American podcaster Fridman sees no desire for negotiations from Zelenskyy, plans to interview Putin
Pravda Ukraine
American podcaster Lex Fridman, who recently interviewed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, believes the Ukrainian leader showed no desire for peace talks with Russia. Fridman now plans to interview Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Source: Fridman in an interview with historian Jennifer Burns on YouTube
Quote: “I gave the President [Zelenskyy – ed.] every single chance to signal willingness to negotiate, knowing that both Trump and Putin will listen to this conversation. I don’t think he took it. And instead, chose to speak very crude words towards Vladimir Putin. This is fully understandable, but not directly productive to negotiation.”
Details: Fridman suggested that achieving peace in this situation requires compromise to prevent further loss of life, and leaders must take each other seriously. “If you think the president of a country [Putin] is completely crazy, it is really hard to come to an agreement with him. You have to look at him as a serious person, who loves his country and loves the people in his country,” he said.
Quote: “It seems likely that I will interview Vladimir Putin in Russia, in the Kremlin. I understand the risks and I accept them. The risks for me are not important. I’m not important. I merely want to do my small part in pushing for peace.”
Details:
Fridman noted that he has faced significant criticism regarding his interview with Zelenskyy but disagrees with it. He insists he was well-prepared for the interview and is not naive about Putin.
Quote: “I have read and listened to a lot of material since February 2022. I would spend every day, over eight hours a day, of focused reading and research.”
More details:
Fridman advocates for lasting peace, while acknowledging the pain of those who have lost loved ones in the war and who demand justice over peace.
The podcaster believes the current moment is a particularly opportune time for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Background:
- Lex Fridman recorded a three-hour interview with Zelenskyy. In the discussion, the Ukrainian president revealed that before the full-scale invasion, he urged the US to impose preventive sanctions on Russia rather than threaten them in case of an attack, which he called “bullshit”.
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