> However, intellectually, he seemed to struggle to keep up

I prefer to think that Tucker was surprised because interview went not how he expected.

to give you an example of Putin's intelligence - in interview Putin said that Zelensky father was WWII soldier. Zelensky father was born 1947.

I can give you more examples )

> maybe the people of the donbas region just wanted their own territory. its called secession.

As I said military group which captured gov buildings in Slavyanks were russian citizens, not just citizens - military special forces.

If another country's military takes over a town, does that sound like the locals want independance?

> do you think a small group could capture a 100k city if the inhabitants wouldnt support the small group at all?

Girkin's group was about 3,000 people. i guess taking over the city is a strong word, they took over a few buildings, like the local government, the police. the police just scattered. The locals just didn't understand anything, they went around filming it on the phones. Thats how we saw that was russians.

> on the krim there was a referendum

Crimea. The referendum was held when Russian troops were there. it's quite strange to hold a referendum on joining russia when there are russian troops outside your window, don't you think?

The referendum was held in two weeks, ask any official if it is realistic to hold a referendum in two weeks in a region of 2 million people.

Crimean authorities had no voter lists, anyone could vote. i know even Russian soldiers who were standing there voted.

A referendum is a legal procedure that should be strictly described and monitored by observers. Neither Ukraine nor Russia has a procedure for a referendum on secession. It is simply forbidden.

> denazification would be if all "laws" against a small group in a country get canceled, in the ukraine example it would be the law that russian language is forbidden or east ukrainiens dont get payed pension anymore or similar things

I live in Ukraine and I speak russian. Don't have any problems and never seen someone having problems. Any official papers of course have to be filled in ukrainian. No big deal, I know ukrainian well.

> east ukrainiens dont get payed pension

Not true. how can Ukraine pay pensions in a region occupied by another country?

> i also think that the whole story is more complex and thats why i dont trust west

Yes, I am quite surprised that you went so far listening my details. not everyone ready to learn nuances

unbiased is a funny term for Tucker )

can't say I agree. Putin is a person who used to talk with domestic journalists who only ask authorized questions. if you were more familiar with the situation you'd realize that Tucker didn't ask any tough questions, and didn't rise any uncomfortable topics. Except maybe the gas pipe

I see your point. agree.

> Engaging with President Putin's arguments could potentially start a dialogue. But as he says, this has been categorically prohibited.

There is a post from BBC (not sure) journalist who says that they sending daily request to interview Putin but he refuses.

yep

some link related to denazification:

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Rusich_Group

> did forces of the ukraine government / military kill citizens in east ukraine between 2014 and 2022 ?

Yes. In April 2014 small russian military group led by Igor Girkin infiltrates in Ukraine. They capture small city (Slaviansk). Then they started recrute locals. Actually in short this is how conflict in Donbass started. So as a consequences of fightings local citizens were killed. Thats whats happens in every war.

When Russian propaganda presents the fact that civilians were killed in Donbass, it omits the whole story. So to an outsider it looks like Ukraine just started killing its own citizens for some unknown reason. Or because "fascists".

You have to understand that I can't mention all details because this conflict is very old, and it is not started in 2014.

the problem is that it's very difficult for an outsider to make sense of it all, because there are so many events and details. Plus there is a huge amount of lies.

If you want to go deeper in Donbass story you have to learn who is Girkin and all his story.

> denazification

explain me what it is, I still can't understand.

I like your posts because you often says about criticism.

I agree that this headline looks ... inadequate. It doesn't reflect this interview.

But this your posts also inadequately picture putin. looks he is all about peace and quiet. Why he invaded independant country if he wants peace in the first place?

Second - I spent last two days giving "counterarguments". I found lies and illogic in putins words. I gave specific timestamps when he said them and arguments. (I can repeat them to you if you want)

And you know what? No one needs precise arguments and logic. No one needs counterarguments. People talks raw emotions and thats it.

BTW I don't like your too "general" conclusion about all media. Somehow I'm sure there are headlines that portray Putin as a peacemaker as inadequate as this headline.

Its not about "propaganda machine" its just people like fastfood. and don't like thinking. And journalist also those people, and probably they know that if they invite professional historian who will comment putins "historical" bullshit at the beginning interview no one will understand and appreciate.

true

He always can paint a victory, at any moment. Even if he withdraw all forces from Ukraine he can declare a victory.

I'm not sure he wants to end this conflict. Ukraine is not allowed to use western weapons on rusia territory. so putin is in no personal danger. So the war can continue as long as there is cannon fodder.

Probably he may wants some pause for recovery,

BTW he already outlined the terms of the truce. Ukraine is giving up territory that's already occupied. That's 20%. We're not going to do that.

> and what happened in the donbas region before 2022?

Can you ask more specificly? that's too generalized a question

> ukraine leadership is just innocent and does every step the right way?

no

> where i am from they do most of the part wrong

i'm sure you know better.

BTW, if you watched the interview, can you tell me what russia's goal is in this war?

BTW - how can bandera worship justify a full scale invasion of a foreign country?

> and now the "west" is funding ukraine where there are still people who hail to stepan bandera!?

I live in Ukraine and I don't know anyone from my circles who knows about Bandera more than you ) Its definitely some russia narratives sits in your head. We are just usual modern people working and living usual life, we don't care a lot about bandera or history in general.

So, "funding" Ukraine. Ukraine fought russia for the first 4-5 months without any help. Putin hoped to occupy Kyiv quickly. He failed. "Funding" in fact it is helping Ukraine not be destroyed completely. For example here in Kyiv there are Patriots systems which help safe people from russian rockets. Why it is bad thing I don't understand sincerely.

Next, "funding" in fact meands that US give Ukraine equipment, and money goes to US military factories to replenish supplies.

US spent on Ukraine 113 billions in 2022-2023. US military budget - $842 billion in year 2024. so 1/8 for destroying russia military capabilities. current estimate - russia lost 60% of their military forces.

For example US spent 2 trillion in Afghanistan

all this numbers I just googled.

I live in Kyiv. There are few Patriots systems around Kyiv. they shoot down missiles which came from rusia. Just 3 days ago one missile hit multifloor apartment building. 7 people died.

Explaine me please why it is a bad thing and where is here criminal laundering scheme?

money. US spent on Ukraine 113 billions in 2022-2023. US military budget - $842 billion in year 2024. so 1/8 for destroying russia military capabilities. current estimate - russia lost 60% of their military forces.

when US give money to ukraine it is not give money. in fact US give ukraine equipment, and money goes to US military-industrial complex to replenish reserves. sometimes US give Ukraine weapons that have already been decommissioned.

all I said you can find in public sources.

ok. west stops sending weapons. why would russia stop war in this case? when war started Ukraine fought for first 3-4 months without any supply from the west. btw putin said in interview that goals are not reached yet.

so next question - when putin started this war he hoped that ukraine will not get any help and he will occupy Kyiv quickly. then he failed. so - why suddenly when ukraine don't have weapons he would stop invasion and what his goals in the first place?

why don't the honorable senator see what's in that agreement first. because agreeing with something without knowing exactly somehow looks strange to me.

> their govs are really trying to end the conflict

how west gov can end this conflict?

> Because the west never hears, except through great effort, what Mr. Putin has to say.

how that can be true? The west don't know how to use search?

> more important they got a law thats forbidden for politicians to negotiate any diplomatic progress towards laying down weapons with russia

not true. if you don't agree give me link to that law. all laws publicly avialible on the gov site. I know that law but the wording of the law is different.

russia can easily end this war by withdrawing troops from ukraine territory.

why you asking Ukraine to lay down weapons and give up their homes.

> maybe just watch more russia today

No. thank you. that is russian tv outlet. there are a lot more reliable sources.

> maybe not under 18 and over 65 many left before or changed sides

give me please sources that prove it.