A message lasting more than two hours to America and the West, which often took the form of a very subjective history lesson.
Vladimir Putin gave a long interview broadcast Thursday evening to American conservative journalist Tucker Carlson.
The first granted by the Russian president to a Western journalist since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russian state media covered the presenter's visit extensively, including photos of him at the airport and the famous Bolshoi Theater.
Update on the Russian president's main statements.
A defeat for Russia in Ukraine “impossible”
“So far there has been the ranting and shouting about (the need) to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield,” he told the former Fox host. News, in a large room where the two men sat face to face in white armchairs.
AFP/Gavriil GRIGOROV
“But now they seem to realize that it is difficult to achieve, if not impossible.
In my opinion, this is impossible by definition.
It will never happen.
It seems to me that now those in power in the West are also aware of this,” added the man who launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“If this realization has been well understood, they must think about what comes next.
We are ready for this dialogue,” he assured.
The words of the master of the Kremlin, who spoke in Russian, were dubbed into English.
No invasion of Poland or Latvia
The Russian president also said he ruled out an invasion of Poland or Latvia.
“Can you imagine a scenario in which you send Russian troops to Poland?
“, asked Tucker Carlson, a close friend of former US President Donald Trump.
“Only in one scenario, if Poland attacks Russia,” Putin replied.
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“We have no interests in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else.
Why would we do this?
We simply have no interest (…).
There is no question of it,” he added.
The case of American journalist Evan Gershkovich
Vladimir Putin also affirmed that it was possible to find an agreement for the release of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia for almost a year.
“I believe an agreement can be reached,” he said.
“There is no taboo to resolve this issue.
We are ready to resolve it, but some terms are being discussed through special service channels.
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The American presidential election
The Russian president further affirmed that the election of a new American president, scheduled for November 5 and which should pit Republican Donald Trump against Democrat Joe Biden, would not change relations between the United States and Russia.
“You just asked me if anything would change if another leader came along.
It’s not a question of who the leader is, of the personality of a particular person,” the Russian leader said.
Both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are full of praise for each other.
Trump boasted, without elaborating, that he could resolve the war in Ukraine in 24 hours if he were re-elected.
President Biden has described his Russian counterpart as a war criminal, and shows unwavering support for kyiv.