Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a recent interview with American journalist Carlson Tucker that Russia is committed to defending its interests "to the end" but clarified that the country has no intention of extending the conflict in Ukraine to involve other nations like Poland and Latvia. This marked his first interview with an American journalist since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 26, 2022. Putin stated that Western leaders had come to the realisation that achieving a strategic defeat against Russia was unattainable, leaving them uncertain about their next steps.
"We are prepared for dialogue," Putin stated, expressing the willingness to continue diplomatic discussions. He also indicated his belief that an agreement could be reached to secure the release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia for nearly a year on spying charges.
When asked if Russia would be willing to release Gershkovich as a gesture of "goodwill", Putin said: "We have shown so many gestures of goodwill out of decency that I think we have run out of them. We have never seen anyone reciprocate to us in a similar manner. However, in theory, we can say that we do not rule out that we can do that if our partners take reciprocal steps,” Putin told Carlson Tucker. “There are certain things provided by law... If a person gets secret information and does that in [a] conspiratorial manner, this is qualified as espionage,” Putin said.
The US has, however, denied the espionage charges against Evan Gershkovich.
Putin said that Russia is willing to resolve the issue. "Certain terms are being discussed via special services channels. I believe an agreement can be reached," he said in the interview. Putin said Russia wants the US Special Services to think about how they can contribute to achieving the goals Moscow is pursuing. "We are ready to talk,” he added.
Putin highlighted the "progress" in discussions between Russian and American special services regarding the case of Evan Gershkovich. He hinted at potential negotiations, suggesting that Moscow sought the release of an individual convicted in a murder case in Germany in return.
The extensive two-hour interview took place in Moscow on February 6 with conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson and was aired on tuckercarlson.com. When questioned about the possibility of sending Russian troops to Poland, a NATO member, Putin asserted that such action would only be considered if Poland initiated an attack on Russia, emphasizing that Russia had no interests in Poland, Latvia, or elsewhere.
In the interview, Putin talked about Ukraine's failure to reach a deal to end hostilities during talks in Istanbul in April 2022, alleging that the agreement collapsed once Russian troops withdrew from Kyiv. He urged Ukraine to reconsider and emphasized the toll of the ongoing mobilization and domestic issues in the country.
Addressing the relationship between the US and Russia, Putin suggested that negotiations and agreements would be more beneficial, considering the pressing domestic issues facing the United States. However, he acknowledged the reluctance of Washington to engage on his terms, particularly in light of the significant aid provided to Ukraine since the invasion.
The interview coincided with US lawmakers' debates on additional funding for Ukraine's war effort and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's replacement of the army chief on the same day. A procedural vote in the US Senate advanced a bill with $61 billion in new funds for Ukraine, though its fate in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives remained uncertain.