Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly retorted to U.S. President Joe Biden's "killer" remarks with "It takes one to know one" on Thursday aired on their state television.
"I remember in my childhood, when we argued in the courtyard with each other we used to say: it takes one to know one. And that's not a coincidence, not just a children's saying or joke. The psychological meaning here is very deep," the Daily Caller reported Putin in saying.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that Putin commented using a childhood expression, "I know you are, but what am I?", that meant Biden was simply mirroring his own weaknesses on Putin. He cited American's killing of Native Americans, slavery, and said that every country had its own history of "bloody events."
"Each nation and every state has very hard, dramatic and bloody events in their history. But when we assess other people or even when we assess other states and other nations, we always sort of look in the mirror. And we always see ourselves there because we always attribute to other people that which we breathe ourselves and what we essentially are," Putin pointed out while on video call to Crimean residents during the anniversary of their 2014 annexation from Ukraine.
In line with this, the Daily Caller cited reports from The Washington Post and The Atlantic that former President Barack Obama's Administration has been previously criticized for killing civilians that included Americans borne from drone strikes to Pakistan. The Daily caller cited Russian parliamentarian Konstantin Kosachyov reacting in Facebook to Biden's remarks in saying that America caused the "deaths of 500 thousand people" since 2001 for the bombs the U.S. releases "someplace on the planet every 12 minutes."
The Washington Post, on the other hand, added that Putin then sincerely wished Biden "good health."
"I say that without irony and not as a joke," the Russian President clarified.
As per the Daily Caller, this spite between the two presidents began when the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence released reports on Tuesday that Russia and Iran had attempts to interfere with America's 2020 elections and to undermine through a campaign the spread of discord and the lack of confidence in the U.S. elections among Americans.
Biden on Wednesday, the Daily Caller added, answered "I do" after George Stephanopoulus of ABC News asked him on during an interview if he regarded Putin as "a killer." He also said Putin had "no soul" and will "pay the price" for Russia's alleged interference in the recent U.S. elections.
Putin has also challenged Biden on Thursday to a "live" debate on his "killer" comment that he wished to happen as early as Friday, the Daily Caller said.
"I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it's called," Putin said. "Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States."
The Washington Post added that immediately after Biden's comments, Putin temporarily recalled Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov, an occurrence that hasn't happened in two decades. Antonov is said to be leaving on Saturday for Moscow "to discuss ways to rectify Russia-U.S. ties that are in crisis" according to a statement released by the embassy.
