Published 09/02/2024 17:03
During an interview broadcast this Thursday (8), Russian President Vladimir Putin categorically stated that Russia has no interest in invading countries like Poland or Latvia, denying speculations and theories that suggest otherwise.
Putin’s comments came during a rare two-hour interview with US television presenter Tucker Carlson, which was recorded in Moscow on Tuesday (6) and broadcast on tuckercarlson.com. Asked about the possibility of sending Russian troops to Poland, a member of NATO, Putin emphatically responded that such action would only be considered in the event of an attack by Poland on Russia, emphasizing that Russia has no interest in starting conflicts with its neighbors.
“Only in one case: if Poland attacks Russia. Why? Because we have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do this? We simply have no interest,” Putin declared during the interview.
The interview, held in Moscow, was dubbed into English, and Putin began by addressing Russia’s relations with Ukraine, Poland and other countries. The Kremlin said Putin agreed to the interview with Carlson because of the presenter’s distinctive approach to the conflict in Ukraine, which contrasts with the “one-sided” coverage of many Western media outlets.
Tucker Carlson is known for his close connections to former US President Donald Trump, and his interview with Putin comes at a time of geopolitical tensions and uncertainty. Trump has called for a de-escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, while the Biden administration has strongly supported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s government.
Carlson also highlighted during the interview that much of the Western media coverage of the war in Ukraine tends to favor Kiev, highlighting the polarization in the interpretation of events by the international press.
Impossible defeat
During the interview, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a series of striking statements, including declaring that it is “impossible” to defeat Russia. It was the first time that Putin gave an interview to the Western press since 2019.
“Until now, there has been uproar and shouting about inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield,” the Russian president told the conservative political commentator and analyst. “But now, apparently, they are starting to realize that this is difficult to achieve, if it is possible at all. In my opinion, it is impossible by definition.”
Speaking in Russian and dubbed in English, Putin addressed a range of topics, including the war in Ukraine, relations with the United States and broader geopolitical issues.
The Russian president highlighted that Ukraine began the conflict in 2014, after the ouster of then-president Viktor Yanukovych, and accused the country of not complying with previous agreements to end hostilities. He also suggested that Russia was willing to reach a deal to end the conflict, but that Ukraine backed down when Russian troops withdrew from the vicinity of Kiev.
Furthermore, Putin addressed the issue of expanding the war to neighboring countries such as Poland and Latvia, denying any intention to invade these countries unless they were attacked first.
The interview also addressed issues such as the release of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia for almost a year. Putin indicated that it would be possible to reach an agreement for his release, but highlighted the need for negotiations.
The Wall Street Journal released a statement saying that Gershkovich is a journalist and that the newspaper continues to demand his immediate release.
The White House downplayed the impact of the interview, warning viewers to consider the source given the nature of the interviewee..
The most striking statements
Check out some of Putin’s most notable statements during the interview with Tucker Carlson below:
Invading Poland, Lithuania or another NATO country ‘is absolutely out of the question’
This statement came amid growing concerns among Baltic states and other European countries that Russia could invade them following military action in Ukraine.
If the US wants the war to end, it ‘has to stop supplying weapons [à Ucrânia]. The conflict would end in a few weeks’
Putin has suggested that ending the conflict in Ukraine depends on the United States, arguing that if it stops arms supplies to Kiev, the war could end quickly. This statement comes as the US Senate has passed a bill to expand military aid to Ukraine, facing strong opposition in the House of Representatives.
‘They cannot inflict a strategic defeat on Russia’
Putin stated that Russia has developed advanced weapons that make it invincible, highlighting that Western leaders have realized that they “cannot inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.”
‘Ukraine is an artificial state that was formed by Stalin’s will’
Putin argued that Ukraine is an artificial nation created by Josef Stalin, leader of the former Soviet Union. He stated that the idea of an independent Ukraine came from the mind of Vladimir Lenin and was implemented as part of an “indigenization” program imposed by the USSR.
‘It is possible to reach an agreement’ for the release of American journalist imprisoned in Russia
Putin indicated that a deal could be reached for the release of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist jailed in Russia on espionage charges. He suggested that Gershkovich’s freedom could be part of a prisoner exchange between the two countries.
Source: vermelho.org.br
