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Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticised the conservative commentator Tucker Carlson for interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it a “ludicrous interview” filled with lies.

“Around the world, people are watching that ludicrous interview with Vladimir Putin conducted by Tucker Carlson, and we must not fall for this tissue of lies, above all for the notion that Putin is somehow fated to succeed in Ukraine. On the contrary, he is doomed to failure,” Johnson said in a video posted by the Daily Mail.

Johnson’s comments came in response to Carlson’s interview with Putin, the first by a western media member since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.

Johnson accused Carlson of being too friendly and failing to ask tough questions.

In an op-ed for the Daily Mail, Johnson slammed Carlson’s interviewing style, saying he “betrayed viewers” by not challenging Putin on his actions in Ukraine. Instead, Johnson argued, Carlson “acted like a fan” of Putin and accepted his “falsehoods” without question.

“He didn’t ask tough questions. He didn’t ask Putin why even now he is using the most brutal means of modern warfare to maim and murder innocent Ukrainian civilians,” Johnson wrote.

During the interview, Putin expressed openness to negotiating with the US over the war in Ukraine but spent much of the time justifying his decisions.

Johnson compared Carlson’s approach to that of George Galloway, who praised Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. He urged Americans to see through the interview and called on Congress to remember their duty to support Ukraine.

Johnson concluded by expressing hope that Americans would not be swayed by Putin’s message and would continue to support Ukraine in its time of need.