that I would recommend.
>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS
DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE U.S.
APPROACH TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT
PUTIN FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.
BIDEN HAS HAD TOUGH CALLS BUT IS
STILL SUGGESTING A SUMMIT.
WHAT WILL HE DO IF RUSSIA
CONTINUES TO BE ON UKRAINE’S
BORDER.
I ASKED JAKE SULLIVAN THAT.
>> HE IS A MAN OF HIS WORD.
HE SAID HE WASN’T SEEKING TO
ESCALATE, WANTED A STABLE
RELATIONSHIP.
HE OFFERED TO SIT DOWN WITH
VLADIMIR PUTIN IN THE THIRD
COUNTRY THIS SUMMER TO TALK
ABOUT ITEMS INCLUDING THE
INTEGRITY OF UKRAINE.
HE INTENDS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON
THAT IF WE CAN FIND A DATE AND
LOCATION THAT WORKS.
I AM NOT GETTING INTO
HYPOTHETICALS IF RUSSIA GOES
INTO UKRAINE.
BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS
COMMUNICATED HIS CONCERN ABOUT
RUSSIA’S BUILDUP AND HIS VIEW
THAT THE UNITED STATES,
ALONGSIDE OTHER PARTNERS ALSO
STAND FIRMLY IN DEFENSE OF
UKRAINE’S SOVEREIGNTY AND
INTEGRITY.
THAT’S WHAT WE WILL DO FORWARD,
BUT WE WILL DO THAT THROUGH
COMMUNICATION, NOT THROUGH OPEN
AIR STATEMENTS.
>> HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT
ALEX
ALEXEI NAVALNY?
>> WE ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED.
WE HAVE INDICATED BOTH PRIVATELY
AND PUBLICLY THAT THERE WOULD OF
COURSE BE CONSEQUENCES IF
MR. NAVALNY PASSED AWAY.
THERE WAS BETTER NEWS IN RECENT
DAYS THAN A WEEK OR SO AGO, BUT
BY NO MEANS HAS OUR CONCERN OF
MR. NAVALNY’S HEALTH ABATED?
>> IS CHINA OUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGE?
>> CHINA IS THE MOST STRATEGIC
CHALLENGE FACING THE UNITED
STATES.
IT IS A COUNTRY THAT IS GROWING
IN ECONOMIC CLOUT, ADVANCING ITS
MILITARY CAPABILITIES AND ACTING
IN INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE AND
ASSERTIVE WAYS INCLUDING AGAINST
OUR ALLIES.
THE U.S. HAS MADE CLEAR WE
WELCOME COMPETITION WITH CHINA,
BUT WE WILL STAND FIRMLY WITH
OUR PARTNERS AND WHERE CHINA
REFUSES TO OPERATE BY RULES, WE
WILL RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.
WE DON’T HAVE TO PULL PUNCHES TO
SECURE THEIR HELP ON CLIMATE
CHANGE.
IT IS PROFOUNDLY IN THEIR
INTEREST TO WORK ON THOSE ISSUES
AS WELL.
>> THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO GET
BACK INTO THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
AND NEGOTIATE A TOUGHER DEAL.
THE TALKS APPEAR STALEMATED.
WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS
REALISTICALLY FOR A DEAL?
>> WE BELIEVE ULTIMATELY WE CAN
WORK FOR A COMPLIANCE TO
COMPLIANCE BASIS TO GET BACK TO
THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL AND USE
THAT TO PURSUE A LONGER AND
STRONGER DEAL WITH IRAN.
>> IS ISRAEL BEING UNHELPFUL IN
THIS YARD WITH THE SUSPECTED
CYBER ATTACKS AGAINST IRAN’S
FACILITIES?
>> I HAVE PERSONALLY MET WITH
THE SECURITY ADVISER FROM ISRAEL
MULTIPLE TIMES.
HE WILL BE IN WASHINGTON THIS
WEEK TO TALK THROUGH
FACE-TO-FACE TO TALK THROUGH OUR
COMMON STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE WHICH
IS TO PREVENT IRAN FROM EVER
GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
THOSE ARE BEST BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS.
>> WOULD YOU PREFER NO ONE
ATTACK IRAN WHILE YOU ARE TRYING
TO GET NEGOTIATIONS STARTED?
>> THERE ARE CERTAIN ACTIVITIES
UNHELPFUL TO DIPLOMACY.
AT THE SAME TIME WE BELIEVE
FIRMLY AND PASSIONATELY THAT
ISRAEL AND US HAVE A PATH OF NO
SURPRISES, THAT WE ARE
COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
>> ON AFGHANISTAN THE PRESIDENT
IS CARRYING OUT HIS PLAN TO END
FOREVER WARS.
IT IS SAID THAT THE TALIBAN’S
PACE OF ATTACKS ARE HIGHER THAN
EVER.
IF THE TALIBAN TAKES OVER, WILL
THE UNITED STATES DO ANYTHING TO
PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN’S
AND GIRLS.
>> WE ARE ENDING OUR MILITARY
PRESENCE BURKS WE ARE NOT ENDING
OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING
WOMEN AND GIRLS.
THERE WILL BE OTHER FORMS OF
ASSISTANCE TO HELP THE
GOVERNMENT SECURE THEIR FUTURE.
>> THE PRESIDENT MADE A
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY IN
FOREIGN POLICY AND THE CABINET.
IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT THERE’S
SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS, GOING
BACK TO THE ORIGINS OF WHITE
MALE LEADERSHIP AT MOST LEVELS.
THE CRITICISM IS THAT IT IS
WHITE MALE AND YALE, SOMETHING
YOU HAVE FAMILIARITY WITH, SO
HOW DO YOU GET MORE DIVERSITY?
>> THIS IS A PROBLEM AT THE
STATE DEPARTMENT AND ACROSS
ESTABLISHMENT.
IT IS TRUE WITH RACIAL AND
ETHNICITY AND GENDER.
WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO UP AND
DOWN THE RANKS TO ELEVATE THOSE
PERSPECTIVES SO OUR ENTIRE
ENTERPRISE LOOKS LIKE AMERICA
AND REPRESENTS ALL OF AMERICA.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT? FIRST, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT A
FIRST, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT A
PRIORITY.
WE CANNOT WORK FOR A RANK THAT