1Berita News – President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview released on Thursday with controversial right-wing American journalist Tucker Carlson that Western countries must understand that it is “impossible” to defeat Russia in Ukraine.
During the two-hour interview with the former Fox News host, conducted just before the two-year anniversary of Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, Putin also told Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is imprisoned, that an agreement “can be reached” under certain conditions.
“Specific conditions are being discussed through special service channels,” he said as quoted by AFP.
Putin insisted that the reporter was a spy, but this has been strongly denied by the media outlet and the US government.
It was Putin’s first face-to-face interview with someone from Western media since 2019.
However, Carlson, who is close to White House candidates and former President Donald Trump, did not ask many tough questions and listened more as the Kremlin leader offered his views on Russian history. He also portrayed the country as a victim of betrayal by Western nations.
Putin defended his decision to invade Ukraine since February 2022. And he said Western countries now realize that Russia will not be defeated, even though the US, Europe, and NATO are helping Ukraine.
“So far, there have been various noises and shouts about a strategic defeat for Russia on the battlefield. But now they seem to be starting to realize that this (defeating Russia) is difficult to achieve. In my opinion, it is difficult to achieve. Impossible,” he said.
He also delivered his message to the US Congress, where the Trump-dominated Republican Party is becoming increasingly reluctant to continue supporting Ukraine with weapons and other military aid.
“I will tell you what we say about this issue and what we convey to US leaders. If you really want to stop fighting, you have to stop supplying weapons,” he said.
When asked if Moscow would consider attacking other countries in the region – NATO members Poland and Latvia – or generally across Europe, Putin said it was “unlikely.”
“We are not interested in Poland, Latvia, or any other country. Why would we do that? We are not interested at all. It’s just a threat,” Putin said.
War with Poland, he said, would only happen “in one case: if Poland attacks Russia.”
When asked about the possibility of leadership changes after the US elections, where Biden is expected to face Trump in a rematch of the 2020 election, Putin indicated that he would not see many changes.
“You just asked me if another leader comes and changes something? It’s not about the leader. It’s not about the personality of a particular person.”
As president and since being defeated by Biden, Trump has repeatedly praised Putin and not condemned the invasion of Ukraine – saying that if the invasion were to happen, he would be able to end the war in “24 hours,” although he did not say how.
In contrast, Biden has labeled Putin a “war criminal” and made support for the pro-Western elected government of Ukraine one of his top presidential priorities.
