Welcome to Hard Talk from the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker.

For my guest in this interview recorded on January the 13th, this new year surely feels particularly sweet.

Last January, Vladimir Karamurza was languishing in solitary confinement in Siberia,

having been condemned to 25 years behind bars

by a Russian court for his outspoken criticism of Vladimir Putin and his military invasion of

neighbouring Ukraine. Last summer, though, Karamurza, a dual Russian-British citizen, was released

and deported from Russia in a prisoner swap

which saw 16 individuals head west, in a deal which also saw the repatriation of eight Russians.

For Karamurza, who'd survived two previous poisonings and whose health was deteriorating rapidly,

that exchange probably saved his life. And now he's based in the US and is using his high

profile to lobby Western powers to intensify their diplomatic and economic pressure on

Vladimir Putin.

But the political climate in Washington is about to change.

Donald Trump is returning to the White House with a pledge to end the Russia-Ukraine war within days.

Team Trump appears intent on cutting financial and military assistance to Ukraine if Kiev holds out against

territorial compromise. Inside Russia, the wartime economy is showing signs of serious strain,

but internal dissent appears to have been all but eliminated or has it. Well, Vladimir Karamurza joins me now on the line

from Washington. Welcome to Hard Talk. Hello, Stephen. It's very good to be on your program.

It is great to see you there in Washington. You, of course, have had pretty much six months now

to get used to being a free man. Are you used to it?

Well, frankly, it still feels a little bit surreal

because up until just a few months ago,

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