In a two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the US and its allies, accusing them of prolonging the war in Ukraine by supplying weapons. The interview, filmed in Moscow, marked Putin’s first engagement with Western media since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Carlson, known for his Trump-supporting views, took a less confrontational tone during the conversation.
Putin blamed Boris Johnson, the former UK prime minister, for Ukraine’s refusal to finalize peace talks, claiming that Johnson dissuaded Ukrainian President Zelenskiy from signing an early peace deal. Putin also mentioned ongoing communication between Russia and the US through various agencies regarding the conflict’s resolution.
The Russian president asserted that if the US truly wanted to end the fighting, it should stop supplying weapons to Ukraine. He disclosed that his last conversation with President Joe Biden occurred before the invasion, where he warned Biden against supporting events in Ukraine.
The interview drew criticism before airing, with Hillary Clinton calling Carlson a “useful idiot” for Putin. Carlson defended the interview, claiming that Western journalists had not attempted to interview Putin, a statement refuted by both CNN and the Kremlin.
In the midst of the interview, Putin addressed the detainment of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, alleging espionage and expressing Russia’s readiness to negotiate his release.
The interview was broadcast on Tucker Carlson Tonight, Carlson’s streaming service launched in December 2023, following his departure from Fox News in April 2023.
