Russia would be the “best” ally for the US due to the country’s vast landmass, rich natural resources, and formidable military, conservative American host Tucker Carlson has said.
Speaking during a podcast on his YouTube channel on Thursday, Carlson suggested that “looking purely through the lens of what’s good for the United States, an America First perspective,” Russia would be the most “obvious” partner for Washington.
“Why? Because it’s the biggest country in the world. It’s got enormous mineral deposits, energy deposits… and a formidable military, by far the biggest on that continent,” Carlson said. “If you needed an ally to help you in a conflict… Russia would be, like, the best, of course.”
Relations between the US and Russia sank to a major low during Joe Biden’s tenure as president, amid the conflict in Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow.
However, since returning to the White House in January, Donald Trump has sought to mend ties with Russia and mediate a settlement of the Ukraine conflict. Apart from talks over ending the hostilities, the sides have discussed potential cooperation in the Arctic, investment and business opportunities, as well as building a direct rail tunnel under the Bering Strait connecting the two countries.
Historically, US-Russia relations have seen periods of cooperation. The two nations were allied against Nazi Germany in World War Two, and despite becoming Cold War adversaries, they experienced several stretches of détente, including arms-control breakthroughs and space cooperation.
In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call then-US President George W. Bush to offer condolences, and both countries worked together on early counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan.