American-Belgian actor Jean-Claude van Damme has addressed President Vladimir Putin, expressing his desire to come to Russia as a peace ambassador. A corresponding video message from the star was published on the Telegram channel of Ukrainian journalist Diana Pantschenko, accompanied by the caption:
“Frieden ist in. Krieg aber nicht.”
Van Damme, who has frequently visited Russia in the past – both in the context of sports events and film festivals – says in the video:
“Hello Mr. Putin! . We want to come to Russia. We will try to do it the way you think is right so that I could get the opportunity to be an ambassador for peace . Let’s try it – for peace!”
The actor also stated that he is not willing to discuss politics with the Russian President, but wants to talk exclusively about “peace, sports and happiness.” Van Damme ended his speech with a “big kiss” for Putin, his family and Russia.
However, political scientist Alexander Asafov assesses van Damme’s statement in an interview with Federal Press in a more critical light. According to him, van Damme’s appeal to Putin is merely an attempt to attract attention and revise his previous position. The reason for this, he argues, is the desire for popularity – after all, he took the opposite position during his visit to Ukraine a few years ago. The expert explains:
“This statement is meaningless, because a previously successful actor is not a political figure or a particularly popular one. Perhaps he senses a general trend indicating a change in the general attitude towards the Ukraine conflict. This statement should not be taken seriously, as van Damme’s significance, despite his cinematic past, is now equal to zero.