INSKEEP: Do we need to be prepared for the reality of the continued destruction of Ukrainian cities?
BLINKEN: Steve, I'm afraid that we do.
We've seen the brutality that Vladimir Putin has brought to this.
We know his track record in Chechnya.
We know the track record of what he's aided and abetted in Syria.
I think we have to expect the same.
And part of the reason we have to expect the same is that this has not gone according to
to Putin's plan.
It's… he anticipated that somehow they would go into Ukraine, the Ukrainians would either
somehow welcome them or at least fold their tents and move out.
And of course, exactly the opposite has happened.
You've got more than 40 million Ukrainians who are standing strong in opposition to Putin,
to Russia and who will never be subjugated to Russia.
INSKEEP: Are the United States and its European allies capable of isolating China in the way that
you've isolated Russia, if China were to aid Russia beyond some certain point?
BLINKEN: Well, China's already on the wrong side of history when it comes to the Ukraine
and the aggression being committed by Russia.
The fact that it has not stood strongly against it– that it has not pronounced itself against
this aggression– flies in the face of China's commitments as a permanent member of the United
Nations Security Council: responsible for maintaining peace and security.
It's totally inconsistent with what China says and repeats over and over again about
the sanctity of the United Nations Charter and the basic principles, including the sovereignty
of nations.
And so we're looking to China to speak out, to speak up and to be very clear.
Second, of course, if China actually provides material support in one way or another to
Russia in this effort, that would be even worse.
And something we're looking very carefully at.
But I think this is doing real damage to China reputationally in Asia, in Europe, in Africa
and other parts of the world.
Something it has to pay a lot of attention to.
Meanwhile, we have an incredibly destructive situation with a country that is being bombed,
people being killed, the country destroyed.
I would say too.
I'm speaking to you as a journalist.
We're seeing, of course, the horrific toll on Ukrainians on civilians, mothers, fathers,
daughters, women, children.
We're also seeing journalists in the crossfire– people doing their jobs to bring the truth
to the world.
We've seen a Fox team that had two of its members killed, one one injured.
Someone I know very well.
This is Ben Hall.
He's someone who travels with me when I travel around the world.
Someone I have great, great affection for, who is a tremendous reporter.
who asked me a lot of tough questions every place we go.
I'm very much hoping and praying that he'll be back on the job as soon as possible.
But meanwhile, two of his colleagues lost their lives in this attack and another very
prominent filmmaker lost his life just the other day.
Do you have reason to think that Russian troops are targeting journalists?
We are looking very hard at the targeting that the Russian forces are doing, including
whether they are deliberately, intentionally targeting civilians, journalists, anyone else.
This is something we’re we're looking hard at.
We're documenting.
Others are looking at this.
The deliberate targeting of civilians, journalists and others would constitute a war crime.
So it's something that we're very focused on.
INSKEEP: Final thing, Mr. Secretary, do you have any channel that is open to Vladimir Putin right
now to communicate about any way to end this war?
BLINKEN: Well, various leaders, countries have sought to communicate with him.
May even remain in communication with him.
Of course, the Ukrainians are talking to the Russians.
We over many months offered President Putin off ramps to…
INSKEEP: Sure.
BLINKEN: ...avoid this aggression in the first place.
And even since the aggression has been committed, tragically, each and every time, instead of
taking an off ramp, he's pressed the accelerator.
So diplomacy ultimately is going to have to be part of the solution to this.
But that really depends on Vladimir Putin engaging…
INSKEEP: But when I say, do you have a channel?
BLINKEN: … in meaningful diplomacy.
INSKEEP: I mean, the United States.
Does the United States have any channel open to Putin here?
BLINKEN: There are always ways of communicating.
Let me leave it at that.
INSKEEP: Secretary Antony Blinken, thanks so much.
Enjoyed it.