Sunday, for the first time in 3 years Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to a U.S.-owned news organization. In the exclusive Putin interview with NBC, a wide range of topics were discussed.
The interview took place just a few days ahead of Putin’s scheduled meeting with President Joe Biden in Geneva. And lasted about an hour and a half.
About Alexei Navalny
Putin claims he did not order the poisoning or imprisonment of Alexei Navalny, his political adversary. But he wouldn’t guarantee the imprisoned critic of the Kremlin would survive in prison.
He says that is not his decision. “Look, such decisions in this country are not made by the president,” Putin claimed.
Putin added that “He will not be treated any worse than anybody else.”
Biden’s recent comment that Putin was a killer seemed to push Putin’s buttons. He was defiant when asked whether it was a “coincidence” that several other political rivals had been assassinated in recent years.
“We don’t have this kind of habit, of assassinating anybody,” Putin claims.
About Russia and U.S. relations
During the interview, the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations were meeting in Geneva. Russia was ousted from the summit in 2014 after it signed the annexation of Crimea, Ukraine into law.
