If member countries do want to sanction Carlson (or anyone else), “they can always bring a proposal, back it up with evidence and when everyone agrees among the 27 then the decision is adopted,” Stano added.

The rebuttal from the EU’s executive comes after media reports quoting current and former members of the European Parliament calling on the EU to sanction the provocative commentator went viral on Wednesday.

Tech billionaire and X CEO Elon Musk called the reports “disturbing” if true.

“One may agree with Tucker or not, but he is a major American journalist and such an action would greatly offend the American public,” Musk said on X.

MEPs do not play any role in the EU sanctions process, which are decided by the Council of the EU following proposals from member countries or the EU’s diplomatic arm, the European External Action Service (EEAS), together with the Commission.

News of Carlson’s interview with Putin, which is due to air on the provocative commentator’s website on Thursday night, has prompted furious reactions from journalists, out of concern that it would serve to disseminate Moscow’s propaganda about its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.