In his first interview with an American journalist since earlier than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine almost two years in the past, Putin stated Western leaders had come to comprehend it was not possible inflict a strategic defeat on Russia and have been questioning what to do subsequent.
“We’re prepared for this dialogue,” he stated. Putin additionally stated he believed it was attainable to succeed in an settlement to free U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Avenue Journal, who has been detained in Russia for almost a 12 months and is awaiting trial on spying expenses.
Putin made the feedback in a greater than two-hour interview with conservative talk-show host Tucker Carlson that was performed in Moscow on Tuesday and aired on tuckercarlson.com.
Requested if he might think about a state of affairs wherein he would ship Russian troops to Poland, a NATO member, Putin replied: “Solely in a single case, if Poland assaults Russia. Why? As a result of we’ve no real interest in Poland, Latvia or wherever else. Why would we do this? We merely have no curiosity.” Putin spoke in Russian and his remarks have been dubbed into English. He started with prolonged remarks about Russia’s relations with Ukraine, Poland and different international locations.
Putin devoted a considerable a part of the interview to complaining that Ukraine had been on the verge of agreeing a deal to finish hostilities at talks in Istanbul in April 2022, however backed away, he stated, as soon as Russian troops withdrew from close to Kyiv.
“Properly now allow them to suppose learn how to reverse the scenario,” he stated. “We’re not in opposition to it. It could be humorous if it weren’t so unhappy that. This countless mobilization in Ukraine, the hysteria, the home issues, eventually it would lead to an settlement.”
The Russian chief stated the U.S. had urgent home points to fret about. “Would not or not it’s higher to barter with Russia? Make an settlement. Already understanding the scenario that’s growing immediately, realizing that Russia will battle for its pursuits to the tip,” Putin stated.
Washington, which has despatched Ukraine greater than $110 billion in help since Russia invaded in February 2022, has made clear it has no real interest in speaking on Putin’s phrases
Putin was final formally interviewed by a U.S. media outlet in October 2021, when CNBC’s Hadley Gamble spoke to him.
The Carlson interview got here as U.S. lawmakers debate whether or not to supply extra money for Ukraine’s battle effort. It additionally aired the identical day as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy changed the favored military chief together with his floor forces commander.
A procedural vote within the U.S. Senate helped advance a invoice that features $61 billion in new funds for Ukraine, nevertheless it faces uncertainty within the Republican-dominated Home of Representatives the place dozens of members, notably these carefully allied with former President Donald Trump, have voted in opposition to Ukraine help.
PROGRESS IN JOURNALIST’S CASEPutin stated Russian and American particular companies have been discussing the Gershkovich case and had made some progress.
Putin advised that in return, Moscow wished Germany to free Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of the 2019 homicide of a Chechen dissident in Berlin, though he didn’t point out Krasikov by identify.
“There have been many profitable examples of those talks topped with success,” Putin stated. “Most likely that is going to be topped with success as nicely however we’ve to come back to an settlement.”
Russia and america have agreed high-profile prisoner swaps prior to now – most not too long ago in December 2022 when Moscow traded Brittney Griner, a U.S. basketball star convicted of a medicine offence in Russia – for Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout.
The Kremlin stated Putin agreed to the Carlson interview as a result of the method of the previous Fox Information host differed from the “one-sided” reporting of the Ukraine battle by many Western information retailers.
Carlson is taken into account to have shut connections to Trump, who is anticipated to be the Republican Occasion candidate within the November U.S. presidential election.
Complaining in regards to the billions of {dollars} in help despatched to Kyiv up to now, Trump has referred to as for de-escalation of the battle in Ukraine, wherein the Biden administration has strongly backed the Zelenskiy authorities.
For his half, Carlson has stated a lot Western media protection of the battle is biased in Kyiv’s favor.
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