Photo: Gavriil Grigorov/ Press Service of the President of the Russian Federation/ TASS
MOSCOW, 9 February. /TASS/. Moscow has never refused to hold talks on Ukraine and is confident that sooner or later the conflict will end in peace and relations between the people of the two countries will be restored, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson published on the website of the American journalist. The Russian leader also did not rule out the possibility that US citizen Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage in Russia, could be released, and shared his opinion on famous entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The TASS news agency has collected the main findings from the president's interview.
About the negotiations on Ukraine
Russia has never rejected dialogue on Ukraine, but after the Istanbul talks were suspended in March 2022, Moscow has no intention of taking the first step. "Why should we bother correcting someone else's mistakes?" he asks.
The terms of a solution to the problem need to be discussed, including the possibility of keeping the situation where it is now. "It is a subject of negotiations that no one is willing to conduct, or more accurately, is willing but does not know how to do it. I know they want to. It's not just me that sees it, but I know they want it, but they have trouble understanding how to do it."
On why London broke off the Istanbul talks
"Who knows. I don't understand it myself. There was some general starting point. For some reason everyone had the illusion that Russia could be defeated on the battlefield. Because of arrogance, because of a pure heart, but not because of great reason."
On future relations with the Ukrainians
The West is mistaken if it thinks that "the Russian nation has been forever divided by enmity." "Sooner or later it will result in an agreement. It may sound strange given the current situation, but relations between the two nations will be restored anyway. It will take a long time, but it will heal."
About Ukrainian borders
Ukraine is, in a sense, an artificial state, "formed according to Stalin's will" mainly from Hungarian, Polish and Romanian lands. Putin said he had never discussed with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the possible return of Hungarian lands that were handed over to Ukraine under Stalin. As for the Black Sea region, it "has no historical connection with Ukraine at all".
On responsibility for the Ukrainian crisis
"I know some may say it's our fault. It was us who intensified the situation and decided to end the war that started in 2014 in Donbas. As I have already said, by using weapons." However, it is also worth recalling the expansion of NATO in contradiction to earlier promises. "Let's go back to the coup in Ukraine in 2014. But it is unnecessary, isn't it? We can go back and forth endlessly."
On the "Russian threat"
Accusations of a "Russian threat" are meant to intimidate ordinary people: 'We are not interested in Poland, Latvia or territories anywhere else. It's just a threat."
About a possible conversation with Biden
Putin has repeatedly warned US President Joe Biden that he is "making a huge mistake of historic proportions by pushing Russia away". Russia and the US are currently maintaining contacts at the level of various government agencies, with Moscow claiming that Washington must stop supplying arms to Kiev and "in a few weeks it will be over".
On the Gershkovic case
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich definitely committed espionage. Moscow is prepared to release him if its "partners take reciprocal action." Russian and US intelligence agencies are negotiating. "I do not rule out that Mr. Gershkovich may return to his homeland." There are some people imprisoned in the West who, according to Moscow, "are not connected with the special services", including a person (he may be Vadim Krasikov, an alleged Russian citizen convicted in Germany - TASS) who "out of patriotic sentiment liquidated a bandit in a European capital".
About Nord Stream pipelines
Russia has not presented the evidence it has in relation to the Nord Stream pipeline explosions because "it is very difficult to defeat the United States in a propaganda war, as the United States controls all the world's media and many European media". "So it is possible to engage in this work, but it is cost-prohibitive, so to speak. It is clear to the whole world what has happened."
About cooperation with China
Claims that cooperation with China is dangerous for Russia are nothing more than scaremongering. Europe is maintaining even closer cooperation with China. "Ask the Europeans, are they afraid?" he asks.
About Russia in NATO
Moscow was interested in the possibility of joining NATO and urged Washington to jointly build a missile defence system. U.S. presidents have supported these initiatives, but their administrations have rejected them. "And then they just sent us to hell. We created hypersonic systems with intercontinental range and we continue to develop them."
Washington kept pressure on Moscow, especially because there were too many experts in the US to confront the Soviet Union. "It is necessary to get rid of it. There should be new, fresh forces, people who look to the future and understand what is happening in the world."
About US Policy
Washington's policy does not depend on who is president of the country. "It doesn't depend on the personality of the leader. It's about the mindset of the elites." Today, the United States is trying unsuccessfully to adapt to a changing world through force, but "the tools the US is using are not working." The world is "going to change no matter what happens in Ukraine." The US position in the world will also change and "the only question is how it will happen, whether painfully and quickly or gently and gradually".
About technology and Elon Musk
Humanity must make agreements to regulate artificial intelligence, genetic research and other research activities that "cannot be stopped".
"There are reports that Elon Musk has already had a chip implanted in his brain. I think Elon Musk cannot be stopped. He will do what he wants. You'll still have to find common ground with him. Look for ways to convince him."
Tass/gnews.cz-JaV_07
English 
Czech