US journalist Carlson could be sanctioned by the EU for interviewing Mr Putin, as some European lawmakers call for a travel ban on him.
Guy Verhofstadt, former Belgian prime minister and current member of the European Parliament, said on February 7 that Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host, traveling to Russia to interview President Vladimir Putin could get the journalist into trouble with the European Union (EU).
Verhofstadt called on the EU to consider imposing a "travel ban" on Carlson, describing the journalist as a "propaganda mouthpiece" for former US President Donald Trump and Mr Putin.
According to Verhofstadt, the EU is imposing sanctions on those who support Russia and Mr. Putin, so the European External Action Service (EAS) is reviewing Carlson's case to make a decision.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on February 7 that President Putin agreed to Carlson's interview because the journalist's approach is different from the "one-sided" reporting of many Western media outlets on the Ukraine conflict.
Tucker Carlson in the Fox News Channel studio in New York in 2017. Photo: AP
The last time Mr. Putin gave an interview to an American media outlet was in October 2021. About four months later, the Russian president launched his campaign in Ukraine. He has not given an interview to any American media outlet since then.
Explaining the reason for interviewing the Russian President, Carlson said most Americans do not know why Mr. Putin launched the war in Ukraine or what his current goals are.
The EAS is the EU's foreign policy body. To add an individual to the EU sanctions list, evidence must be submitted to the EAS for consideration. If qualified, the EAS can submit a recommendation to the European Council, a body made up of EU national leaders, for a final decision.
Any sanctions against Carlson are therefore likely to be far-fetched, even if the move receives support from European lawmakers and heads of state.
A European diplomatic official said any future travel restrictions would likely require evidence linking Carlson to Russian aggression, which was “either unavailable or difficult to prove”.
However, Luis Garicano, a former member of the European Parliament, agreed with Verhofstadt. “Carlson is no longer a messenger, but a propagandist for the Russian government, a danger to our peace and security,” Garicano said.
MEP Urmas Paet, a former Estonian foreign minister, noted that Mr Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes.
"If Putin has something to say, he needs to say it before the ICC. Carlson is not a real journalist because he sympathizes with Russia and Putin, and he constantly vilifies Ukraine. Such propaganda can get you on the sanctions list, mainly related to the ban on EU countries," said MP Paet.
The content of Carlson's interview with Mr. Putin is currently unknown. In a post on his Instagram account on February 7, Carlson said the interview would air at 6 p.m. on February 8 (6 a.m. on February 9, Hanoi time) on the journalist's website.
The White House said Mr Putin should not be given the opportunity to explain the war in Ukraine. "I don't think we need an interview with Putin to understand his actions," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on February 7.
Carlson, 54, a conservative, hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. He now produces The Tucker Carlson Interview, which is available on his website. Carlson has said that much of the Western media coverage of the war is favorable to Kiev.
Huyen Le (According to Newsweek , AFP )
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