For Russia's president, who is mired in a war, it was a chance to speak at length and deliver a world according to Putin narrative to a Western audience. During the more than two-hour-long interview, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated his claims about why he launched what he calls Russia's 'special military operation' in Ukraine in 2022. The Kremlin said Carlson was given the opportunity to be the first U.S. journalist to interview Putin since the beginning of the Ukraine war because his reports weren't one-sided, like many other Western reporters whose interview requests have been denied. Garner, whose research focuses on Russian culture and the propaganda of war, said Carlson didn't challenge Putin with follow-up questions. It comes at a really bad time for Ukraine, and it is clever politics for Putin and his team.

Source: CBC News February 10, 2024 14:48 UTC