Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked about extending his war to new territories in a highly-anticipated interview with Tucker Carlson released on Thursday.
Putin said that an “invasion of other countries” is “out of the question.”
When asked by Carlson if he has plans to expand the Russia-Ukraine war into other territories, Putin said: “It is absolutely out of the question…
“It goes against common sense to get involved in some kind of a global war and a global war will bring all humanity to the brink of destruction.”
Carlson mentioned to Putin NATO’s worries about Russia’s invasion becoming a “global war or a nuclear conflict” as fighting continues to escalate in Ukraine.
READ MORE: Putin tells Biden how to end Ukraine war ‘within a few weeks’ on Tucker Carlson
In response, Putin said that NATO is worried about “an imaginary Russian threat.”
The Russian president said: “At least that’s what they’re talking about. And they’re trying to intimidate their own population with an imaginary Russian threat. This is an obvious fact.
“And thinking people, not philistines, but thinking people, analysts, those who are engaged in real politics, just smart people, understand perfectly well that this is a fake. They’re trying to fuel the Russian threat.”
Carlson asked the leader if there would be any scenario where he would send troops into Poland.
Putin responded: “Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. Why? Because we have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don’t have any interest. It’s just threat mongering.”
This marked Putin’s first interview to a Western media figure since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
Putin has heavily limited his contact with international media since he launched the war.
Russian authorities have cracked down on media, forcing some independent Russian outlets to close, blocking others and ordering a number of foreign reporters to leave the country.
Two journalists working for US news organizations — The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Alsu Kurmasheva — are in jail on charges they reject.
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