Kasparov criticized the attempts to negotiate and assured that the only way to end the war is with the liberation of Ukraine.

Garry Kasparov. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Garry Kasparov has been one of the most critical voices in the Kremlin for years. Especially since Vladimir Putin came to power in 1999. In a recent interview, the former world chess champion warned that the war in Ukraine will continue as long as the Russian president is in power. However, he also pointed out that a victory for kyiv over Moscow would mean the end of Putin.

“I think Ukraine will win the war but I would be very cautious using the word optimistic because as we speak Russia is continuing its killing and genocide. Russia carries out most of the attacks at night to maximize the damage and death of civilians,” Kasparov said in an interview with Forbes.

Kasparov recalled the many articles he has written criticizing and warning of the danger that Putin represents to the world. And he also remembered that he predicted everything that is happening in his book Winter is Coming, which he published in 2015.

“I listen to Putin, and I know that dictators, while they lie about what they have done, very often tell us what they are going to do. Just as Hitler’s My Struggle served as a guide to the terrible crimes he committed, Putin was always very open about his ideas. He always dreamed of restoring the Soviet Empire. It was he who said in 2005 that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the great catastrophe of the 20th century,” Kasparov said.

The former world champion assures that he always knew that Putin was going to continue with his aggressive policies, and considers it tragic that, while all the alarm signals were in sight, the western democracies preferred to look the other way, always talking about compromises and finding common agreements.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks with Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 3, 2023. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via PA)

“Even today, 15 months after this horrible war, there are noises from different corners, and it is not only China and Brazil, but also here in the United States and in Europe there are voices saying that perhaps an agreement should be reached. But, first, you cannot reach a peace agreement at the cost of Ukrainians, and more than 90% of Ukrainians, despite all the suffering and bloodshed, are willing to fight to restore integrity. territory and sovereignty of his country,” Kasparov told the US media.

Asked how he thinks everything will end, the Russian said he believes the war will not end as long as Putin is in power. For Kasparov, the Russian president will continue the war as long as he has the resources. For this reason, he assures that the only way to end it is with the liberation and victory of Ukraine.

“This is why we have to forget about negotiations; to give a little to Ukraine, to leave Crimea controlled by international organizations. With the liberation of Crimea, the liberation of Russia from Putin’s fascism will begin. And that is why it annoys me to see that the free world continues to play games, delaying the delivery of arms that Ukraine needs to win the war,” he said.

Kasparov reiterates that peace will not come to Europe while Putin is in power, because the war has become a vehicle, his only justification for remaining president of Russia.

Ukrainian service members fire a ZPU-1 anti-aircraft machine gun during military exercises at a training ground, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, April 28, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer

On the other hand, the former chess player said that the risk he faces for criticizing Putin is not comparable to that of opponents in Russia. He points out that there are thousands of political prisoners in his country and that people detain them for questioning the Kremlin on social media and even for calling for peace and an end to the war.

“Let’s not forget, Russia is an empire that is lost in this world, but it is still an empire. Unfortunately in 1991 we had no plan to dismantle that empire while the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Russian Federation retained the empire structure. Now we have to face this reality, the end of this war and the victory of Ukraine will mean for Russia the change to which it was postponed, ”she said.

On the role of China, Kasparov warned that people are mistaken if they believe that Beijing is a reliable ally of Russia. For him, Xi Jinping can benefit from a Russian collapse and seize territory.

Keep reading:

Garry Kasparov predicted Putin’s invasion of Ukraine seven years ago: the keys to understanding why he did it Lapidary condemnation of Garry Kasparov to “the snake” Vladimir Putin for the attack on Ukraine Garry Kasparov listed what has to happen for Vladimir Putin to fall

Source