 2020 elections to sow discord and spread disinformation.

“We had a long talk, he and I,” Biden said during an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopolous in an interview that aired today. “I know him relatively well. And the conversation started off, I said, ‘I know you, and you know me. If I establish this occurred, then be prepared.’”

Biden did not elaborate when asked what consequences Putin might face, only saying, “you’ll see shortly.” Biden also told Stephanopolous that he thinks Putin is a “killer” and confirmed that he once told Putin that he didn’t think he had a “soul.

“I did say that to him, yes,” Biden said. “And his response was, ‘We understand one another.’ I wasn’t being a wise guy. I was alone with him in his office. That’s how it came about.”

EXCLUSIVE: Pres. Biden told @GStephanopoulos that he agreed Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "killer" and will "pay a price" for interfering in U.S. elections. https://t.co/rIe2ms8sSv pic.twitter.com/VtAGCvF9hp

— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 17, 2021

Biden’s remarks come after a U.S. intelligence report revealed Putin interfered in the most recent election to help former President Donald Trump win. Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani, Fox News, and One America News Network (OANN) all benefited from Putin’s involvement.

You can read the declassified assessment HERE.