U.S. podcaster Lex Friedman plans to visit Russia to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin, Fridman said on Jan. 22 at Joe Rogan's podcast.
The podcaster previously interviewed President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Following the interview, Fridman criticized the Ukrainian president on X, saying that Zelensky had spoken "crude words" towards Putin and that this would not facilitate negotiations.
"There's probably a lot to say about this war. I should say that I interviewed Volodymyr Zelensky, and I will be traveling to Russia to interview Vladimir Putin, and I'm aware of the risks; I accept the risks, and the goal of the mission is just to push for peace," Fridman said on the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.
Fridman did not specify when he would visit Russia or whether he had already agreed to an interview with the Russian authorities. The Kremlin has not commented on Fridman's statement.
The podcaster also added that he believes that U.S. President Donald Trump is capable of bringing peace closer.
"I think that both Zelensky and Putin fear Donald Trump. And that's a great person to then make peace. All of them believe, both Putin and Zelensky, that Trump would do some crazy shit," he said.
With nearly five million subscribers on his YouTube channel, Fridman, born in Tajikistan and raised in Moscow, organized an interview with Zelensky that was published on Jan. 5 as part of what he described as his "small part in pushing for peace."
Fridman's show has previously hosted controversial figures, including Trump, entrepreneur Elon Musk, political commentator Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, some of whom have advanced narratives portraying Ukraine as a corrupt nation bent on escalating war with Russia.
In a three-hour interview, Fridman tried to persuade Zelensky that Putin is "a serious person who loves his country."
Kate Tsurkan
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