Tucker Carlson asks why US shouldn’t be on Russia’s side rather than Ukraine’s: ‘I’m totally confused’

A Republican congresman was forced to help a “totally confused” Tucker Carlson understand why the United States supported Ukraine in its war against Russia amid a build-up of tensions on the border between the two countries.

An apparently dumbfounded Ohio Republican, Mike Turner, was appearing on Mr Carlson’s Thursday night show when the Fox News host asked why America wasn’t backing Russia in the region, citing its “energy reserves” and worldly influence.

“Why would we take Ukraine’s side and not Russia’s side? It’s a sincere question,” Mr Carlson asked the Republican, who had been invited onto Mr Carlson’s show to explain why Ukraine was an “incredibly important to America”.

“If you’re looking at America’s perspective, why? Who’s got the energy reserves? Who’s the major player in world affairs?,” Mr Carlson asked. “Who’s the potential counterbalance against China, which is the actual threat? Why would we take Ukraine’s side? Why wouldn’t we be on Russia’s side? I’m totally confused.”

Mr Turner, who appeared to frown during Mr Carlson’s monologue, answered by explaining to Mr Carlson that America was a democracy and worked to further democracies around the world – including in Ukraine.

“Ukraine is a democracy. Russia’s an authoritarian regime that is seeking to impose its will upon a validly elected democracy in Ukraine, and we’re on the side of democracy,” said the Republican congressman. “We’re for democracy, we’re for liberty.”

He continued: “We’re against authoritarian regimes coming in and changing borders by tanks. Russia isn’t showing up on the border with ballot boxes, they’re showing up on the border by tanks, and that’s why we need to make certain we’re on the side of democracy and give the aid that’s necessary so we don’t have another Obama sending blankets to a country that is being invaded.”

The remarks by Mr Turner came days after 13 Republican members of Congress wrote to US President Joe Biden with concerns about intelligence suggesting that Russia was building-up its military on the border with Ukraine – a country which it invaded in 2014.

Reports also suggest that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has warned his European counterparts of Russia’s military build-up, and that diplomats from both the US and European Union have issued a warning to Moscow to avoid conflict in the region.

During the 2014 conflict between Russia and Ukraine, former US president Barack Obama was criticised by Republicans, including former US president Donald Trump, for sending only “pillows and sheets” instead of heavy military equipment – although the claim was inaccurate.

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