Tucker Carlson again questioned Tuesday evening why the United States was involved in the war in Ukraine – accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of leaning toward dictatorship because he refused to hold elections while the country is at war.
Carlson said in his “Tucker on Twitter” monologue, which has replaced his nightly Fox News show, that the war in Ukraine was “pointless” and that Joe Biden “wasted billions of dollars” trying to “pay back his debts to the oligarchs who finance their beach’. house in Rehoboth’ – a reference to Hunter Biden’s lucrative work in Ukraine from 2014.
He also slammed Biden for failing to mobilize to bail out Gonzalo Lira, a provocative Chilean-American dating coach and blogger who lives in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and produces pro-Putin propaganda.
Lira was arrested in May on charges of creating and distributing material justifying Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and remains in prison.
Carlson, whose 13-minute clips — Tuesday was his seventh — regularly draw more viewers than Fox News, told his audience he understood their question: “Why exactly are we at war with Russia?”
Tucker Carlson used his show on Tuesday night to question why the United States supported Ukraine in its war against Russia
Zelensky, seen in Donetsk in a photo released Monday by his office, was accused by Carlson of drifting towards dictator
He added: “It seems there is quite a significant downside to this particular foreign policy decision, starting with economic collapse and possibly ending with extinction. So is there a good reason why we’re doing it?’
He showed clips of Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Republicans like Senator John Cornyn all stating that it was vital to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, in the name of democracy.
Zelensky was elected in a landslide in April 2019. Putin invaded in February 2022.
“In other words, we can’t have democracy here if Ukrainians aren’t free — then neither are we,” Carlson said.
“We need to make sure they can vote in Kiev so we can keep voting in Kansas City. It really is that simple.
“And yet tonight we regret to tell you that we have a problem. It looks like they can no longer vote in Kiev. And no, for once it’s not Putin’s fault.’
Carlson then aired a clip of Zelensky explaining that the presidential election scheduled for 2024 could not be held as long as the war continued.
Under Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held under martial law.
‘According to [Ukrainian] By law, elections must be held in peacetime, when there is no hostilities,” he said when asked by the BBC whether Ukraine would hold presidential elections next year.
Gonzalo Lira, a Chilean-American pro-Putin blogger, was arrested at his home in Kharkiv in May on charges of sharing Russian propaganda. Carlson said Biden should save Lira
A Ukrainian soldier is seen on the frontline near Toresk, Donetsk region, on Tuesday
Carlson seized on the clip, which was circulated by Russian state media, saying it showed Zelensky was becoming a dictator.
“Democracy in Ukraine seems to have been suspended by the world’s foremost advocate for democracy himself, Field Marshal Zelensky,” Carlson said.
“So if you have an election, well, he says if we win, we’ll get people to vote.
‘Otherwise no, you vote when we feel like it, because in the end we are completely in charge and we determine all the rules. It is your job to obey or be punished. That’s our version of self-government. Self means me, I am the government.
“Well, that’s not just any autocrat,” Carlson continued.
That is our most important ally in the war for democracy. This is the guy who just announced he’s saying, can you cancel next year’s election?’
Carlson pointed out that Biden this week reiterated his support for Zelensky, saying the US president was in a long line of leaders who like to wage war for democracy in an effort to gain control.
“Wars for democracy always cancel democracy,” said Carlson. “That’s why our leaders love them.”
His comments come amid rising tensions in Russia following Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin’s failed coup attempt this weekend.