Attorney general barrs bombshell letter about the Mueller Report. The collusion delusion is over. What is the russian reaction . Ill talk to one of moscows top Foreign Policy aids. And the legacy of monarch. Do we have new norms for president ial power . Will the next president not have to release tax returns . Be able to fire people investigating the white house, and more. Well have a debate. But, first, here is my take. President trump faces a crucial test of his Foreign Policy and his resolve over venezuela. His administration has made absolutely clear the u. S. No longer considers Nicholas Maduro to be president. A far stronger declaration than the red line barack obama drew around syrias assad. So far, trumps pressure hasnt worked. Maduro dug in and the military hasnt abandoned his support for him. Venezuela is a complicated, divided country and maduro is the heir to the legacy of hugo chavez has some support in rural areas. But far more significant, it has been russias open and substantial support. Moscow now admits it sent military personnel to venezuela. Two planes arrived last weekend carrying about a hundred troops. Its the latest a series of moves by moscow to shore up maduro. Over the last few years, russia has provided wheat, arms, credit, and cash to the flailing government. Estimates of russias total investment vary from 20 to 25 billion. The venezuela camp that appears to be significant for Vladimir Putin. In recent years, as the venezuelan government tanked and political stability has grown, even most Russian Companies have abandoned the country viewing it as too risky. As v russian state controlled giant which has close ties to putin has persisted and ramped up the support for maduro. In other words, putin is always in with his support for maduro. Hes doing this to prompt up an old ally and adds to russias clouded oil markets. Above all, it furthers putins federal Foreign Policy objective. The formation of a antiamerican coalition of companies. Putins efforts seem designed to taunt the United States which announced the Monroe Doctrine in 1883. The big question for washington is, will it allow moscow to make a mockery of another american right lan red line. As with syria, theres a danger that if washington does not back its words with deeds, a year from now, well be watching the consolidation of the maduro regime supported by russian arms and money. The administration has been tough on russian involvement in venezuela. Trump himself declared russia has to get out. But thats an unusual sentiment from trump who has almost never criticized Vladimir Putin and often sided with russia on matters big and small. As former ambassador to moscow has written, trump has a remarkably consistent banter of supporting putins goals. Trump has threaten to withdraw from nato and announced the removal of troops from syria. He publicly disagreed from his own republican party. President putin said its not russia. I dont see any reason it would be. I have never alleged collusion or conspiracy between russia and trump writing we should wait to see what evidence mueller presented. But the real puzzle remains, why has trump been unwilling to confront putin in any way on any issue . And will venezuela finally be the moment when trump ends his a appeasement. Go to cnn. Com fareed and read my Washington Post column. Lets get started. Lets keep this conversation going about venezuela. Joining me now from the state department is elliot abrams, President Trumps special envoy for venezuela. Welcome, elliot. First, tell us, what is the situation on the ground in venezuela . A few weeks ago, it seemed things were moving in a direction that the maduro regime was going to collapse. That has not happened. How do you read the situation . Well, the situation for the people of venezuela gets worse and worse. Last week we had blackouts, the week before that more blackouts. The humanitarian situation gets worse. The political situation also gets worse. We saw about a week or ten days ago the arrests of the chief of staff to juan guido. The situation is terrible and every indication is the people of venezuela want a change, which is what we and 53 other countries want. Restoration of democracy in venezuela. But so far, it appears as though the sanctions have not been widely joined by other countries. The russians support continues to be strong. Is it possible that we will end up in a situation much like the assad regime where people said this is unviable, untenable, he has to go but somehow, because of sheer oppression and force and external support, russian port, in that case, again, he endured. Could i be talking to you a year from now and maduro is in office. Im extremely doubtful thats the case. I would say one thing we have to worry about this the case of syria, but we dont have to worry about in the case of venezuela is thousands of foreign fighters. You have thousands of iranian and hezbollah troops on the ground in syria. So thats something youre not going to see in venezuela. You also have, i think, an Amazing International and Latin Coalition against the regime in venezuela. So, really, i dont think the situation is comparable and im very much doubt well be having this conversation a year from now. So, tell me about the russians. Why are they doing what theyre doing and what can you do about it . I would say the russians have dmom demonstrated their loyalty to the regime and here i think you can draw a connection to syria that is symbolic. Theyre trying to show theyre good allies for dictators around the world. We have a big options list being reviewed by secretary pompeo in ways in which we should respond directly to russia for their continued support and now a little bit of military support for the regime. And he will make those decisions. Is it fair to say, though, given the extraordinary russia intrusion violation of the Monroe Doctrine and doubling down on the regime the Trump Administration has not really taken russia to task and President Trump personally, other than one statement about Russian Troops has never really fully confronted Vladimir Putin on what is an act of aggression in the western hemisphere. I think the russians are doing, first of all, will have its on impact on russia in separating them and other supporters of maduro from latin america. But i would not accept what youve said. I think weve made clear our views. Secretary pompeo spoke to mr. Lavrov almost a week ago. As i said, theres some things were going to be doing. We dont do these things by rushing into them without consideration. So weve drawn up the options and the secretary will review them and the russians will pay a price for this. How you think it ends, elliot. As i said, there hasnt been much military defection or military support for the regime, the sanctions have only caused the regime to hunker down and, you know, in a seize mentality. How does this end . Well, first, i would say, you know, we applied sanctions about two months ago and some of them were suspended for 90 days or 180 days. So we are in this at a an early point. I have been cautioning people in the Diplomatic Community and the press it was never our view this was a fourweek phenomenal and maduro would be gone. Its a struggle against a dictator who is a vicious dictator and has outside support from russia and cuba. So we did not think this would happen quickly. How does it end . It ends when the pressures have mounted to a sufficient degree. To convince maduro and his colleague their time is up. Or convince the Venezuela Military they have to force maduro. Its people power, its military, its people in the movement who realize maduro is destroying the movement they thought they were a part of. Were not there yet, obviously. Well get there. And are you confident that maduros chief external supporter and one could argue the reason hes still in power, russia will pay a price and from the highest levels of the administration. Thats my clear understanding. Everyone knows the russians and the cubans are the main support of this regime and i see no hesitation on the part of anyone at the top levels of this administration of making them pay a price for it. A pleasure to have you on. Thank you. Good to be on. Next on gps. One of russia and top Foreign Policy thinkers will join me to talk about venezuela and the russian reaction to what we know so far about the Mueller Report. Dont go away. Thanksmrs. Murphy. 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The director general of the Russian InternationalAffairs Counsel is speaking with us. A pleasure to have you on, andre. What was the reaction in moscow to the Mueller Report . I dont think russians were surprised to get the report. Most of russians did not believe that there could have been a conspiracy between trump and putin. I think if they were surprised, they were surprised by the fact that the commission dared to come up with the conclusions because the perception in moscow, whether it is right or wrong, its not up to us to judge. The perception of moscow is the commission has been working under political pressure. It was surprising that the commission publicized the outcomes in such a blunt way as it did. What do you think, andre, it means for u. S. russian relations . Because in some ways, they have been a little paralyzed by this issue. Do you think it provides an opportunity for a new start . Well, i think that we should not over estimate the impact on the relationship because there are many problems in this relationship that are beyond the socalled russian interference into american elections. However, i think its important that moved out from the political struggle in the United States. It might no longer be one of the major factors in the domestic politics in america. If it happens, it will definitely open some opportunities for very limited collaboration. Is there kind of disappointment in russia about the Trump Administration and trump himself. Ive always held that donald trump is reduck lant to say anything bad about putin or administration his administration has, many ways been as tough on russia as the obama administration. The sanctions are still on. You know, the cooperation with the ukrainians in the polls continues. You know, venezuela the administration is pursuing and pushing back against russia. We saw the scenes of celebration when donald trump was elected. Have they been disappointed . I think that there is a disappointment because expectations were too high and to some extent, donald trump, when he, you know, was running for election created this expectations. He mentioned that the United States could change its position on crimea. That he could agree with putin on many issues. And, of course, right now we see that unfortunately for russia many things turned out to be purely rhetorical. Indeed, we arguably have more problems with the United States today than we had under obama. We have this problem in syria and venezuela to supply leathful weapons to ukraine but its not an easy partner. However, i have to tell you that intrigued with donald trump. Hes different. Theres a kind, if not sympathy at least an interest to the u. S. President. You misunderstood putin. Hes not aggressive. Hes trying to shore up and stabilize russia has gone through a difficult period. So hes concerned about places like georgia or maukraine which part of russias sphere of influence. If thats the case, why this enormous russian effort and investment in venezuela, which is literally as far away from russia as you can get on a map. What explains russias enormous commitment to venezuela, which is, you know, in the western hemisphere has been part for 150 years . Well, of course, you can look for economic explanation of this. Venezuela has the Largest Oil Reserves in the world. Russia cannot miss a opportunity to get a piece of the cake in venezuela. I can imagine there are some geopolitical considerations, as well. Basically the logic might be that if you mess in our backyard, you should keep in mind that we can mess in your backyard, as well. Do you think there is a kind of hostility between russia and the United States or do you think theres a possibility for a kind of breakthrough and a different kind of relationship . Because on both sides, seems as though theres a certain fatalism that russia has become the leader of the kind of antiamerican coalition and my sense is in russia theres a fatalism that says, you know, we are now the United States and the western general are just opposed to russia. I dont think russians are antiamerican. I dont think they hate americans or believe americans are evil. However, if you take the political level, i think that no matter what we do now, were not going to change the situation where the relationship is likely to get visceral, at least for some time. The name of the game is not to shift it from competitive relationship to cooperative. The two countries can feel stable and the rest of the world can sleep at night. Its a sobering and realistic prospect to end on. Andre, pleasure to have you on. Thank you. Next on gps in the wake of the Mueller Report, are trumps action in office legitimate president ial behavior . 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