The Russian leader said an agreement to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovitch was possible if “mutual measures” were taken.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that defeating Russia in Ukraine is “by definition impossible” but insisted he has no intention of expanding the war to neighboring countries such as Poland and Latvia.
In a high-profile interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, President Putin reiterated his claim that the invasion of Ukraine was necessary to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and threatening Russia. He denies having any territorial ambitions across Europe and insists he will only send troops, but if attacked, he will invade neighboring countries.
“That’s completely out of the question. You don’t need to be any kind of analyst. It goes against common sense to get involved in some kind of world war,” Putin said in an interview posted on social media and Karlsson’s personal website on Thursday. mentioned in.
“And a world war will bring all of humanity to the brink of destruction. It is clear.”
In a two-hour interview in which Putin spoke at length about the history of Eastern Europe and Russia, the Russian leader said his government was in contact with the United States and that a peaceful resolution to the war could only be achieved if the United States stopped it. He said it was possible. It supplies weapons to Ukraine.
“I will tell you what we are saying on this issue and what we are conveying to the American leadership,” Putin said. “If you really want to stop fighting, you have to stop supplying weapons. It will be over in a few weeks, that’s it, and then we can agree to some conditions. Before that stop it.”
President Putin said he had “never rejected” peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but cited Putin’s claims that Kiev is committing genocide against ethnic Russians. The government said it had not yet achieved its goals in Ukraine, including “denazification.”
Asked if he intended to release imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as a “sign of decency,” the Russian leader said an agreement was possible and that there was no problem. He said there is “no taboo” to solving the problem.
“We’ve done so many good deeds out of common sense that I think we’ve run out. No, I’ve never seen anyone reward us in the same way. But theoretically “I can say that I do not exclude the possibility that this will be possible if the partners take mutual measures,” Putin said.
Mr. Gershkovic has been detained in Russia since March 2023 on charges of espionage, which the US government says are “unfounded.”
The Kremlin said Putin agreed to meet Karlsson because he presented a less unilateral view of the Ukraine war.
Karlsson has repeatedly questioned the rationale for U.S. aid to Kiev, and in a video posted on social media this week criticized the U.S. media for “flattering” coverage of Zelensky.
After the interview with Putin aired, Karlsson said in a video posted on his website that those who believe Putin would abandon Crimea for peace are “lunatics” and that “they are Russian We want weak leadership.”
Before the interview, Carlson drew criticism for traveling to Moscow to interview the Russian leader, with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slamming the former TV host as a “useful idiot.”