SYDNEY, February 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-hour interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson allowed the Russian leader to convey his views to the audience in the United States and other Western countries, but the political significance of his speech is yet to be assessed, Australian international politics expert Tony Kevin said.
"Putin achieved his objective in the interview of conveying important educational political messages to Carlson‘s huge potential audiences in the US and other Western countries. It remains to be seen what political impact this might have on closed indoctrinated minds in the West: but Putin gave it his best shot. He was more gentle and conciliatory than in his recent speeches in Russia: he was using the opportunity to try to open doors that seemed very closed already," the expert said.
According to Kevin, the main topic of Putin's interview was the conflict in Ukraine. "The president explained very precisely what the denazification of Ukraine means and what it is needed for so also used an extensive historical introduction to point out the deep causes of the conflict and outline ways to end it," the Australian expert noted, adding that the US and its allies should listen to the Russian leader's words, "stop sending many billions worth of weapons to Ukraine" and think about negotiations with Russia.
The expert also drew attention to the special atmosphere that prevailed during the interview, noting that "it was cool and professional on both sides." "It was not a warm and friendly interview in the sense that Oliver Stone’s interviews a few years ago with Putin were warm and friendly (the premiere of Stone's film "Interview with Putin", created on the basis of more than a dozen conversations with the Russian head of state, conducted over two years, took place on June 12, 2017 - TASS), but <…> Carlson’s conduct of the interview with President Putin was exemplary and an object lesson to mainstream Western video journalists," Kevin pointed out.
Tony Kevin is an Australian expert on international politics. He began his diplomatic career in Moscow in 1969. He also served as Australia’s ambassador to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Cambodia. Since leaving the diplomatic service, he has devoted himself to the study of international politics. Kevin is the author of several books, including Return to Moscow (2017), in which he looks back on his years in Russia.