The Situation Room: Interview With Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
Interview
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Yes. A lot of history going on in the last 48 hours. It was stunning to see violence on Russian soil. And then it's stunning to see how they've come to this, at least, temporary deal.
For me, it just reinforces Putin's weakness. This deal just -- it just gives kind of -- gives away the farm, in a way. And it will be interesting to see what Putin does in the next couple of weeks.
But I -- I would -- if you would have told me a year ago that we'd have this kind of violence and then in the face of that violence Putin would caught deal, have a head of another country cut a deal on his behalf like this, that doesn't call for big detainment or massive arrests, I compare it to what happened in 2016 when we had an attempted coup in Turkey. Right?
Very different situation, but, man, at end of it, whether you like him or not, Erdogan came out stronger. He made his point, pushed back. He awakened the Turkish people to push back in the middle of the coup. He was on-screen talking to people on cell phone videos.
And you just compare that to how this has gone for Putin, and I think it really popped a balloon on his invincibility with the Russian people, which is very interesting.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Well, I think there's a big difference between, you know, armed conflict going on 200 kilometers away, and Putin actually being at risk of losing power.
I think we have to watch what he does the next couple of days. I would not be shocked if he fired his minister of defense, his chief of defense staff. Two of the three people in Russia who really control the national security issues. So we'll see if he does sort of a purge.
But my feeling is -- you know, look, analysis is always hard, but I don't see this as, like, the tipping point for Putin going down. I just think it's a very important indicator that the emperor is not wearing any clothes and that's now been exposed.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
I think there is some important operational issues. And then a big important strategic value here in what's going on.
Operationally, we know. We've known from the beginning of this ridiculous endeavor by Putin that the Russian military is not all that it's cracked up to be, logistics, battlefield, you know, operations, air power.
I mean, a lot of the things that many of us assumed this former superpower really had the ability to do, they showed quickly they didn't. They had to import a mercenary force to come fight in some of the most important frontline areas.
They're getting training and weapons from the Iranians. I mean, as opposed to the other way around, what you would have seen 20 or 30 years ago.
So you can see that they're struggling. And because of that, that affects morale. That affects the Russian psyche when you're losing. Right? No one likes to lose.
I think this scene that was exposed between the Wagner Group and Putin really grew out of that frustration on the battlefield. So that, to me, is directly connected to sort of the failures of the Russians.
So the other thing I think that's really here is Putin decided to invade the entire country of Ukraine, crazy thing to do, because he thought he could outwait us.
That American resolve, NATO resolve, our allies, we'd just get tired and bored, and he could wait us out, that we wouldn't want to fight a war, we wouldn't want to be engaged, we wouldn't stay united, and if he waited long enough, he could just take the country. And I think a year and a half later, he's the one who is wobbling.
He's the one who is exposed. He's the one who has got real problems amongst his ranks because we've managed to keep a global coalition together to push back on him.
So I think that it's really an important moment. And I hope the Ukrainians will be able to take advantage of it on the battlefield.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Thank you.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source