From the heart of MOSCOW — In a recent interview, Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear that while Russia is prepared to defend its interests “to the end”, it has no intention of extending its conflict in Ukraine to other nations such as Poland and Latvia.
This marked Putin’s first interaction with an American journalist since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago. During the interview, Putin expressed his belief that Western leaders have come to understand the futility of attempting to strategically defeat Russia, leaving them pondering their next move.
“We are prepared for this dialogue,” Putin stated confidently.
Furthermore, Putin expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement to release U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich from the Wall Street Journal, who has been held in Russia for almost a year on charges of espionage.
The Russian President’s comments were part of a comprehensive interview that lasted over two hours with conservative talk-show host Tucker Carlson. The interview took place in Moscow on Tuesday and was broadcasted on tuckercarlson.com.
When questioned about the possibility of deploying Russian troops to Poland, a NATO member, Putin responded:
“Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. Why? Because we have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don’t have any interest.”
Putin, speaking in Russian with his comments translated into English, began with extensive remarks about Russia’s relations with Ukraine, Poland, and other countries.
Putin spent a significant portion of the interview expressing his frustration that Ukraine had been close to agreeing to a deal to end hostilities at talks in Istanbul in April 2022, but backed out once Russian troops withdrew from near Kyiv.
“Well now let them think how to reverse the situation,” he said. “We’re not against it. It would be funny if it were not so sad that. This endless mobilization in Ukraine, the hysteria, the domestic problems, sooner or later, it will result in an agreement.”
The Russian leader also pointed out that the U.S. has its own pressing domestic issues to address. “Wouldn’t it be better to negotiate with Russia? Make an agreement. Already understanding the situation that is developing today, realizing that Russia will fight for its interests to the end,” Putin suggested.
This endless mobilization in Ukraine, the hysteria, the domestic problems, sooner or later it will result in an agreement.
–Russian President Vladimir Putin
Despite Washington’s clear stance of not wanting to negotiate on Putin’s terms, it has provided Ukraine with more than $110 billion in aid since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Putin’s last formal interview with a U.S. media outlet was in October 2021, with CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
The Carlson interview comes at a time when U.S. lawmakers are debating whether to provide more funding for Ukraine’s war effort. The interview was aired on the same day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced the popular army chief with his ground forces commander.
A procedural vote in the U.S. Senate has advanced a bill that includes $61 billion in new funds for Ukraine, but its future is uncertain in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives. Several members, particularly those closely allied with former president Donald Trump, have voted against Ukraine aid.
Progress in journalist’s case
Putin revealed that Russian and American special services are discussing the Gershkovich case and have made some progress.
Putin hinted that in return, Moscow wants Germany to release Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of the 2019 murder of a Chechen dissident in Berlin, although he did not mention Krasikov by name.
“There have been many successful examples of these talks crowned with success,” Putin said. “Probably this is going to be crowned with success as well but we have to come to an agreement.”
Russia and the United States have agreed to high-profile prisoner swaps in the past — most recently in December 2022 when Moscow traded Brittney Griner, a U.S. basketball star convicted of a drugs offense in Russia — for Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout.
The Kremlin stated that Putin agreed to the Carlson interview because the former Fox News host’s approach differed from the “one-sided” reporting of the Ukraine conflict by many Western news outlets.
Carlson is known to have close connections to Trump, who is expected to be the Republican Party candidate in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November.
Both Trump and Carlson have criticized the billions of dollars in aid sent to Kyiv so far, calling for de-escalation of the war in Ukraine. The Biden administration, on the other hand, has strongly backed the Zelenskyy government.
Carlson has also expressed his belief that much of the Western media coverage of the war is biased in Kyiv’s favor.
Putin is lying. Russia has always had a thirst for power and will continue to fuel conflicts around the world.
Agree: Putin’s claim is difficult to believe given Russia’s history of aggressive actions in other countries.