BEIJING, February 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin's interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson dealt a blow to the West's anti-Russian narrative and pro-Ukraine policy, a real eye-opener for the people, Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told a TASS correspondent.
"The West has long been fooled by anti-Russian propaganda, so now this interview enrages them," the expert said. He noted that former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded to the interview by directly insulting Carlson, calling him an idiot. "This shows that the interview hit a nerve in the West," Wang Yiwei added.
He believes that the Western leaders' political course of financial and military support for Ukraine is harming normal citizens who are growing weary of the military conflict. "I think the interview is very timely considering the US election this year," the professor summarized.
Putin’s conversation with the American journalist lasted 2 hours and 6 minutes. The Russian leader took about 60 questions, including a number of follow-up questions from Carlson. The interview has already racked up more than 60.3 million views on the social network X in just over 7 hours since it was posted. On Carlson’s YouTube channel, it has been viewed over 2.4 million. The Russian president commented on the conflict in Ukraine, relations between Russia and the US, NATO expansion, the blowing up of the Nord Streams, developments in intelligence and the detention of American Evan Gershkovich, who has been charged with espionage.