Ex-PM Kasyanov: Putin's successor will seek peace with West
Former Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, now living in Riga, Latvia, warns that Vladimir Putin is 'poisoning generations of Russians' and predicts that any successor, even from Putin's circle, will seek negotiations with the West to end the war in Ukraine. Kasyanov, who was added to Russia's extremist list by Rosfinmonitoring, spoke at the Delphi Economic Forum. He described Putin's shift from a liberalizing modernizer to an authoritarian leader, citing the 2007 Munich speech and the 2008 invasion of Georgia as turning points. Kasyanov believes Russia's future lies with Europe and that democratic transition could take five to ten years with Western support.
Key facts
- Mikhail Kasyanov was added to Russia's extremist list by Rosfinmonitoring.
- Kasyanov served as prime minister under Putin from 2000 to 2004.
- He attempted to run for president in 2008 but was rejected by the Central Election Commission.
- Kasyanov co-founded the People's Freedom Party with Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated in 2015.
- He now lives in Riga, Latvia, and spoke at the Delphi Economic Forum.
- Kasyanov claims any successor to Putin will seek negotiations with the West.
- He predicts a democratic Russia could be built in five to ten years with Western support.
- Putin's 2007 Munich speech and 2008 invasion of Georgia marked his shift in policy.
Entities
Institutions
- Rosfinmonitoring
- People's Freedom Party
- Central Election Commission
- Delphi Economic Forum
- Monocle
- Nato
- EU
- KGB
Locations
- Russia
- Riga
- Latvia
- Georgia
- Ukraine
- Munich
- Crimea
- Lisbon
- Vladivostok
- Moscow
Sources
- Monocle —