Garry Kasparov has been a terrific opponent of Putin’s Russia for years. He has lengthy been calling for an finish to the Kremlin’s dictatorship. However will this occur? Kasparov talked about what awaits not solely the sports activities world in an interview with WP SportoweFakty.
Piotr Koźmiński
13 Home 2024, 10:45
Press supplies / Superbet Fast&Blitz/Rafał / Garry Kasparov throughout the Superbet Fast&Blitz event in Warsaw
Garry Kasparov is without doubt one of the best masters within the historical past of chess. The Russian was undefeated for over a dozen years, making historical past on this self-discipline, amongst different issues, because of the legendary match with Anatoly Karpov, which lasted… 5 months.
In the present day, Kasparov is a superb opponent of Vladimir Putin and lives in New York, the place he settled after leaving Russia. At each step, he tries to struggle in opposition to the Russian regime and calls on the world to assist Ukraine far more than earlier than.
And he got here to Warsaw because of a chess event. Though his dialog with WP SportoweFakty involved primarily the intersection of sports activities and politics.
Piotr Koźmiński, journalist of WP SportoweFakty: We’re speaking in Warsaw, so I wish to begin with a query about Poland. How do you assess my nation’s involvement within the battle in Ukraine and within the anti-Russian coalition?
Garry Kasparov, world chess champion, former candidate for President of Russia, Russian oppositionist: I desire the time period “anti-Putin coalition”, not anti-Russian one. As a result of I’m Russian myself and I don’t establish in any method with the politics pursued in my nation. For my part, this can be a essential distinction.
Sadly, Putin’s propaganda has succeeded in constructing simply such a story for the Russian viewers: that this can be a battle between Russia and the West. However we can not conform to this. We should create a brand new, true narrative that this can be a battle between the free world and Putin’s Russia. However right here the objectives have to be clearly outlined. The aim of the free world needs to be to overthrow Putin’s regime. Nevertheless, the tragedy is that in Washington and in most European capitals, overthrowing this dictatorship is one thing of a taboo. You possibly can’t win a battle when you do not really need to defeat whoever began it. As for Poland… what extra can I say? It is a nation that, regardless of sharp inner divisions in politics, presents a really coherent exterior angle in direction of this battle.
No less than on this respect, there aren’t any divisions in Poland.
After all, there could also be some variations in method, whether or not on the intense left or the intense proper, however the primary political forces communicate virtually with one voice. They see and perceive the menace from Putin as one thing very actual. Sadly, you have got your individual previous experiences, a “genetic” reminiscence. Poland and the Baltic international locations don’t want one other historical past lesson with Russia, as a result of they realize it effectively. However whenever you transfer additional west from Poland, the state of affairs is much less extreme there. And that’s the reason we’re within the third 12 months of the battle, endlessly. The battle continues to be happening as a result of the free world, led by America, doesn’t need to determine on victory. Possibly I missed one thing, however I did not hear Baiden or Scholz say that Ukraine should win.
Are there any international locations that disappoint you probably the most of their method to this battle?
I will not criticize Spain as a result of I did not have excessive expectations for them. Similar with Greece.
Or Portugal…
Properly, this isn’t their battle. After all, these international locations might help Ukraine extra with gasoline assets, however we anticipate far more from the primary gamers. The issue narrows down to 3 international locations. USA, France and Germany. Scholz just lately introduced a program to deliver EUR 100 billion in help to Ukraine. Weapons have been to be transferred and, on the similar time, the assets of the German military have been to be modernized. Okay, it was a while in the past. What’s the impact? Properly, in some navy points, North Korea has given extra to Russia than Germany has given to Ukraine.
German ministers say Europe have to be prepared for battle in 2025. That is what I inform them: take a look at the map. Ukraine is a part of Europe! The battle is already right here! Germany has the chance to switch weapons to Ukraine. However they do not. Germany has the financial power to ramp up manufacturing. However they do not do this… That is it for them.
Macron managed to make a number of necessary statements. France is the one nation in continental Europe that has nuclear weapons. He reminded Putin of this when he threatened Russia with its nuclear potential. Nice, implausible. He talked about probably sending French forces to Ukraine. However the Ukrainians do not want French troopers, they want weapons. On the one hand, Macron talks about nuclear potential, and on the opposite, he sends his ambassador to the inauguration of Putin’s new time period.
What in regards to the US?
America has sufficient weapons to finish this battle in six months or much less. Let’s not be silly: the US president has sufficient alternatives to switch weapons to Ukraine outdoors Congress. Many of the US arsenal consists of weapons that have been created within the Seventies to struggle Russia. They’re mendacity in warehouses. America has three thousand tanks “in energetic use” and two thousand tanks in reserve. In the meantime, the US transferred 31 tanks to Ukraine. They just lately bought over 100 tanks to Morocco. What’s extra: in America, corporations are employed to destroy outdated weapons to make room in warehouses for brand spanking new ones. It might be despatched to Ukraine. However President Biden and his administration are nonetheless negotiating with Putin. We hear that Russia was promised that the bridge in Crimea or different Russian targets wouldn’t be attacked utilizing American weapons. Come on, let’s be critical. When Ukrainians efficiently attacked a Russian refinery 2-3 months in the past, the White Home and Pentagon stated they didn’t help it. So what ought to Ukraine do to defend itself? If it assaults targets that serve the Russian battle machine, it is in all probability regular? Particularly when Russia particularly assaults Ukrainian civilian targets.
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As a sports activities journalist, I might additionally like to boost points on the border between sport and battle. What do you consider the thought of a ceasefire throughout the Olympic Video games in Paris, because it was in historical instances?
Complete nonsense. With all due respect to historical instances, we reside in a contemporary world. This can’t be in contrast. The traditional world had its personal code of habits. OK, battle is at all times evil, however again then there have been extra guidelines than now. And now we’re speaking a couple of battle of attrition, extermination. I’ll at all times be for world peace, however will others too? Would Hamas respect such a ceasefire? Putin? Possibly so, however as soon as once more: the social gathering that breaks all of the provisions doesn’t deserve that we provide it the identical moral code that we ourselves profess.
Many Poles have been livid when just a few days in the past Maciej Rybus, a former Polish consultant who had been enjoying in Russia for years and whose spouse was Russian, took half within the Russian celebration of the anniversary of the victory over fascism, laying flowers on the monument to fallen troopers. What do you consider this habits?
The time period “livid” matches right here completely. I did not find out about this case earlier than, I am studying about it from you. Thanks for telling me about this. However aside from being known as “mad”, did he face any penalties for this?
There may be little Poland can do. He performs in Russia, he lives there. However do you understand such a gesture as help for the Putin regime or not?
After all. That is help for the Putin regime in all its glory. That is one thing unimaginable! That is siding with our enemy! As a result of Putin is our enemy. And please, allow us to not underestimate the significance of such gestures.
We in Poland don’t ignore it. Rybus won’t ever play for the Polish nationwide crew once more.
And good. You also needs to “kick him out” from any doable public presence. As a result of what he does is full ethical help of a felony regime. That is completely unacceptable!
However, now we have Iga Świątek, who helps Ukraine at each alternative, performed with a Ukrainian ribbon, and her foremost rival, Sabalenka from Belarus, avoids the subject of battle. How do you take a look at it?
Have a look at this (Kasparov reveals his hand with an armband in Ukrainian colours – editor’s be aware). As for Poland. I deal with supporting Ukraine as one thing very pure, as a result of we’re speaking a couple of frequent enemy. As for Belarus, for me it is a Russian colony. It is a tragedy. As a result of they’re good individuals as a nation. Lots of them escaped from there, for instance to Warsaw. However in my view, Belarusian athletes needs to be on the identical excluded listing as Russians. It is a part of the identical regime.
In the end, on the Olympic Video games, Russians and Belarusians can carry out, however with out an anthem, a flag or any symbols indicating the place they arrive from. That is OK, would you see it in a different way?
I might solely permit athletes to compete who clearly condemn Putin and the battle.
So I am both on this facet or the opposite?
Precisely.
And again to the international athletes who nonetheless carry out in Russia, even after the aggression in opposition to Ukraine. Are they reaching for the bloody cash??
After all. I might “ban” such athletes eternally!
Nevertheless it’s not nearly Polish athletes, representatives of many international locations seem there.
By no means thoughts! Any athlete earning money in Putin’s Russia at the moment needs to be excluded from the sports activities neighborhood in his personal nation.
A couple of months in the past, Polish chess participant Jan Krzysztof Duda didn’t shake palms together with his Russian rival as a result of the latter actively supported the assault on Ukraine. What did you suppose then?
That it is a fully justified gesture.
Within the context of battle: is he an optimist or quite a pessimist?
I am actually much less optimistic than I used to be a 12 months in the past as a result of a lot blood has been shed since then. A lot pointless blood. And the angle of world leaders. Simply since you bury your head within the sand does not imply you will not be seen.
Would not at the moment’s Europe remind you of 1939? Delicate and weak?
Sure and no. Delicate sure, however weak no. The geopolitical state of affairs was fully totally different then. In the present day the free world has a big benefit in each respect. Nevertheless, it takes political will to make use of it.
Lastly, there may be another query that bothers me. You aren’t, to place it mildly, Putin’s favourite, you might be on the listing of “terrorists” and enemies of the Russian state. Aren’t you afraid on your life?
It’s true that the listing of nations I can go to is shrinking. Let’s be sincere: I desire to keep away from locations resembling Vienna, which is closely infiltrated by Russians. However I’ll proceed to say what I believe. I will not hand over on this. No method! As for this listing… I am in good firm, as a result of President Zelensky is on it.
Interviewed by Piotr Koźmiński, journalist of WP SportoweFakty