Vladimir Putin Tells Tucker Carlson Ending Russian Invasion of Ukraine is ‘Simple’
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently sat down for an interview with conservative US journalist Tucker Carlson, where he claimed that ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a “simple” matter. This marked Putin’s first interview with a Western reporter since the invasion began two years ago. The choice of Carlson as the interviewer was strategic, as he has previously characterized the conflict as a mere “border dispute” and called for the US to cut off aid to Ukraine. The interview took place in a lavish Kremlin audience hall, with Carlson noticeably less confrontational than he had been on his former Fox News show.
Putin’s motive for the interview was clear: he wanted to use Carlson to persuade Republicans to withdraw their support for Ukraine and focus on domestic issues instead. He argued that the US has its own problems to deal with, such as border issues, migration, and national debt, and questioned why they should be involved in Ukraine. When Carlson suggested that Putin could simply call US President Joe Biden to work out a solution, Putin refused but claimed that stopping the supply of weapons would end the conflict in a matter of weeks.
Throughout the interview, Carlson failed to challenge Putin’s outlandish claims or provide evidence to support them. For example, when discussing the 2022 explosion in the Baltic Sea that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Carlson called it “the biggest act of industrial terrorism ever” but did not dispute Putin’s assertion that the CIA was responsible. This lack of critical questioning raised concerns about Carlson’s credibility as a journalist.
The interview also featured Putin giving a history lesson on Eastern Europe, specifically the disintegration of Kyivan Rus and its role in the formation of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Putin presented a manipulative narrative that portrayed Russia as the only legitimate successor to Kyivan Rus and dismissed Ukraine as an “invented” concept promoted by Austria. While this may seem irrelevant to Western audiences, it serves as a threatening reminder to Ukrainians that the Kremlin denies their right to exist as a separate nation.
Ukrainian officials and public figures who have met with Putin in person have long maintained that he is determined to subjugate and annihilate Ukraine. They describe him as tough and behaving with a sense of divine power over Ukraine. Putin reiterated his claims that Ukraine is an “artificial state” created by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and suggested that Hungary has the right to reclaim its lands. Some observers have compared Putin’s intentions to those of Adolf Hitler, who annexed areas in Eastern Europe populated by ethnic Germans.
The timing of the interview was crucial for Ukraine, as Republicans had recently blocked a multibillion-dollar aid package for Kyiv, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had just fired a highly trusted top general. However, Ukrainian servicemen view the interview as a display of weakness rather than strength. They see Putin and Carlson as two “losers” supporting each other and spreading conspiracy theories, while refusing to acknowledge the reality of Ukraine’s resilience.
Overall, the interview between Putin and Carlson served Putin’s agenda of undermining support for Ukraine among Republicans and presenting Russia as a misunderstood nation. However, it failed to provide any substantial new information or challenge Putin’s false claims. While it may have appealed to some Russian audiences who want to believe that Russia is not isolated on the international stage, it did little to change the perceptions of Ukrainians or those familiar with Putin’s tactics.
