Senior Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky says American voters should either elect Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump as their next president or face the threat of a nuclear war.
Zhirinovsky, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, told Reuters on Thursday that Trump was the only US presidential candidate capable of de-escalating growing tensions between Washington and Moscow.
The vice chairman of Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, said Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, by contrast, would ignite the next World War if she makes it to the White House.
“Relations between Russia and the United States can't get any worse. The only way they can get worse is if a war starts,” said Zhirinovsky.
“Americans voting for a president on November 8 must realize that they are voting for peace on Planet Earth if they vote for Trump. But if they vote for Hillary it's war. It will be a short movie. There will be Hiroshimas and Nagasakis everywhere,” he added, referring to America's nuclear bombing of the two Japanese cities in 1945.
The veteran lawmaker, who has sat in the Duma for over two decades, described Trump as a “very talented” person who is running against “an evil mother-in law” who “craves power.”
Zhirinovsky took his attacks on Clinton to a more extreme level, saying her gender should bar her from taking the top job.
"Most Americans should choose Trump because men have been leading for millions of year. You can't take the risk of having one of the richest, most powerful countries led by a woman president," he said.
He also defended Trump's lewd remarks in a 2005 video, saying, “men all around the world sometimes say such things that are just for their comrades.”
The comments are expected to put Trump in more trouble, as he is already being scrutinized for his stance on Russia.
The New York businessman has given Russian President Vladimir Putin credit for being a good leader, saying Putin will respect him more than he would Clinton.
He has also floated the idea of cooperating with Russia in the fight against terrorist groups in Syria, drawing bipartisan criticism in America.
Clinton’s campaign has accused Russia of hacking confidential Democratic data to tarnish Clinton’s image and give a boost to Trump’s campaign, a claim that Russian officials have categorically denied on various occasions.
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