Russia will fight ‘to end’, but no interest in wider war: Putin
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview that aired yesterday Russia will fight ‘‘to the end’’ but has no interest in expanding its war in Ukraine to other countries.
In his first interview with an American journalist since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 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 believed it was possible to reach an agreement to free United States journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia for nearly a year and is awaiting trial on spying charges.
He suggested that in return, Moscow wanted Germany to free Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of the 2019 murder of a Chechen dissident in Berlin, although he did not mention Krasikov by name.
His comments were made in an interview with talkshow host Tucker Carlson that was conducted in Moscow on Wednesday.
Asked if he could imagine a scenario in which he would send Russian troops to Poland, Putin replied ‘‘only in one case — if Poland attacks Russia’’.
‘‘Why? Because we have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else.’’
Putin complained Ukraine had been on the verge of agreeing on a deal to end hostilities at talks in Istanbul in April 2022, but backed away once Russian troops withdrew from near Kyiv.
‘‘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 US had pressing domestic issues to worry about, he said.
‘‘Wouldn’t it be better to negotiate with Russia? Make an agreement . . . realising that Russia will fight for its interests to the end.’’
Washington has made clear it has no interest in talking on Putin’s terms.
Army chief replaced
Also yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced the popular army chief General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi with ground forces chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi.
It follows speculation about a rift between Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi, who many Ukrainians see as a national hero.
In promoting Syrskyi to the new head of the Armed Forces, Zelenskyy cited his role in overseeing the defence of Kyiv in 2022 and the lightning Kharkiv counteroffensive later that year.