BREAKING: European Union Considering Sanctions, Imposing Travel Ban On Tucker Carlson For Putin Interview

On Tuesday, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson revealed that he is in Moscow, Russia, to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched a devastating invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. In response to Carlson's decision to interview Putin, the European Union (EU) is reportedly considering sanctions and a travel ban against the American conservative commentator. 

EU Parliamentarian Guy Verhofstadt explained to Newsweek that Carlson could face sanctions or even a travel ban given that Carlson is viewed by him to be a "mouthpiece" of 45th President Donald Trump and President Putin. "As Putin is a war criminal and the EU sanctions all who assist him in that effort, it seems logical that the External Action Service examine his case as well," Verhofstadt claimed.

Carlson explained the reasoning behind interviewing Putin in a video posted to X/Twitter on Tuesday. "Here's why we're doing it. First, because it's our job. We're in journalism. Our duty is to inform people. Two years into a war that's reshaping the entire world, most Americans are not informed. They have no real idea what's happening in this region, here in Russia or 600 miles away in Ukraine. But they should know they're paying for much of it in ways they might not fully yet perceive."

Carlson went on to explain that the war in Ukraine has led to the depopulation of the largest nation in Europe, as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men have died fighting. However, he added that the humanitarian cost is just the beginning of how the war has impacted the world. "This war has utterly reshaped the global military and trade alliances, and the sanctions that followed have as well. And in total, they have upended the world economy," Carlson said. "The populations of the English-speaking countries seem mostly unaware. They think that nothing has really changed. And they think that because no one has told them the truth. Their media outlets are corrupt. They lie to their readers and views, and they do that mostly by omission."

While Carlson explained that he wanted to bring the full picture of the war in Ukraine to the American people via the interview, former MEP Luis Garicano told Newsweek that Carlson is a propagandist. "He is no longer a newsman, but a propagandist for the most heinous regime on European soil and the one which is most dangerous to our peace and security," Garicano said. 

In response to the possibility of sanctions, X CEO Elon Musk wrote, "If true, this would be disturbing indeed. One may agree with Tucker or not, but he is a major American journalist and such an action would greatly offend the American public." Carlson's interview with Putin is expected to be released in the near future on both X/Twitter and the conservative commentator's media site, The Tucker Carlson Network.

Why I'm interviewing Vladimir Putin. pic.twitter.com/hqvXUZqvHX

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 6, 2024

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