>> it's interesting in the of the phone call between merkel and problem. it says merkel expressed the opinion vladimir putin was in another world, did not seem teth t -- seem in reality. that's my translation. as someone reporting on putin for years, what's your take? is this somebody that disconnected from reality or somebody willing to say whatever he needs to say to accomplish what he needs to accomplish? >> i think putin is off viewed rightly as the ultimate pragmatist. he require rarely acts without . his take on what's going on on the ground and what western leaders believe is the claim to a threat to the ethnic russian population in the south and east. putin says there's a direct