Michael McFaul

Well, first, it was just a rookie mistake is very generous. I've negotiated with the Russians before. They're tough negotiators. And you don't just capitulate and give them what they want before you start the negotiations. And the vice president could have clarified things today at the Munich Security Conference.

Well, first, it was just a rookie mistake is very generous. I've negotiated with the Russians before. They're tough negotiators. And you don't just capitulate and give them what they want before you start the negotiations. And the vice president could have clarified things today at the Munich Security Conference.

He could have devoted his speech to saying what the United States position is, what the Trump administration official position is to try to clean it up. But instead, he gave a speech about how democracy is failing in Europe. He said that that was a bigger threat to Europe than Russia or China. And he said that in a room filled with generals and admirals and Ukrainian soldiers.

He could have devoted his speech to saying what the United States position is, what the Trump administration official position is to try to clean it up. But instead, he gave a speech about how democracy is failing in Europe. He said that that was a bigger threat to Europe than Russia or China. And he said that in a room filled with generals and admirals and Ukrainian soldiers.

Again, I don't need to tell you, Rachel, the irony of the Vice President of the United States, who works for President Trump, telling the Europeans that they're doing a bad job at democracy, given what we are going through right now and given what we went through four years ago, really was quite insulting for this audience.

Again, I don't need to tell you, Rachel, the irony of the Vice President of the United States, who works for President Trump, telling the Europeans that they're doing a bad job at democracy, given what we are going through right now and given what we went through four years ago, really was quite insulting for this audience.

It was a great opportunity to say clearly what their position was, and instead he chose to lecture them about democracy.

It was a great opportunity to say clearly what their position was, and instead he chose to lecture them about democracy.

Definitely not a logistics decision problem. Anybody that the vice president wanted to meet with, he could. But it underscores the other message of his speech. His speech was basically adopt our interpretation of values, right? Mega values. And again, these guys, there's a big contradiction. They talk about sovereignty all the time.

Definitely not a logistics decision problem. Anybody that the vice president wanted to meet with, he could. But it underscores the other message of his speech. His speech was basically adopt our interpretation of values, right? Mega values. And again, these guys, there's a big contradiction. They talk about sovereignty all the time.

But when it comes to German sovereignty, they're perfectly willing to get involved. There's elections here in just a few days here in Germany. And it was not well received. I've been to this conference many, many times. I cannot recall a speech that so many people were so insulted by.

But when it comes to German sovereignty, they're perfectly willing to get involved. There's elections here in just a few days here in Germany. And it was not well received. I've been to this conference many, many times. I cannot recall a speech that so many people were so insulted by.

Well, Rich, I spent most of my day today with Ukrainians, including soldiers. They're fighting and they fought courageously for three years. But when they hear our president say that he trusts Vladimir Putin and that he's going to do a deal with Vladimir Putin and then present it to the Ukrainian people and they experience what you are just showing your viewers, there's a lot of dissonance there.

Well, Rich, I spent most of my day today with Ukrainians, including soldiers. They're fighting and they fought courageously for three years. But when they hear our president say that he trusts Vladimir Putin and that he's going to do a deal with Vladimir Putin and then present it to the Ukrainian people and they experience what you are just showing your viewers, there's a lot of dissonance there.

They don't trust Putin. Putin is their enemy. And it makes them very nervous when the president of the United States, who they need and rely on to continue to fight against the Russians, are saying he trusts Putin.

They don't trust Putin. Putin is their enemy. And it makes them very nervous when the president of the United States, who they need and rely on to continue to fight against the Russians, are saying he trusts Putin.