Robert Bumsted/Associated Press
- A video clip has resurfaced of Rudy Giuliani praising Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Fox News appearance in 2014.
- “That’s what you call a leader,” said Giuliani of Putin, following Russia’s invasion of Crimea.
- In the video, Giuliani also hits out at then-President Barack Obama.
A video clip from 2014 of Rudy Giuliani praising Russian President Vladimir Putin has resurfaced on social media.
In the clip, Giuliani speaks to Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto about Russia’s invasion of Crimea earlier that year and expresses admiration for how Putin obtained swift parliamentary approval for the deployment of military forces.
“Putin decides what he wants to do, and he does it in half a day, right?” says Giuliani. “He decided he had to go to their parliament. He went to their parliament. He got permission in 15 minutes.”
“Well, that was kind of like perfunctory,” says Cavuto.
“But he makes a decision, and he executes it, quickly. Then everybody reacts. That’s what you call a leader,” Giuliani responds.
While Russia has formally annexed Crimea and controls it as a federal subject, Ukraine and the international community regard the region as Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia.
—Elijah Cone (@ElijahCone) March 9, 2022
The video also shows Giuliani taking a jab at the leadership style of then-President Barack Obama, saying: “President Obama, he’s got to think about it. He’s got to go over it again. He’s got to talk to more people about it.”
Twitter users sharing the video have largely criticized Giuliani for his comments, with one stating that his views have “aged so, so badly.”
Giuliani himself has been linked to Russia, and his apartment was raided last May as part of a long-running FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine.
One of Giuliani’s closest allies, former President Donald Trump, has also been recently slammed by numerous parties — including veteran diplomats — for describing Putin’s justification for invading Ukraine as “savvy” and “genius.”
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