Would you fight?
Nobody, nobody here.
I don't know what I would do.
I think everyone thinks they know what they'd do,
but I don't know what I would do,
if they said that war is coming, and then I have to fight.
I think I would be pretty good in war, though.
Not, like, fighting. There's other parts of war
that you can also participate in.
I would be good at shouting that the people are coming.
I think that would be my job if I was fighting in a war.
I would be the person who rides a horse
from one place to the next telling people
the people are coming.
Then they'd be like, "Are we gonna fight?"
I'm like, "Yeah, you-you guys should fight.
I'm gonna go tell the next town that the war is coming."
And then I'd just keep riding,
telling everyone that I told everyone.
Then I'm as far away from the war as possible,
but I'm also, like, a hero, 'cause they go,
"He rode, and he told us." Very important part of the job.
Everyone takes that for granted.
So if you guys need someone to warn you that a war is coming,
I got your backs.
The furthest back possible.
ANNOUNCER: Coming to you from the heart of Times Square
in New York City, the only city in America, it's
The Daily Show.
Tonight-- insane in Ukraine,
the world unfriends Russia,
and Samantha Power.
This is The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
Hey, what's going on, everybody?
welcome to The Daily Show. I'm Trevor Noah.
Let's jump straight into the big news,
which is the only one that anybody's talking about.
It's Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
And so, on today's episode,
that's all we're going to be covering.
The invasion, the international resistance,
Ukraine's resistance, which has been amazing.
And then, our guest on the show actually serves
on President Biden's Security Council
and has dealt with Russia directly.
So everything on the show today is all about Russia's invasion.
In many ways, Russia has invaded our show, so let's do this.
It has been four days
since Russian troops rolled into neighboring Ukraine,
touching off the largest European conflict
since World War II,
or when Harry and Meghan left the royals.
So let's do it, people.
Let's catch up on all the latest developments
in our newest segment, "The War in Ukraine."
♪ ♪
As the pandemic started winding down,
people all across the world have been thinking
about what they're going to do as the world opens up, you know?
Spend more time with family, find a better work-life balance,
stitch all your old masks together into a giant mask,
and then use that as a comfort blanket.
But Vladimir Putin clearly had very different
post-pandemic plans-- invading a sovereign country.
And you know, for years, people have said
that Russia might invade Ukraine
because it's always been Putin's wet dream
to reunite the Soviet Union, you know?
Sort of the same way Disney wants
to tie all of its franchises together.
Yeah, now Mickey is fighting Thanos?
I mean, it's weird... but profitable.
So, yeah, Putin has done the unthinkable.
And in response, almost every nation around the world
has gone "Yo, my man, that is not cool."
Much of the world is trying to tighten its grip
around Russia to get Vladimir Putin to back off Ukraine.
NEWSMAN: For the first time ever, the EU will
finance the purchase and delivery of weapons to Ukraine.
Similarly, the United States, for the first time, has approved
the direct delivery of Stinger missiles to Ukraine
as part of a package approved by the White House.
That decision came on the heels of Germany's announcement
that it will send 500 Stinger missiles and
other weapons and supplies to Ukraine. This was a historic
break from Germany's post-World War II foreign policy.
NEWSMAN 2: The president is joining with European allies by
kicking most Russian banks out of SWIFT,
an international banking messaging system that
makes global transactions easier.
New sanctions will also target Russia's Central Bank,
and allies are beginning to target Russian oligarchs with
ties to Putin, who shield his wealth in offshore accounts.
NEWSWOMAN: Russian planes and private jets from oligarchs
can no longer fly over dozens of countries.
The European Union and Canada are banning the flights
from their airspace.
Air France also just announced that it has
suspended service from Russia.
Yeah, that's right.
They're cutting off banking, they're arming their enemies,
and on top of that,
airlines are stopping flights to and from Russia,
which, in my opinion, might be one of the worst things.
Because, I mean, the best part about going to Russia
is that you can fly out of Russia.
Now they don't even have that. And If there's one thing
that tells you how big these sanctions are,
it's that the Swiss have gotten involved.
Like, you understand how big that is, right?
The Swiss don't get involved in anything.
Anything!
The Swiss don't get involved in war.
They don't get involved in alliances.
My dad didn't get involved in my life... (whimpers)
I would ask him to hug me, and he'd tell me
that his official policy was to stay neutral.
I mean, think about it. Think about this for a moment.
Putin's move is so crazy
that Germany is like,
"It's time for us as Germany
to rebuild our military!"
And the world is like, "Yeah! I hope."
Now, beyond all the blocking flights
and arming Ukraine, one of the biggest moves
that Europe and America are taking right now
is cutting Russia off of SWIFT, right?
Which is huge. Which is huge.
Like, we're talking no Folklore.
No 1989.
Not even the short version of "All Too Well," which...
I'm sorry, what?
Oh, it's a different SWIFT. Wh-What is...
Oh, it's an international banking system
that verifies transactions across the globe.
Oh.
Well, I mean, they should probably change their name,
'cause that's confusing, you know?
Anyway, what Russia has done has gotten the world so riled up
that it's not just the governments
that are responding to this war.
No, everyone around the world
is finding their own way to show Putin
that he's an asshole.
Major news from the sports world.
The world soccer organization FIFA
is banning Russian teams from all of their games.
The organization issuing statements today
banning Russian clubs and national teams
from all competition until further notice.
FIFA says it stands in "full solidarity
with all of the people affected in Ukraine."
NEWSWOMAN: The European Broadcasting Union
has banned Russia from participating
in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
And back here at home, several governors
around the United States are asking stores
to pull Russian products off their shelves.
A restaurant in Las Vegas went out in the street
and poured all of their bottles of Russian vodka out
onto the street.
They'll be offering Ukrainian vodka instead.
NEWSMAN: Formula 1 dropped the Russian Grand Prix
from the season's racing calendar,
and the International Olympic Committee
also urging sports federations to move or cancel their events
in Russia and Belarus.
NEWSWOMAN 2: And the International Judo Federation
suspending Putin's status as honorary president
and ambassador of the federation.
Yeah. No World Cup for Putin.
No Eurovision Song Contest for Putin.
No more being president of the International Judo Federation.
And in case you're wondering, yes,
he will no longer be allowed to host this year's Oscars.
Which I was kind of looking forward to.
It was gonna be interesting.
Now, I know a lot of people out there are wondering.
They're like, "Aw, man, who cares?
"I mean, they're having their economy destroyed.
"Who cares if people are pouring out vodka?
Who cares if...?" But, people,
this actually makes a difference, all right?
South Africa had sanctions on it,
which was really bad back in the day during the apartheid.
But it was the collective idea around the world
that people were not for what was happening
that sort of spurred a lot of the change.
And don't forget, oftentimes in life,
it's the little things that hurt the most.
You think they're small, but they get to you.
You know? Like, think of it this way.
Would you rather be shot
or blocked by your ex? Hmm?
Oh, and just by the way,
now that Russia is not gonna be playing in the World Cup,
I mean, that means there's gonna be an open spot, right?
I'm just saying, FIFA,
if you want to hook South Africa up with that spot,
you know, we've never invaded another country.
(chuckles): You know, we barely even have a military.
So if you're interested, shoot me a DM. (kisses)
I see you, FIFA.
So, practically every democracy in the world right now
is coming down hard against Russia.
And it actually might be having an effect,
because just this morning the two countries
held five hours of peace talks, which is good.
Although Russia did continue bombing Ukrainian cities
the whole time that the peace talks were happening,
which is not a good sign.
I mean, bombing a country during your peace talks
is like bringing your side chick to couples therapy.
Doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Yeah, she's the problem.
But don't get it twisted--
Russia is feeling the effects
of the world clamping down,
especially the economic affects.
NEWSWOMAN: The value of the Russian ruble
hitting an all-time low this morning.
The first business day since harsh sanctions
were imposed against Moscow for waging war on Ukraine.
Now European operations for one state-owned Russian bank
are already facing bankruptcy, saying
in a press release, they're "failing or likely to fail."
NEWSWOMAN 2: Long lines of Russians waiting at ATMs
after days of punishing sanctions
levied on Moscow by the West.
Many Russians are worried their bank cards
will stop working or that banks will limit cash withdrawals.
Well, damn. If Putin's goal was
to bring back the glory days of the Soviet Union,
people waiting hours in long lines is definitely a start.
And, please, don't get me wrong, don't get me wrong.
I-I don't like the fact that ordinary Russians
are suffering for what Putin is doing.
I don't like that.
But then again, if they didn't want him as president,
they shouldn't have reelected him with 107% of the vote.
But the big question now is what will Putin do
in the face of a cratering economy
and a war that is not as easy as he probably wanted?
Well, apparently his plan
is to make things a whole lot worse.
Ukraine, in a dramatic escalation in the crisis there,
Russia's military confirms this morning that the country's
nuclear forces have indeed been put on high alert.
President Vladimir Putin calls it a response to
"aggressive statements by NATO leaders."
NEWSMAN: Mr. Putin is becoming even more desperate.
Uh, it's showing that his military progress
is failing on the ground, that he has to resort
to this kind of threat. He is pushing his inner circle away.
We saw him publicly humiliating his closest advisors.
That's what's most concerning. Nobody there
to prevent a catastrophic misstep.
Aw, man, this is not good.
Putin is threatening
by "activating" his nuclear...
Wh-what does that even mean?
He's like, "Getting my nuclear team ready."
For what? For what, Putin?
You realize this is not a good thing.
Putin is going nuclear
and there's no one there to stop him?
See, people? This is why every crazy world leader
needs a pasty son-in-law by his side.
Yeah. Keeps them in check.
'Cause no father-in-law wants to act the fool
in front of the man who's banging his daughter, you know?
Now, before you panic, before you panic,
I know they said "nuclear" and I know they said "Putin,"
but please take a breath.
Yes, the threat of nuclear annihilation may have increased.
Yes, we may be on the brink of World War III.
And, yes, Europe is once again at the mercy
of one power-hungry dictator.
But on the bright side...
when was the last time you thought about COVID?
Huh?
But still, man, this invasion of Ukraine
has put the world on edge.
And it has amounted to one of the most dramatic weeks
in a really long time.
Like, I don't know about you,
but I have been glued to the TV all weekend,
watching all the news, everything.
And beyond the war itself-- I will say this, I will say this--
beyond the war,
there's a really interesting thing that I learned,
and that is a lot of people on TV
didn't expect a war like this to happen in,
let's say,
certain neighborhoods.
This is not a developing third world nation.
This is Europe.
NEWSMAN: These are prosperous middle-class people.
These are not people trying to get away
from areas in North Africa.
They look like any European family
that you would live next door to.
What could be a difference here from other conflicts,
you know, that could seem very far away, you know,
in Africa or Middle East or whatever, I mean,
these are Europeans that we're seeing, uh, being killed.
This isn't a place, with all due respect,
u-um, you know, like Iraq or Afghanistan.
You know, this is a relatively civilized,
uh, relatively European--
I have to choose those words carefully, too--
uh, city where you wouldn't expect that
or hope that it's going to happen.
Wow.
That was you choosing your words carefully?
That was the careful version?
So what were you gonna say
if you weren't choosing your words carefully?
"I just hope the next time this happens
it happens back in the Middle East where it belongs."
Here's the thing, people. Here's the thing.
Beyond the racism, right? Like, let's-let's forget the racism.
Oh, how I wish we could forget about the racism.
You do realize that, until very recently,
fighting crazy wars was Europe's thing.
That was Europe's entire thing.
That's all of European history.
They even had something called the Hundred Years' War.
You understand how long that is. That's, like, a decade.
(chuckling)
They got a Nobel Prize because they stopped fighting.
Imagine that.
Now people are gonna be like, "Oh, to see this in-in Europe,
to see this."
Like, I'll tell you now-- I don't know about you,
but I was shocked to see how many reporters around the world,
by the way, seem to think that it's more of a tragedy
when white people have to flee their countries.
Because I guess, what, the darkies were built for it?
"I mean, you see how they run in the Olympics, Peter.
Clearly, God has given them this talent for a reason."
"I totally agree. I mean, even if this wasn't a war,
"these people would probably be fleeing their homes for fun.
"It's just who they are. (chuckles)
Back to you guys in the studio."
All right, we have to take a quick break,
but please don't go away.
Because we've talked about the Russians,
but, when we come back, we're gonna be talking
about the Ukrainian heroes who are inspiring the world.
So don't go away. 'Cause if you do go away,
it means you support Russia because you stayed
for the Russian part but not the Ukrainian part.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
We'll be right back.
Welcome back to The Daily Show.
Earlier on, we were talking about the global fallout
from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
But obviously, the people facing the greatest impact from the war
are the Ukrainian people themselves.
Half a million people have been forced
to leave their homes, and they fled to neighboring countries.
Hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed,
and countless others are huddled in basements, bomb shelters
and subway stations to avoid Russian missiles
that are raining down on their neighborhoods.
In fact, one woman even gave birth
while she was hiding out in the subway,
which is terrible.
I mean, the only silver lining I could think was
that at least it wasn't the New York subway, you know?
'Cause that newborn would have been kicked by a subway dancer
and then arrested for not paying their fare.
But still, there is no doubt
that this war has been devastating for Ukraine.
But at the same time, it's also clear
that Putin has failed miserably
in his attempt to break the country's spirit.
Because I don't know about you, man, but I've been on Twitter
basically nonstop since this war started.
Just refreshing, refreshing, refreshing.
You know, doing my part.
So I've seen all the videos coming out of this war.
And trust me, Ukrainians are not messing around.
-♪ ♪ -The troops defending Ukraine's Snake Island,
as it's called, in the Black Sea,
instantly became the country's first heroes of the resistance,
thanks to this stunning exchange with Russian forces.
TONY McEWING: This clip shows a man.
It looks like he's carrying an anti-tank mine.
He did this while managing to keep his cigarette in his mouth.
NEWSWOMAN: This is the sort of extraordinary resistance
Russia is facing here.
100 miles northeast of Kyiv,
a man tries to block a Russian tank.
He kneels in front of it,
determined to stop it in its tracks.
NEWSWOMAN 2: Officials believe this will be a Pyrrhic victory
for Vladimir Putin, symbolized by that Ukrainian grandmother
who confronted the Russian soldier.
After berating him, she handed him some sunflower seeds
to put in his pocket and then said
she looks forward to seeing sunflowers grow
when his dead body lies down on Ukrainian soil.
Okay, I'm not a military strategist at all.
But if a grandmother hands me seeds and tells me
that sunflowers will bloom from my corpse,
I think it's time to retreat.
And I also love how her aggression was
still on-brand for a grandma.
Like, she's wishing him death, yes,
but she is also doing gardening at the same time.
You know? The only way it could have been more grandma
is if she used his blood to spell out a message asking
why her grandson isn't married yet.
And you know what? Just, by the way, just by the way,
One of the strangest experiences of the modern world
is following a war on social media.
Because all the other stuff on social media doesn't go away,
it just gets mixed in together.
Like my-my whole timeline this week was
Ukrainian civilians picking up weapon,
rocket hitting a building--
--Uncut Gems--
Tanks rolling into Kyiv--
--Uncut gems...--
Uniting the people of Ukraine!
Did I say Uncut Gems?
But those people that we're seeing in Ukraine,
those are the ones who've just gone viral.
One of the reasons Ukraine has been able to put up such a
fierce resistance to Russia is because everybody-- and
I mean everybody-- is stepping up and joining the fight.
NEWSWOMAN: Across this country, we've seen volunteers
who've taken up arms, while others are making
Molotov cocktails, including this group of women
who've set up an assembly line.
NEWSWOMAN 2: Painter Natasha Tkachenko says she's
put down her brush, now mastering the art of
making a Molotov cocktail,
hunkering down with her neighbors in the parking garage
of their apartment building-turned-bomb shelter
and makeshift factory.
Similar scenes across the country...
NEWSMAN: (speaking foreign language beneath)
....with how-to instructions broadcast on state TV.
Even the former Prime Minister now going viral with his
-demonstration. -NEWSWOMAN 2: The government encouraging
all Ukrainians to take up arms and fight.
This man leaves with two AK-47s,
even though he's never fired a gun.
MAN: (speaking foreign language)
Do you know how to use that?
Uh, to tell t-the truth, I am not good at it,
but I understand.
I just need to-to, uh, to find some quiet place
and figure out how it works.
Wow. Can you believe it?
That guy was just given two assault rifles
even though he has never fired a gun.
I mean, if you're American, you can believe it, of course,
but for everyone else in the world, this is crazy.
And how insane is it that Ukrainian public television
is actually teaching people, teaching people
how to make Molotov cocktails?
You understand how insane that is, right?
Like, imagine if during the Cuban Missile Crisis,
Mr. Rogers had come out like,
"All right, kids, I'm gonna show you
how to kill your Communist neighbor."
Now, when you talk about Ukrainians
stepping up to this moment,
one big part of this resistance movement
is Ukraine's president himself, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Who, by the way,
nobody thought would be able to lead his country.
Like, even less so in a war against Russia.
All right? And the reason people had their doubts
is because just four years ago,
Zelensky wasn't even in politics.
He was a comedian. Yeah.
He was acting in TV shows,
busting moves on Dancing with the Stars.
And this is completely real. This is completely real.
He even showed up on a TV show
where he pretended to play the piano
with his penis.
(piano playing "Hava Nagila")
(audience clapping rhythmically)
See?
This is why I always wipe down the piano with Lysol
before I play. Yeah.
I don't want my penis touching the same keys as someone else.
But you see that guy? See that guy?
You watch that clip, you're like, "Huh! That's ridiculous."
He's the president of Ukraine right now.
Yeah. He's the guy who has to rally his country
against an overwhelming Russian invasion.
And despite everyone's doubts
and everything that they thought he would be,
this man has more than stepped up to the occasion.
NEWSWOMAN: With his country in crisis...
-(speaking Ukrainian) -...Ukraine's president,
Volodymyr Zelensky, is the very definition
of leading from the front,
sharing videos of himself on the street
to reassure his people that he's still in the country.
He's braving Russian missiles and air strikes
and telling Ukrainians, "You are strong.
You are unbroken."
He reportedly turned down a U.S. offer
to help him evacuate, saying,
"I need ammunition, not a ride."
Damn.
That's hella gangster.
"I need ammunition, not a ride."
That's some action movie shit right there.
Meanwhile, Trump was hiding underground
when people came with placards to the White House.
There's so many words out there, hide me.
And you got to give Zelensky credit for refusing
to flee the country, because that's not just brave
for a comedian, that's brave for any leader.
Any leader. I mean, when is the last time
you saw something like this, right?
Most of the time, when leaders are in danger
of getting overthrown or there's a war or something,
they're the first ones
to grab a suitcase full of cash and bounce.
Yeah. They'll be like,
"We must defend this country to the death.
Your death, though. I'm going to Switzerland."
But Zelensky-- no. He's standing his ground.
And maybe even going down with the ship,
which has turned him into an international hero.
So, for more on this, let's go out now to another hero,
our very own Michael Kosta, who is reporting live
from the center of the conflict in Ukraine.
Michael, can you hear me right now
and, most importantly, are you safe?
Yes, Trevor, I'm safe. Thanks for asking.
War is hell, but I am doing the best that I can.
Well, I'm sorry-- Michael, is that
the Eiffel Tower behind you? Are you-are you in Paris?
Aren't you... aren't you supposed to be in Kyiv?
Oh, no way, man, there's a war over there.
Haven't you heard?
Paris is as close as I'm gonna get to all that.
It's not like it's so easy here, either.
The waiters are so rude.
Michael, I'm disappointed in you. Come on.
We spoke abou... I thought you were going, like... Man.
Especially after seeing how brave
President Zelensky has been, you should be as brave.
You're a fellow comedian, you should be proud
of the example that he's setting.
Proud? This Zelensky thing
is a disaster for us, Trevor.
People are gonna see this comedian being brave
and they're gonna think we're all brave.
I did not become a comedian to be brave.
I became a comedian to eat free chicken fingers at comedy clubs.
A if a Russian ever threatened me,
I would not be standing my ground,
I'd be learning how to make borscht
the way that he likes it.
Another one, uh, but this time a white one.
-Good wine. -Well, you know what, Kosta,
I'm disappointed. And that is just you, my friend.
Because I'm a comedian, and I'm inspired by Zelensky
-stepping up to fight. -Oh, really?
So, uh, you want my train ticket to Kyiv
so you can fight on the front lines?
Well, I mean, I-I think I have more value here at the show,
you know, getting the word out to the people,
-informing them about... -Oh, blah, blah, blah.
Admit it: you're a coward.
There's no world leader inside of you, Trevor.
It's just more chicken fingers.
-Okay, fine. I'm not brave either. -Yeah.
But I still think it's inspiring to see one of our own
be brave, you know? Yeah, Trevor, you're not really
grasping what's at stake here.
It's not just about fighting in wars.
After seeing Zelensky, people are gonna expect comedians
to do all sorts of selfless acts now--
stopping crime,
responding to AMBER Alerts.
Just this morning, someone asked me to hold the elevator.
I'm still shaking from that.
Just imagine if I'd actually held it for her.
Well, you know something, Kosta?
I think that, in your own way,
you actually are brave.
-Yeah. -Yeah, I mean, not many people would have the guts
to sound like that much of an asshole on TV.
I'm actually really inspired, man.
Thank you, Trevor. I-I appreciate--
You know, and...
and when you put it that way, I...
I am sort of a hero.
So...
If you'll excuse me, I just saw an old woman fall
and I got to get out of here before she asks me for help.
So...
Inspiring, Michael. Thank you so much.
All right, when we come back, we're gonna be talking more
about the war in Ukraine
with foreign policy expert Samantha Power,
so don't go away.
Did he pay his bill before he left?
Welcome back to The Daily Show.
My guest tonight is Samantha Power,
administrator of USAID and a member
of President Biden's National Security Council.
She joins us from Brussels to talk about the war in Ukraine.
Administrator Power, thank you so much
-for joining us on the show. -Thank you for having me.
You know, it's really crazy how the last time I spoke to you
was actually on The Daily Show-- this was pre, um, you know,
all of this happening. I think it was even pre-pandemic.
And one of the questions I asked you was about Russia.
You responded, saying that Russia is a constant threat,
and it seems like that has come true.
If that's the case, my first question to you is,
how did you see it coming,
and how did the U.S. seem to not do what it could have done,
or was this something that was inevitable?
It's a great question, and I will say
that I was U.N. Ambassador
under Barack Obama in his second term.
And we could find pockets of cooperation.
But for me, what really made clear
that Russia was heading in a different direction,
and it had great consequences for humanity,
was the Syria crisis.
And particularly, you might remember the bombing of Aleppo.
-Mm-hmm. -Which was, like before it,
the bombing of Grozny in Chechnya, internal to Russia.
So, suddenly, Russia, outside of its borders,
was backing, yes, a regime, a government--
it was also a member state of the United Nations--
pulverizing civilians.
First time I ever heard the phrase, Trevor, "Fake news"--
which has now become a staple-- was the Russian ambassador
at the United Nations talking about, claim...
making a set of false claims
-about what was happening in Syria... -Wow.
...and about how all that we're doing
is neutralizing terrorists.
And it was the first time they were asking us
not to believe what we saw with our own eyes.
And then, of course, we had the interference
in the 2016 election, which was so systematic.
So, when you ask where are things going,
I mean, they have obviously turned now
in the darkest direction imaginable,
galvanizing the democratic world, but well beyond that.
I mean, galvanizing statements also from, for example,
the African countries, the Latin American countries
and others in the world who are...
who are just saying, "Enough.
"You know, you cannot pulverize civilians in this way.
"You can't try to take over a country
"just 'cause you want to make your own country bigger.
Like, that's not okay."
And, um... But it's been a reality check, I think,
for-for a lot of countries
and publics around the world
who didn't realize it had gotten this bad.
From-from a layman's perspective,
it feels like the world is in a place
where either countries are afraid of Russia
or, you know, let's say, for instance,
Germany or many countries around Europe,
they're so dependent on Russia for its, uh, its energy.
Um, you know, providing energy.
Uh, they're dependent on Russia for, uh, wheat, et cetera.
It feels like the world is in a position
where they can chastise Russia,
but they can't actually do anything to Russia.
Is there something the world could do?
When we were warning about the troop buildup
on the other side of Ukraine,
uh, there were, you know, some countries
within Europe that were questioning,
you know, "Is that... Is that really true?
Would Putin really do it?"
And-and it was kind of a little bit of wishful thinking
in the sense of you don't want to have to impose those costs.
You don't want to do them, also, to the Russian economy.
Nobody wants to... Goes into...
Wakes up in the morning and says,
"I want to inflict severe economic pain
-on another country." -Right.
Well, the invasion itself
has produced a degree of unity
and a willingness to go further
than we have seen Europe ever be willing to go.
And to bear those costs
potentially to their own, uh, economies,
at least in the short term,
certainly major questions now
about their energy sources
and energy prices. Are those going to be up?
But they basically said what he is doing is intolerable,
and we are going to bear some of those spillover effects
because we have to inflict a degree of punishment here
in the hopes of getting him right now at the beginning.
You know, it's only been going for less than a week.
But to get him to step away
from this reckless, devastating course of action.
And, you know, the-the kinds of steps
that have been taken just in the last 48 hours
goes so far beyond what most observers
thought was conceivable for just the reason you say.
This kind of mutually assured destruction,
interconnectedness of the energy market
-and of our economic system at large. -Yeah. Yeah.
But the SWIFT sanction is the most severe sanction
that one can impose. You know, cutting off, uh,
the U.S. citizens', European citizens' ability
to do business with the Russian Central Bank--
that was something that, until 48 hours ago,
uh, I think President Putin still thought
has was gonna be able to draw upon.
Now, again, what needs to happen
is then the elites around Putin
who also have an awful lot to lose
from the severity of these unprecedented sanctions,
with so many countries behind them,
is that those elites, you know,
need to chime... chime in
and do everything in their power
to affect a calculus that, so far,
on Putin's part, hasn't shown a lot of regard
for the welfare of the Russian people.
This is Putin's M.O., and so that's the question
for people around him, and-and when his cost-benefit calculus
is gonna be affected by all of this, and-and the sanctions
that have been brought online and the unity, you know,
make it, the cost, much more evident to him than
I think anybody expected, including, perhaps, him.
It doesn't seem like China has condemned Russia.
They put out vague statements that sort of say
"we just believe that everyone should be able
to determine their borders," which you could almost
read both ways, funny enough. Um, is there a possibility
that unless Russia stands up, R... you know,
I mean, unless China stands up, is there a possibility
that-that the world could almost push Russia to China
and then trade in Asia just becomes Russia's way out,
or do you think the sanctions are gonna be enough
to get Russia to come to the table?
Well, first of all, Russia's economy
is massively dependent on Europe and the United States.
-Right. -That is Russian manufacturing,
uh, and so many industries that- that keep the economy afloat.
And so, the-the dollar economy
is still the animating force
of the global economy.
Um, I think when it comes to China's reaction,
first of all,
because of the relationship that President Putin
and President Xi have-have built,
a relationship predicated on, uh,
not wanting any country, uh, to question
what they are doing to their own people...
-Yeah. -...um, you know, wanting to be able to crack down
and repress and round people up,
I mean, that is something they have in common.
And-and that has brought them together,
among-among other, uh, dynamics.
But given the-the increasing closeness of that relationship,
uh, many people expected
that China would join Russia in vetoing
a recent UN Security Council resolution
condemning what is happening.
And instead, to your point,
China just said, "Actually, we're gonna abstain,
"um, and we're gonna say all parties should,
you know, have cooler heads or-or whatever."
And so I actually think that it doesn't look like isolation.
Of course we think it's outrageous
that-that any country
would-would miss an opportunity to condemn...
(chuckles) you know, a full-on invasion of its neighbor.
So an abstention is not... (chuckles)
the desired, uh, posture
that-that we would wish, you know, China
or any member state of the United Nations to take.
At the same time, it is a signal to Putin
that China is not attaching,
uh, its mast to-to this sail.
-Right. -Uh, you know, that it is-- it is--
it is putting some distance in there.
And that, Trevor, I think, is partly also because
China has its own global project that it has embarked upon.
China sees that the rest of the world is horrified,
uh, and that the rest of the world really has brought
a degree of, uh, empathy and outrage to what Russia has done.
And so China's a self-interested actor in that world as well
and is looking out for its own standing.
Well, Administrator Power, thank you so much for taking the time.
I know you're dealing with the crisis on the ground,
talking to many of these people.
Hopefully it'll be resolved sooner than later.
I appreciate you for joining me on the show.
Thank you, Trevor.
Okay, we're gonna take a quick break,
but we'll be right back after this.
Well, that's our show for tonight. But before we go,
as you've seen, families in Ukraine
are fleeing violence and urgently need emergency aid.
CARE's immediate crisis response
aims to reach four million people,
prioritizing women and girls
and families and the elderly.
So, if you can, please donate at the link below
to rush urgently needed water, food,
hygiene kits, and ongoing support in Ukraine.
Until tomorrow, stay safe out there,
get your vaccine, and, remember,
be the Zelensky in your group of friends,
not the Putin.
Now here it is, Your Moment of Zen.
♪ ♪
Vladimir Putin started this war.
He fired the first shots.
He is to blame for what we're seeing tonight in Ukraine.
(record scratch)
Why do I hate Putin so much?
Has Putin ever called me a racist?
Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him?
Has he shipped every middle-class job in my town
to Russia?
Did he manufacture a worldwide pandemic
that wrecked my business and kept me indoors for two years?
Is he teaching my children to embrace racial discrimination?
Is he making fentanyl?
Is he trying to snuff out Christianity?
Does he eat dogs?
These are fair questions.
And the answer to all of them is no.
Vladimir Putin didn't do any of that.