Hollywood star Richard Gere has delivered a sharp rebuke of Russian propaganda, arguing that the Kremlin is attempting to rewrite history to justify its aggression. He made the remarks in an interview with LTV Ziņu dienests.
Gere stressed that authoritarian regimes routinely seek legitimacy by distorting historical truth. In his view, the denial of Ukrainian statehood, language, and culture has become one of the central tools of Vladimir Putin’s political strategy.
“To have any kind of legitimacy, you have to rewrite history. Putin is doing exactly that, saying: ‘There was no Ukraine, there was no Ukrainian language, there was no Ukrainian culture. It’s completely made up.’ Well, it’s false,” Gere said.
He noted that such tactics are not new. Gere drew a parallel with China’s long-standing policy in Tibet, where authorities have spent decades attempting to erase the cultural heritage and historical identity of the Tibetan people.
“It’s the same thing the Chinese did to Tibet. They said: ‘There never was a Tibet, there never was a Tibetan language, there never was a Tibetan culture.’ You have to destroy history to create legitimacy,” he explained.
Gere has spoken out for Ukraine before. At the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, he urged the world to continue supporting the country, calling its struggle with Russia a “war against evil.” He warned that fatigue would only embolden other dictators.
He also condemned Putin for the destruction of Ukrainian museums and theaters and revealed that he had sold his Jaguar, donating the proceeds to organizations assisting Ukrainian refugees.
Additionally, Gere hosted a charity gala for Ukraine at Carnegie Hall, closing the evening with a performance of Somewhere alongside opera singer Isabel Leonard.
UNIAN
