Russian President Vladimir Putin gently mocked Secretary of State John Kerry Wednesday for carrying his own bags.
Kerry is in Moscow on a state visit.
“When I saw you coming off your plane today and carrying your belongings, I got a bit upset. On the one hand, this is very egalitarian, but, on the other hand, things must be looking blue in the United States if nobody can help the secretary of state carry his suitcases,” Putin said at a reception.
Putin then went further, speculating that perhaps Kerry was carrying something he didn’t want others to see, maybe bribe money, in a country plagued for generations by a reputation for bribery.
“Then I thought that you probably have in this case something that you couldn’t trust anyone to carry, something precious, probably money for better bargaining on key issues,” Putin joked.
Putin then changed tone to a more official note, saying, “Speaking seriously, we are really glad to see you because — this time I am not joking at all — we usually manage to find some points of contact and relying on them move forward towards resolving bilateral and international issues. Welcome!”
