Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would rather see President Biden remain in office than former President Trump, calling the incumbent “more predictable” than his Republican challenger.

When asked by journalist Pavel Zarubin about his voting preference for 2024, Putin said: “Biden. He has more experience and is also more predictable, an old-school politician.” according to comments provided by the Kremlin this week.

“Nevertheless, we will work with any leader of the United States who has the trust of the American people,” he continued.

Despite his preference for Biden, Putin did not shy away from criticizing the White House.

“I believe the current government has harmful and flawed policies. I told President Biden that at the time,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin.

Trump, who regularly describes the autocratic Putin as “smart,” called the comments at a rally in South Carolina “a great compliment.”

“He just said he would much rather have Joe Biden as president than Trump,” he said. “That is a compliment. … And of course he would say that.”

“He doesn’t want me. He wants Biden because he will be given everything he wants, including Ukraine,” Trump added.

The Hill has reached out to the White House and the Trump campaign for further comment.

Biden assumed the presidency about a year before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and remains steadfast in his support of Kyiv. The U.S. has provided billions in funding and ammunition to Ukraine, but additional funding remains pending as lawmakers struggle to reach agreement on the issue.

The Senate passed a $95.3 billion emergency defense spending bill earlier this week that would provide $60 billion to Ukraine, although House Republicans remain opposed to passing a funding bill without provisions on border and immigration policy.

During his interview with Zarubuin, Putin appeared to dismiss emerging concerns about Biden’s age and mental fitness.

“To me, this suggests that the election campaign and domestic political struggles in the United States are gaining momentum. These processes are becoming more stringent, so I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to complain about them,” he said.

The Russian leader recounted a meeting with the president in Geneva in 2021 and said he had not noticed anything that would make Biden unfit for office.

“Well, him [Biden] I kept glancing at his notes, but to be honest, I looked at mine too. There’s nothing special about that,” Putin said. “And the fact that he hit his head on something while descending from a helicopter, who among us has never hit our head on something? They shall cast the first stone, as the saying goes.”

Special Counsel Robert Hur released his report last week on Biden’s handling of classified documents, which included: devastating description various gaps in the president’s memory.

Hur described Biden as an “older man with a poor memory,” prompting anger from the administration and Democrats, who called the comments inappropriate and unfounded.

Trump, on the other hand faces a backlash after saying he would actually encourage Russian aggression against “criminal” NATO allies who fail to meet their defense spending targets.

The former president has repeatedly highlighted his relationship with Putin, claiming last year that he was “the apple of his eye” during his time in office. He has claimed that if he were re-elected to the Oval Office, he could end Russia’s war with Ukraine in 24 hours.

During his term of office Trump faced bipartisan criticism for siding with Putin over US intelligence conclusions about Moscow’s interference in the 2016 election.

“I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I can tell you that President Putin has been extremely forceful and forceful in his denials today,” Trump said in 2018.

“He just said it wasn’t Russia. “I will say this: I see no reason why that should be the case,” he added.

Lauren Sfroza contributed.