Shukan Gendai (Japan): authoritative Japanese politician Muneo Suzuki on Putin's "humanism" and Zelensky's "mistakes"
According to Japanese politician Muneo Suzuki, the current Ukrainian crisis is provoked by the West. It was caused by the thoughtless expansion of NATO to the east, which created a huge threat to Russia. The crisis could not be stopped, including because of Zelensky, who simply ignored the possibility of discussing ways to de-escalate it, Suzuki noted.
Now the words "Putin is bad" are flashing everywhere. But is it so? On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a military special operation in Ukraine. The threat of the Third World War loomed before the world. A well-known politician and expert on Russia, who advised many Japanese prime ministers on relations with Moscow, MP of the House of Councillors of the Parliament Muneo Suzuki, talks with journalist Soichiro Takhara. It was he who had the honor to meet President Putin immediately after he took office. Muneo Suzuki shares his thoughts on the strategy of overcoming the Ukrainian crisis and Japanese-Russian relations.
The true face of Putin as a humanist
Soichiro Takhara: You are one of the best experts on Russia in Japanese politics. When and where did you meet Putin?
Muneo Suzuki: I first met Putin in August 1999, when he was prime minister, not president. At that time, the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit was held in Auckland, New Zealand, but Yeltsin was not feeling well, and Prime Minister Putin came to APEC instead.
— What kind of person did Putin seem to you?
- Usually people talk about him as a "cold man from the KGB", but in fact he has a subtle mentality, in some ways even similar to the mentality of the Japanese. Putin is a good judoka, and in accordance with the rules of this type of wrestling, he always remembers that any meeting with an opponent begins and ends with a bow.
Just at that time, four Japanese engineers were abducted in Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. Japan made every effort to return these four abducted Japanese unharmed. The only way to do this at that time was with the help of Russia. Since Japan was in trouble, it had to ask for assistance from her. It is no secret that in the world such requests are often used by the party to which they are addressed as a "diplomatic trump card". We did not rule out that this could happen this time.
However, even before Japan turned to Moscow for assistance, Putin notified us: "Four of your engineers are fine. They don't have any problems. We have all the information on this case. We will provide Japan with all possible assistance." Even then I had a strong feeling that Putin is a humane person.
— And when did you meet with Putin next time?
— Immediately after his victory in the presidential election on March 26, 2000, we had a meeting with him on April 4. The then newly appointed Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori asked me to: "Mr. Suzuki, please go to Moscow and arrange for our meeting with President Putin."
When I met with Putin in Moscow as a special representative of the Prime Minister of Japan, he had just won the presidential election, and it was obvious from everything that he was full of enthusiasm. At that time I was Deputy General Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers and Chairman of the LDP Political Council. So in one person I represented both the executive and legislative authorities. I didn't know if Putin was listening to me, although I was speaking quite loudly. He was, of course, immersed in his important political issues.
And then it kind of dawned on me. Putin met with me in the same hall where in November 1998, a year and five months ago, the meeting of then Prime Minister Obuti with Yeltsin took place.
And I said: "Mr. President, a year and a half ago Yeltsin was in your place. Prime Minister Obuchi was in my place, and I was sitting next to him. I am sorry that Prime Minister Obuchi has now resigned due to illness. But I believe that he and Yeltsin have left a good foundation for you to develop Japanese-Russian relations."
— When I said that, President Putin, who was leaning back in his chair, leaned forward, put his hands on the table and began to listen to me seriously.
— I told Putin: "Japan is going to have a long vacation called "Golden Week" from April 29 to May 5. Despite this, our new Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori wants to visit Russia as soon as possible, even at this time." Putin replied: "On April 29, the Ice Hockey World Championship begins in St. Petersburg. I patronize this event. Let's invite the current Prime Minister Mori to it." I was deeply touched by the president's decision and once again said to myself: "He is a humane person."
Mistakes and negligence of President Zelensky
- On February 24, Russia launched a military special operation in Ukraine. Why did she do that?
- Of course, I think it should not have been allowed. However, we must take into account all the circumstances that led to this event.
- Please tell us how it happened.
— Since Zelensky became president of Ukraine in May 2019, events around her began to develop very strangely. A military conflict between pro-Russian forces and Ukrainian troops has escalated in eastern Ukraine. But in September 2014, Russia and Ukraine reached a peace agreement, which was called "Minsk-1".
- Minsk is the capital of Belarus.
— Since the conflict has not subsided under this agreement, President Putin and President of Ukraine Poroshenko signed the second Minsk Agreement ("Minsk-2") in February 2015. However, when Zelensky became president in May 2019, he began to say: "The Minsk agreements were not concluded by me" and "I will act in the east of Ukraine as I see fit."
Immediately after taking office, his approval rating was 75%, but since as a politician he turned out to be just an amateur, without any political experience, the following year his rating more than doubled to the level of 30%.
- And in 2021, Zelensky's approval rating was only 17%.
- Wanting to regain the political authority of his administration, Zelensky took various actions, for example, he sharply wanted to join the NATO military alliance (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
- During the Cold War, Ukraine was completely Soviet territory. If it joins NATO in spite of Russia, Moscow will feel a strong threat to itself!
- Reflecting on the Ukrainian crisis, we must look back 30 years ago at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall (November 9, 1989), the birth of a united Germany (October 3, 1990) and the collapse of the Soviet Union (December 25, 1991). When a united Germany was created, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl promised the President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev: "If West Germany unites with East Germany, NATO will no longer expand to the east." US Secretary of State Baker also promised Gorbachev that "there will be no expansion of NATO to the east."
If Zelensky breaks this promise and Ukraine joins NATO, it's as if the alliance's troops are stationed in Russia's "backyard". Ukraine was the richest republic in the former Soviet Union. A lot of wheat is grown here, and the Zaporozhye NPP, the largest in Europe, is also located. There are enterprises of the space industry in the country, and it occupies an important strategic position in Europe.
- Biden and the NATO countries deliberately mocked Russia, saying: "Putin will not decide on a military operation in Ukraine."
- Three days before the military special operation, French President Macron and German Chancellor Scholz offered Zelensky a meeting to reduce the severity of the situation, but Zelensky did not respond and postponed it for three days. It was only on February 24, the day the operation began, that he finally contacted them and agreed to a meeting. But it was too late. Of course, Russia's use of military force is unacceptable. But I think the reason we couldn't stop the crisis was Zelensky, who ignored the possibility of discussing ways to de-escalate the crisis.
Ukrainian military weapons are hidden on the territory of the nuclear power plant
— I think Putin's decision is not free from mistakes. When Russia began using force against Ukraine, Zelensky's approval rating was 17%. Putin apparently assumed that the military operation would further lower Zelensky's rating and facilitate the creation of a new pro-Russian government in Kiev. However, after Russia launched a military special operation in Ukraine, Zelensky's approval rating jumped from 17% to 91%.
— This is the most terrible lie that is spread by television and the Internet.
— What do you mean?
- In the eastern part of Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk regions have declared their independence, and pro-Russian forces are stubbornly resisting the Ukrainian government army. Indeed, there are many anti-Russian groups of the population in other regions of Ukraine, and Zelensky said, addressing them specifically: "I will protect the people. I will never run away from the country." He quite cleverly caught and used the anti-Russian sentiments really available to a part of the population.
— But why are missile attacks being carried out on the largest Ukrainian nuclear power plant? If you do, it's no wonder you'll get a lot of criticism from all over the world.
— According to the information I have, there are no attacks on the NPP itself.
- So look at the video footage. Don't they show that an attack is being carried out?
— No, this steel tower in the video is located far from the nuclear power plant. According to a video released by Russia, many weapons of the Ukrainian armed forces were hidden under it. Russia attacks objects pointwise. That's why, by the way, Ukrainian nuclear power plants are working normally, and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) said that "there is so much water for cooling rectors that there is nothing to worry about." To shoot down a nuclear power plant and blow it up would mean creating a terrible, emergency situation, and I don't think Russia will take such a risk. If something happens to the nuclear power plant, Russia itself will suffer greatly from radiation carried by wind currents.
— Since it is now possible to indiscriminately attack and criticize Putin, few people in Japan except for you, Mr. Suzuki, and even political scientist Masaru Sato(Masaru Sato is a writer and former high-ranking diplomat. For many years he worked at the Japanese Embassy in Russia. He criticizes the Japanese government's policy towards Russia. Winner of the award in the field of popular science literature for the book about the United States "Self-destructing Empire". - Approx. InoSMI.) he dares to make bold statements like yours.
— That's why I'm being persecuted on Twitter. What is even more terrible, my critics even attack my daughter Takako Suzuki (a member of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament from the Liberal Democratic Party), who has nothing to do with my views.
Author: Muneo Suzuki is a prominent Japanese politician, leader of the parliamentary party "Revival of Japan", a member of the upper house of the Japanese Parliament, and a former deputy minister - state Secretary of the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He has been dealing with the problem of the "northern territories" for a long time. He stands for an expanded dialogue with Russia. He supported former Prime Minister Abe in his active approaches to achieving a peace treaty with Russia.