The next is a transcript of an interview with U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield that aired Sunday, February 27, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who joins us from New York. Good morning to you, Madam Ambassador.
UN AMBASSADOR LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Good morning, how are you?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, I am some headlines that appeared troubling, I would wish to see when you can provide us some perspective. Vladimir Putin has been talking on state TV together with his prime officers and stated he was ordering Russia's nuclear deterrent forces to be on alert for a particular regime of fight responsibility. Are you able to inform us what meaning?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: It implies that President Putin is constant to escalate this battle in a way that's completely unacceptable, and we now have to proceed to sentence his actions in essentially the most strong- the strongest doable means. Our voices have been unified with the Europeans and with the world that he must stop his aggressive actions towards Ukraine. And we are going to proceed right here on the United Nations and around the globe to make use of each doable lever we now have at our disposal to reveal his actions.
MARGARET BRENNAN: To be clear, is that this simply unfastened speak about nuclear weapons or is there some sort of heightened readiness and motive to be involved?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I am simply listening to this from- from you, Margaret, however I am not shocked at this- at this info as a result of Putin has tried each means doable to truly put concern in- on this planet when it comes to his motion, and it simply implies that we now have to ramp up our efforts right here on the United Nations and elsewhere to carry him accountable.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This morning, the UK's international minister stated the battle will get very, very bloody and he or she raised the prospect of unsavory weapons. I do know Ukraine has additionally raised issues about Russia handing out fuel masks within the jap a part of the nation. Is there a menace of chemical and organic weapons getting used?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Definitely nothing is off the desk with this man. He is keen to make use of no matter instruments he can to intimidate Ukrainians and the world. And once more, we now have to proceed because the president has indicated, to carry him accountable, and that's precisely what we're doing right here in New York.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, let me ask you concerning the Biden administration's technique right here, as a result of sanctions have actually been on the coronary heart of the coverage. However we have seen an evolution in explaining their objective. Take a hear.
JAKE SULLIVAN SOT: The president believes that sanctions are supposed to discourage.
HARRIS SOT: the aim of the sanctions has all the time been and continues to be deterrence.
BLINKEN SOT: When you set off the sanctions, you lose the deterrent impact.
JOE BIDEN SOT: Nobody anticipated the sanctions to stop something from taking place.
MARGARET BRENNAN: If the sanctions weren't meant to stop something from taking place, then what was the aim?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: We all the time had a two pronged method to this. The president indicated that nothing was off the desk. So whereas we have been utilizing so, he stated
MARGARET BRENNAN: U.S. drive was off the desk.
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I am sorry?
MARGARET BRENNAN: He did say US drive– U.S. fight troops are off the desk.
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: U.S. fight troops in Ukraine are off the desk, however U.S. troops in our NATO nations bolstering our assist for NATO has by no means been taken off the desk and as you recognize, the president has authorised extra troops to assist Naito. I spoke with the President on Wednesday evening earlier than going into the Safety Council, and he indicated he wished to ensure that we stated in no unsure phrases to the Russians that we'll maintain them accountable and that we're absolutely behind Ukraine and we now have offered extra assist for Ukraine. As you might know, $350 million. Simply this week, however near a billion dollars over the previous couple of days and billions since this began.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However on the problem of sanctions, which have been the prime device right here, they usually've ramped up tremendously over the previous 72 to 48 hours, the president stated earlier within the week. We might have to attend a month to see what the influence can be. Do you suppose Ukrainians have a month to attend and see?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD We're– we're persevering with to assist Ukraine, not simply with the sanctions that we now have imposed on on the Russians. There's different assist that's going to the Ukrainian authorities and different stress that's being placed on Russia internationally. As you've got seen, quite a few nations have taken actions towards– towards Putin, together with making certain that they don't proceed to take part in worldwide occasions as if it have been regular.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However can the federal government in Kiev maintain on for a month?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: We're working to assist the federal government as a lot as doable, and the president of Ukraine has indicated that they're going to be preventing again continuously and it's our plan to assist their efforts.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Madam Ambassador, there was already a refugee disaster in Japanese Europe, and now we now have about 400,000 refugees spilling into the encompassing nations. It's great to see them welcomed, however there appears to be a contradiction right here as a result of when you have a look at the border of Poland, as you recognize, there are detention camps for some refugees who had come from Syria, from Afghanistan, from different nations, and it seems as if some refugees are handled in a different way based mostly on their nation of origin, in the event that they're European or not. How do you clarify that? Does that concern you?
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: The UNHCR is on the bottom and supporting refugees who're crossing the border, and they- the Polish authorities and different governments have indicated that they are opening their borders for all who're crossing from Ukraine. UNHCR has the duty to supply safety, and-and they're very, very conscious of the state of affairs on the bottom and addressing all of those points which are developing. However we're additionally partaking very, very carefully with these governments. We're partaking carefully with the UN companies on the bottom to make sure that we offer them with the assets that they want and- and the assist that they want to make sure that each single refugee crossing into neighboring nations are obtained equally and with the identical quantity of safety.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You already know, I am speaking about Poland constructing a wall towards the border with Belarus to dam refugees previously. Madam Ambassador, I imply, large image right here. I perceive your position on the United Nations, however it's simply all the objective of the UN to stop one thing like this from ever taking place once more. It is why it was created after World Warfare Two within the first place. Is not what's taking place now although displaying that that international order is failing the folks of Ukraine.
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: What is occurring now could be that the Russian authorities has- has proven its disrespect for the UN constitution and for all the rules that we consider in. And they're remoted in that method. They're remoted right here within the United Nations, and we're holding them accountable right here in New York. As you recognize, we have had three emergency conferences in only one week. I will likely be assembly once more in an emergency assembly of the Safety Council this afternoon at three o'clock, the place we are going to vote to ask for a particular emergency session of the Basic Meeting for Monday. And we will likely be placing forth a decision within the Basic Meeting, which the Russians can not veto. They've tried to- to dam us with their veto, however their veto can not cease the voices of over 80 individuals who be part of us as co-sponsors of the decision that we put ahead on Friday. Their veto couldn't block greater than 50 individuals who joined us on the podium to name out their aggressive actions. So we're pushing right here on the UN to proceed to name out their aggressive actions. They made the choice to enter Ukraine in full disrespect for the UN constitution. The secretary basic has indicated that as effectively. So once more, we are going to proceed to isolate them and to push for them to respect the constitution and stop this aggressive motion towards Ukraine.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Madam Ambassador, thanks to your time this morning.
AMB. THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: FACE THE NATION will likely be again in a minute, so please stick with us.