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Mikhail Kazyanov, Prime Minister of Russia from 2000 to 2004
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He's become one of the leading democratic Russian critics of Putin. He now lives in Latvia and he's regarded by the Kremlin as a foreign agent
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Mr. Kazyanov, very nice to have you on the show. Can I start off by asking what your prediction is
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or your feeling is about Putin's real position when it comes to these so-called peace negotiations or ceasefire negotiations
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Do you think he still intends to take the whole of Ukraine and use this as a stepping stone
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Yeah, of course, on this period of time, these days, Putin is not interested in getting any agreement on CISFI agreement
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He's looking for, I would say, the peace agreement on his terms and conditions
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It means he's dreaming that Ukraine would capitulate. And he's playing a game and thinking that President Trump would play on his side because of the simple reason
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It is evident for everyone that President Trump wants, as soon as possible, at any cost, ceasefire agreement
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Putin wants a comprehensive solution in his favor He feels himself in this period of 10 months quite strong because of state finance still in good shape I wouldn say just there is a macroeconomic stability in Russia
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but state finance just allowed him to finance this war, war of attrition
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and he believes he will win this war. That puts Western Europe in a very, very difficult position
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Right at the moment, the debate is about whether Western British, French and other troops should
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go into Ukraine after any ceasefire to try to bolster and guarantee Ukraine's future security
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And the Kremlin has said, if you do that, you're putting yourselves in harm's way. We won't accept
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it. So there's an element of sort of menace and threat from Russia and a certain amount of debate
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inside Europe about what to do next. From your position and knowing what you know about President
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Putin what would your advice be first I'm quite satisfied to hear that out of today's talks just a
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new new name of the potential troops just appear to be deterrent forces rather than peacekeepers
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secondly I don't believe that upcoming months one or two or three months any ceasefire agreement
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would be reached because of simple reason just there was a proposal for unconditional ceasefire Putin rejected There was a proposal for partial ceasefire on energy and infrastructure Putin rejected
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Now there was a proposal for partial ceasefire on the Black Sea. Again, terms and conditions which are not implemented, just Putin is dreaming of lifting sanctions
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Of course, it's not eatable for normal, I would say, politicians, for leaders
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And I'm happy to hear today that Europeans are united in this
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That's why the major attitude should be just to continue to support Ukraine, maybe on a larger scale
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If the United States decides not to spend money anymore, it means for Europe it's a difficult period of time to squeeze their budgets and to create a special fund to replace American support quietly
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But relying on, of course, U.S. support in sharing intelligence, information and other stuff
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And the rest of it, yes. Yes, Mr. Kasyanov, can I ask, we just had the foreign minister of Finland on the program
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and there is a widespread perception in the Baltic states where you are, in Finland and indeed in Poland
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that if President Putin is able to take Ukraine bit by bit in the year ahead he will turn on other countries as well in other words that ukraine does not mark the limit of his european ambitions what your impression yeah that
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absolutely absolutely that that the whole europe is fighting right now whether we like this to call
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this way or not but ukraine is defending defending european democracy if putin would be seen as a
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winner and that will be another source of let's say just raising his legitimacy inside russia which
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he doesn't have and then the next step will be of course to eat immediately moldova which is small
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country that will take him three days to take it and then if it's again no appropriate reaction on
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the west as it was before after annexation of crimea after invasion to georgia etc if there
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is no appropriate reaction to stop to stop putin that will be uh his desire to test the test article
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article no five of netter charter it means just hybrid attack or whatever uh in the code be for
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one run of the baltic state that is absolutely absolutely serious concern and threat that's what
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i'm sure just politicians and leaders in those countries just absolutely take us seriously and
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that's why they're willing to participate in that coalition or will or willing well there is a very
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very important very sobering ysis
