PROVOCATIVE ACTIONS THAT THE
UNITED STATES IS TAKEN.
THE READ FROM THAT WITH GENERAL
DAVID PETRAEUS, THE FORMER CIA
DIRECTOR, RETIRED FOUR-STAR
GENERAL.
SERVED THIS COUNTRY HONORABLY.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> THANKS, NEIL.
>> Neil: THE RUSSIANS CALL THIS
AS YOU KNOW, GENERAL, OTHER
WEAPONS THAT WE PROVIDED
PROVOCATIVE.
THESE ESPECIALLY SO.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> WELL, IT’S IRONIC SINCE
THEY’RE PURELY DEFENSIVE, NEIL.
WHAT THEY WILL DO IS
SUBSTANTIALLY AUGMENT THE
CAPABILITIES OF THE UKRAINIAN
ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSES
IN PARTICULAR.
WE HAVE PROVIDED VERY CAPABLE
SHOULDER LAUNCHED ANTI-AIRCRAFT
DEFENSE SYSTEMS.
BUT THEY ONLY RANGE TO ABOUT
10,000 FEET.
WE’VE PROVIDED OTHERS THAT
PROVIDE A MEDIUM RANGE, THIS
WILL PROVIDE THE HIGH RANGE THAT
WILL BE SO IMPORTANT TO
DEFEATING THE BALLISTIC MISSILES
FROM RUSSIA THAT PACK THE
GREATEST PUNCH AND THUS DO THE
GREATEST DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION
TO THE CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT THE RUSSIANS HAVE BEEN
TARGETING TRYING TO TURN OUT THE
LIGHTS, TURN OFF THE HEAT AND
TURN OFF THE WATER FOR THE
UKRAINIANS DURING THIS WINTER.
>> Neil: SO I DON’T KNOW THE
COMPLEXITIES OF THESE MISSILES.
I TAKE IT THEY CAN SHOOT DOWN
DRONES.
THEY CAN’T GO SO FAR AS TO GET
INTO RUSSIA, CORRECT?
>> THAT’S CORRECT.
NOW, AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT --
THIS IS NOT AN ANTI DRONE
SYSTEM, THIS IS AN ANTI
BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEM.
SO THIS WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE
CRUISE AND BALLISTIC MISSILES
THAT RUSSIA HAS BEEN SHOOTING AT
THE MAJOR TRUCK INFRASTRUCTURE
SITES AROUND KYIV, KHARKIV AND
SO FORTH.
THE DRONE PROBLEM IS A SEPARATE
ONE.
BUT MUCH SMALLER MUNITIONS.
THESE ARE HUGE MUNITIONS AND
HAVE A LOT OF EXPLOSIVE POWER.
SO WHEN THEY GET THROUGH THE
DEFENSES THAT UKRAINIAN HAS,
WHICH ARE GRADUALLY BEING
DEPLETED, THEY’RE DOING ENORMOUS
DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION.
SO THIS WILL HELP TO PLUG THAT
GAP SO VERY SUBSTANTIALLY
AUGMENT WITH A MUCH MORE
SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM THAN
UKRAINE HAS RIGHT NOW.
IT WILL BE MONTHS, MONTHS.
THE UKRAINIANS HAVE SHOULD
TREMENDOUS ABILITY IN THEIR
TRAINING.
THEY DON’T TAKE COFFEE BREAKS.
THEY WANT TO GET BACK TO THE
FRONT LINES AND REMARKABLY QUICK
AT PICKING UP THE SKILLS AND THE
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE NEEDED
TO DEPLOY THE SOPHISTICATED
SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE SENT TO
THEM.
THIS OF COURSE TODAY I ASSUME
THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN MAKES WILL TAKE OUR
ASSISTANCE JUST SINCE 24 OF
FEBRUARY, THE INVASION, TO WELL
OVER 21 BILLION WORTH OF ARMS,
AMMUNITION AND OTHER MATERIALS.
THAT’S REALLY EXTRAORDINARY AND
DWARFS ALL OF THE OTHER WESTERN
ASSISTANT.
I’M VERY MUCH WITH SENATOR
McCONNELL ON THIS.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT HELPING
UKRAINE PRESERVE THEIR
SOVEREIGNTY AND ENSURING SECURE
OF NATO, EUROPE, THIS IS ABOUT
COLD HARD U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY
INTERESTS.
>> Neil: MIGHT VERY WELL BE.
AS YOU HEARD A LOT OF
REPUBLICANS ARE CHAFING AT THE
HIDE THAT WE’RE PICKING UP MOST
OF THE TAB, 80% OF IT TUCKED
INTO THAT OMNIBUS SPENDING
MEASURE.
DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO PUSH IT
AS UKRAINIAN NEED US, WE NEED
YOUR VOTE TO APPROVE THIS.
BUT SOME REPUBLICANS INCLUDING
KEVIN McCARTHY HIMSELF WHO COULD
BE THE NEXT SPEAKER WANTS TO
TRACK EXACTLY WHERE THIS MONEY
IS GOING.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> I THINK THAT’S VERY
LEGITIMATE.
THERE’S NUMEROUS INITIATIVES
ONGOING AND MORE AS A RESULT OF
THIS LEGISLATION TO TRY WHERE
IT’S GOING.
VARIOUS INSPECTOR GENERALS AND
ACCOUNTING OFFICES AND
MECHANISMS NEEDED TO DO THAT.
SO THAT IS ABSOLUTELY VALID.
THOSE CONCERNS ARE REAL.
THERE SHOULDN’T BE A BLANK
CHECK.
HE’S CORRECT ABOUT THAT.
THERE SHOULD BE A CHECK,
HOWEVER.
FRANKLY THE BIGGEST CHAMPIONS AS
YOU HEARD, LINDSEY GRAHAM,
SENATOR McCONNELL.
THESE ARE THE REPUBLICANS IN THE
SENATE.
THIS ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT
HUNG WITH US DURING THE TOUGH
EARLY DAYS OF THE SURGE IN EBB
-- IRAQ.
THEY ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND THIS AND
I FULLY AGREE WITH THAT AND
CERTAINLY WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS FROM BOTH PARTIES
THAT ARE SUPPORTING IT, THIS IS
ABOUT OUR INTERESTS AT HEART AND
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT WHAT WE
DO HERE RESONATES AROUND THE
WORLD. IF WE WANT DETERRENCE EL WHERE
IF WE WANT DETERRENCE EL WHERE
TO BE SOLID AND WE WANTED A --
WANT ADVERSARIES TO RECOGNIZE
OUR WILL TO DEPLOY OUR WEAPONS,
IT’S IMPORTANT WE DO IT HERE.
WE’VE BEEN LEADING NATO --
>> HAVE WE BEEN OVERLEADING
NATO?
THE REASON I ASK, GERMANY AND
SOME OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN
VERY RELUCTANT TO GO KNEE DEEP
ON THESE EXPENDITURES.
THERE’S FRUSTRATION EXPRESSED
ABOUT HOW LONG THIS GOES ON.
THIS SEEMS TO BE ON US.
LARGELY US.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT?
>> YEAH, I’M VERY COMFORTABLE
WITH IT FRANKLY.
HAVE I SHARED THE FRUSTRATIONS
OF LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES WHEN
THEY’VE BEEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE
ABOUT A DESIRE FOR EUROPEANS TO
DO MORE FOR THEIR OWN DEFENSE?
CERTAINLY.
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF THE U.S.
DOES NOT LEAD AND DO THE BIGGEST
AMOUNT OF THE SUPPORT THE REST
OF THE WORLD DOESN’T FOLLOW.
WELCOME TO LIFE AS THE SUPER
POWER OF THE WESTERN WORLD.
>> Neil: GENERAL, I’D BE REMISS
IF I DIDN’T MENTION COMMENTS OUT
OF VLADIMIR PUTIN WHO YES
REPORTEDLY HAD ISSUES, HIS WORD,
WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY GOING ON
TO SAY THAT THE WAR IS BECOMING
EXTREMELY, AGAIN, I DON’T KNOW
WHAT THE RUSSIAN WORD FOR
COMPLICATED IS, BUT HE SAID
COMPLICATED.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF WHAT HE’S
BEEN SAYING AND THE SIGNALS HE’S
BEEN SENDING?
>> HE’S BEEN ALL OVER THE MAP.
HE’S OBVIOUSLY COMPLETELY
MISCALCULATED FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING.
HE HAS REACTED AS UKRAINIAN HAS
SEIZED THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
AS IT LAUNCHED COUNTER OFFENSES,
WON THE BATTLES OF KIEV AND
OTHER NORTHERN CITIES, KHARKIV,
RETOOK PART OF THE AREA THAT IS
TO THE WEST OF THE NIPRO RIVER
IN SOUTH AND LAUNCHED A VERY
IMPRESSIVE COUNTER OFFENSIVE IN
THE EAST.
HE’S TRADE EVERYTHING HE CAN
THAT WILL BE DOMESTICALLY
PALATABLE TO MOBILIZE ADDITIONAL
FORCES.
IT’S NOT GOING WELL.
THEY AREN’T TRAINING AND
EQUIPPING THEM ADEQUATELY AT
ALL.
HE’S IN A VERY DIFFICULT
POSITION.
I DON’T THINK HE’S YET WILLING
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RUSSIA
CANNOT OUT SUFFER THE
UKRAINIANS, THE AMERICANS AND
THE EUROPEANS, WHICH I THINK HE
STILL BELIEVES IS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THERE’S GOING TO COME A
POINT AND WE NEED TO HASTE SEN
THAT MOMENT WHEN HE REALIZES
THIS WAR IS NOT UNSUSTAINABLE
BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE LOSSES
ON THE BATTLEFIELD WHICH ARE
MANY TIMES WHAT THEY SUSTAINED
OVER NINE YEARS IN AFGHANISTAN,
JUST IN THE FIRST TEN MONTHS OF
THIS WAR, BUT ALSO THE DAMAGE
THAT’S BEING DOWN TO THEIR
ECONOMY, THEIR FINANCIAL SYSTEM,
HIS PERSONAL CONFIDANTS, THE
SANCTIONS AGAINST THEM AND THE
EXPORT CONTROLS THAT ARE
BRINGING THEIR INDUSTRY TO THEIR
KNEES.
THEY HAVE SAID THEY’RE SETTING
THEIR ECONOMY FOUNDATION BACK BY
TWO DECADES OR MORE.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, UKRAINE
CLEARLY NEEDS TO HAVE THIS
DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION TO THEIR
INFRASTRUCTURE STOPPED AND HAVE
RUSSIA WITHDRAW AND THEN GET
SOME KIND OF SECURITY GUARANTEE
THAT WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO ENABLE
A MARCHTIAL-LIKE PLAN.
THESE ARE ELEMENTS OF SOME
ULTIMATE NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION.
WHEN THAT MOMENT ARRIVES, WHEN
THAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE IS VERY
HARD TO TELL.
IT DEPENDS ON THE BATTLEFIELD
AND ON THE CONTINUED DAMAGE
BEING DONE TO THE RUSSIAN
ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
>> Neil: I DON’T KNOW WHERE
THESE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD GO IF
WE EVER GET THERE, BUT OBVIOUSLY
HE, VLADIMIR PUTIN, WOULD WANT
SOMETHING BEFORE HE LEAVES.
HE WANTS LAND.
LAND CAPTURED ON THE EAST THAT
RUSSIAN SOLDIERS HAVE SOME
CONTROL OVER, BUT THE UKRAINIANS
HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR NOT AN INCH.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A CHASM THERE.
WHAT DOES I’D MEAN FOR VLADIMIR
PUTIN TO GO?
>> NONE OF US CAN TALK ABOUT THE
IDEA THAT THERE’S SOME LAND FOR
AN AGREEMENT.
THE BOTTOM LINE, THERE’S SOME
POINT AND IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT
BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE
BATTLE GOES IN THE FUTURE AND
HOW DIFFICULT THE LOSSES ARE FOR
THE RUSSIANS AND WHETHER FRANKLY
RUSSIAN FORCES START TO CRUMBLE
AND COLLAPSE OR CAN HANG TOUGH.
THERE WILL COME A POINT I
BELIEVE WHERE PUTIN WILL
RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WAR IS
UNSUSTAINABLE IN THE SAME WAY
THAT AFGHANISTAN WAS
UNSUSTAINABLE FOR THE SOVIET
UNION AFTER NINE PLUS YEAR THERE
AND WITHDRAW FROM THAT ENDEAVOR.
>> Neil: THAT WAS NINE PLUS
YEAR.
WE’RE NOT EVEN A YEAR IN TO
THIS.
>> NO.
BUT HE’S SUSTAINED MANY TIMES
THE LOSSES ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN
UKRAINE THIS THEY SUSTAINED IN
OVER NINE YEARS IN AFGHANISTAN.
THIS IS GOING MUCH MORE RAPIDLY
IN THAT REGARD AND MUCH --
REALLY QUITE ABYSMALLY FOR
RUSSIA EVEN THOUGH THE LINES
RIGHT NOW HAVE STABILIZED.
EACH SIDE IS TRYING TO BUILD UP
FORCES.
SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE
UKRAINIANS WILL DO MUCH MORE
IMPRESSIVELY ONCE AGAIN THAN THE
RUSSIANS AS THEY HAVE SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THIS INVASION AND
WAR.
THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR
INDEPENDENCE.
RUSSIA IS FIGHTING FOR CAUSES
THAT THEIR SOLDIERS DON’T REALLY
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
>> Neil: GENERAL PETRAEUS, THANK