Russia, which has been in conflict with Ukraine since February 2022, has reacted to Joe Biden’s surprise announcement that he is withdrawing from the 2024 US presidential race, ending his re-election bid.

The US, under Biden, is backing Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Ukraine in the conflict with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Moments after Biden’s announcement on Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmirty Peskov said that Russia has other priorities than waiting for the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election.

Not the US, but Ukraine is a priority for Russia

Peskov said that winning the conflict with Ukraine is one of Russia’s priorities.

“For us, achieving the goals of the special military operation (against Ukraine) is a priority, not the outcome of the US elections,” Peskov said.

The Kremlin spokesman stood by Putin’s statements, who had said earlier this year that he would have preferred Biden to win the US presidential election, describing Putin as “an old-school politician” and “more predictable” from the standpoint of Moscow’s interests.

Peskov continued: “That is certainly the case, but the elections are still four months away. And it is a long period, during which a lot can change.”

Biden drops out of US presidential race

Biden’s announcement to withdraw from the presidential race has sent shockwaves through American politics. The US president’s decision came shortly after his poor debate performance against 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on June 27.

Although Biden blamed jet lag and international travel for the debate debacle, several Democratic lawmakers had called on him to withdraw as a presidential candidate.

GOP lawmakers were unhappy that Biden was continuing his re-election bid, fearing that if he were re-elected, he would not only cost them the White House but also the chance to control either chamber of Congress next year.

With his announcement to withdraw, Biden is endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic presidential candidate.

With input from agencies