Zelensky Fires Back at Tucker Carlson Over Dictator Claims

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday lashed out at former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, accusing him of spreading Russian propaganda and echoing Vladimir Putin‘s narrative. The fiery response came after Carlson labeled Zelensky a “dictator” during an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored last week.

Carlson, known for his pro-Russia stance, claimed Zelensky had banned elections, persecuted religious groups, and killed political opponents. Zelensky dismissed these allegations as baseless and accused Carlson of working for Putin. “He needs to stop licking his a** and stop working for Putin,” Zelensky said in an interview with Morgan.

The Ukrainian president defended his decision to postpone elections, citing the ongoing war and martial law. “How can people in the occupied territories vote? How will eight million Ukrainians abroad vote?” Zelensky asked. He emphasized that elections would be held once the war ends and martial law is lifted.

Zelensky also refuted Carlson’s claim that he had killed political opponents, pointing to the case of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian politician who was arrested and later exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war. “All my opponents are in the Ukrainian parliament,” Zelensky said. “Nobody was killed.”

Carlson’s comments have drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. During the run-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Carlson faced backlash for his sympathetic coverage of Putin. Kremlin TV hosts even criticized his bias, with one former Russia Today host calling it “too much.”

Zelensky urged Carlson to educate himself on Ukraine’s situation. “He needs to more deeply understand what’s happening in Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “He unfortunately fully repeats the words of Putin and what he wants.”

The Ukrainian leader also addressed Carlson’s accusation that Christian denominations were being persecuted in Ukraine. Zelensky clarified that the exclusion of the Moscow Patriarchate from Ukraine’s Council of Churches was a decision made by religious institutions, not the government.

As the war in Ukraine approaches its third year, Zelensky remains steadfast in his defense of democracy. “We are defending democracy,” he said. “That is needed.”