Vladimir Putin's responds to Tucker Carlson

TRANSCRIPTS OF VLADIMIR PUTIN'S RESPONSES TO TUCKER CARLSON'S QUESTIONS: U.S. TRYING TO WEAKEN RUSSIA BUT IS MORE SCARED OF CHINA “The West is more afraid of strong China than it fears a strong Russia, because Russia has 150 million people, and China has 1.5 billion population - and its economy is growing by leaps and bounds, or 5% a year; it used to be even more, but that's enough. “For China, as Bismark once put it, potentials are the most important: China's potential is enormous. "It is the biggest economy in the world today in terms of purchasing power parity, and in the size of the economy it has already overtaken the United States quite a long time ago, and it is growing at a rapid clip.” YOU TRICKED US “Let's not talk about who is afraid of whom. Let's not reason in such terms. And let's get into the fact that after 1991, when Russia expected that it would be welcomed into the brotherly family of civilized nations, nothing like this happened. “You tricked us. I don't mean you personally. When I say ‘you’ of course I'm talking about the United States. “The promise was that NATO would not expand eastward but it happened five times. There were five waves of expansion. “We tolerated all that. We were trying to persuade them, we were saying: Please don't. We are as bourgeois now as you are! We are a market economy and there is no Communist Party power. 

WEAPONIZING DOLLAR IS MASSIVE ERROR “You know, to use the dollar as a tool of foreign policy struggle is one of the biggest strategic mistakes made by the US political leadership […] “I would not like to use any strong language but it is a stupid thing to do and a grave mistake. “Look at what is going on in the world: Even the United States' allies are now downsizing their dollar reserves. Seeing this, everyone starts looking for ways to protect themselves. But the fact that the United States applies restrictive measures to certain countries such as placing restrictions on transactions, freezing assets, etc., causes great concern and sends a signal to the whole world. “What did we have here [in Russia]? Until 2022, about 80% of Russian foreign trade transactions were made in US Dollars and Euros. US Dollars accounted for approximately 50% of our transactions with third countries, while currently it is down to 13%. “It wasn't us who banned the use of the US dollar. We had no such intention. It was the decision of the United States to restrict our transactions in US Dollars. “I think it is complete foolishness from the point of view of the interests of the United States itself and its taxpayers, as it damages the US economy, undermines the power of the United States across the world." 

CHINESE YUAN IS RISING “By the way, our transactions in Yuan accounted for about 3% [in the past]. Today 34% of our transactions are made in Rubles and about as much, a little over 34%, in Yuan. “Why did the United States do this? My only guess is self-conceit. they probably thought it would lead to full collapse. But nothing collapsed. “Moreover, other countries including oil producers are thinking of and already accepting payments for oil in Yuan. “Do you even realize what is going on or not? does anyone in United States realize this? What are you doing? You are cutting yourself off. All experts say this. Ask any intelligent and thinking person in the United States what the dollar means for the US. You're killing it with your own hands.” CHINA IS UNFAIRLY DEMONIZED “We have heard those Bogyman stories [about China] before. It is a Bogyman story. “We're neighbors with China. You cannot choose neighbors. Just as you cannot choose close relatives. We share a border of a thousand kilometers with them: this is number one. “Second, we have a centuries-long history of co-existence. We're used to it. “Third, China's foreign policy philosophy is not aggressive. Its idea is to always look for compromise and we can see that. “The next point is as follows: we are always told the same Bogeyman story and here it goes again, through a euphemistic form. But it is still the same Bogyman story." 

PEOPLE ARE CO-OPERATING MORE WITH CHINA “The cooperation with China keeps increasing. The pace at which China's cooperation with Europe is growing, is higher and greater than that of the growth of Chinese-Russian cooperation. “Ask Europeans: Aren't they afraid? They might be. I don't know. “But they are still trying to access China's market at all costs, especially now that they are facing economic problems. Chinese businesses are also exploring the European market.” U.S. IS HURTING ITSELF “Do Chinese businesses have a small presence in the United States? Yes. “The political decisions are such that they are trying to limit their cooperation with China. “It is to your own detriment, Mr Tucker, that you are limiting cooperation with China. “You're hurting yourself. It is a delicate matter and there are no Silver Bullet solutions, just as it is with the dollar. “So before introducing any illegitimate sanctions, illegitimate in terms of the charter of the United Nations, one should think very carefully. For decision makers this appears to be a problem.” 

PEACEFUL TRADE “We, together with my colleague and friend, President Xi Jinping, set a goal to reach $200 billion of mutual trade with China this year. We have exceeded this level according to our figures. “Our bilateral trade with China totals already $230 billion and the Chinese statistics says it is $240 billion. “One more important thing: our trade is well balanced, mutually complimentary in hitech and energy, scientific research and development: it is very balanced.” YOU CAN’T STOP THE SUN RISING “As for BRICS, where Russia took over the presidency this year, the BRICS countries are, by and large, developing very rapidly. “Look: if memory serves me right, back in 1992, the share of the G-7 countries in the world economy amounted to 47%, whereas in 2022 it was down to I think a little over 30 %. The BRICS countries accounted for only 16% in 1992 but now their share is greater than that of the G7. It has nothing to do with the events in Ukraine. This is due to the trends of global development and the world economy, as I mentioned just now. “And this is inevitable. This will keep happening. It is like the rise of the sun: you cannot prevent the sun from rising. You have to adapt to it.” US RESPONDS BY LASHING OUT “How does the United States adapt? With the help of force, sanctions, pressure, bombings, and use of armed forces! “This is about self-conceit. Your political establishment does not understand that the world is changing, under objective circumstances, and in order to preserve your level, even if someone aspires to the level of dominance, you have to make the right decisions in a competent and timely manner. “Such brutal actions, including with regard to Russia, and say other countries, are counterproductive. This is an obvious fact.” 

(This are extracts from an interview of Vladimir Putin by Tucker Carlson, released on February 8, 2024)