Putin says defeating Russia in Ukraine 'impossible'

For the first time since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin appeared in an interview in the West with Tucker Carlson, a freelance journalist and former Fox News employee.

In the two-hour-long interview, Putin and Carlson covered many topics, including the Ukraine war and US-Russian relations, among others, Al Jazeera reported.

Regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, Putin warned that defeating Russia in Ukraine is “impossible by definition,” but insisted that he does not intend to extend the war to neighboring countries unless they are attacked first.

He denied having territorial ambitions throughout Europe. “It is absolutely impossible. It is simply not necessary to be any type of analyst; “It goes against common sense to engage in any kind of global war, and a global war will bring all of humanity to the brink of devastation.”

Putin stated that his government was in contact with the United States and that a peaceful solution to the war would only be possible if Washington stopped supplying weapons to Ukraine.

He said: “I will tell you what we are saying on this matter and what we are conveying to the American leadership: if you want to stop fighting, you must stop supplying weapons. This will be over within a few weeks, and then we can agree on some terms.”

He also said that he is not against discussing peace with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

When Carlson asked the Russian leader if he would be willing to release Wall Street Journal Releasing writer Evan Gershkovich from prison as a “sign of his decency,” Putin said that an agreement is possible and that there is “no taboo” around resolving the matter.

“We have made so many gestures of goodwill out of decency that I think we have run out. No, we have never seen anyone who reciprocates us in the same way. However, in theory, we can say that we do not rule out that we can do it if our partners take reciprocal measures,” Putin said.