Vladimir Putin interview an example of ‘how democracies die’, says EU lawmaker – Europe live | Europe

Unclear how Zelenskiy’s removal of military commander will improve Ukraine’s position

Dan Sabbagh

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s decision to replace his most senior military commander may solve a political problem, but it is not clear how it can improve Ukraine’s weakening position on the battlefield.

It was clear that the outgoing Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi had lost the confidence of the Ukrainian leader, who had come to be wary of the general’s popularity and saw him as a political threat. By refusing to resign when asked by the president last week, Zaluzhnyi had created an untenable situation at the top.

Eight days later, Zaluzhnyi has recognised reality, as Zelenskiy has made it clear he wants a change of leadership after the failed summer counteroffensive. His choice of Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, however, currently commander of land forces, is not seen as a radical departure.

“Syrskyi is close to the president,” said Oleksiy Goncharenko, an opposition Ukrainian MP close to Zaluzhnyi. “And the most important thing for Zelenskiy is that he thinks that Syrskyi is absolutely not a political person. That is his most valuable characteristic.”

While Zaluzhnyi came of age as Ukraine became independent, Syrskyi, at 58, is eight years older and was trained at the Higher Military Command school in Moscow. But he has lived in Ukraine since the 1980s and was critical in its defence in the early phases of the war.

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Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, made headlines yesterday when he told Senate Republicans they should be ashamed, as officials on the continent feared a US aid package for Kyiv could remain bogged down.

“Dear Republican Senators of America. Ronald Reagan, who helped millions of us to win back our freedom and independence, must be turning in his grave today. Shame on you,” Tusk said.

A number of officials said that Tusk’s rhetoric reflected their concerns.

“I could think of a number of other US presidents that are turning with him,” quipped one EU diplomat.

But a senior Central European official said that “one thing is to be emotional, and maybe sentimental.”

The other side of the coin, the senior official told us, is that Trump could become president – “and we need to be ready for that, whatever we feel.”

“American isolationism is a real thing, it is not nothing new,” this person added.

The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, met with lawmakers in Washington yesterday.

“It was good to talk again with members of the US Senate from both sides of the aisle,” the German leader wrote on social media, adding:

Ukraine needs all of our support in order to defend itself against Russia’s aggression.

Late yesterday, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed optimism about US support.

I am grateful to US Senate for the decision to unlock the discussion on assistance to Ukraine and other strategic partners.

A very important first step to continue support for Ukraine’s victory and increase our shared security. This is a bad day for Putin, and a good day for democracies.

The United Arab Emirates said it succeeded in mediating a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, Reuters reports.

The UAE said it facilitated the release of 100 Russian prisoners of war in exchange for 100 from the Ukraine.

Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister and current member of the European parliament, said that Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin “is the best thing that ever happened” to the Russian leader.

“America tomorrow will suffer from having him spreading lies unchallenged and unfiltered. This is how democracies die,” he said.

Tucker Carlson and Vladimir Putin were in the spotlight on Thursday night, as the divisive, Trump-supporting rightwing commentator interviewed the reclusive Russian autocrat.

The rambling, two-hour interview, filmed in Moscow, was Putin’s first with a western media outlet since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

It marked a new level of infamy for Carlson, who has frequently criticized US support for Ukraine, has referred to Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, as a “Ukrainian pimp” and “rat-like”.

Carlson’s tone was less pugnacious in the interview with Putin, who he referred to as “Mr President” throughout.

The decision to interview Putin had been widely criticised ahead of the interview. But the opening of the conversation between the former Fox News host and Putin was a let down.

Putin spent more than 30 minutes giving a history of Russia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, in a monologue that took viewers from the ninth century rule of Oleg the Wise, to the struggles of the 1300s, through to a critique of Lenin’s foreign policy.

When a baffled-looking Carlson finally coaxed Putin into the 21st century, the Russian president accused the US and other western countries of prolonging the war in Ukraine.

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Adam Gabbatt and Andrew Roth

Good morning and welcome back to the blog.

Today we will be looking at the latest in Ukraine and concerns about the future of aid to Kyiv.

Send comments and tips to lili.bayer@theguardian.com.