Kasparov: Putin Losing the Narrative War, Europe Must Recognize Its Own Stake in Ukraine Conflict
Munich/Rome, February 16, 2026 – Russian dissident garry Kasparov asserts that Vladimir Putin is losing the battle for public perception more significantly than the military conflict in Ukraine, and urges Europe to recognize the war as its own. Kasparov made these statements during an interview with La Stampa, published today on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
“Putin repeats that he is winning to keep going,but gradually the EU is understanding that it’s a bluff,” the former world chess champion and vocal Kremlin critic stated.
Kasparov believes domestic support for the war within Russia is far more fragile than it appears. “The war is an instrument of the regime and has the full support of the state apparatus, but I would be surprised if it is supported by more than 30% of the population,” he said.He cautioned that accurately gauging public opinion in Russia is difficult due to the repressive political climate. “From 80 to 90% of Russians refuse to answer polls for fear. We can only analyze partial data. In 2022,between one and three million people tried to emigrate.Tragically, many view the war as inevitable, a harsh reality to accept but even more difficult to criticize.”
According to Kasparov, Putin’s vulnerability lies in the perception of invincibility. “Putin knows he can lose millions of men but not the trust of the people. The weak point is the narrative: it is not unbeatable, and we must say so. I follow many ‘patriotic’ channels that are beginning to express doubts about his ability to control the situation.”
However, Kasparov does not foresee a stable ceasefire. “I don’t believe it’s realistic with Putin, who has made war his core business and has a million Russians accustomed to killing who cannot return home without creating enormous problems. russia is in terrible economic condition: if it closes the Ukrainian front,it will open another one,in Moldova or the Baltics.”
He also criticized Europe’s response,stating,“Zelensky has been far too soft. Europe has been at war for four years and yet hasn’t done much. It can afford not to fight because Ukraine is doing it for them. If Kyiv were to fall, the front line would not be at the borders but within European homes.”
Kasparov was notably critical of Donald Trump, stating, “I don’t know his intentions, but I see his actions, which are unequivocally in favor of Putin. He has cut aid to Ukraine, abandoned Europe. He looks at Putin and Xi Jinping, thinks about money and glory not in the interest of the united States but of his family clan.”
Sources:
* https://www.lastampa.it/esteri/2026/02/16/news/kasparov-putin-ha-perso-la-guerra-della-narrazione-l-europa-si-renda-conto-che-e-anche-la-sua-1418994140777/ (Original La Stampa Interview – accessed Feb 16, 2026)
* (General background on Kasparov’s views on Putin and Russia – multiple sources consulted for context, including his official website and previous interviews with reputable news organizations like the BBC and The Guardian).
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