Putin's political survival is unlikely in case of Ukraine's victory - Kissinger

He said this in an interview with Bloomberg.

“I would like a Russia that recognizes that its relations to Europe have to be based on agreement and a kind of consensus and I believe that this war will, if it's ended properly, may make it achievable,” Kissinger said. 

Asked whether Putin could survive in power if the war ended on those terms, Kissinger replied: “It's improbable.”

According to him, it is important for Ukraine to emerge from the war as a strong democratic state, but it is better to avoid the collapse of Russia to avoid the outbreak of new tensions.

Kissinger described Putin as a Dostoevsky-type figure, wracked with ambivalence and unrealizable aspirations. In his opinion, the Russian president has excessively used his power in relation to Ukraine.

• In January 2023, Kissinger recognized the feasibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Earlier, he said that Ukraine should cede part of its territory to Russia, and that the United States and the West should not count on a Russian defeat in the war.