Tucker Carlson's unannounced Moscow visit fuels speculation of a potential Putin interview

Reports from the newspaper Izvestia indicate that Carlson arrived in Moscow last Saturday. Expressing a desire to familiarise himself with the city and its residents, Carlson has made his intentions clear through a video posted on the newspaper's website. When questioned about his plans to interview Putin, his response was non-committal - "we'll see."

Speaking to the newspaper, Carlson confessed his deep-seated interest in Moscow, having read a great deal about the city without having seen it firsthand.

Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, did not provide a direct comment on this issue during a teleconference with journalists. Peskov stated that the Kremlin would keep journalists briefed if such a meeting was planned.

"Many foreign journalists visit Russia every single day, and many continue to work here. We are pleased about this. However, we currently have no announcements to make regarding interviews granted by the president to foreign media," Peskov said, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Since his departure from Fox News, Carlson has taken to social media to feature his interviews and share his viewpoints. Curiously, he hasn't mentioned anything about his stay in Russia. However, sharp-eyed local media spotted him amongst the audience at the Spartacus ballet at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre.

Prior to the conflict with Ukraine, Putin occasionally gave interviews to foreign media. This practice experienced a shift after the hostilities towards Kiev began.

Tucker Carlson has consistently displayed a negative standpoint towards the idea of supporting Ukraine, suggesting instead that it's the Kremlin that requires defending. Even during his tenure at Fox News, Carlson labeled Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "dictator", and openly admitted his allegiance to Moscow.

Given this, it is not surprising that his remarks are frequently featured on Russian state media broadcasts. Pro-Putin propaganda portrays Carlson as a testament to the existence of influential American personalities who endorse Putin's actions.