Summary
Highlights
Putin provides a detailed historical account of Russia and Ukraine, beginning from the 9th century with the establishment of the Russian state, the baptism of Russia, and the fragmentation of early Russian states. He explains how the southern Russian lands, including Kyiv, gravitated towards the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He emphasizes the 'polonization' efforts and the emergence of the term 'Ukrainian' to describe people on the fringes of the state. He details historical events such as Bohdan Khmelnytsky's appeal to Moscow, the 1654 Pereyaslav Council, and Russia's reclamation of historical lands under Catherine the Great. Putin asserts that the idea of Ukrainian identity was promoted by the Austrian General Staff before World War I to weaken a potential enemy.
Putin discusses the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922 and the creation of Soviet Ukraine, which he claims had never existed before. He highlights how Lenin insisted on republics having the right to withdraw from the USSR and transferred Russian lands, including the Black Sea region (Novorossiya), to the newly formed Ukrainian SSR. He states that the Bolsheviks engaged in 'Ukrainianization' through indigenization policies, promoting national languages and cultures. After World War II, Ukraine received additional territories from Poland, Hungary, and Romania, leading Putin to describe modern Ukraine as an 'artificial state' formed by Stalin's will.
Putin expresses Russia's expectation of cooperation after the collapse of the Soviet Union, believing that the 'civilized West' would welcome them. He criticizes NATO's expansion eastward, citing repeated promises that NATO would not expand 'an inch to the east.' He recounts five waves of expansion, encompassing Baltic states and Eastern Europe. He also mentions the 2008 Bucharest Summit, where the doors for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO were declared open, despite initial opposition from Germany and France. Putin describes this as a betrayal and a fundamental reason for Russia's strained relations with the West.
Putin alleges that the US leadership manipulates NATO members to vote in favor of its agenda. He points to the 2014 coup in Ukraine, asserting that the US supported the opposition, which led to a violent overthrow of President Yanukovych, who was ready for early elections. He claims the US broke its promise to calm the opposition if Russia calmed Yanukovych. He views this event as a direct instigation by the CIA, which supported separatists and terrorists in the Caucasus. This, combined with the military development of Ukraine by NATO, the persecution of those who opposed the coup, and the threat to Crimea, was a red line for Russia. Russia's 2022 military operation is framed as an attempt to stop the war that started in Donbas in 2014 and prevent Russia's ruin.
Putin states that one of Russia's aims is 'denazification' in Ukraine, meaning the prohibition of Neo-Nazi movements. He argues that Ukraine has embraced false heroes who collaborated with Hitler and exterminated Poles, Jews, and Russians. He highlights the incident in the Canadian parliament where Ukrainian President Zelenskyy applauded a former SS soldier as proof of ongoing Nazi glorification. Putin emphasizes that Russia aims to eradicate this ideology from Ukraine, insisting that while Ukrainians can be a separate people, it should not be founded on Nazism. He reveals that during Istanbul negotiations, Ukraine agreed to ban neo-Nazism at a legislative level, but these agreements were discarded after Russia withdrew troops from Kyiv, reportedly due to pressure from former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Putin states that Zelenskyy has since issued a decree forbidding negotiations with Russia, making further talks impossible.
Putin discusses his past interactions with US Presidents, including Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, suggesting that despite good personal relationships, the US power elite remained committed to policies that undermined Russia. He recalls asking Clinton about Russia joining NATO, receiving a negative response after his team's consultation. He criticizes the US for dismissing his proposal for a joint missile defense system. He asserts that Russia has no interest in invading Poland or Latvia and considers the 'Russian threat' as manufactured to justify increased military spending. Putin argues that the US's use of the dollar as a foreign policy tool is a strategic mistake that weakens its global power and encourages de-dollarization among other nations, including its allies. He points to the rise of BRICS countries as an example of global power shifts, which he sees as an inevitable trend that the US fails to adapt to, resorting instead to 'force, sanctions, pressure, bombings, and armed forces.'
Putin defines Orthodoxy in Russia as deeply rooted in the consciousness of the Russian people, fostering loyalty to other religions and considering Russia as a common motherland. He emphasizes patriotic sentiment and the importance of family and motherland values. Asked about reconciling Christian non-violence with military action, he states that defending one's people, homeland, and future justifies such actions, citing the civil war aspect of the conflict in Ukraine. He believes that the relations between the Russian and Ukrainian people, who share deep historical and spiritual ties, will eventually be rebuilt, despite current hostilities. On wider global issues, Putin dismisses the idea of supernatural forces governing world events, asserting that developments follow inherent historical laws. He expresses concern about unregulated advancements in genetics and AI, comparing the potential existential threat to that of nuclear weapons, and calling for international agreements to regulate these fields.
Regarding American journalist Evan Gershkovich, imprisoned in Russia, Putin states that Russia has made numerous 'gestures of goodwill' without reciprocation. He suggests that an agreement for his release is possible through special services channels, as there is 'no taboo' on resolving the issue. He asserts that Gershkovich was caught 'red-handed' receiving classified information, which he qualifies as espionage, regardless of whether he was working for a government agency. Putin expresses hope that Gershkovich will return to his homeland, emphasizing that publicizing such matters makes them harder to resolve and that a calm, responsible, and professional approach is required between special services.