Boris Johnson calls Tucker Carlson a traitor in Putin interview

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has criticized conservative commentator Tucker Carlson for interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“While people all over the world are paying attention to that ridiculous interview with Vladimir Putin that Tucker Carlson gave, we have been fooled more than anything by the idea that Putin is somehow destined to succeed in Ukraine. On the contrary, Putin is doomed to fail,” Mr Johnson said in a video posted to the Daily Mail.

Carlson is a former Fox News pundit who was taken off the airwaves last year and has since launched his own media company and program on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. He announced Tuesday that he would interview Putin, the first time a Western media member has interviewed him since Putin invaded Ukraine nearly two years ago.

In an op-ed in Friday’s Daily Mail, Johnson criticized Carlson’s interview, saying that Carlson “laughed and laughed out loud” and was “glad to get the scoop, slack-jawed”. said. world.

“He didn’t ask the hard questions. Mr. Johnson didn’t ask President Putin why he was still using some of the most brutal methods in modern warfare to harm and kill innocent Ukrainian civilians.” wrote Johnson.

Instead, Johnson claimed, Carlson acted like a Putin fan and accepted Putin’s “mixture of half-consumed Wikipedia and complete falsehoods” “blatantly.”

During the two-hour interview, Putin said he was open to negotiating with the United States over the Ukraine war, but spent much of the airtime talking about history and repeating talking points justifying his decision. .

Johnson criticized Carlson for not continuing the efforts made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy since Russia began its attack.

“Not since George Galloway went to Baghdad and praised the indomitable spirit of Saddam Hussein, have we seen such despicable subservience towards a tyrant,” Johnston claimed. He added that Carlson was “just a vector, a sewer, a hose.” President Putin spreads the message to America.

The former British leader said he prayed “that the American people will see through last night’s disrespectful interview.” He also addressed members of Congress who are blocking aid from being sent to Ukraine: “For God’s sake, remember who you are.”