rather than later, because we run out of time. because we have failed to pass a supplemental, this is the logical step. and then we have the russians paying for the damage they've created. russians paying for the ukrainian defensive effort. i think to me that's a very, very good narrative to the american public that the russians are paying for their own disaster and geopolitical instability. >> all right, we are going to discuss that more as the days go by. thank you for being with us, again. retired lieutenant colonel -- is the offer of here, right matters, an american story, as well as the why it matters new substack. all right, when people in ukraine are fighting for democracy, some of their neighbors could be voting in a way. that's ahead, on velshi. that's ahead, on velshi. >> woman: what's my safelite story? i'm a photographer. and when i'm driving, i see inspiration right through my glass. so when my windshield cracked, it had to be fixed right. i scheduled with safelite autoglass. their experts replaced my windshield and recalibrated my car's advanced safety system.
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i think that's well said. you've been making this point for a long time, volodymyr zelenskyy makes this point all the time, that why would you think this would end at ukraine? ukraine was an absolute sovereign country that russia had no right to invade, but it invaded them. why stop at ukraine? if russia can outlast the west. >> that's exactly right. russia has been an attract bill threat to ukraine and to the west for years. it is now fueled on grievance, that grievance has only been exacerbated through several years of war, and embarrassment that russia suffered earlier on. long worsen aerial makes russia even less tractable on this issue, makes russia more entrenched on threatening not just ukraine but a broader regional stability and security, including european and nato member states. i think this has been a mistake to not provide ukraine aid early on. now we have to deal with the problem. of course, we need to keep the pressure on --
policy changes. the europeans in certain regards have stepped up and started to pick up some of the burden, there have been some fairly significant aid packages going forward. but that's a stopgap. nobody can fill the vacuum of the absence of the united states. i'm increasingly i'm confident that the republicans will get their act together. we will have a difficult 2024, we will have to hold republicans accountable at the ballot box. but what do we do between now and november? >> right, that's a lot of fighting months. that's a lot of missiles. i want to read you something from the carnegie endowment, entitled the west seneca over ukraine. risks dangerous conclusions in moscow. if putin is convinced that western support for ukraine's petering out, the world will soon have to cope with a bruised, overconfident, and vengeful russia that believes it has outlasted the will of the west. this outcome could have major consequences for nato's core mission of deterring future russian aggression, a mission that so far has prevented the kremlin from expanding its military adventurism beyond ukraine's borders.
keep up the fire on the republicans to get them to pass aid. but there are other potentials solutions. one of those actually is the 300 billion dollars in russian fusion bank assets that reside in u.s. and european member states. there is a movement underway to conduct an asset forfeiture and transferred to ukraine, where we are in a crisis situation, especially with the absence of the u.s. providing ukraine supplemental's, this might be the crisis solution to take those central bank assets and ship them to ukraine so ukraine can start buying some additional equipment. these are all things that come from the commercial sector, the defense industrial base. they've come through u.s. spending, sending that money to the defense industrial base. but if ukraine receives those frozen bank assets, they could do the same thing. >> what would it take to get there? is that a real discussion that's happening? i know you used to be in the white house, so you would've been having that discussion. do you believe that's a conversation that's happening right now? >> it is a conversation that's
catastrophic, not only for ukraine, but for the world. while russia brings on the heaviest attacks we've seen since the very beginning of this full scale invasion of ukraine, almost two years ago, ukrainian society is becoming more weary. almost every day for the last two years president volodymyr zelenskyy has taken to social media to speak directly to his people. he shares messages of strength, motivation, optimistic updates on the war. he always speaks in ukrainian, addressing his people. his troops. in the very first video posted on february 23rd, 2022, the day before the war broke out, this is what zelenskyy looks like. you haven't seen it look like this ever since, still wearing his presidential suit and tie in an office. the ukrainian flag over his right shoulder. as the days went on, zelenskyy, refusing to leave his country and his people, walked around the empty streets of kyiv with soldiers, no more suit and tie. we were introduced to his signature army green fatigues. he posted this message last night. he told ukrainian people that it's been long weeks of
meetings. he's preparing new lines of cooperation with partners regarding weapons. he doesn't say who those partners are, nor does he emphasize just how crucial it is for more international aid to come ukraine's way. just before the new year, the u.s. senate what could be its last package of military aid to ukraine, at least for a while. republicans in congress continue to block a much needed aid package until they get assurances on hard-line immigration policies at the u.s. mexico border. republicans must think this is a game. but if they continue to play, they will let a u.s. ally, a democratic nation, crumble. failure to share a millers -- is so much bigger than ukraine. global stability is at stake, and so is our nation's credibility. russia, china, north korea, and iran are watching very closely. joining me now is the retired united states lieutenant colonel alexander -- he's the former director of european affairs for the u.s. national security council. he's the author of the
important book, here, right matters, an american story. colonel, thank you for being with us. the days are ticking. this was a big issue before christmas, but for the new year, because we knew that congress had to do something, and then congress didn't do anything. and now we're into this new year and we have since -- i'm hoping it's not true, but we've sent the last congressionally authorized money to ukraine. there isn't more at the moment. >> ali, thanks for having me on. it's a lovely sunday morning. i think the fact is that the time has expired on this block for aid to ukraine in a lot of ways. we were supposed to pass a ukraine aid supplemental back in september, we didn't do that. ukraine has been kind of in certain regards running on fumes for their budget, their ability to pay their soldiers, their ability to keep the government running. what we saw recently is the last bit of military aid come from the u.s.. there is going to be a trickle going forward from the u.s. unless we do some fundamental
priscilla, thanks very much. good to see you as always. msnbc's -- still ahead, russia's increasing its attacks on ukraine as kyiv's military resources are running dangerously low. what's at stake in ukraine and global stability in the u.s. could be to blame if ukraine's democracy crumbles. that's next.
Russia launched a massive air attack over Ukraine on Friday, killing at least 30 people and wounding over a hundred across the country in the fiercest assault since the first days of the war nearly two years ago.