European Union legislators have asked Brussels to impose sanctions on American journalist Tucker Carlson because he interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Guy Verhofstadt, a top Eurocrat, has demanded that Tucker Carlson face EU sanctions after sitting down with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. This is despite the long-standing tradition in which American journalists have interviewed dictators of every stripe, including the leader of the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.
Newsweek quoted the former Belgian PM and Brexit opponent who is currently a member of the European Parliament: “As Putin has been declared a war crime and EU sanctions are being imposed on all those who help him, it would seem logical for the External Action Service to also examine his case.”
It is a long process before the EU can sanction an individual. Evidence must first be presented to the External Action Service, the diplomatic arm of the EU, which is run by Spanish socialist Josep Borell, before it’s sent to the European Council to make a final ruling.
Verhofstadt, however, suggested that Carlson might face a ban from entering the EU. This could be implemented sooner. He wrote on Monday: “Tucker Carlson will surely end up being labeled a propagandist of the Russian regime.” If he spreads disinformation to benefit Putin, then the EU should consider a travel restriction.
Ukraine’s controversial American transgender sometimes-“spokesperson” Sarah Ashton-Cirillo has accused Tucker Carlson of being the “Kremlin’s favourite court eunuch” and an “enemy of humanity,” apparently placing a target on the head of Carlson.https://t.co/yT3xjIPEVC
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 6, 2024
Even though the European Union and the United States, as well as NATO, are not at war with Russia officially, many, including ex-U.S. Adam Kinzinger, a member of the US Congress, has accused Carlson as a “traitor”, for having interviewed Putin. Verhofstadt branded Carlson as “an enemy of all that the US stands for”, and a “mouthpiece for the Kremlin”.
Verhofstadt’s not the only Eurocrat who wants Carlson sanctioned. Former Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Päät, now serving in the European Parliament, told Newsweek that Carlson wanted to give a podium to someone accused of crimes of genocide. This is wrong. Putin should speak to the ICC if he has anything to say. Carlson, on the other hand, is not a journalist because he has expressed his sympathies for the Russian regime, Putin, and constantly disparaged Ukraine as the victim of Russian aggression.
You can be sanctioned for spreading such propaganda in support of a criminal regime. It is mainly a travel ban for EU countries.
Carlson claims that he didn’t interview Putin to serve Russia, but to inform the American public about the Ukraine War. He says the Western media has been cloaking the conflict with “propaganda”.
Criticism has been raised over the suggestion that an American journalist could be sanctioned by the EU for performing basic journalistic duties.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and X, said about the proposed sanctions that “one may agree or disagree with Tucker but he is a prominent American journalist and such action would offend the American people.”
Russia Says Tucker Carlson Interview of Vladimir Putin Has Taken Placehttps://t.co/Dw5nEgJmZ0
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 7, 2024
