Kremlin Confirms Putin’s Interview with Former Fox News Host Tucker Carlson, Reports Reuters

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin gave an interview to U.S. television personality Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, marking his first conversation with an American journalist since before the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that Putin agreed to the interview because Carlson’s approach contrasts with what he described as the "one-sided" reporting of the Ukraine conflict prevalent among many Western news outlets.

Peskov stated at a regular news briefing, "When it comes to the countries of the collective West, large media networks, television channels, and major newspapers cannot pretend to be impartial in their coverage." He added that these outlets typically adopt a one-sided viewpoint, making meaningful communication unlikely or useful.

When asked specifically why Carlson was granted an interview, Peskov emphasized that the journalist’s stance was "in no way pro-Russian, it is not pro-Ukrainian – it is pro-American."

The interview is expected to be broadcast on Thursday, according to reports from a news agency.

Putin, who initiated the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, last spoke formally to a U.S. media outlet in October 2021 during an interview with CNBC. Since then, he has had discussions with media from Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.

Numerous Western media organizations have either exited Moscow or ceased operations due to strict media laws established shortly after the conflict began. American journalist Evan Gershkovich was detained on spying charges in March 2023.

Carlson stated in a post that the interview aims to provide Americans with insight into Russia’s perspective on the war. He emphasized, "We are not here because we love Vladimir Putin… We are not encouraging you to agree with what Putin may say in this interview, but we are urging you to watch it. You should know as much as you can."

Putin has stated that he deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine to protect Russia’s national security against what he views as a hostile West. Conversely, Kyiv and its Western allies characterize the action as an unprovoked assault and an attempt at imperial conquest.

Carlson has previously indicated that much of the Western media’s coverage of the war favors Kyiv, and he has also requested an interview with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.