Russian chief says deal to launch Wall Road Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich doable after ‘reciprocal steps.’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that defeating Russia in Ukraine is “unattainable” whereas insisting he doesn’t search to develop the warfare to neighbouring international locations reminiscent of Poland and Latvia.
In a high-profile interview with former Fox Information host Tucker Carlson, Putin denied that he had territorial ambitions throughout Europe and mentioned he would solely ship troops into neighbouring international locations if attacked first.
“It’s completely out of the query. You simply don’t must be any type of analyst, it goes towards frequent sense to get entangled in some type of a worldwide warfare, and a worldwide warfare will convey all of humanity to the brink of devastation,” Putin mentioned within the interview posted on-line on Thursday. “It’s apparent.”
Throughout a two-hour interview that noticed Putin speak at size in regards to the historical past of Japanese Europe and Russia, the Russian chief mentioned that his authorities was involved with the US and a peaceable decision to the warfare would solely be doable if Washington stops supplying weapons to Ukraine.
“I’ll let you know what we’re saying on this matter and what we’re conveying to the US management,” Putin mentioned. “In case you actually wish to cease preventing it’s essential to cease supplying weapons. Will probably be over inside a couple of weeks, that’s it, after which we are able to agree on some phrases. Earlier than you do this, cease.”
Requested by Carlson whether or not he could be prepared to launch imprisoned Wall Road Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as a “signal of your decency”, the Russian chief mentioned a deal is feasible and there may be “no taboo” on resolving the difficulty.
“We now have finished so many gestures of goodwill out of decency that I feel we’ve got run out of them. No, we’ve got by no means seen anybody reciprocate to us in an identical method. Nevertheless, in concept we are able to say that we don’t rule out that we are able to do this if our companions take reciprocal steps,” Putin mentioned.
Gershkovich has been detained in Russia since March 2023 on spying costs that Washington has described as “baseless”.
The Kremlin mentioned Putin agreed to sit down down with Carlson as a result of he introduced a much less one-sided view of the warfare in Ukraine.
Carlson has repeatedly questioned the rationale for US assist for Kyiv, and in a video posted on social media this week criticised US media shops for his or her “fawning” protection of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
Earlier than the interview, Carlson attracted criticism for travelling to Moscow to interview the Russian chief, with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton labelling the previous TV host a “helpful fool.”
