so why did they go into crimea in 2013 and stay there even though they were sanctioned to the hilt? they knew they could get away with it. i think this administration has to get off defense. they re just playing defense around the world, whether it s russia, the chinese, the iranians. just capitulating and begging the iranians to get back into the jcpoa. it s embarrassing. there s a ton of different policy responses. it s not the things that biden has offered isn t helpful. he s talked about sanctions, providing weaponry to ukraine, cutting the russians off in the swiss banking system. all that stuff s great, but why aren t you doing it now? that s the deterrent. showing strength now, not after they invade. i think that s exactly it. general jack keane joined you last hour. he made that point about preemptive action. let s take a listen. if we re going to defer putin from invading ukraine, we have
will be. congress pays a part, too, the house committee there, and senator graham, and congress does have ability to put sanctions on russia without waiting for the president. walk us through what the considerations are now? what are the considerations? what could they do? they can do a lot. i have to anticipate they will, to be honest with you. i think you re hearing a growing course of lawmakers who want competitive sanctions on russia, before you know, if they go into ukraine. i think the interesting thing will be how far they go, jon. i think there are some people suggesting that they boot russia from the international financial system, remove them from the swiss banking system which would be like a nuclear bomb on russia s economy, quite frankly. but, listen, i have to think once members of congress get back in town, it s going to go like this. the administration is going to come together next week, and they re going to brief both chambers. and i think from there, a lot of
states is. we re also seeing that solidarity with lawmakers in an effort to show that the support for really cracking down on russia is bipartisan. take a listen to what a republican senator and a democratic senator had to say this morning about next steps towards russia. we need to be very aggressive and pushing back against president putin, whether that s in the form of sanctions, expulsion from the swiss banking system, certainly sanctions on the nord stream 2 pipeline, diplomacy is very important at this point, but also showing a strong resolve from the united states of america. so far with this administration we have seen a doctrine of appeasement. i do think we should take up and pass a bipartisan bill that will show resolve and determination and apply some sanctions now, but the very strongest sanctions, the sorts of sanctions we use to bring iran to the table is something we should hold out as a
senator joni ernst, a veteran who served in the iraq war. senator ernst, after what you just heard, are you confident that the u.s. is doing what it needs to do to keep russia from invading ukraine? dana, i believe we need to act now. when it comes to pushing back against russia, we need to show strength and not be in a position of doctrine of appeasement which seems to be how president biden has worked his administration. so we do need to go ahead and impose sanctions on russia now. we need to show them that we mean business and we will be there for ukraine should they invade. once an invasion happens, lives are lost. you can t go back from that. so those sanctions need to be put in place now. they could be expelled from the swiss banking system. certainly we need to make sure any defensive aid is in the hands of ukranians as well as
appeasement which seems to be how president biden has worked his administration. so we do need to go ahead and impose sanctions on russia now. we need to show them that we mean business and we will be there for ukraine should they invade. once an invasion happens, lives are lost. you can t go back from that. so those sanctions need to be put in place now. they could be expelled from the swiss banking system. certainly we need to make sure any defensive aid is in the lands of ukrainians as well arizona much lethal aid we can provide at this time. we need to ensure the safety and security of americans in the donbass region. they need to move out or know how to evacuate safely should russia invade. again, i hope we can prevent that through diplomacy. specifically on sanctions, you heard secretary blinken tell me that, if they impose sanctions now, it would take away a deterrent.