Dropping limits on strikes inside Russia would ‘give Ukraine a chance’: Rep. Turner

Dropping limits on strikes inside Russia would ‘give Ukraine a chance’: Rep. Turner

and joining us now we’re pleased to have the chairman of the house intelligence committee Ohio Congressman Mike Turner Mr chairman great to see you uh we met in Munich when there was so much concern zinski was warning exactly what would happen because of the hold up on the aid and now he’s saying that this is the reality first of all his concerns you were at his speech last night he concerns that his hands are tied he didn’t say that literally but that he needs the ability to strike those jet bases the Russian bases across the line the White House has been concerned all along that this would escalate maybe too provocative to Vladimir Putin but what could be more provocative than what’s been going on already right right we’ve seen Putin now intentionally hitting the Children’s Hospital in ke again scores of people dying Putin is you know attacking civilians and not just uh you waging a war against Ukraine but uh you and I were talking earlier about zalinsky speech I was at the Ronald Reagan Institute and he made the the point very clearly that air defense is not sufficient if you he needs more air defense but because of the thousands of missiles as you were reporting that are being shot at Ukraine on a regular basis the math is such that you have to be able to go into Russia and take out the facilities that they’re using to produce these weapons and the capabilities that they have to shoot these missiles into Ukraine it was interesting because if you notice in the speech he’s not talking about that he needs some new weapon system or that there’s some the strategy that Russia’s you know putting them at risk for or that even that his own own people are incapable of fighting he says that’s the restrictions that are being placed on him at the White House that pose the greatest risk and threat to Ukraine being able to survive and win is that a NATO position or is that a US position well it is a the restrictions are us they’re from the White House the the um even Secretary General Stenberg of NATO has called for the restrictions to be released and it would allow them to hit valid military Targets in Russia which would change the Dynamics of the fight and give Ukraine a chance there’s a lot of anxiety at NATO I don’t need to tell you this about Donald Trump only last night he said well I didn’t even know what NATO was I’m paraphrasing and again criticize the Europeans Europeans have stepped up during the supplemental they came up with $50 billion when we did not come up with a 60 or whatever and during that period also or over the last couple of years they’ve gone from nine countries reaching the 2% of GDP contribution to 23 23 out of the 32 and two of the newest members so uh so far it’s not Europe that is not stepping up they could do more but what about Donald Trump and his continuing criticism of NATO does that worry you he’s the front runner now when when NATO set its Target of defense spending at 2% at the whale Summit at that time only three nations in NATO satisfied that requirement and Trump brought it up to nine and and and I think that his continued hounding and the fact that U you even had Secretary General stoltenberg take up this charge he gave every speech he would give on the current status of NATO he would challenge his members to come up to that uh to that 2% Mark uh makes a difference and you know Donald Trump is is as hard a negotiator and by press pressuring Europe to step up to the I think they are but he he does get out of other agreements and he has threatened to leave NATO and the NATO allies are understandably very nervous about this election I don’t think he’s actually threatened to to leave NATO I think he’s talked about whether or not people are adequately funding that each of the countries would be looked at in their participation I say he’s also praised Vladimir Putin and said you know if they don’t step up let Putin you know do what he wants with them I think the the core here of the issue is you can look at Donald Trump’s record during the time that he was President he actually increased us spending at NATO U for NATO also put more troops in Europe then were there previously and gave lethal weapons to Ukraine that had not been given under the prior Administration so if you look at what has happened in addition to the pressure that he put on the Europeans uh NATO actually came out at a better place at the end of his presidency than than before what about his Embrace of Vladimir Putin I don’t think he’s embraced Vladimir Putin either I think he has adequately um evaluated that this is a real Foe and that that he has you know real capabilities and I also think that you know he has a very clear understanding that that Russia is is our adversary they intend to do us harm they intend to do our allies harm I was in Helsinki when he came down on the side of Putin that Putin said this so you know why should we not believe him it it inspired the head of National Intelligence to have to put out a statement because he was disavowing his own intelligence assessments are the American intelligence assessments against the assessment of the Russian leaders sitting next to him well I think that I think the Crux that certainly when it comes to Donald Trump that you have to look at what he does not just what he says and certainly if you look at what he did over the four-year term of his presidency he actually increased our participation in NATO and I think NATO came out a stronger organization uh during his presidency are you concerned right now about you know the situation with this election I mean what do you see with the leader of the Free World Joe Biden uh as challenged as he is what’s your read on it yeah and he and he really is I mean it is it is very unfortunate you’re a republican so right I but I you know I’ve been in in the white house where he has struggled in meetings and I I do I have great concerns about his ability to to do the job when people walk into his office with a an ongoing crisis I think in fact some of the difficulty we’re seeing with Ukraine is a result of the president’s diminished capacity because a lot of the decisions that need to be made where president zinsky is saying you well let you remove these restrictions allow me to move forward you know make certain that you you’re going to give me f-16s but you’re not giving me that pilot training all of these issues that could easily be resolved are all gummed up at the White House and I think it’s because they can’t just make a decision well let me ask you you know about some decisions that were made by the new speaker Michael Johnson to place two very partisan members on your committee much more political Scott Perry from Pennsylvania Ronnie Jackson from Texas um how comfortable are you with the way that process went down and the speaker said it was because Trump wanted those people on they clearly are not qualified to be on an elite intelligence committee that you have run superly frankly well both of them come with military experience and they come with experience where they’ve handled classified materials and I can tell you that right now they’re they’re going to work on our committee they’re they’re doing the work that’s necessary they’re taking the briefings they’re reading the materials so right now they’re they’re certainly being active members of are you comfortable with that an election denier who has actually been under investigation for his role on January 6th well obviously I don’t agree with him on those issues uh but I do think that you with with being dedicated and diligent he can be a valid member and of our committee and we’ll see hey there MSNBC fans I’m Luke russer and be sure to join me Rachel Rachel mat Jen saki Lawrence o’ donnal Steve coraki Joy Reed and many more September 7th in Brooklyn MSNBC Live democracy 2024 click on the link for ticket information we will see you there

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are urging the White House to lift restrictions on strikes on Russian territory after NATO announced new air defense systems for Ukraine. House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) joins Andrea Mitchell with his response to the leaders’ demands.

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