Vladimir Putin granted the first interview to a Western journalist since the start of the war in Ukraine.
In an interview conducted on February 6 in the Kremlin and broadcast on Thursday February 8, Vladimir Putin answered questions for two hours from American presenter Tucker Carlson, close to Donald Trump, to give his own vision of history and discuss hot topics. facing the Kremlin. If for him, a defeat of the Russia in the war between him and Ukraine was “impossible by definition”, the Russian president also made a promise during this exchange.
No invasion of Poland or Latvia
This interview was the first given to a Western journalist since the start of the war in Ukraine. While the conflicts between Moscow and kyiv continue on Ukrainian soil, the head of state notably promised certain neighboring countries not to attack them in turn. Indeed, for him, sending Russian troops into Polandfor example, will be considered “only in one scenario, if Poland attacks Russia” indicates the master of the Kremlin.
But Poland is not the only state to remain worried about the continuation of the war in the area. What about the Latvia ? “We have no interest in Poland, Latvia, or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply have no interest (…). There is no question of it” he said. he explains. If Russia sees no interest in this it is also because attacking Poland is attacking NATO and therefore the United States. The latter prefers to procrastinate for the moment, while provoking intergovernmental organization. In short, he spoke of a Russia pushed to war in the face of the threat from NATO. So, can the fears of countries like Poland or Latvia be completely dissipated? Not so sure, especially after the Ukrainian episode, a little over two years ago.
The precedent of December 2021
In December 2021, the Russian invasion in Ukraine was far from obvious. At the time, the G7 warned the Kremlin, citing “massive consequences” in the event of an invasion. At the same time, Russia’s position appeared ambivalent. Moscow particularly wanted to reconnect with Washington on key issues such as strategic stability or Iranian nuclear power. Vladimir Putin even considered the exchanges with Joe Biden “constructive”.
“Russia pursues a foreign policy for peace, but it has the right to protect its security,” declared the Russian president. So, it’s hard to imagine an invasion less than three months later. Especially since, during an exchange between the two men, still in December 2021, Joe Biden had threatened Vladimir Putin with “never before seen” sanctions in the event of an offensive in Ukraine. During the fall, kyiv even tempered American assertions about an escalation being prepared in Moscow. However, on Thursday February 24, 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.