Russia wants an apology from US after Biden called Putin a killer, says Kremlin ally

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that it takes one to know one after the US president said he thought Putin was a killer, adding that he wished Biden good health.

Putin was speaking on television after Biden, in an ABC News interview that prompted Russia to recall its Washington ambassador for consultations on Wednesday, said “I do” when asked if he believed the Russian president was a killer.

Biden also described Putin as having no soul, and said he would pay a price for alleged Russian meddling in the November 2020 US presidential election, something the Kremlin denies.

Also read: Biden vows Russia's Putin will 'pay a price' for election meddling: ABC News

“I remember in my childhood, when we argued in the courtyard we used to say: it takes one to know one. And that’s not a coincidence, not just a children’s saying or joke,” Putin said.

“We always see our own traits in other people and think they are like how we really are. And as a result we assess (a person’s) activities and give assessments,” he said.

“As he (Biden) said, we know each other personally. What would I reply to him? I would say: I wish you health. I wish you health. I say that without any irony or joke,” Putin added.

In a highly unusual move following Biden’s interview, Russia said it was recalling its ambassador to the United States for urgent consultations over the future of US-Russia ties.

'Really bad remarks'

Shortly before Putin spoke, the Kremlin’s spokesman said Biden’s remarks showed he had no interest in fixing ties with Moscow.

“These are really bad remarks by the US president. He has clearly shown that he doesn’t want to improve relations with our country,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “We will now proceed from that.”

“Of course, this hasn’t happened before in history,” Peskov told reporters, describing the state of bilateral relations as “really bad”.

Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of parliament’s upper house, said Biden’s comments were unacceptable, would inevitably inflame already bad ties, and ended any hope in Moscow of a change of US policy under the new US administration.

He said Moscow’s recall of its ambassador was the only reasonable step to take in the circumstances.

“I suspect it will not be the last one if no explanation or apology follows from the American side,” Kosachyov said in a Facebook post.

“This kind of assessment is not allowed from the mouth of a statesman of such a rank. This kind of statement is not acceptable under any circumstances,” he added, calling it a watershed moment in US-Russia ties.

Ties strained over Navalny, election

Russia’s ties with the West, already languishing at post-Cold War lows since 2014, have come under new pressure in recent months over Russia’s jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny whose freedom the West has demanded.

Russia has dismissed that as unacceptable interference in its domestic affairs.

The United States has said it is preparing new sanctions against Russia over an alleged hack and the alleged meddling in the 2020 election.

Biden told ABC “You’ll see shortly” when asked what consequences Russia would face for its alleged behaviour.

Russia’s foreign ministry said Moscow expected an explanation for Biden’s remarks, the Interfax news agency reported.

Artur Chilingarov, a pro-Kremlin lawmaker in the lower house of parliament, called for a “tough reaction” from Moscow, in comments made to Russia’s Ekho Moskvy radio station.