The next is a transcript of an interview with H.R. McMaster, former nationwide safety adviser within the Trump White Home and a CBS Information contributor, that aired Sunday, April 3, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to get extra from former nationwide safety adviser H.R. McMaster. He is additionally CBS Information overseas coverage nationwide safety contributor and host of the podcast Battlegrounds. Good morning to you, H.R. Tactically and strategically talking, why would Russian forces transfer to the east?
LT. GENERAL H.R. MCMASTER: Effectively to try- to attempt to get one thing out of this. Proper. And to try- to to attempt to compensate for the utter failure of the- the- the- offensive initially, it- it is fairly clear that- that Russia has failed from the very starting in- in reference to its unique targets to subjugate all of Ukraine and to impact this coup area oriented on these 4 axes, however primarily on Kyiv and Odessa. And what you see is a focus now within the Donbas area and within the south. It is fascinating, Margaret, we have not heard an excessive amount of speak about this, however that is about 10% of the Ukrainian landmass, however in regards to the landmass that holds about 90% of- of Ukraine's vitality assets.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-Hmm.
LT. GEN. MCMASTER: And I feel what you see Russia as having a strategic design in thoughts is as- as- as- as Fiona talked about, Novorossiya and so forth. But it surely's additionally making the Sea of Azov clearly a Russian--
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.
LT. GEN. MCMASTER: --lake and the Black- the Black Sea as nicely.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, I assumed it was fascinating that President Zelenskyy stated after I requested him, does this imply, you recognize, a 100% withdrawal from all of Ukrainian territory? And he stated Russia must withdraw to the borders pre-February twenty fourth. So that may imply doubtlessly these japanese Donetsk and Luhansk areas and Crimea. Is that important to you, the best way he phrased that?
LT. GEN. MCMASTER: It- it's important. It means that- that, you recognize, he is prepared to compromise to a sure extent, however I feel that is gotta be as much as him and the Ukrainian individuals. You've got seen the horrors, the devastation. I've- I've heard your dialog which- which is just- it was simply horrible with- with Zelenskyy and- and- and the horrors that they are confronting now in the- within the wake of the – of the Russian withdrawal. You recognize, I feel that it'll be as much as the Ukrainian individuals, clearly, in the event that they're eager to compromise in any respect after that. And it is onerous to think about that- that they are going to need to surrender any of their territory.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
LT. GEN. MCMASTER: Effectively, and naturally, Margaret, I feel the opposite level about that is, you recognize, after all Zelinskyy is aware of that would not be the tip, proper? If if if Vladimir Putin says, "I will return again to the pre-February borders. Now, after all what he'll do is attempt to hold Ukraine below his thumb and below steady duress, simply as he has since at the very least 2003 and particularly after 2014.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, and it is precisely what you simply put your finger on there that has the encompassing European international locations so involved that he might proceed to destabilize the world. However I need to ask you about that. Why would Putin threat bringing a NATO nation right into a struggle that's being described as one the place his army is failing? Is the US in Europe making him ten toes tall when he is not?
LT. GEN. MCMASTER: Sure, I feel so. I feel I feel I feel Putin is absolutely on the ropes right here. And naturally, what does he have left? All he solely has left are threats. Cyber threats. Effectively, that is not understanding for some motive. I feel we'll be taught extra about that later. However then all he can do is is rattle his nuclear saber, which is what he is finished. And, after all, that is a trigger for concern. However I feel we now have to - not overlook the "do not half" of do not take counsel of our fears. And I feel at this stage, what we're seeing once we confront the horrors and the mass homicide that's that happen has occurred and the horrible abuses, I feel we really feel now compelled to do extra. Effectively, I feel what we should not do is wait any longer to do what it takes to present Ukraine all of the instruments obligatory to completely beat again this offensive and to make it clear to the Russians that they will be unable to resume an offensive sooner or later.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply to be actually clear with our viewers, because you served within the army for therefore lengthy, what we're describing and what's being documented as having occurred exterior Kyiv may be very far past the suitable code of conduct for US army forces. Are you able to simply put that in context for anybody who would say struggle is at all times bloody? How do you see what occurred?
LT. GEN. MCMASTER: Effectively, this - that that is that that is an unprofessional drive. It is a drive that isn't adhering to the essential army ethic or the or the regulation of struggle or or or simply struggle idea. "Jus in bello" idea requires you to use drive with self-discipline and discrimination and and and to guard non-combatants. After all, Russia truly, its tactic was to commit mass homicide towards non-combatants as a result of it did not have the army competence to perform its targets by hearth and maneuver and the defeat of of of the opposing army drive after which then the management of that territory. So that is– that is towards the regulation of struggle. It is it is towards it is towards the army ethic and it is towards what we now have in our armed forces. The, you recognize, the skilled warrior ethos, which relies on ideas reminiscent of honor and self-sacrifice. And and that additionally contains taking up extra threat ourselves to guard innocents, even even in in an exercise that entails killing and the prospect of dying.
MARGARET BRENNAN: H.R. McMaster, thanks in your evaluation immediately. We'll be proper again.