President Vladimir Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson, a U.S. commentator who has made a reputation for himself by spreading conspiracy theories and has questioned Washington’s assist for Kyiv in its combat towards invading Russian troops, has been extensively criticized for giving the Russian chief a propaganda platform in his first interview with an American journalist since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine practically two years in the past.
Within the greater than two-hour interview, launched on Carlson’s web site early on February 9, Putin once more claimed Ukraine was a menace to Russia as a result of the West was drawing the nation into NATO — an assertion the navy alliance has referred to as false — whereas avoiding subjects reminiscent of his brutal crackdown at residence on civil society and free speech.
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The interview passed off as Putin hopes that Western assist for Kyiv will wane and morale amongst Ukrainians will flag to the purpose the place his struggle goals are achievable. It additionally comes as U.S. navy assist for Kyiv is in query as Republican lawmakers block a $60 billion support package deal proposed by President Joe Biden, and a reshuffle of Ukraine’s dismissal of the highest commander of the armed forces after a counteroffensive fell far wanting its objectives.
Putin urged the USA to press Kyiv to cease preventing and lower a take care of Russia, which occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine.
Carlson not often challenged Putin, who gave a protracted and rambling lecture on the historical past of Russia and Ukraine, failing to carry up credible accusations from worldwide rights teams that Russia has dedicated struggle crimes in Ukraine — Putin himself has been issued an arrest warrant by the Worldwide Legal Courtroom for the illegal deportation and switch of kids in the course of the battle — or the imprisonment of opposition figures reminiscent of Aleksei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza on trumped up prices that seem politically motivated.
”Putin acquired his message out the way in which he needed to,” stated Ian Bremmer, a New York-based political scientist and president of Eurasiagroup.
Even earlier than the assembly was revealed, Carlson confronted criticism for interviewing Putin when his authorities is holding Wall Avenue Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich and one other U.S. journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva of RFE/RL, in jail on prices associated to their reporting that each vehemently deny.
Kurmasheva’s case was not even talked about within the interview, whereas Carlson angered the Wall Avenue Journal by suggesting that Putin ought to launch the 33-year-old journalist even when “possibly he was breaking your legislation ultimately.”
The U.S. State Division has formally designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained by Russia.
“Evan is a journalist and journalism will not be a criminal offense. Any portrayal on the contrary is whole fiction,” the newspaper stated in response to the interview.
“Evan was unjustly arrested and has been wrongfully detained by Russia for practically a 12 months for doing his job, and we proceed to demand his fast launch.”
Putin stated “an settlement could be reached” to free Gershkovich and appeared to recommend {that a} swap for a “patriotic” Russian nationwide at the moment serving out a life sentence for homicide in Germany — an obvious reference to Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel from Russia’s home spy group convicted of assassinating a former Chechen fighter in broad daylight in Berlin in 2019.
”There isn’t a taboo to settle this subject. We’re prepared to resolve it, however there are specific phrases being mentioned through particular companies channels. I imagine an settlement could be reached,” Putin informed Carlson.
Carlson, a former Fox Information host, has made a reputation for himself by spreading conspiracy theories and has questioned U.S. assist for Ukraine in its combat towards invading Russian troops. The interview was Putin’s first with a Western media determine for the reason that begin of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Putin stated in the course of the interview Russia has little interest in invading NATO member Poland and will solely see one case the place he would: ”If Poland assaults Russia.”
”We have now little interest in Poland, Latvia, or anyplace else. Why would we try this? We merely haven’t any curiosity. It is simply menace mongering. It’s completely out of the query,” he added.
Describing his resolution to interview Putin in an announcement posted on X on February 6, Carlson asserted that U.S. media retailers focus fawningly on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy however that Putin’s voice will not be heard in the USA as a result of Western journalists haven’t “bothered” to interview him for the reason that full-scale invasion.
Carlson has gained a fame for defending the Russian chief, as soon as claiming that ”hating Putin has turn out to be the central goal of America’s international coverage.”
Quite a few Western journalists rejected the declare, saying they’ve persistently sought to interview Putin however have been turned away. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that, saying his workplace receives “quite a few requests for interviews with the president” however that a lot of the Western retailers asking are “conventional TV channels and huge newspapers that don’t even try to look neutral of their protection. In fact, there’s no need to speak with this type of media.”
Carlson’s credentials as an unbiased journalist have been questioned, and in 2020 Fox Information gained a defamation case towards him, with the choose saying in her verdict that when presenting tales, Carlson will not be ”stating precise information” concerning the subjects he discusses and is as a substitute participating in ”exaggeration” and ”’nonliteral commentary.”
Carlson was one in every of Fox Information’ top-rated hosts earlier than he abruptly left the community final 12 months after Fox settled a separate defamation lawsuit over its reporting of the 2020 presidential election. Fox agreed to pay $787 million to voting machine firm Dominion after the corporate filed a lawsuit alleging the community unfold false claims that its machines have been rigged towards former President Donald Trump.
Carlson has had a rocky relationship at instances with the previous president, however throughout Trump’s presidency he had Carlson’s full backing and he has endorsed Trump in his 2024 run to regain the White Home.