Ben Rhodes

So this is to a T what the Russians would want. If you look at the Hegseth comments, the key elements of the negotiation, the key things that Ukraine would have to concede are territory that Russia currently holds and no NATO membership. Some people may say, well, inevitably the negotiation is going to end up there. Well, you don't publicly concede those things at the beginning of the negotiation.

So this is to a T what the Russians would want. If you look at the Hegseth comments, the key elements of the negotiation, the key things that Ukraine would have to concede are territory that Russia currently holds and no NATO membership. Some people may say, well, inevitably the negotiation is going to end up there. Well, you don't publicly concede those things at the beginning of the negotiation.

And so everything I heard in Munich was essentially this was the most catastrophic NATO meeting anybody could remember because they didn't preview that with anybody. They didn't say, hey, we're just going to go right for the end of the negotiation by making the concessions up front. They didn't talk to the Ukrainians about it, who will have to agree, by the way.

And so everything I heard in Munich was essentially this was the most catastrophic NATO meeting anybody could remember because they didn't preview that with anybody. They didn't say, hey, we're just going to go right for the end of the negotiation by making the concessions up front. They didn't talk to the Ukrainians about it, who will have to agree, by the way.

And so everything I heard in Munich was essentially this was the most catastrophic NATO meeting anybody could remember because they didn't preview that with anybody. They didn't say, hey, we're just going to go right for the end of the negotiation by making the concessions up front. They didn't talk to the Ukrainians about it, who will have to agree, by the way.

I mean, the Ukrainians don't have to. They're a warring party. And so at some point, actually, the danger is that you're not bringing along the Ukrainians.

I mean, the Ukrainians don't have to. They're a warring party. And so at some point, actually, the danger is that you're not bringing along the Ukrainians.

I mean, the Ukrainians don't have to. They're a warring party. And so at some point, actually, the danger is that you're not bringing along the Ukrainians.

Yeah, exactly. This idea of Zelensky being at 4%, that's nonsense. There's never been a poll that shows that. I mean, his approval rating may be slipping a bit, but he's nowhere near what Trump says. The Russians have every interest in wanting some totally destabilizing election that polarizes Ukrainian politics. Even Zelensky's opponents-

Yeah, exactly. This idea of Zelensky being at 4%, that's nonsense. There's never been a poll that shows that. I mean, his approval rating may be slipping a bit, but he's nowhere near what Trump says. The Russians have every interest in wanting some totally destabilizing election that polarizes Ukrainian politics. Even Zelensky's opponents-

Yeah, exactly. This idea of Zelensky being at 4%, that's nonsense. There's never been a poll that shows that. I mean, his approval rating may be slipping a bit, but he's nowhere near what Trump says. The Russians have every interest in wanting some totally destabilizing election that polarizes Ukrainian politics. Even Zelensky's opponents-

like Poroshenko, the previous president, has said, I don't think there can be an election in this context. So this is a Russian play to further destabilize Ukraine, maybe try to get some Russian backed candidate to kind of be a disruptive force in the election itself. Everything about this makes no sense. And then even if you look at that table, like Sergey Lavrov,

like Poroshenko, the previous president, has said, I don't think there can be an election in this context. So this is a Russian play to further destabilize Ukraine, maybe try to get some Russian backed candidate to kind of be a disruptive force in the election itself. Everything about this makes no sense. And then even if you look at that table, like Sergey Lavrov,

like Poroshenko, the previous president, has said, I don't think there can be an election in this context. So this is a Russian play to further destabilize Ukraine, maybe try to get some Russian backed candidate to kind of be a disruptive force in the election itself. Everything about this makes no sense. And then even if you look at that table, like Sergey Lavrov,

has been the Russian foreign minister my whole fucking life. He's been there forever. You got Mike Waltz, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016. This guy is in over his head. Let's just name it. Marco Rubio, if any other Democratic president was doing anything like this, he'd be lighting himself on fire on the Senate floor. He's Mr. Russia hawk.

has been the Russian foreign minister my whole fucking life. He's been there forever. You got Mike Waltz, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016. This guy is in over his head. Let's just name it. Marco Rubio, if any other Democratic president was doing anything like this, he'd be lighting himself on fire on the Senate floor. He's Mr. Russia hawk.

has been the Russian foreign minister my whole fucking life. He's been there forever. You got Mike Waltz, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016. This guy is in over his head. Let's just name it. Marco Rubio, if any other Democratic president was doing anything like this, he'd be lighting himself on fire on the Senate floor. He's Mr. Russia hawk.

Now, all of a sudden, he's telling us all we should be thanking Trump.

Now, all of a sudden, he's telling us all we should be thanking Trump.

Now, all of a sudden, he's telling us all we should be thanking Trump.