Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian president Vladmir Putin was either a “disaster” or a success, depending on whom you ask — and on Sunday NBC’s Kristen Welker asked both Sen. Chris Murphy and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“That meeting was a disaster. It was an embarrassment for the United States. It was a failure,” Murphy insisted. “Putin got everything he wanted. I mean, first of all, he wanted that photo op, right? He wanted to be absolved of his war crimes in front of the world. He was invited to the United States. War criminals are not normally invited to the United States of America.”
Putin also “didn’t have to give up anything,” Murphy added, including a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine — or even have a conversation about the possibility.
“President Trump said he wanted a ceasefire. It appears the ceasefire wasn’t even seriously discussed. And then, third, there’s no consequences. Trump said, ‘If I don’t get a ceasefire, Putin is going to pay a price,’” Murphy said. “And then he walked out of that meeting saying, ‘I didn’t get a ceasefire. I didn’t get a peace deal, and I’m not even considering sanctions.’”
Rubio offered an opposite take. Putin and Trump “agreed … that the best way to end this conflict is through a full peace deal,” he insisted. “There’s no doubt about that. I mean, who would be against the fact if tomorrow we came to you and said, ‘We have a full peace deal and it’s done,’ I think that’s the best way to end the war.”
He continued, “Now, whether there needs to be a ceasefire on the way there, well, we’ve advocated for that.”
After Welker played a clip of Trump noting, “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today. But I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today,” Rubio attempted to reroute the conversation.
“Well, first of all the Russians are already facing very severe consequences. There’s not a single sanction that’s been lifted, not one. I mean, they’re facing all the same sanctions that have been in place today,” he said. “All the American support continues to Ukraine. And ultimately look, if we’re not going to be able to reach an agreement here at any point, then there are going to be consequences, not only the consequences of the war continuing, but the consequences of all those sanctions continuing and potentially new sanctions on top of it as well.”
Watch the interviews with Sen. Murphy and Marco Rubio in the videos above.
