interest in a military confrontation here. there s no reason not to talk to the russians. ultimately we have to understand that they re probably trying to buy time until they find a way to regain control of the government in kiev. i don t think that s going the happen, but that clearly is what they re trying to do here. on the subject of sanctions, president putin said one of russia s billionaires was unable to charge his wife s surgery on a credit card, does that mean the sanctions in place are working? i think the sanctions are beginning to work. what we know is about $60 billion in russian investment has already left the country. i met with one of the biggest u.s. banks last week. they told me they have completely shut down all new business with russia. the sanctions are beginning to work. but we still have enormous leverage in front of us. we have not begun to impose sanctions, direct sanctions on russian banks. we haven t done anything against russian petrochemical companies.
korea and they don t attack. mark halpern? senator, the president made it clear this is grave and serious and requires the attention of the world, yet he is ratcheting up sanctions gradual. ly. i think the president is in a little bit of a box because he is attempting to do this in concert with europe and what we know, especially in the last few days is that europe just is not on the same time schedule that we are. which means we will likely have to move faster, i would argue that it s probably time to move in a much more serious sanctions against russian petrochemical companies and their banks put about the united states doing it alone won t have the same effect as doing it with europe. it s not going to change putin s calculus if it s just the united states that are engaging in these sanctions so we have to do it with them and it s frustrating for because it should matter more to europe. five years ago it was ridiculous to think putin would march his troops into ukraine.