European Parliament proposes to ban Tucker Carlson from EU over Putin interview

Members of the European Parliament have called for sanctions to be imposed on infamous former Fox News host Tucker Carlson over his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including a ban on entry to the EU.

"Carlson wants to give a platform to someone accused of crimes of genocide—this is wrong. If Putin has something to say he needs to say it in front of the ICC. At the same time Carlson is not being a real journalist since he has clearly expressed his sympathy for the Russian regime and Putin and has constantly disparaged Ukraine, the victim of Russian aggression.

So, for such propaganda for a criminal regime, you can end up on the list of sanctions. This concerns primarily a travel ban to EU countries," MEP Urmas Paet said, as reported by Newsweek.

Carlson, who visited Russia earlier this week, said on Tuesday that he would soon publish an interview with 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," Guy Verhofstadt, a current member of the European Parliament, said.

Former MEP Luis Garicano told Newsweek he agreed with Verhofstadt's stance. 

"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 of Carlson.

The content of Carlson's interview with Putin is not yet clear, but given Carlson's long history of defending certain aspects of Russian policy, it is expected to be favourable to Moscow.

Carlson announced that he had interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin – the reason for his visit to Moscow – and said he had requested an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Carlson hosted the show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023, but in April last year, he was fired without an official explanation from his employer.

Former US President Donald Trump said in November that he was considering Carlson as a potential running mate and vice president.