Interview with Carlson

Putin: Invasion of Poland “completely out of the question”

Vladimir Putin did not have to deal with any particularly critical questions in his first interview with a US journalist since the start of the war in Ukraine.

(Bild: Sputnik)

For the first time since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin was interviewed by a US interviewer. Among other things, the Kremlin leader told right-wing talk show host Tucker Carlson that a Russian invasion of the NATO states of Poland and Latvia was basically "completely out of the question" - unless "Poland attacks Russia", he added.

The 127-minute interview was recorded on Tuesday and published on Thursday evening (Friday night in our country) at prime time in the USA. TV personality Carlson, known for spreading false reports and conspiracy theories at his former employer Fox News, did not question Putin's lengthy remarks. Critics had already identified this in the run-up to the interview as the reason why the Kremlin leader should have granted the American an interview.

"No interest" in further invasions
As expected, Putin dominated the conversation, while Carlson refrained from describing the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as such or speaking of an invasion. Putin, in turn, explained that Russia had no interest in Poland, Latvia or other countries and that fears of a Russian attack were therefore misplaced. "Why should we do that? We simply have no interest."

No critical questions were to be expected from right-wing US talk show host Tucker Carlson.

(Bild: Sputnik)

He said it was against "common sense" to get involved in "some kind of global war". Putin accused the NATO states of intimidating their own populations with the pretense of an "imaginary Russian threat".

Agreement with Ukraine "sooner or later"
With regard to the war in Ukraine, Putin said towards the end of the interview that Russia was ready for dialogue - the time for talks had come because the West had to realize that it could not win the conflict militarily. "Sooner or later this will end in an agreement," said Putin. "When this realization has set in, they (the West) will have to think about what to do next."

Alleged historical territorial claims
The interview recorded in Moscow appeared on Carlson's website and Platform X. In it, Putin began with a lengthy explanation of Russia's history, going back to the 13th century and handing Carlson a folder of documents "so you don't think I'm missing something". In the course of the interview, he again justified the Russian invasion of Ukraine with alleged historical territorial claims and sharply criticized NATO and the USA. Carlson largely let the Kremlin leader finish speaking and rarely intervened, but occasionally built rhetorical ramps for Putin. At one point, he interrupted the Russian president's historical ramblings: "Can you tell us in what period? I'm losing track of where we are in history."

Putin was able to use the interview with the US presenter perfectly as a stage for his propaganda.

(Bild: Sputnik)

Putin discusses prisoner exchange with Carlson
At the end, he addressed Putin directly about the US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is being held in custody in Russia, and asked whether there was any chance of his release. Putin was willing to talk and hinted at the possibility of a prisoner exchange. "It makes no sense to keep him in prison in Russia," said the Kremlin leader. The USA should think about how it could contribute to a solution. Further statements by Putin could be interpreted as meaning that a release of the "Tiergarten murderer" Vadim K., who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany in December 2021, could be meant.

In December, the White House announced that Moscow had rejected an offer from Washington to release the journalist, who worked for the Wall Street Journal. Gershkovich was arrested at the end of March 2023 while on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg in the Urals. The Russian public prosecutor's office accused him of espionage. The US-American with Russian roots and the newspaper reject the accusations, as does the US government.

(Bild: Sputnik)

(Bild: Sputnik)

Huge media interest in the run-up to the event
Carlson had advertised the pre-recorded interview for days as a major media event. The interview with the 54-year-old talk show host is likely to have served as a welcome stage for the internationally criticized Kremlin leader ahead of the presidential election in Russia on March 17, as Russian political scientist Tatyana Stanovaya noted. Putin had used Carlson for his own purposes in order to gain access to the US public. The supporters of Republican Donald Trump in particular, who wants to return to the White House, are less critical of Putin than many of their compatriots.

Former Fox News presenter Carlson reaches an audience of millions via social networks. Last year, he was fired by the arch-conservative US broadcaster without giving any reasons for his dismissal. He had hosted a highly rated evening show there for years. Carlson used this to incite hatred against the Democratic Party and minorities with false allegations. Shortly after leaving Fox News, he started his own show on X.

U.S. National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby pointed out that nothing said in the interview should be taken at face value. "Remember, you're listening to Vladimir Putin," he said succinctly on Thursday.

Meeting with Snowden before departure
Carlson has since left Moscow again. The news website "Semafor" reported that he had also met with Edward Snowden before his departure. The US whistleblower, who made the extent of the United States' global surveillance and espionage practices public in 2013, has been living in exile in Russia for around ten years. Further details of the alleged meeting are not known.