Moscow, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would prefer Joe Biden to beat Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, calling the Democrat "more predictable."

In an interview for Russian TV, excerpts of which were published by the Kremlin on Wednesday, Putin criticized the US government.

"I think that the attitude of the current administration is extremely harmful and wrong," he said. The two major nuclear powers are at loggerheads on almost all international issues, but above all because of the Russian war against Ukraine.

Nevertheless, a victory for Biden would be preferable, Putin said.

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"He is more experienced and more predictable. He is an 'old school' politician," the Russian leader said. "But we will work with any US leader, elected by the people of America."

Putin also defended the 81-year-old Biden against increasingly loud voices that say he is too old to hold office, saying speculation about the Democrat's age has been going on for years.

"I haven't seen anything of the sort," he insisted, referring to signs that Biden may be unfit to be president.

Putin's comments are at odds with Russia's policy in recent years, which heavily favored Donald Trump.

Still, the 71-year-old agreed with Trump's controversial criticism of NATO countries who supposedly don't meet defense spending obligations – criticism that included the threat of encouraging Russia to attack laggards.

"They want the US to continue to protect them for nothing," Putin said.