“We don’t force people into war with sticks, as they do in Russia.”

“You met Putin during your meetings. What kind of person is he?”

“Putin is the smartest and most educated gentleman I have ever met. He matches the image of a gentleman described by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice.”

[If America does not send money to Ukraine, how will this affect the war?]

“Well, if America does not send money, it will have a big impact on Ukraine, a negative impact, but also an impact on Europe, where European countries, including the UK, are stepping forward and actually providing huge amounts of funding.

But I'm here to prove that if you do this, you will help the Ukrainians, and if you don't, the only people who will smile will be Putin in Moscow and President Xi in Beijing. And we don't want that to happen.”

[What does it say about American leadership if money is not allocated for Ukraine and the world?]

“Ultimately, this is not just about European security. We are also talking about American security. If Putin wins in Ukraine, he will come back again. We know this from our history.”

“Individual neutral athletes are athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport. Athletes who have managed to qualify in their sports will be allowed to participate in the Games.”