Earlier today, Congressman and Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Steve Cohen and Helsinki Commission members Roger Wicker and Ben Cardin met with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and Co-Chairman Cohen released the following statement:
Today, I, along with leaders of the Helsinki Commission, Chairman Cardin and Ranking Member Wicker, met with Mikhail Khodorkovsky who is a former Russian oligarch and former head of Yukos, one of the world’s largest oil producers. Mr. Khodorkovsky made quick enemies with Vladimir Putin after making efforts to strengthen Russian civil society and publicly speaking out against the Kremlin. In early 2003, Mr. Khodorkovsky was arrested and jailed until December 2013 when he was released and pardoned by Putin right before the Sochi Olympics, a move he believes was nothing more than a political concession to the West ahead of the Games.
Since fleeing Russia, Mr. Khodorkovsky has been speaking loudly and often against the Kremlin and encourages other oligarchs to do the same. He stated that as long as oligarchs are not publicly opposing Putin, they are benefiting from him, and his illegal war, in some way. Mr. Khodorkovsky praised the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia so far, saying that they surprised Putin with their scope, especially the sanctioning of Central Bank of Russia.
We also discussed what the West must do to help Ukraine win this war and the disastrous consequences that would come of Putin remaining in power after its conclusion. Mr. Khodorkovsky delved into Putin’s psychology and explained how he is a gangster who only responds to force. In order to be most effective, the West needs to show there is bite behind its bark. He suggested proposing firm red lines to Putin with clearly defined and communicated consequences. If Putin crosses these red lines, the West must respond as it said it would, with force. He explained that a gangster like Putin sees force as an invitation to negotiate while he sees weakness as provocation. He emphasized that fear of escalation into World War III should not be a factor because in Putin’s mind, he is already at war with the U.S. and NATO and has been acting accordingly.
Lastly, we discussed the impact of Putin’s propaganda machine on the Russian public. He told us that propaganda has been extremely effective on Russian public opinion. The Russian people do not want to believe their army is committing heinous war crimes, and Putin’s propaganda narrative that photos of bodies in Bucha are staged by the West or killed by Ukrainians is a much better alternative. Mr. Khodorkovsky stressed the importance of helping public opinion leaders who are fleeing Russia. They are fleeing to escape arrest or persecution, but when they come to the U.S. or other Western countries, they are penniless as they are unable to access their bank accounts or open new accounts. They also cannot obtain visas to stay for the same reason. We must find a way to help these oppositionists stay safe as they are the ones who can influence public opinion in Russia.
Original source can be found here.
