MOSCOW, RUSSIA – President Vladimir Putin sat down for a highly anticipated two-hour interview on Thursday with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The interview, taking place just ahead of the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, comes at a time when U.S. politicians are pushing to restore military funding to Ukraine.
During the interview, Putin revealed that former U.S. President Bill Clinton had once told him that Russia would have an opportunity to join the military alliance, NATO. However, Putin claimed that Clinton later backtracked on the idea, stating that it was not possible at that time.
The Russian president also suggested the possibility of a prisoner swap with the United States, stating that Russia might be open to releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is awaiting trial on spying charges, in exchange for a Russian prisoner.
When asked about the possibility of Russia sending troops to Poland, Putin dismissed the idea unless Poland attacked Russia, emphasizing that Russia has no interest in Poland or Latvia.
Furthermore, Putin expressed his belief that any U.S. military support of Ukraine would be viewed as a provocation, and called for the U.S. to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine in order to end the conflict within a few weeks.
In addition to geopolitical discussion, Putin also delved into the potential threats posed by advances in artificial intelligence and genetics, expressing the need for international negotiation and regulation in order to address these modern trends.
During the interview, Putin also suggested that the CIA might have been responsible for the explosions of the Nord Stream pipelines, which have disrupted Russian gas exports to Europe.
Overall, the interview covered a wide range of topics, offering insight into Putin’s perspective on international relations, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the evolving challenges posed by advancements in technology and military capabilities.