Psaki Grilled on Working With Putin, Abandoning Americans in Ukraine

With invading Russian forces bearing down on Kyiv and the Ukrainian forces holding out very stoutly against them, Friday’s Psaki Show featured Press Secretary Jen Psaki getting pressed on what the United States was doing to help the situation. Doocy Time led this charge by questioning Psaki over why the U.S. wasn’t open to the idea of allying with Russia for other liberal projects. There was also the pressure on President Biden to leave America in a conflict zone.

Fox News’s Peter Doocy noted that the Biden State Department had said “there are still some areas in which the fulfillment of our national security priorities and imperatives require us to engage and coexist” with Russia.

Doocy asked the crucial question that many Americans viewed the invasion from the perspective of hearing about the atrocities, and Doocy answered: “How is it that we are still engaging and coexisting with the Russians?”

Psaki proceeded to embarrass herself by seemingly suggesting the invasion of Ukraine was just “strong disagreements, strong opposition” with Russia. After noting that they work with China despite their human rights abuses (as if that was a good thing), she boasted about working with Russia as part of the “P5+1 as we’re working and making progress on an Iran nuclear deal.”

“So, it is our responsibility and diplomacy means engaging even with countries where you have strong disagreement and strong opposition,” she insisted.

Doocy was surprised by her honesty about Russian willingness to cooperate, and asked for clarification.

Let’s just say, we understand what the approach means. You guys are going to sit down and approve Vladimir Putin. Then, send diplomats so that they can sit with the Russians at the table for the Iran agreement. Is that what’s happening?

Biden indicated that he could wait for the new sanctions to go into effect until 30 days after his Thursday press conference. Doocy asked about this ridiculous timeline. “Do you guys think the people in Ukraine have about a month?”

“Well, Peter,” Psaki indignantly said like an angry parent, “let me take a step back and explain to everyone how diplomacy works and how our approach from the United States has worked.”

It is possible that her response could be based on this question. “So, what have you guys done throughout this slow-moving Russia crisis that has worked?”

A few minutes later, CBS reporter Kathryn Watson pressed Psaki on Biden’s promise to abandon American citizens in the middle of a warzone:

I know the White House has said that it won’t be sending – the U.S. won’t be sending troops into Ukraine to recuse Americans who are still there. As the crisis worsens, how will the U.S. respond?

And what was Psaki’s initial response? Blame the people with whom they might be able to have relatives or friends. “I would first start by saying that we have been warning for months now about the dire circumstances developing in Ukraine and conveying very directly to American citizens they should leave,” she chided.

Watson’s final question was why Biden was going to Delaware while another foreign crisis was happening on his watch:

The President is obviously now going to be in Delaware this weekend can you share what he’ll be doing there? Is he going to be there with the members of his national safety team? He will be getting regular updates about Ukraine.

Psaki claimed that he is able to work outside of the White House. He also stated that he was going to the funeral for a relative (a practice many Americans weren’t allowed during the pandemic).

You can find the transcript below. To read it, please click on “expand”.

CBSN White House Media Briefing
February 25, 2022
Eastern, 3:52 p.m.

(…)

PETER DOOCY: The State Department just said about the U.S. and Russia that, “there are still some areas in which the fulfillment of our national security priorities and imperatives require us to engage and coexist.” How is it that we are still engaging and coexisting with the Russians?

JEN PSAKI (Peter): Diplomacy in the global arena requires that we engage with other countries, even if there are strong disagreements or strong opposition. We’ve been very outspoken and taken actions against China’s human rights abuses, but we have worked with them in other capacities. We’re working – Russia’s a part P5+1 as we’re working and making progress on an Iran nuclear deal.

There’s no question that achievement of that would make the world safer. Diplomacy is our responsibility. This means that you can engage even in countries with strong opposition and strong disagreement.

DOOCY. To make it clear, this means that you will sanction Vladimir Putin and then send diplomats so they can sit with Russia at the table to negotiate the Iran deal. Is that what’s happening?

PSAKI: That’s right Peter, but I don’t know why you sound so skeptical. Our job as Americans and any other government here is to do what’s in our national interest. Part of this would be to reduce Iran’s nuclear weapons capability and capabilities. [I]I think that’s the truth. Russia is an integral part of P5+1.

DOOCY: Okay. Here’s the report The New York TimesYou guys asked China repeatedly to aid you in stopping Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But they refused. What have you done to stop Russia from invading Ukraine?

PSAKI: What capacity?

DOOCY – The President spoke with Putin and the G7. He threatened sanctions. After threatening sanctions, he imposed sanctions. And now, the president says that they will be in effect for 30 days to one month. Are you sure that the Ukrainian people have only a few days?

PSAKI (Peter): Let me step back to explain how diplomacy works, and the approach that we have taken from the United States. He’s created a global alliance to resist President Putin’s invasion and aggression of Ukraine. He has done this by rallying the world and our European partners, even at the cost of them in certain capacities, to place historic sanctions on Russia that will have a huge impact on their financial sector.

Putin chose to invade Ukraine and go to war. This is exactly what Putin has done. This is our decision and responsibility. It’s the job of the United States president to gather opposition and cause them significant pain. This is precisely what he did.

DOOCY: And I understand that you’re saying these sanctions will have an impact on Russia, but what good does that do the people in Ukraine who are seeing that and these U.S. intel assessments that Kyiv is going to fall any day?

PSAKI (Peter): First of all, as a provider of security and humanitarian aid in the world, the Ukrainian government is the largest recipient of our assistance. We are also the most vocal supporter of the Ukrainian people. That will not change. We are the global leader in resisting President Putin’s aggression.

So, the President does almost everything possible to guide the world and oppose the actions of Vladimir Putin. He will not send U.S. soldiers to Ukraine to defend the American public and people.

(…)

Eastern, 4:01:10

KATHRYN WATSON: I know the White House has said that it won’t be sending – the U.S. won’t be sending troops into Ukraine to recuse Americans who are still there. What is the U.S. to do about Americans who are left in Ukraine?

PSAKI: Well, we – I – I would first start by saying that we have been warning for months now about the dire circumstances developing in Ukraine and conveying very directly to American citizens they should leave. The State Department has been in contact with all Americans we could reach. You could ask them more details.

And we continue to have the capacity to, you know, help them in a range of ways even as we don’t have diplomatic presence in Ukraine – I mean, we don’t have people in the country right now. However, they have been sent to neighboring countries. You can contact the State Department for more details.

WATSON: The President is obviously now going to be in Delaware this weekend can you share what he’ll be doing there? Is he going to be there with the members of his national safety team? He will be getting regular updates about Ukraine.

PSAKI: Sure. PSAKI: Yes. Tomorrow, he’ll be meeting members of his national-security team in Delaware. It is important to note, however, that every president can work anywhere because this is how precedents are set up. The memorial service for a deceased family member is his reason for traveling to Delaware. And he will be – that is why he is traveling there this weekend.

(…)