MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview that aired on Thursday that Russia would fight for its interests “to the end”, but has no interest in expanding its war in Ukraine to other countries such as Poland and Latvia.

In his first interview with an American journalist since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, Putin said Western leaders had come to realise it was impossible to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia and were wondering what to do next.

“We are ready for this dialogue,” he said.

Putin also said he believed it was possible to reach an agreement to free US journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal, who has been detained in Russia for nearly a year and is awaiting trial on spying charges.

Putin made the comments in a more than two-hour interview with conservative talk-show host Tucker Carlson that was conducted in Moscow on Tuesday and aired on tuckercarlson.com.

Asked if he could imagine a scenario in which he would send Russian troops to Poland, a Nato member, Putin replied: “Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. Why? Because we have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don’t have any interest.”

Putin spoke in Russian and his remarks were dubbed into English. He began with lengthy remarks about Russia’s relations with Ukraine, Poland and other countries. Putin devoted a substantial part of the interview to complaining that Ukraine had been on the verge of agreeing a deal to end hostilities at talks in Istanbul in April 2022, but backed away, he said, once Russian troops withdrew from near Kyiv.

Endless mobilisation

“Well now let them think how to reverse the situation,” he said. “We’re not against it. It would be funny if it were not so sad. This endless mobilisation in Ukraine, the hysteria, the domestic problems, sooner or later it will result in an agreement.”

The Russian leader said the US had pressing domestic issues to worry about. “Wouldn’t it be better to negotiate with Russia? Make an agreement. Already understanding the situation that is developing today, realising that Russia will fight for its interests to the end,” Putin said.

Washington, which has sent Ukraine more than $110 billion in aid since Russia invaded in Feb 2022, has made clear it has no interest in talking on Putin’s terms.

Putin was last formally interviewed by a US media outlet in Oct 2021, when CNBC’s Hadley Gamble spoke to him.

The Carlson interview came as US lawmakers debate whether to provide more money for Ukraine’s war effort. It also aired the same day as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced the popular army chief with his ground forces commander.

A procedural vote in the US Senate helped advance a bill that includes $61bn in new funds for Ukraine, but it faces uncertainty in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives where members closely allied with former president Donald Trump, have voted against Ukraine aid.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2024