The next is a transcript of an interview with Victoria Nuland, undersecretary of state for political affairs, that aired Sunday, January 30, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Victoria Nuland, the State Division undersecretary for political affairs. Good morning to you, ambassador.
AMBASSADOR VICTORIA NULAND: Good morning, Margaret. Good to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We heard from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs this week that Russia has given itself the aptitude if it needed for a full invasion, not simply an incursion. What's the US evaluation at this level? Has Vladimir Putin decided on what to do subsequent?
AMB. NULAND: Margaret, we do not consider he is but decided, however as he has accomplished previously, he is given himself each possibility, together with, because the chairman stated, an enormous potential invasion of all of Ukraine, together with cyber assaults, together with incursion from Belarus, the place he's transferring as much as thirty thousand troops there as effectively. So now we have to be ready for all choices.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So there is no such thing as a signal but of any sort of de-escalation.
AMB. NULAND: Quite the opposite, he is moved extra forces since we have been encouraging him to de-escalate. That stated, Margaret, as , we did ship our diplomatic proposal to Russia, as did NATO this week. We have heard some indicators that the Russians are thinking about partaking on that proposal, together with the truth that Secretary Blinken and Overseas Minister Lavrov will possible communicate this week. So once more, here is, here is the place we're. We need to settle these points by way of diplomacy, by way of arms management. Putin's given himself that possibility, however he is additionally given himself the choice of a serious invasion. So now we have to be prepared for that, too.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How important is the chance that Russia might deploy tactical nuclear weapons to to the border? Is there any indication of that sort of buildup?
AMB. NULAND: We have now not seen nuclear weapons transfer. There have been some free speak from people in Russia. However as , Russia already has tactical tactical nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad and elsewhere that may vary Europe.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You already know, precisely. I believe that is an essential level to make to indicate the potential of this type of battle. Are you able to kind of put in perspective what the technique is right here? As a result of President Biden has stated he is not sending fight troops to Ukraine. He is speaking about transferring probably a small variety of troops into allied nations within the area. Is that this about containing the menace from turning into a regional conflict?
AMB. NULAND: Effectively, to start with, Margaret, with regard to the diplomatic proposal, , Putin put ahead and publicly all the issues that he is thinking about. Our response and NATO's response agrees to have interaction him on lots of these items that you have talked about. We have now stated, let's speak concerning the medium and quick vary missiles, the menace you're feeling from us, the menace we really feel from you. Let's speak about how we are able to de-escalate, with regard to workouts, with regard to navy deployments, let's have that dialog on a reciprocal foundation. However we even have to arrange, as I stated. So what we have been doing is first, given Ukraine the sorts of defensive deadly gear that they want so as to have the ability to make this if Russia makes that huge mistake and strikes in a really bloody combat and sluggish Moscow's function. So defensive deadly gear like anti-tank, like anti-air, all of those sorts of issues. We have now additionally labored with our European allies on an enormous package deal of financial sanctions in order that if he does transfer on Ukraine, he'll really feel it acutely, as will the Russian folks when it comes to their financial system. It is going to have a crushing blow on them, and we're additionally making ready inside NATO's territory as a result of clearly now we have a sacred and sovereign accountability to guard our NATO allies and with the sort of forces that he is transferring. They're coming additionally nearer to the borders of our Baltic allies Poland, Romania, Hungary, so now we have to be prepared.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. Ukraine's President Zelensky stated Friday that his nation is conscious of those dangers, however they do not need panic. Do you're feeling that's what the White Home is doing right here? Have you ever resolved this type of friction with the Ukrainians? You do not need to have divide with an ally right here.
AMB. NULAND: Panic isn't a coverage, as one among my bosses as soon as stated, what we have to do is prudent planning, and that is what we're doing. That is what our NATO allies are doing. That is what we're encouraging Ukraine to do as effectively. So, , on condition that Putin has made these strikes earlier than, at the same time as we encourage diplomacy, now we have to be prepared for the worst.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, it seems that the Senate can also be nearing a bipartisan settlement on a package deal of sanctions, a few of which might hit Russia. Now some put up administrate... post-invasion. The administration has needed to attend and maintain on to sanctions as leverage. Will the president veto this invoice? I imply, what would the influence be?
AMB. NULAND: We're working intensively with the Congress on this piece of laws that we anticipate will likely be very effectively aligned with what we're additionally constructing with our NATO allies and companions. I might say that one of many strengths of U.S. coverage vis-a-vis Ukraine going again some 30 years, however significantly on this occasion, has been that we have had a extremely sturdy bipartisan method to supporting Ukraine. We have had members of Congress on the market usually during the last couple of weeks. However with regard to this package deal of sanctions, , deterrence is finest when there's a little bit little bit of strategic ambiguity round precisely what we're going to do. So we have stated monetary measures, we have stated export controls, we have stated new sanctions on Russian elites. But when we put them on the desk now, then Russia will be capable of begin mitigating and that does not make any sense to us.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador Nuland, thanks on your time immediately. We'll be proper again.