(Updated: )
President Volodymyr Zelensky does not have plans to be interviewed by U.S. far-right political commentator Tucker Carlson, said Presidential Office spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov on July 4.
Nykyforov responded sarcastically to Carlson's earlier announcement, saying that the commentator should "more carefully check his sources in the FSB (Russia's Federal Security Service)."
Earlier in the day, Carlson said, "It looks like we've got the Zelensky interview," adding that it is "coming soon, we hope."
The announcement follows a controversial interview that Carlson held with Russian President Vladimir Putin in February. Carlson was widely criticized for the interview, largely due to his deferential approach to Putin, softball questions, and refusal to hold the Russian president to account.
Carlson said that he has been "trying for two years" to interview Zelensky "and with particular intensity after interviewing Putin." He did not indicate what he claimed had made Zelensky agree. Nykyforov's denial of the news indicated that Carlson had likely spoken too soon.
"The point (of the interview) is to bring Americans much-needed information about the conflict that's completely reshaping their country’s position in the world," Carlson said.
The commentator has been an outspoken opponent of Ukraine and U.S. support for the country.
A former host on Fox News, Carlson has long been criticized for making controversial comments on air and social media, characterized by some as being nativist, racist, and pushing talking points that echo Russian propaganda.
In a June interview with Donald Trump Jr., the son of former President Donald Trump, Carlson claimed, without citing evidence, that "they are selling off land to foreign investors in Ukraine and they will flood Ukraine with third-world immigrants, and Ukraine will not exist in 50 years." He did not specify who "they" referred to.
George Monastiriakos
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