Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off on foreign policy and Russia's invasion of Ukraine during the second presidential debate of the 2024 election, held in Philadelphia on September 10.
As reported by the Kyiv Independent, this is the first time Harris, the Democratic nominee, and Trump, the Republican nominee, went head-to-head in the race for the presidency.
Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was backing Harris for the presidency, saying, “Putin endorsed her last week,” and that the Russian leader hopes she wins.
"I think he meant it, because what he’s gotten away with is absolutely incredible, it wouldn't have happened with me," Trump added, referencing his previous statements that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine under his leadership.
Earlier in September, Putin had remarked, "(Joe) Biden recommended that all his supporters support Ms. Harris. Here, we are going to do that too, we're going to support her."
Trump repeated his previous assertions that if he had won the 2020 election, Russia would never have attacked Ukraine. He also stated that, if elected, the war would be over by the time he took office.
When asked if the U.S. should support Ukraine’s victory in the war, Trump avoided giving a direct response.
Harris countered by asserting that Trump’s leadership would have emboldened Putin.
“If Donald Trump was president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now,” Harris declared. She criticized Trump's past comments about Putin, noting that Trump had once described Russia’s move into Ukraine as "brilliant."
She also addressed his friendly exchanges with dictators like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accusing Trump of being easily manipulated by autocratic leaders.
