March 22, 2025 (EIRNS)—Tucker Carlson interviewed U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on March 21 in which, among other things, he spoke extensively about U.S.-Russian efforts to settle the conflict in Ukraine. Witkoff expressed confidence that Putin has no plans to attack Europe. Witkoff noted he finds the claims that “the Russians are going to march across Europe” odd. “I think that’s preposterous, by the way. We have something called NATO, that we did not have in World War II,” said Witkoff.
Carlson asked directly if Witkoff thought Russia could really have such plans: “100% not,” the special envoy replied.
Witkoff also expressed optimism about the talks on March 24 in Riyadh. He called that meeting “a big deal,” and said: “There are all kinds of good, positive talk coming out of Russia about their willingness to consider all of these different things. And [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy had a wonderful conversation with the President after [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin’s conversation the next day. And I think that indicates that they’ve got some degree of flexibility in the way that they’ve been thinking about finishing up this conflict….
“So, I am not to sound like a forever optimist, but I am very, very optimistic that we’re going to be able to bring the two sides together. We have narrowed the issues so considerably, so I’m optimistic,” he concluded.
Witkoff also discussed the matter of territory. He remarked that the four territories at issue are all Russian-speaking and that they voted “by an overwhelming majority” to be part of Russia. “Yes, I think that’s the key issue in the conflict. So, that’s the first thing, that when that gets settled, and we’re having very, very positive conversation,” Witkoff said.
According to Witkoff, “no one wants to talk about it….
“That’s the elephant in the room. There are constitutional issues within Ukraine as to what they can concede to with regard to giving up territory. The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is, will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories? Will it end up? Can Zelenskyy survive politically, if he acknowledges this, this is the central issue in the conflict,” the special envoy added.
Witkoff told Carlson that Ukraine’s leadership has agreed to hold a presidential election in the country. Carlson recalled that “the Russian position is he is not elected,” so one “can’t sign any kind of treaty with him.”
“Do you think there will be elections in Ukraine?” Carlson asked. “Yes. There will be. They’ve agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine,” Witkoff responded.
In the International Peace Coalition meeting of March 21, Helga Zepp-LaRouche placed emphasis on the talk of new elections and amnesty for the currently banned political parties: “Oleg Tsaryov, a former Ukrainian parliamentarian who now lives in Crimea, has given an interview in which he says that soon there may be a ceasefire, a lifting of martial law, and election of a new leadership. Then that new leadership could be willing to sign a long-term agreement with Russia. There is also the obvious need to have a general amnesty of all the banned parties and the leaders who have been either jailed or went into exile. They must all be rehabilitated and there must be free elections. That is absolutely in the cards now, and should be pursued.”
