Putin wishes Biden ‘good health’ on state television after he called Russian leader a ‘killer’

The war of words has been described as a 'watershed moment' in relations between the US and Russia

Credit: REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin 

Vladimir Putin has mocked Joe Biden for calling him a "killer," saying "it takes one to know one," as ties between Moscow and Washington sink to new lows.

Russia has recalled its ambassador to the United States and demanded an apology, calling it a “watershed moment” in relations between the two countries.

Moscow has been accused of trying to meddle in the 2020 US election and Mr Biden, the US president, said on Tuesday that it would "pay a price" for their actions.

But on Thursday, Mr Putin, the Russian leader, hit back at the “killer” jibe, saying: "We always see in another person our own qualities and think that he is the same as us.

"It takes one to know one," he added.

Vladimir Putin has recalled his ambassador to Washington for crisis talks

Credit: Alexei Druzhinin\TASS via Getty Images

Mr Putin added that he wished Mr Biden good health. "I’m saying this without irony, not as a joke."

His close allies rounded on the US as well.

Mr Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described Mr Biden’s remarks as "very bad," adding:

"It is clear that he does not want to get the relationship with our country back on track."

Moscow’s embassy in Washington said ambassador Anatoly Antonov was set to depart for Russia on Saturday to discuss "ways to rectify Russia-US ties, which are in crisis".

The embassy warned that Washington had pushed bilateral ties to the brink.

"Certain ill-considered statements of high-ranking US officials have put the already excessively confrontational relations under the threat of collapse," it said.

Konstantin Kosachev, a deputy head at the Russian parliament’s upper house, described Biden’s comments as "a watershed moment" and demanded that Washington apologise.

"Such statements are unacceptable in any circumstances and will inevitably sharply damage our bilateral ties," he wrote.

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Ties between the two countries have been strained for years over allegations that Russia meddling in the US elections in 2016. Relations deteriorated more recently when the US State Department concluded that opposition figure Alexei Navalny was poisoned last summer by the Russian secret services with a Soviet-era nerve agent.

The US Commerce Department announced this week it was toughening export restrictions imposed on Russia as punishment for Mr Navalny’s poisoning in August.

But in a sign that there is a way through the difficulties, Mr Putin said on Thursday that Moscow would continue working with the United States on terms "beneficial" to Russia.

The two countries have continued cooperation on issues of shared interest, including the Iran nuclear deal and the Afghanistan peace process.

"We can defend our interests," Mr Putin said.

"And they will have to deal with it.”