Vladimir Putin says Ukraine is a 'matter of life and death' for Russia

The Russian president believes the West is trying to “improve (its) tactical position” in Ukraine while Russia plays its “fate” in Ukraine.

In an interview broadcast on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that “what is happening” in Ukraine is a “question of life and death” for Russia. February 18.

Vladimir Putin said it is important for Russians and foreigners to “understand our state of mind, understand how sensitive and important what is happening around Ukraine is for our country.”

“(For the West), this is an improvement in their tactical position. But for us, this is our destiny, this is a question of life and death,” he said, according to part of an interview published on social networks. The journalist who interviewed him was Pavel Zarubin.

Interview with American host Tucker Carlson

The Russian president spoke about his recent interview with Tucker Carlson, an American host who is very popular among conservatives.

Vladimir Putin's first interview with a Western media outlet since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022 has been highly scrutinized. It has been viewed over 200 million times on X (formerly Twitter).

In a more than two-hour message to Americans and Europeans, Vladimir Putin said he was ready for a “negotiation” with the West and assured Russia that a defeat in Ukraine was “impossible”.