“If you really want to stop fighting, you need to stop supplying weapons,” referring to Western aid to Kyiv. “It will be over within a few weeks. That’s it,” he added.

For the first time Putin explained the term de-Nazification, “This means the prohibition of all kinds of neo-Nazi movements. We have to get rid of those people who maintain this concept and support this practice and try to preserve it,” he said.

Giving an indication to the fact that Biden has not tried to bring peaceful solution to the war Putin claimed, “I cannot remember when I talked to him,” adding that the two last spoke before the Feb. 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He then went on to mention “I had such personal relationship with Trump.”

Asked for his thoughts on X owner Elon Musk, Putin said he was rumored to have implanted a chip in a human brain, adding: “I think there’s no stopping Elon Musk. He will do as he sees fit.”

Carlson then asked Putin about the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in September 2022 — prompting a curious exchange.

“Who blew up Nord Stream?” Carlson asked. Putin responded: “You for sure.” Tucker responded, “I was busy that day. I did not blow up Nord Stream.”

Putin jokingly parried back that while Carlson personally had an alibi for the day of the bombings, the CIA had none. The Russian didn’t present any evidence to back up his accusations — which Washington has repeatedly denied — arguing instead that only the U.S. would have the capability and interest in blowing up the pipeline.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier this week did not hide that Carlson had been handpicked because of his Moscow-friendly position on the conflict.

“It’s not pro-Russian, not pro-Ukrainian, it’s pro-American. It starkly contrasts with the stance of traditional Anglo-Saxon media,” Peskov said of Carlson’s position.

White House, meanwhile, has downplayed the interview claiming it won’t sway the American public discourse.