The former diplomat promoter of Perestroika evokes in particular the influence of Stalin on the way Putin leads the war in Ukraine.
Vladimir Fédorovski offers his chronicles of ten minutes each on Radio J from this Sunday, December 11 - at 6:20 am and 8:20 am - devoted to the leaders of the USSR and their influence on present-day Russia.
An event not to be missed during the end of year celebrations and which will continue throughout 2023.
LE FIGARO.
- Is Putin inspired by Stalin?
Vladimir FEDOROVSKY.
- Putin is forced to refer to the USSR because today Russian public opinion is nostalgic for this period and more particularly for how Stalin won the Second World War.
But Stalin was fighting against the Nazis, while Putin attacked Ukraine…
Obviously, but the message he sends to the Russians remains the same as that launched at the time of the battle of Stalingrad, namely that the fatherland is in danger.
The current master of the Kremlin has changed his attitude since the beginning of the invasion.
Moscow's propaganda begins to recognize the weaknesses of its army.
Putin considers, as under Stalin, that the truth must be told to turn the situation around.
As for General Surovikin, appointed commander of the "special operation" in October, his image is modeled on that of the famous General Joukov.
What comparison can you make between Putin and Gorbachev?
Gorbachev is the anti-Putin.
The last leader of the USSR is today the most hated figure in Russian history.
He is considered a weakling and a traitor.
But in my opinion it is very unfortunate that his spirit of compromise was not fully understood by the West.
I remain convinced that Gorbachev was, despite his mistakes, prescient.
Mitterrand told me during our last meeting that Gorbachev belonged to the future with his desire to seek a balance of interests.
With Putin we return to the balance of power.
However, a return to the balance of interests is needed.
What does Putin think of Yeltsin?
He despises him.
The paradox is that Yeltsin and the oligarchs had chosen him for his supposed weakness.
But as soon as Putin took power he became a relentless autocrat.
While Yeltsin was dominated by the oligarchs, they are and remain today at Putin's boot.
Can we draw a parallel with the Cuban crisis?
Even President Biden is doing it.
The idea is to find a negotiated solution like in 1962. Recently the head of the CIA William Burns and the head of the Russian secret services, Sergei Narychkine met in Ankara.
And the American Chief of Staff, General Milley, said that a negotiated solution had to be found.
As for Barack Obama's guru, Charles Kupchan, he wonders in a column in the
Washington Post
if recovering Donbass and Crimea deserves a world war.
What do you think of Emmanuel Macron's action?
While being very clear in his support for the Ukrainians, he was very successful at the beginning with his speech which provided the framework for negotiations.
Today he can come back into the game, I think sooner or later he will have a conversation with Putin.
In your opinion, what place can culture have in this context of war in Ukraine?
In this desperate context, culture remains the best bridge for peace.
Most spectacular this week was Boris Godunov
's triumphant presentation
at La Scala in Milan and Italian President Sergio Mattarella's declaration that “
Russian culture is an unshakeable part of Europe
”.
* Latest books published:
Putin and Ukraine: the hidden faces,
and
The Novel of a Revolution
(Balland).