Biden administration officials to brief senators on Ukraine-Russia crisis

Biden administration officials to brief senators on Ukraine-Russia crisis

Transcript¹

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks to Democratic Sen. Jack² Reed of Rhode Island, chairman of the Senate Committee of Armed Services, about the Russia-Ukraine standoff.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Three thousand U.S. troops are on their way to Eastern Europe. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby announced the move yesterday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOHN KIRBY: These are not permanent moves. They are moves designed to respond to the current security environment. Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in Ukraine.

INSKEEP: The key there is not permanent moves because nobody can say for sure where this crisis is going. Russian forces remain on Ukraine's border as Russia makes demands of the NATO alliance. As we wait for that diplomacy³, two of President Biden's top advisers⁴ take questions from the Senate today. One is the secretary of state, Tony Blinken, another the secretary of defense⁵, Lloyd Austin. And Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island will be at the briefing. Good morning.

JACK REED: Thank you very much, Steve.

INSKEEP: Do you go into this hearing with real questions - doubts about the administration's response?

REED: I think the administration's response to date has been extremely well coordinated⁶. They have engaged successfully NATO and our European allies. They have also began diplomatic discussions with Russia in several forums⁷, the latest being the United Nations in which there was a strong showing by the international community of their disapproval⁸ of the Russian activities along the Ukraine border. I think also they've looked at the problems potentially of supply shortages if we impose sanctions and they've been working internationally to - in the energy markets to do that. So both in terms of their military preparedness, their diplomatic engagement and their preparations for potential sanctions, I think it's been well done.

INSKEEP: We'll just remind people, when you talk about supply shortages, Russia, as we've reported, supplies an awful lot of natural gas to Western Europe and so one question is, if a conflict led to Russia cutting back or cutting off supplies, could Western Europe be taken care of? You're saying the administration is on that. Let me ask about aid directly to Ukraine. How much lethal⁹ aid has the U.S. been able to provide to Ukraine? And what, if anything, has limited what the U.S. can provide?

REED: Well, last year we provided $650 million in security assistance to Ukraine, and that's more than any year since 2014. And the items include systems like the javelin¹⁰, which is an anti-tank system, grenade launchers, counter-battery, more radars¹¹. So - and a significant amount of ammunition¹². So we have done a great deal to try to improve and build up the capabilities¹³ of the Ukrainian forces. In addition, our other countries have contributed military weapons systems and support. So we've made improvements.

INSKEEP: Everything you've described, Senator, of course, is preparation for the possibility of a Russian invasion, trying to be ready to endure that and to push back with sanctions. But we heard an interesting bit of analysis yesterday from Moscow - from an analyst¹⁴ there, Dmitri Trenin, who argued that he doubted an invasion would come at all, or at least that Putin intended one. Although who knows? Things could happen. He felt that Putin's goal was to use his troops on the ground to provoke a discussion with the West about his country's security concerns. And the analyst argued that, in fact, Putin has succeeded. Do you think that's right, Putin has gotten what he wanted here?

REED: I don't think he's gotten what he wanted. I think if he is engaged in and wants to be engaged in serious discussions about security matters, then that's - that, I think, is an important step forward. We can deal with the issues of the Russians' periodic massing of troops along the Ukrainian border. We can deal with the issue of locations of missiles on both sides. I mean, the nature of a negotiation¹⁵ would be that we would reach a mutually acceptable agreement, and I think that would provide more stability in Europe. So if that's his goal and we can accomplish that, I - and particularly avoiding conflict, then I think that might be beneficial for all.

INSKEEP: The U.S. says that it cannot possibly meet Russia's demand that the - commit to never, ever, ever admit Ukraine to NATO. But it sounds like you think there might be something the United States - some reassurance¹⁷ the United States could provide Russia short of that.

REED: Well, I think, again, there has to be mutual¹⁶ reassurances¹⁸. These periodic, you know, massing of troops and, you know, drumbeats of conflict that the Russians do are unacceptable. And I think we have to engage - in fact, we've neglected, unfortunately, over the last several years, serious arms control. And in the context - the world context, we also have to bring in the Chinese eventually. So, you know, if this is a springboard to serious diplomatic negotiations¹⁹, then that's a path we could take. But we want to make it very clear to the Russians that we will not stand idly by if they use force in many different forms in the Ukraine.

INSKEEP: There's just about 10 seconds left here, but there's a question about sanctions. The administration talks of sanctioning Russia further if they invade. Some senators want to sanction Russia regardless. In a sentence or two, do you want to sanction Russia regardless?

REED: I think the sanctions as based upon their behavior is the strongest way to do it. It will engage more of our European and world allies. And also it will - you know, it will be something that the Russians cannot use as a provocation²⁰ to take further steps.

INSKEEP: Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who will be at a Senate briefing on Ukraine later today. Senator, thanks.

REED: Thank you very much. Bye now.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

3 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

4 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

8 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

9 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

10 javelin   

n.标枪，投枪

参考例句：

• She achieved a throw of sixty metres in the javelin event.在掷标枪项目中，她掷了60米远。
• The coach taught us how to launch a javelin.教练教我们投标枪。

11 radars   

n.雷达( radar的名词复数 )；雷达装置

参考例句：

• Servos for large radars and launchers are either electro-hydraulic or all-electric. 大型雷达和发射装置的伺服系统，不是电动-液压式的，就是全电动式的。 来自辞典例句
• Range-velocity simultaneous pull-off is one of effective measures for countering PD radars. 距离-速度同步拖引干扰是对抗PD雷达的有效方法。 来自互联网

12 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

13 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

14 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

15 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

16 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

17 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

18 reassurances   

n.消除恐惧或疑虑( reassurance的名词复数 )；恢复信心；使人消除恐惧或疑虑的事物；使人恢复信心的事物

参考例句：

• We have had some reassurances from the council that the building will be saved. 理事会保证会保留那座建筑，这使我们得到了些许安慰。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Everybody's reassurances have encouraged me. 大家的勉励鼓舞了我。 来自辞典例句

19 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

20 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。