Tucker Carlson defends Putin over Ukraine troop movements, saying he ‘just wants to keep his border safe’

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Fox News host Tucker Carlson slammed president Joe Biden over his remarks about Russia’s troop build-up near its border with Ukraine, saying Vladimir Putin was just trying to “secure” his nation’s borders.

Mr Biden warned Russia on Tuesday that the US was preparing “strong economic and other measures” over fears of invasion of Ukraine.

Russian forces have been massing on the border with Ukraine in recent weeks in large numbers, fuelling concerns among some in the West that Putin will soon authorise an invasion, and prompting warnings from Nato and several global powers.

Mr Biden spoke to the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the UK on Monday, who underscored their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called on Russia to de-escalate tensions, according to the White House.

Carlson criticised the president on his show on Tuesday and alleged that he was risking a “hot war” with Russia. “Here’s something all of us need to internalise. Just because something is far-fetched or crazy or seems totally destructive to core American interests doesn’t mean the US government won’t do it,” the Fox News host said.

He added: “That’s the main lesson right now. Do not discount, no matter how far-fetched it would seem, a hot war with Russia. Yes, this is a lunatic idea. Nothing that we could gain from a military confrontation with Vladimir Putin and very much we could lose include many thousands of American lives.”

He added: “Biden is unpopular, he’s incompetent and he’s desperate. More than anything, Joe Biden is weak. He’s a pawn of his staff and the hard-eyed ideologues who surround him.”

Explaining the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he told his audience that many of Biden’s closest aides were pushing the United States “to get involved militarily”.

“Among the many, many ironies here is the Ukraine crisis was largely created by Joe Biden’s own aides and many people like them throughout all levels of the US government,” Carlson said.

He added: “Imagine how we would feel if Mexico and Canada became satellites of China. We wouldn’t like that at all. In Russia’s case, this is an existential question.”

The Fox News host said that a Nato takeover of Ukraine would “compromise Russia’s access to its Sevastopol Naval Base – that’s the site of the Russian Black Sea fleet and one of the country’s only connections to international waters.

“So at this point, Nato exists primarily to torment Vladimir Putin who, whatever his many faults, has no intention of invading Western Europe. Vladimir Putin does not want Belgium. He just wants to keep his western borders secure,” he added.