Carlson, a former Fox News anchor, one of the allies of Donald Trump, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination and an opponent of American military assistance to Kiev, came to Moscow to interview Putin, recalls the Voice of America.

"It should be completely obvious to everyone what Putin has been doing and is doing in Ukraine and for some completely fake and ridiculous reasons he tried to justify it," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "I don't think we need another interview with Vladimir Putin to understand his cruelty."

Carlson announced that he would publish an interview with Putin on February 9 at 02:00 Moscow time.