Tapper Calls Out Biden’s Russia Sanctions as Weak, Less Than Deterrent

Not long after Tuesday’s joint press conference between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announcing new sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine, CNN’s Jake Tapper was joined on The LeadBy the former. Tapper stated that sanctions are weak, not what Ukraine requested, and were barely deterrents to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Tapper jumped right to the chase by noting that Kuleba “called on the world to exert all of its economic might to punish Russia for actions in the past and actions in the future,” but pointed out that sanctions on “two banks and against some oligarchs” did not constitute “the world’s economic might.”

“It seems fair that you desire more, and more quickly in the area of sanctions,” he asked of Ukraine’s top diplomat.

“Absolutely. No sanctions will be enough until Russian boots withdraw from Ukrainian soil,” Kuleba agreed. “That’s why I said in the press conference that we like what we saw today but it certainly won’t be enough. And this strategy has to be continued.”

Tapper even seemed skeptical that Biden’s sanctions would have any sort of effect that would deter Putin from advancing beyond the lines held by separatist forces in Donbas (Click “expand”):

TAPPER: You like the things you see today. But do you believe that today’s sanctions will stop Putin entering Ukraine or any other part of Donbas?They will be unable to do anything.

KULEBA: Putin questioned whether the West was able to impose sanctions against him. Based on how it’s understood, his view was that although the West may be talking the talk, they are not actually doing the work. So, today’s sanctions are important as a message that it’s real, it’s happening, and there will be more of them. Not only was the United States imposing sanctions today on Russia but so did the European Union and Britain. And that’s why we’re talking about a broad international coalition that is focused on deterring Putin.

Tapper asked Tapper what Putin’s next move would be to get a new set of sanctions imposed. Tapper then moved on to ask if Biden has done enough up to this point. Asking: “Do you think … President Biden should have imposed these sanctions weeks if not months ago?”

Kuleba offered a diplomatic reply. He began by saying “there were good, legitimate reasons to impose sanctions on Russia for what it had done before and for its recent escalation,” but now that Putin has invaded “this question becomes obsolete[.]” “So, we have to be focused on today instead of analyzing … yesterday,” he said.

Tapper asked Kuleba, nearing the end of the interview, to speak to the American people. He also wanted to answer any questions about why the U.S. should be concerned and involved. The U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine that they would give up their Soviet-era nuclear stockspile were at the top of the list.

In 1994, Ukraine renounced its nuclear arsenal. It was third largest in the world. United States, Russia and Ukraine after the Soviet Union collapsed. These were the top three countries that assessed nuclear weapons. In return, we gave up the nuclear arsenal in exchange for certain security guarantees from the United States. In return, America promised us that, if any terrorist attacks us, it would be there to help.

He also warned that Putin has ambitions that reach significantly farther than Donbas or even Ukraine’s eastern border; and if these ambitions go unchecked, it will be a sign to other such people in the world they can make moves that destabilize.

And to Tapper’s final question of what he would like to see targeted with a new round of sanctions, whether it be “oligarchs” or “the entire Russian economy crippled,” Kuleba gave the cheeky answer of: “Yes.”

You can click on “expand to view the transcript” below.

CNN’s The Lead
February 22nd, 2022
Eastern, 5:52:30

JAKE Tapper: Your country is facing a very difficult moment right now. It was obvious that you called for the entire world’s economic power to sanction Russia for past and future actions. Although you may be happy that sanctions were placed today on two banks as well as some oligarchs against Russia, it is still not the entirety of the world’s financial might. Are you able to tell me that you are looking for more in the way of sanctions.

DMTYRO KULEBA (Ukrainian foreign minister): Absolutely. It is impossible to impose sanctions on Russia until they leave Ukrainian soil. It is an essential principle that we must continue to put pressure on Russia. Ukraine is aware that today’s sanctions by President Biden are only the start of the deterrent process to make President Putin withdraw.

I mentioned this in the press conference. We like what we see today, but we know it will not be enough. This strategy must be maintained.

TAPPER – You may like what you have seen today. However, do you think that Putin will be stopped from entering the Donbas territories of Ukraine and from invading Ukraine?

KULEBA: Putin questioned why the West would not impose sanctions upon him. Based on how it’s understood, his view was that although the West may be talking the talk, they are not actually doing the work. So, today’s sanctions are important as a message that it’s real, it’s happening, and there will be more of them. Not only was the United States imposing sanctions today on Russia but so did the European Union and Britain. And that’s why we’re talking about a broad international coalition that is focused on deterring Putin.

His thoughts are not always clear and I am not sure how he will respond. But it’s important that he saw the readiness to adopt decisions swiftly and the decisions which inflict damage on him.

(…)

Eastern, 5:55:29

TAPPER – Do you believe that President Biden ought to have issued these sanctions weeks, if not months earlier?

KULEBA: This was a situation of Ukraine up until yesterday. There were legitimate and good reasons to impose sanctions against Russia because it has done so many things before, as well as its latest escalation.

But, this question is obsolete since the invasion started yesterday. The sanctions were imposed. These were the first of many sanctions that were to be imposed. So, we have to be focused on today instead of analyzing tomorrow – or yesterday.

(…)

Eastern, 5:57:47

TAPPER: Many Americans might be watching this interview right now and they might be wondering, “why should the United States care. These people are thousands of kilometers away. Ukraine is not a NATO ally, even if you want to be.” What’s your message to them? Your message to Americans, who are wondering what is the American public’s interest in this war?

KULEBA: Here are three things. The first is that in 1994, Ukraine renounced its nuclear arsenal. It was third largest in the world. United States, Russia and Ukraine after the Soviet Union collapsed. They were the most important countries to assess nuclear weapons. In return, we gave up the nuclear arsenal in exchange for certain security guarantees from the United States. In return, America promised us that, if any terrorist attacks us, it would be there to help.

The second is that what’s happening in Ukraine doesn’t just concern Ukraine. Putin challenges the Euro-Atlantic system. If the West loses Ukraine, Putin’s next target will be one NATO member on its eastern flank.

Third, if Putin succeeds in Ukraine, other players across the globe who want to change rules, who want to bypass the United States, they will see this is possible—

TAPPER: China.

KULEBA –that the West cannot be a nation [sic]to stand up for what they believe in.

The U.S. citizen, Americans, must be keen to preserve the existing world order. This order’s future is now being decided in Ukraine.

(…)