(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
NEWSREADER: A major breakthrough for Ukraine...
NEWSREADER: A stunning retreat by Russia...
NEWSREADER: Humiliating losses on the battlefields of Kharkiv... NEWSREADER: A stunning retreat by Russia...
NEWSREADER: Humiliating losses on the battlefields of Kharkiv...
COMMENTATOR: Frankly it's a sign
that they are struggling badly on the Russian side.
NARRATOR: At St George Hall in the Kremlin,
in the midst of a crisis...
NEWSREADER: Russian losses are beginning to spark criticism
NEWSREADER: Russian losses of the Russian leaders...
Russian officials packed the room.
They knew the war in Ukraine Russian officials packed the room.
They knew the war in Ukraine was going badly.
NEWSREADER: Calling his actions, quote,
"detrimental to Russia's and its citizens' future."
Their leader was at a critical juncture.
ANNOUNCER: President Rossiyskoy Federatsii,
ANNOUNCER: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.
(FANFARE, APPLAUSE)
Vladimir Putin would make it clear what his intentions were
and who the enemy really was.
ANTONY BLINKEN: Vladimir Putin needs to somehow justify
the horrific sacrifices that Russians are making
on his orders
by broadening the aperture,
making this about something bigger,
into some kind of conflict with United States,
with the West, with NATO.
Take your pick.
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: I think it's a very dangerous moment.
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: I think It's a dangerous moment for Ukraine,
I think it's a dangerous moment for Russia
I think it's a dangerous because it's hard to see
what the pathway forward is.
(APPLAUSE)
It's a dangerous time.
It was a dramatic escalation,
Putin leaving no doubt
his war was against the United States and the West.
It is a war that he has been waging for years...
..confronting five American presidents...
..on a path that has brought Russia and the United States
to the brink.
(FANFARE)
ANNOUNCER: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin!
NEWSREADER: In Moscow today,
an unprecedented peaceful passing of power.
(RUSSIAN DIALOGUE)
As he ascended to the presidency,
Vladimir Putin was determined to As he ascended to the presidency,
Vladimir Putin was determined to restore Russian strength and empire.
REPORTER: Russians are looking for a strong hand to lead the country.
Vladimir Putin, it appears, is their man.
Vladimir Putin, it appears, He came to see himself
as almost ordained
to lead Russia at this moment
and to lead Russia back to greatness.
(SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN)
If that is your ordained mission,
then there aren't a lot of limits
on the means you can use to achieve that goal.
NEWSREADER: President Clinton arrived in Moscow
NEWSREADER: carrying a message of cooperation...
As president,
Putin carried his simmering grievance As president,
Putin carried his simmering grievance with the United States
into his first meeting with President Bill Clinton.
into his first meeting NEWSREADER: Arriving at the Kremlin
for their first presidential encounter, both leaders...
STROBE TALBOTT: President Clinton wanted to get
STROBE TALBOTT: a little bit of a feel.
He wanted to meet him in the Kremlin as President. a little bit of a feel.
He wanted to meet him in the Kremlin as President.
REPORTER: Two presidents, one near the end his term,
the other beginning a new era...
Putin was wary of the American president,
Putin was wary who had championed the spread
of liberalisation and democracy in Russia.
Putin conveys a huge amount
through body language. Putin conveys a huge amount
through body language.
He tries to show you
that he's the alpha male in the room
through the way he spreads his legs,
through the way he slouches a bit in his chair,
through the way that he will look at people
and kind of give them a dismissive hand wave.
PETER BAKER: His first meeting with Clinton, he was a cold fish.
He had no interest in dealing with Clinton.
Clinton felt insulted and rebuffed. He had no interest in dealing with Clinton.
Clinton felt insulted and rebuffed.
Putin didn't want to have anything to do with Clinton.
REPORTER: If Mr Clinton was hoping for a foreign-policy triumph,
REPORTER: If Mr Clinton was he won't get it here.
Later that day
Clinton received a warmer reception from Putin's mentor,
former president Boris Yeltsin.
And he issued a warning about the new Russian president.
STROBE TALBOTT: Bill Clinton looked hard into Yeltsin's eyes and said,
STROBE TALBOTT: Bill Clinton looked "I'm a little bit concerned
"about this young man that you have "I'm a little bit concerned
"about this young man that you have turned over the presidency to.
"He doesn't have democracy in his heart."
And he reached over and poked him in his heart.
And he reached over And I will never forget
the fa...the expression And I will never forget
the fa...the expression that came over Yeltsin.
I think it really shook Yeltsin a bit.
But in front of the cameras
Clinton walked a careful line,
not revealing his concerns about Putin.
If you want to know what my personal assessment is,
I think he is fully capable...
..of building a prosperous, strong Russia
while preserving freedom and pluralism and the rule of law.
It's a big challenge.
I think he's fully capable of doing it.
I think he's fully capable But, from the start,
Clinton's private fears about Putin were being realised.
(TROOPS VOCALISE)
(TROOPS SING NATIONAL ANTHEM)
PETER BAKER: From the very beginning
you saw in Putin somebody who didn't have the values of the West.
Piece by piece,
he is dismantling the structures of Piece by piece,
he is dismantling the structures of democracy, fragile though they were,
he is dismantling the structures of that had been put in place
and reconsolidating control in the Kremlin.
and reconsolidating control That's not a Westerniser.
That's not a democrat, small D.
That's an old-fashioned Russian autocrat that we saw
and SHOULD have seen from the very beginning.
NEWSREADER: Literally one of the closest elections
NEWSREADER: Literally in American history.
It was the start of a new presidency in the US...
NEWSREADER: Electoral votes will go to George W Bush,
NEWSREADER: Electoral votes the Governor of Texas.
..and the winner had expressed optimism
about being able to get along with Putin.
PRESENTER: Big Texas howdy to the new president of the United States.
I look forward to working with Mr Putin
I look forward and explaining my point of view
and my attitude about the post-Cold War era.
I'm gonna look him right in the eye and say,
I'm gonna look him "You're no longer the enemy.
"And we're not your enemy.
"Surely we can work together.
"We're a peaceful nation,"
and that we look forward to working together with Russia...
HEATHER CONLEY: Putin saw in President Bush
someone that he could do business with.
He was seeking a new great power relationship,
that President Bush could be a leader He was seeking a new great power relationship,
that President Bush could be a leader
who he could work with to redefine the international system.
Putin's early moves consolidating power
Putin's early moves and his past as a KGB agent
didn't deter the Bush team.
JOHN BOLTON: It didn't bother me that Putin was KGB.
In the KGB, you were taught to think for yourself,
so, actually, that struck us as an opportunity.
I don't think anybody was looking at this
through rose-coloured glasses,
but we thought, through rose-coloured glasses,
but we thought, at the strategic level,
there were real opportunities to work together.
NEWSREADER: President George Bush has called for a new approach...
The two presidents would size each other up...
NEWSREADER: A meeting with Russian president, Vladimir Putin...
..at a summit in the former communist state of Slovenia.
..at a summit in the former REPORTER: This is more about
the President and Putin developing a personal relationship... REPORTER: This is more about
the President and Putin developing a personal relationship...
(RUSSIAN DIALOGUE)
HEATHER CONLEY: Vladimir Putin,
as someone who had, I'm sure, a very thick dossier on President Bush,
as someone who had, I'm sure, a very was trying to find his weaknesses,
appeal to his personality traits.
Putin went for Bush's strong Christian faith.
JOHN BEYRLE: President Putin told President Bush
about the time his dacha burned down,
and a religious medallion, which had belonged to his mother,
and a religious medallion, which had gotten lost,
and he thought this was irretrievably gone,
and then a fireman brought him this kind of almost like a holy relic.
It was a very affecting, emotional story and then a fireman brought him this kind of almost like a holy relic.
It was a very affecting, emotional story
and had some effect on President Bush.
(CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK)
REPORTER: (CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK)
REPORTER: Question to President Bush.
Is this a man that Americans can trust?
GEORGE W BUSH: I'll answer the question.
GEORGE W BUSH: I looked the man in the eye.
I found him I looked the man in the eye.
I found him to be very straightforward.
I found him I was able to...
..get a sense of his soul.
He's a man ..get a sense of his soul.
He's a man deeply committed to his country
and the best interests of his country.
And Bush gives that line, right, and the best interests of his country.
And Bush gives that line, right,
that "I looked into his eyes and got a sense of his soul,"
and we go, "Uh-oh."
And Condi does her version of not comfortable.
And Condi She just reacts, just for a second.
For the moment
Putin had won over the American president.
NEWSREADER: The countdown to war, it appears, is now underway.
And soon more fuel for Putin's grievance with the US...
NEWSREADER: West-led attack on Iraq appears closer.
NEWSREADER: West-led attack on Iraq ..the Iraq War.
NEWSREADER: America at war. Tonight - shock and awe. ..the Iraq War.
NEWSREADER: America at war. Tonight - shock and awe.
Regime change at the hands of the Bush administration.
REPORTER: The Stars and Stripes have come to town.
Saddam Hussein's reign of terror is over.
SUSAN GLASSER: The Iraq War was absolutely a turning point
in a very significant moment SUSAN GLASSER: The Iraq War was absolutely a turning point
in a very significant moment
of rupture in the relationship between Putin and President Bush.
For Putin, echoes of the final days of the Soviet Union.
GEORGE W BUSH: The tyrant has fallen and Iraq is free.
And everywhere that freedom stirs
let tyrants fear.
EUGENE ROBINSON: An adventure like the Iraq War shows him
that "Look - they'll just come in
"and they'll just take out a government
"and think nothing of it."
And that's not the way he wanted the world to work.
And it is both our responsibility and our privilege
And it is both to fight freedom's fight.
(APPLAUSE)
Bush called it the 'freedom agenda' -
a plan to export American democracy around the world.
Putin saw it as a direct threat
to his own plan Putin saw it as a direct threat
to his own plan to restore Russian greatness.
EVAN OSNOS: Vladimir Putin concluded that the United States,
when possible, would use its power and leverage
to depose leaders that it did not agree with.
And from Vladimir Putin's perspective, to depose leaders that it did not agree with.
And from Vladimir Putin's perspective,
that was an existential threat. perspective,
that was an existential threat.
NEWSREADER: The Bush Doctrine of spreading freedom around the...
Under Bush, that threat was extending to Putin's own backyard.
COMMENTATOR: Responsibility around the world to extend freedom...
Popular uprisings in former Soviet republics.
COMMENTATOR: Bush really believes
that democracy can be planted almost anywhere.
GEORGE W BUSH: Americans respect your courageous choice for liberty.
The American people will stand with you.
STEPHEN HADLEY: Putin concluded
that these were efforts by the United States
that these were efforts and our intelligence services
to, in fact, install and our intelligence services
to, in fact, install
in these neighbouring countries
regimes that would be anti-Russian.
Putin had seen enough.
He would fight back.
NEWSREADER: Russian president, Vladimir Putin,
is speaking at an international conference in Germany...
He'd do it in Munich, Germany,
issuing a warning to America and the world.
MASHA GESSEN: And, so, he comes to the Security Conference in Munich
and says, basically, "I don't have to mince words, do I?
"I can say what's on my mind." and says, basically, "I don't have to mince words, do I?
"I can say what's on my mind."
And then he just lashes out,
and he lists all these resentments.
STROBE TALBOTT: My head snapped.
It was so searing and blunt,
and I felt...
.."This was the real guy."
NEWSREADER: Putin echoed Cold War rhetoric
by accusing the US of making the world unsafe.
by accusing the US NEWSREADER: Premier Vladimir Putin
left no doubt who he sees
as responsible left no doubt who he sees
as responsible for the current global crisis.
DANIEL FRIED: Putin clearly in this speech
was drawing a line and saying, "We're not going to try anymore. DANIEL FRIED: Putin clearly in this speech
was drawing a line and saying, "We're not going to try anymore.
"We're just giving up on you. "We're not going to try anymore.
"We're just giving up on you.
"And we're going to make our own world in which we are the master."
NEWSREADER: It's one of Putin's harshest attacks on America
NEWSREADER: It's one of Putin's in his seven-year term.
HEATHER CONLEY: After that speech
we saw the first long-range HEATHER CONLEY: After that speech
we saw the first long-range nuclear bombers by Russia.
We saw the devastating cyberattack on Estonia in 2007.
We were starting to see steps taken We saw the devastating cyberattack on Estonia in 2007.
We were starting to see steps taken
that represented a Russian assertiveness
that we had not seen.
We did not necessarily understand
that 2007 is the date
where he wanted to stop that 2007 is the date
where he wanted to stop that democratic encroachment.
NEWSREADER: The leaders of NATO begin a two-day summit today...
NEWSREADER: It's been six years since the establishment
of the NATO-Russia Council...
But Bush ignored Putin's warning...
REPORTER: The decisions taken by this summit But Bush ignored Putin's warning...
REPORTER: The decisions taken by this summit
will affect the future of the alliance.
..ratcheting up the conflict,
encouraging Georgia and Ukraine, two former Soviet republics,
encouraging Georgia and Ukraine, to join NATO.
GEORGE W BUSH: We must make clear to join NATO.
GEORGE W BUSH: We must make clear that NATO welcomes
the aspirations of Georgia and Ukraine
the aspirations for their membership in NATO.
Putin rushed to Bucharest to confront Bush.
PETER BAKER: There's this amazing moment.
Putin shows up early and crashes the dinner with the NATO members.
He has basically shown up as the skunk in the garden
and challenging them for what they've done.
In a meeting later
Putin was adamant to Bush -
Georgia and especially Ukraine were in his sphere of influence.
WILLIAM TAYLOR: He leaned over and said,
WILLIAM TAYLOR: "Ukraine is not a real country."
He had no respect for the "Ukraine is not a real country."
He had no respect for the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people.
We should have seen it earlier.
Maybe we didn't want to see it, We should have seen it earlier.
Maybe we didn't want to see it,
if we had WANTED to see it
but it was clear if we had WANTED to see it
the direction that President Putin was going.
Putin made it clear
he wouldn't accept Bush's plan Putin made it clear
he wouldn't accept Bush's plan for Georgia and Ukraine.
Just four months later
Putin attacked Georgia.
REPORTER: Russian troops, backed Putin attacked Georgia.
REPORTER: Russian troops, backed by tanks and armoured vehicles...
STEVEN PIFER: The Russians were prepared
and perhaps even eager for a conflict with Georgia.
REPORTER: There appeared to be little to stop the troops...
And part of that was motivated
by, "We're gonna show the Georgians
"that getting too close to NATO has a price." by, "We're gonna show the Georgians
"that getting too close to NATO has a price."
NEWSREADER: Russian planes again bombing Georgian apartment...
Putin seized and held nearly 5,000 square miles of Georgian territory.
REPORTER: Another town is burning, more civilians have been killed.
WILLIAM BURNS: From Putin's point of view,
WILLIAM BURNS: this wasn't just about Georgia.
NEWSREADER: this wasn't just about Georgia.
NEWSREADER: A fierce battle broke out today...
WILLIAM BURNS This was about Ukraine.
This was about what he saw to be the West-centrist
and, you know, eventual expansion of NATO, This was about what he saw to be the West-centrist
and, you know, eventual expansion of NATO,
potentially to include
Ukraine and Georgia.
REPORTER: Some of those Georgian soldiers were saying,
REPORTER: Some of those "Where is the United States?"
As the war broke out,
Vladimir Putin and George W Bush
happened to be at the Olympics in Beijing.
PETER BAKER: Bush finds himself at the Olympics
PETER BAKER: sitting in the same row as Putin.
He has his wife, Laura, and the King of Cambodia move aside
so he can sit next to Putin and talk about it.
so he can sit next to Putin But he knows the cameras are on him,
so, he's trying not to make it a big, visible confrontation. But he knows the cameras are on him,
so, he's trying not to make it a big, visible confrontation.
But he's telling Putin, "What are you doing here?
"This is not right.
"You can't be doing this."
And Putin is basically telling him to butt out.
The president who had looked into Putin's soul
had now reached a different conclusion
had now reached about just who Vladimir Putin was.
THOMAS GRAHAM: I remember the President saying,
"You know, I don't know how, but we've lost him."
Putin was going in a different direction, "You know, I don't know how, but we've lost him."
Putin was going in a different direction,
and there was little that the administration,
in President Bush's mind, could do that the administration,
in President Bush's mind, could do
to put Putin back on that course.
Nearing the end of his presidency,
Bush would leave the increasing conflict with Putin to his successor.
SUSAN GLASSER: They let Vladimir Putin, arguably,
SUSAN GLASSER: get away with it in Georgia.
One message that Putin clearly get away with it in Georgia.
One message that Putin clearly takes from that, in hindsight,
One message that Putin clearly is that he is able
to use the military as a tool is that he is able
to use the military as a tool
of achieving his political ends outside the borders of Russia
and that the West will complain and lecture
but, basically, will let him get away with it.
but, basically, That's a terrible message,
and I think it is the prologue for the Ukraine disaster.
NEWSREADER: All Americans can celebrate,
NEWSREADER: red or blue, black or white.
NEWSREADER: First African-American President of the United States...
NEWSREADER: President Obama is set to land in Russia...
NEWSREADER: President Obama Less than a year later,
Vladimir Putin would meet newly elected Barack Obama face-to-face...
NEWSREADER: President Obama has a big meeting ahead...
..sizing up his third American president.
REPORTER: Shadows of the Cold War will loom over his summit...
WILLIAM BURNS: I remember their first meeting in July of 2009
at Putin's dacha, you know, just outside Moscow.
They're much different personalities.
They're much different President Obama's initial question,
about 10 seconds, President Obama's initial question,
about 10 seconds,
led to a 45-minute, you know, about 10 seconds,
led to a 45-minute, you know, monologue
by Putin.
ANTONY BLINKEN: Putin is extraordinarily calm,
ANTONY BLINKEN: matter-of-fact.
He doesn't get ruffled.
He may say hard things,
but he says them in a very calm, almost matter-of-fact way.
Unfortunately, President Putin but he says them in a very calm, almost matter-of-fact way.
Unfortunately, President Putin
simply speaks mistruth after Unfortunately, President Putin
simply speaks mistruth after mistruth and tries to misinform.
But he does it as easily as he breathes.
EUGENE ROBINSON: Putin obviously did not respect him.
EUGENE ROBINSON: Putin looked at the United States
and I think it surprised him that a black man would be elected Putin looked at the United States
and I think it surprised him that a black man would be elected
President of the United States.
I think that was a surprise to him.
And who knows?
I think there well could be just an element of flat-out racism,
that he somehow thought Obama was not his equal,
that Obama did not deserve to be treated as his equal.
(CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK)
REPORTER: Clearly, the relationship
not quite as warm as maybe he has with other world leaders...
Leaving Russia, the new president
had another way to deal with the problem of Vladimir Putin.
COMMENTATOR: Putin gave him an hour-long lecture,
and I don't think Obama likes to be lectured.
That was a real clash of the egos there.
COMMENTATOR: President Obama has gotten to Moscow,
COMMENTATOR: President Obama and Putin is not buying it.
And Putin is still in charge.
He gave the Putin file And Putin is still in charge.
He gave the Putin file to his vice president, Joe Biden.
He gave the Putin file EVAN OSNOS: Biden sometimes joked
that his job as Vice President EVAN OSNOS: Biden sometimes joked
that his job as Vice President
was to do the things that Obama didn't want do,
and that does include the subject of Russia.
And here's Joe Biden,
who's been talking about Russian issues since 1973,
and they said, "Alright, Joe Biden, this is your issue."
A senator over four decades and chair of the Foreign Relations Committee,
Biden, like Putin, had been shaped by the Cold War.
Speaking for myself, I don't trust the Soviets.
I don't trust them to do anything
short of what they can get away with.
Now as Vice President,
Biden travelled to Moscow Now as Vice President,
Biden travelled to Moscow to meet with Putin.
Biden travelled to Moscow (CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK)
The two men smiled for the cameras...
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
..but later things were different...
(VLADIMIR PUTIN SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN)
..Putin argumentative...
JOE BIDEN: It's in our self-interest...
..Biden wary.
PETER BAKER: It's a seminal meeting
in part because of the mythology that is created out of it.
It's kind of like a marker being put down, I think,
between two men who ultimately would find themselves in this great clash
that we're in today.
Biden would write about the moment in his autobiography.
JOE BIDEN: "It was long and contentious.
"Putin was ice-cold calm throughout,
"but argumentative from the start to finish."
ANTONY BLINKEN: Well, I was there with then-Vice President Biden.
The message that he's sending is... ANTONY BLINKEN: Well, I was there with then-Vice President Biden.
The message that he's sending is...
.."Let's not...
"We're not here to kid each other.
"We need to speak clearly.
"We need to speak directly."
JOE BIDEN: "'I'm looking into your eyes,' I told him, smiling.
JOE BIDEN: "'I'm looking into "'I don't think you have a soul.'
"He looked at me for a second and smiled back.
"'We understand each other,' he said.
"'We understand each other,' "And we did."
And later that year -
protesters right outside the Kremlin.
REPORTER: Tens of thousands came out on the streets
to tell Vladimir Putin they'd had enough.
YEVGENIA ALBATS: There's hundreds of thousands of people
who were marching in the streets of Moscow shouting, "Down with Putin."
who were marching in the streets of (PROTESTERS CHANT IN RUSSIAN)
For him it was like, (PROTESTERS CHANT IN RUSSIAN)
For him it was like,
"It couldn't be so. It couldn't happen."
(PROTESTERS CHANT IN RUSSIAN)
ANTONY BLINKEN: He was thrown by the protests.
He was taken aback by the passion of the opposition,
and had to look for a place to point the finger.
and had to look for a place He pointed it at us.
Putin cracked down.
NEWSREADER: The Russian police have arrested about 200 people...
REPORTER: The arrests appear to be part
REPORTER: of a broad and deliberate crackdown.
REPORTER: Raising questions about justice in Vladimir Putin's Russia.
GENNADY GUDKOV: REPORTER: Raising questions about justice in Vladimir Putin's Russia.
GENNADY GUDKOV:
(SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN)
COMMENTATOR: The most repressive Russian regime since...
Many of Putin's opponents inside Russia fled the country.
NEWSREADER: He was forced into exile in England...
NEWSREADER: Opponent saying, quote, "I'm scared Putin will kill me."
NEWSREADER: Opponent saying, quote, Others died mysterious deaths.
NEWSREADER: Putin aide discovered Others died mysterious deaths.
NEWSREADER: Putin aide discovered dead in a DC hotel room...
One who nearly died twice from poisoning was Vladimir Kara-Murza.
COMMENTATOR: Bad things often happen to opponents...
VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA: There's been a very high mortality rate
in the last several years VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA: There's been a very high mortality rate
in the last several years
among the people
who have crossed the path
of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin.
Independent journalists, anti-corruption campaigners,
opposition activists, opposition leaders.
opposition activists, Many people have died,
some in strange and unexplained Many people have died,
some in strange and unexplained deaths,
others in just straight-out assassinations.
Putin extended his offensive beyond Russia.
REPORTER: Ukraine is stuck very much in the middle...
In the Ukrainian territory of Crimea...
REPORTER: Armed Russian troops arrived in the Crimea region... In the Ukrainian territory of Crimea...
REPORTER: Armed Russian troops arrived in the Crimea region...
..his campaign began with the arrival of unmarked Russian soldiers.
STEVEN PIFER: They moved in
with what the Ukrainians called 'little green men'.
with what the Ukrainians called And they were clearly,
by the way they handled themselves and their weapons,
professional military,
wearing Russian-style combat uniforms but no insignia. professional military,
wearing Russian-style combat uniforms but no insignia.
NEWSREADER: Russian forces in the thousands seizing territory...
He seized Crimea and said it was now part of Russia.
And he didn't stop there.
He opened another front in Ukraine's east.
DAVID HOFFMAN: He used another form of deception,
which was to send in irregular forces,
mercenaries who had been recruited.
Putin claimed, "There are no Russian forces in this war." mercenaries who had been recruited.
Putin claimed, "There are no Russian forces in this war."
But, in fact, he was organising the whole thing behind the scenes.
REPORTER: The Ukraine crisis looks pretty similar to World War II.
REPORTER: We are seeing a very gross violation
REPORTER: We are seeing of international law...
It was just the start of international law...
It was just the start of what would become
an unrelenting focus on finally taking Ukraine.
REPORTER: The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine
is getting worse and worse.
REPORTER: Frightened residents have been warned to stay indoors.
EUGENE ROBINSON: He felt emboldened
and felt he had been able to make his move in Georgia,
and nobody tried to do anything about it. and felt he had been able to make his move in Georgia,
and nobody tried to do anything about it.
NEWSREADER: An average of 36 people a day
were killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
EUGENE ROBINSON: And, in Ukraine, he gambles that
the West isn't really going to do anything about it.
REPORTER: Chaos and carnage till morning,
with questions of what's next for the country.
EUGENE ROBINSON: The West is gonna complain about it,
but they're not really gonna do anything to stop it.
NEWSREADER: 40 children perished as the result...
NEWSREADER: Rekindled fears about Russia's intentions
NEWSREADER: Rekindled fears in regard to its neighbours...
COMMENTATOR: A sovereign nation in regard to its neighbours...
COMMENTATOR: A sovereign nation is invaded by another country.
COMMENTATOR: A sovereign nation That kind of aggression
is not something we should tolerate anywhere in the world.
is not something we should tolerate At the White House
President Obama At the White House
President Obama was struggling to respond.
JAKE SULLIVAN: How do you deter behaviour
when the other side is basically denying that it's even taking place? JAKE SULLIVAN: How do you deter behaviour
when the other side is basically denying that it's even taking place?
When the other side is saying,
"I don't even know what you're When the other side is saying,
"I don't even know what you're talking about. We're not involved."
REPORTER: President Obama says he's deeply concerned...
On the phone, Obama confronted Putin about his forces in Ukraine.
Tony Blinken was in the Oval Office for those calls.
ANTONY BLINKEN: Putin denied their presence.
ANTONY BLINKEN: And it was striking,
and flat-out lying about Russia's presence in Ukraine.
And Obama would say to him, "Vladimir, we're not blind.
And Obama would say to him, "We have eyes. We can see."
And Putin would just move on as if nothing had happened.
Inside the administration
Vice President Biden urged a tough response.
TOMICAH TILLEMANN: Joe Biden knew that in this case
Vladimir Putin was acting like a playground bully TOMICAH TILLEMANN: Joe Biden knew that in this case
Vladimir Putin was acting like a playground bully
and would continue to act like a bully.
CIA director, John Brennan, also wanted to get tough.
JOHN BRENNAN: Bullies try to intimidate
JOHN BRENNAN: and they keep moving forward
unless they get their nose bloodied and they keep moving forward
unless they get their nose bloodied a little bit.
Mr Putin really needed to get his nose bloodied.
Officials at the Pentagon and State Department joined with Biden.
They advocated arming Ukraine with Javelin anti-tank missiles.
SUSAN GLASSER: They're all saying,
"You should give military assistance to Ukraine.
"You need to step up what you're doing
"against Russia. "You need to step up what you're doing
"against Russia.
"Putin is getting the wrong message "against Russia.
"Putin is getting the wrong message from us."
And Obama wouldn't do it.
Biden lost.
Instead of weapons, Biden lost.
Instead of weapons, Obama went with sanctions.
EVAN OSNOS: From Obama's perspective,
nobody had elected him to the White House
to be focused on Russia and Ukraine.
And now you have your vice president bending your ear
about the need to draw a bright line
and say that Russian aggression cannot stand. about the need to draw a bright line
and say that Russian aggression cannot stand.
I think there was a piece of Obama
I think there was that looked at this and said,
"Sorry, this is just not that looked at this and said,
"Sorry, this is just not a top priority for us."
TIMOTHY SNYDER: Putin takes a lesson from Ukraine
TIMOTHY SNYDER: when he's able to invade a country,
and our reaction is minimal, right? when he's able to invade a country,
and our reaction is minimal, right?
And, so, of course he takes a lesson from that.
NEWSREADER: The 2016 presidential race is underway.
Having tested the United States' resolve,
Putin would go even further... the United States' resolve,
Putin would go even further...
NEWSREADER: The candidates are once again fanned out across...
..striking at the heart of American democracy...
NEWSREADER: Candidates make a final push to shore up...
..interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
Putin's attack was aimed at Washington, DC,
Russian hackers breaching Democratic Party computer servers,
Russian hackers breaching email leaks designed to undermine
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
JAMES CLAPPER: This was the most aggressive Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
JAMES CLAPPER: This was the most aggressive
and most direct and most assertive campaign
that the Russians ever mounted and most assertive campaign
that the Russians ever mounted
in the history of our elections.
And what characterised THIS
were the variety and intensity of And what characterised THIS
were the variety and intensity of the techniques that they employed.
Misinformation, fake users designed to look like Americans,
Misinformation, fake users trolls supporting the Kremlin,
an army of automated bots on Twitter
and targeted advertisements an army of automated bots on Twitter
and targeted advertisements on Facebook and Google,
calculated to hurt Clinton and help her rival, Donald Trump.
STEPHEN HADLEY: President Putin's view of Trump
was a penchant for authoritarianism, a backing off of human rights
and talking about wanting to have was a penchant for authoritarianism, a backing off of human rights
and talking about wanting to have
a more positive relationship with Russia.
What's not to like if you're Vladimir Putin?
"It sort of sounds like he's one of us." (CHUCKLES)
NEWSREADER: Donald Trump pulled off
one of the biggest political upsets in American elections...
On election night, a victory for Trump
On election night, and for Putin.
NEWSREADER: In a stunning upset,
Donald Trump is elected the 45th president...
NEWSREADER: Donald Trump shocking the nation and the world...
President Putin called me up very nicely
to congratulate me on the win of the election.
PETER BAKER: From Putin's point of view, he won.
Not only did the candidate he favoured come out on top, PETER BAKER: From Putin's point of view, he won.
Not only did the candidate he favoured come out on top,
he has disrupted Americans' faith in their own democracy
so that we're all turning on each other
and we're busy fighting with each other
and, in his mind,
hopefully too distracted to pose a threat to HIM on the world stage.
NEWSREADER: President Trump's Helsinki summit
NEWSREADER: with President Vladimir Putin...
For the fourth time
Vladimir Putin would confront For the fourth time
Vladimir Putin would confront a new American president.
REPORTER: Urging the President to confront Putin
about Russia's interference in the 2016 election...
JOHN BOLTON: Vladimir Putin is as clear-eyed and cold-blooded
as any foreign leader I have ever seen.
He knows exactly what he thinks Russia's national interest is
and he pursues it unrelentingly. He knows exactly what he thinks Russia's national interest is
and he pursues it unrelentingly.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: We get the first images
of President Trump and Vladimir Putin
of President Trump sitting down next to each other,
and President Trump is sitting up in his chair,
looking as though
he really, really wants to get something out of this meeting.
he really, really wants to get Well, first of all, Mr President,
I'd like to congratulate you Well, first of all, Mr President,
I'd like to congratulate you on a really great World Cup.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: And Vladimir Putin is kind of slumped in his chair,
not smiling, doesn't look like he's having a good time.
Getting along with Russia is a good thing,
not a bad thing.
It was clear that, in Trump,
Putin had a very different American president.
JOHN BOLTON: Confronted with Donald Trump,
this is like an open field
in front of a football player carrying the football.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Trump never understood that,
never understood Trump never understood that,
never understood what the nature of Putin's game was.
I think Putin thought Trump was a fool
I think and easily manipulable.
The cameras were sent away.
For two hours they met privately without any aides.
EUGENE ROBINSON: Putin didn't need the KGB psychological profilers
to hand him a dossier on how to play Donald Trump.
to hand him a dossier He was able to read Trump.
He had a very good understanding of how to flatter him.
He knew how to play Trump like a violin.
Afterwards, when they faced the press,
Afterwards, a shocking statement.
REPORTER: President Putin denied
having anything to do with REPORTER: President Putin denied
having anything to do with the election interference in 2016.
Every US intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did.
My first question for you, sir, is who do you believe?
My first question for you, sir, GREG MILLER: "Who do you believe?"
That's the starkest GREG MILLER: "Who do you believe?"
That's the starkest possible way
to put that question to the President.
My people came to me. Dan Coats came to me and some others.
My people came to me. Dan Coats They said they think it's Russia.
I have President Putin.
He just said it's not Russia.
I will say this - I don't see any reason why it would be.
JOHN BOLTON: I felt frozen to my chair,
like everybody else in the room.
We couldn't believe it.
I will tell you that President Putin
was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today, and what he did...
JULIA IOFFE: Everybody who was in the room with them
just saw how masterfully
Putin manipulated Trump. just saw how masterfully
Putin manipulated Trump.
He saw him as gullible and stupid and easily manipulatable
and that he was just, you know, the Russian expression
that he was just making ropes out of him, just braiding him like a braid.
COMMENTATOR: Extraordinary moment in American history,
something I thought I would never see.
COMMENTATOR: A disgraceful play by the President of the United States
as he stood by Vladimir Putin...
Back in Washington...
REPORTER: Concern continues to grow
about what they said to each other behind closed doors.
about what they said to each other ..they were calling it a 'bromance'.
COMMENTATOR: There's been ..they were calling it a 'bromance'.
COMMENTATOR: There's been some sort of bromance with...
COMMENTATOR: A Putin-Trump bromance...
SUSAN GLASSER: Trump acted, in some ways,
as an arm of Putin's foreign policy SUSAN GLASSER: Trump acted, in some ways,
as an arm of Putin's foreign policy
in this period of time.
REPORTER: President Trump on the attack, asking, "What good is NATO?"
REPORTER: President Trump on the REPORTER: Once again questioning
the entire point to one of America's oldest alliances.
And Trump was echoing Putin's talking points
And Trump was echoing on the key battleground of Ukraine.
The President told leaders that, quote,
"Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in the world."
He would say, "Ukraine is a really corrupt country."
COMMENTATOR: The president is saying that Crimea
COMMENTATOR: probably SHOULD belong to Russia
because everyone there speaks Russian.
JULIA IOFFE: "Crimea is Russian.
"Everybody there speaks Russian and wants to be part of Russia."
COMMENTATOR: Donald Trump parroting Vladimir Putin,
saying that Ukraine is not even a real country.
Where did he hear these things? He heard them from Putin.
You know, and he would just echo them.
COMMENTATOR: Trump is actually helping Putin
reconstitute the Soviet Union.
JULIA IOFFE: It was just too easy.
COMMENTATOR: Trump suggested it's pointless
COMMENTATOR: to continue punishing Russia.
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: He's getting to continue punishing Russia.
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: He's getting pretty much everything he needs
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: He's getting from President Trump.
He's getting
a smackdown of NATO, the humiliation of our best allies. He's getting
a smackdown of NATO, the humiliation of our best allies.
I mean, the list goes on and on and on.
And, so, Putin was probably betting on a second term of President Trump
and hoping that he could get his way on many things,
whether it's NATO, whether it's Ukraine,
whether it's NATO, without using the instrument of war.
But Trump did not get a second term.
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project But Trump did not get a second term.
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project
that former vice president, Joe Biden...
And with a new president...
NEWSREADER: President-elect, Joseph Robinette Biden...
Frankly, we DID win this election.
(WILD CHEERING) We did win this election.
..an escalation of the chaos in America that Putin helped foment.
REPORTER: The President showing no signs
that he's prepared to concede this election. Instead...
Division.
REPORTER: This is a contested election. Many people are nervous.
REPORTER: This is a contested Violence.
(INDISTINCT YELLING)
Insurrection.
(INDISTINCT CHANTING)
NEWSREADER: Historic meeting with Russian president...
Soon, in Geneva, Vladimir Putin faced his old nemesis...
REPORTER: President Biden and Vladimir Putin...
..now the President of the United States.
REPORTER: For neither of them is this their first rodeo. ..now the President of the United States.
REPORTER: For neither of them is this their first rodeo.
COMMENTATOR: The tensions seem to be a bit high.
EVAN OSNOS: Putin is looking at Biden and saying,
"This is a weak American president.
"He doesn't have the overwhelming support of his public.
"His people are so divided
"just months earlier they'd had an attack on the Capitol."
And all he needs to do is hold Biden off long enough
so that he can continue to assemble the plan
so that he can continue that he's putting together.
PETER BAKER: that he's putting together.
PETER BAKER: They're children of the Cold War
and they see each other and their countries through the Cold War.
and they see each other and their Biden saw Putin for what he is -
a KGB revanchist who wants to remake the Russian Empire.
EVAN OSNOS: I just remember the body language
and them sitting in that room together,
and it's...
..it's icy.
I mean, these are two people who do not like each other.
Antony Blinken, now Secretary of State, was once again in the room.
ANTONY BLINKEN: The tone of the conversation was professional,
it was direct.
But it was very clear where we had our differences.
President Biden made very clear where we saw things differently.
And so did President Putin.
Try to determine where we have mutual interest...
A top priority for Biden - deterring Putin in Ukraine.
ANTONY BLINKEN: President Biden made clear
in the meeting to President Putin
our commitment to Ukraine,
our commitment to its sovereignty, to its independence,
our commitment to its sovereignty, to its territorial integrity.
(RUSSIAN DIALOGUE)
Putin began laying the groundwork for the invasion of Ukraine.
REPORTER: And 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border
REPORTER: And 100,000 Russian are fuelling fears of a Russian...
NEWSREADER: Satellite images show
an increase in Russian forces on the Ukraine border.
an increase in Russian forces At the White House...
REPORTER: Tensions nearing a tipping point.
..an emergency presidential briefing -
secret information about Putin's plans.
ANTONY BLINKEN: And it was in that moment
when the combination of seeing the forces deployed ANTONY BLINKEN: And it was in that moment
when the combination of seeing the forces deployed
and then having, from the information we'd gotten,
real visibility on what Russia was actually thinking
real visibility and what they were planning,
that's when we really saw the storm rising
and heading in Ukraine's direction.
Once again, an American president was facing a critical decision
Once again, an American president about how to deal with Putin.
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: If Russia is allowed to get away with this,
if Russia stomps all over Ukraine and takes it over, MARIE YOVANOVITCH: If Russia is allowed to get away with this,
if Russia stomps all over Ukraine and takes it over,
it affects the entire international order
that we've been living under since World War II.
The stakes were pretty high, and they continue to be very high.
In a video conference with Putin
Biden warned him In a video conference with Putin
Biden warned him to pull back from the brink.
ANTONY BLINKEN: He's saying, "First of all, we see what you're doing,
"what you're planning, what you're plotting.
"And, if you go ahead with what we're seeing,
"you need to understand
"the costs and consequences to Russia will be severe,
"and you need to know that I mean what I say."
Putin's response was familiar -
denial.
ANTONY BLINKEN: They're denying.
They're denying any imminent aggression against Ukraine.
They're saying that "That's not what we're doing."
But, because we had such extraordinary visibility
But, because we had and extraordinary information,
we knew in real time
when Putin was saying something
that was in contradiction with what was actually happening.
Putin ignored Biden and pushed forward with the invasion.
YEVGENIA ALBATS: Vladimir Putin understands
the Western ability to make decisive steps pretty well. YEVGENIA ALBATS: Vladimir Putin understands
the Western ability to make decisive steps pretty well.
He knew that when President Biden said,
"Don't do this or there will be consequences,"
he knew that there were not going to be any consequences.
For two decades Vladimir Putin had defied American presidents...
..invading Georgia,
seizing Crimea,
interfering in a presidential election.
interfering And he wasn't stopping now.
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: He made a calculation
MARIE YOVANOVITCH: that Biden would not be able to lead
an international group of countries to support Ukraine
and that there wouldn't be the will to support Ukraine.
And, even if it was there in the beginning, it would not continue.
30 years after the fall of the Soviet Union,
Vladimir Putin was now pursuing an all-out war...
(AIR-RAID SIREN BLARES) ..to rebuild the Russian Empire.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: ..to rebuild the Russian Empire.
VLADIMIR PUTIN:
(EXPLOSIONS) (AIR-RAID SIREN BLARES)
REPORTER: Apocalyptic scenes on the outskirts of the capital city.
REPORTER: A non-stop onslaught over the last 24 hours,
REPORTER: A non-stop onslaught with mass casualties.
REPORTER: Tens of thousands of civilians trapped in cities
under near-constant Russian shellfire.
REPORTER: The biggest war in Europe since World War II.
REPORTER: The world is waiting to see
just how far Putin's 190,000 troops will go into the country of Ukraine.
just how far Putin's 190,000 troops Will he stop?
With the battle for Ukraine underway...
..Biden went further than any president before,
delivering weapons and intelligence to the front lines
delivering weapons and intelligence to help fight Putin.
SUSAN GLASSER: The United States to help fight Putin.
SUSAN GLASSER: The United States HAS opted in to the fight.
The amount and scale of the military support
for Ukraine's defence of itself against Russian aggression
for Ukraine's defence of itself is enormous, it's staggering.
Clearly something is enormous, it's staggering.
Clearly something that Vladimir Putin did not expect.
REPORTER: The US and NATO allies are working quickly to arm Ukraine.
REPORTER: Russian forces caught off guard, apparently in disarray.
REPORTER: Russia thought the invasion would be over swiftly.
That was before their jets were plummeting from Ukrainian skies.
KORI SCHAKE: He clearly miscalculated
the capabilities of the Russian military,
the capabilities of the Ukrainian military, the capabilities of the Russian military,
the capabilities of the Ukrainian military,
the willingness of the Ukrainian people
the willingness to fight for their independence.
This was a miscalculation
of Napoleonic magnitude.
NEWSREADER: Ukraine's president remains defiant.
NEWSREADER: Ukraine's resolve has shocked the world
NEWSREADER: Ukraine's resolve and frustrated the Russians.
COMMENTATOR: and frustrated the Russians.
COMMENTATOR: Putin is facing the embarrassment
of this offensive not necessarily being pulled off as smoothly...
But, even as his army was pushed back,
But, even as his army Putin was doubling down...
REPORTER: Coming out of Russia, where Vladimir Putin is preparing
for a longer and more intense war on Ukraine.
..mobilising more troops... on Ukraine.
..mobilising more troops...
NEWSREADER: President Putin suddenly announcing
he would call up 300,000 men for military service.
he would call up 300,000 men ..waging economic warfare...
No gas, no oil. Nothing, he said, ..waging economic warfare... over a long winter.
No gas, no oil. Nothing, he said, over a long winter.
..raising the spectre of nuclear annihilation.
REPORTER: Now threatening to use nuclear weapons,
REPORTER: Now threatening and Putin says, "I'm not bluffing."
ANTONY BLINKEN: It's all very concerning because what we saw and Putin says, "I'm not bluffing."
ANTONY BLINKEN: It's all very concerning because what we saw
was Vladimir Putin doubling and tripling down on the aggression
was Vladimir Putin doubling with the mobilisation,
with the purported annexation of Ukrainian territory,
with the loose talk about nuclear weapons.
It's evidence that, unfortunately, tragically,
this is likely to continue for some time.
Vladimir Putin,
the former KGB agent...
..hellbent on rebuilding the Russian Empire...
..now a dangerous pariah on the world stage.
COMMENTATOR: Putin is counting on the fact
that the Western powers are just going to lose interest in Ukraine.
REPORTER: How much longer the United States
can continue to help bankroll this war...
COMMENTATOR: Will Ukraine ultimately
be left to fight this war on its own?
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation