Obama calls Putin weak, Russian leader won't return favor

By Rudy Takala, Rudy Takala

Published December 20, 2015

President Obama is lashing out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he is running Russia's "economy into the ground" and struggling "just to barely hold together" his "sole ally."

In an interview with CBS' Steve Kroft aired on Sunday, President Obama disputed notions that Putin was challenging his leadership.

"[Putin] has moved troops into Syria. He's got people on the ground," Kroft said in the interview, adding, "the Russians are conducting military operations in the Middle East for the first time since World War II, bombing the people that we are supporting."

Obama disputed that was leadership on Putin's part, responding, "So that's leading, Steve?"