February 8, 2024 • 10:35 p.m.
10:35pm
Kremlin: Karlsson is not the first Western journalist to seek an interview with Putin
The Kremlin has corrected Tucker Carlson after he claimed to be the first Western journalist to request an interview with Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine.
Carlson, a former Fox News host, said Tuesday that media outlets produced “smiling interviews” with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy while not “going out of their way” to talk to the Russian president.
The comment was widely criticized by journalists and countered by the Kremlin, which said it had received “many requests for interviews with the president.”
Read the full story here.
10:28pm
“There is no need for further interviews with President Putin.”
The White House has condemned Tucker Carlson’s decision to meet with President Vladimir Putin, labeling the Russian president “brutal.” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said:
It should be clear to everyone what Mr. Putin did in Ukraine and the bogus, downright bogus reasons he tried to justify it with.
I don’t think we need another interview with President Vladimir Putin to understand his brutality.
10:25pm
When will Tucker Carlson interview President Vladimir Putin?
The interview with Tucker Carlson will be published on Thursday, February 8th at 6pm ET (11pm GMT).
Carlson said in a post on his Instagram account Wednesday that the sit-down interview has already been recorded and will be published the following evening on his personal website, TuckerCarlson.com.
10:22pm
welcome
Hello and welcome to the live blog. benedict smith here. Get the latest updates as Tucker Carlson speaks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.