Additional global sanctions will be a blow to Putin, Sen. Klobuchar says

Additional global sanctions will be a blow to Putin, Sen. Klobuchar says

Transcript¹

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and how Congress plans to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This morning, the world looks different. Russia is at war with Ukraine. The sounds of alarms and shelling could be heard in major cities around the country. There are long lines at gas stations as Ukrainians in the east and the south try to move west towards Europe to escape danger. President Biden is expected to speak later today. He is promising³ stronger sanctions against Russia in response, but still no U.S. boots on the ground.

Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat² from Minnesota, joins us this morning. Senator, thank you for being here.

AMY KLOBUCHAR: Well, thank you, Rachel, and thank you for focusing on this. I just think one of our goals here was in the past, Vladimir Putin has invaded other countries. He's literally⁴ tried to invade our own elections. And it just always seemed like it suddenly happens. No more. Our country, along with Great Britain and other countries, put out the intelligence. We showed what he was doing. We showed the bridges he was building. We heard the warnings. And now you have a coordinated⁶ response, including, significantly, Germany with an $11 billion natural gas pipeline⁷, which would have been a cash cow to Russia's coffers.

MARTIN: Right, let's talk...

KLOBUCHAR: OK, go ahead.

MARTIN: ...About some of these sanctions. Let's talk about some of these sanctions. So you're right.

KLOBUCHAR: Sure.

MARTIN: Germany's chancellor⁸ has put a stop to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is a hit to Russia. We saw the Biden administration put forward a first tranche of sanctions yesterday. More are likely today. What are you expecting those to target?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, first of all, they're going to be targeting individuals. They're going to be targeting oligarchs. You've already seen some of that come out with their holdings. And this is not just the U.S. This is the EU. I keep harboring this point for a reason. This isn't just the U.S. You heard every country from Kenya to New Zealand come out strongly against Vladimir Putin's actions, and it is individual, financial institutions in Russia, glorified⁹ piggy banks for the Kremlin that hold $50 billion, one of them, in assets. Going after them so they cannot transact¹⁰ is going to really, really create a strong blow at the Kremlin's financial situation.

MARTIN: But hasn't Putin already factored...

KLOBUCHAR: We just simply cannot...

MARTIN: Senator, hasn't...

KLOBUCHAR: Go ahead.

MARTIN: Hasn't Vladimir Putin already factored that likelihood in? I mean, sanctions were supposed to deter¹¹ him from invading Ukraine. It's already happened. So what difference can they make at this point in terms of stopping his incursion into Ukraine?

KLOBUCHAR: I don't rule anything out here. And the fact that the world has come out so strongly - I don't think he anticipated that. I don't think he thought that the EU and the European countries would act like this because he looked at the past and thought the world was his playground. And what you're seeing now is a coordinated response, which is going to hit him economically. We also, of course, has coordinated on military aid, on sending troops to other NATO countries, and you see other countries rising up as well. I don't think he expected the U.N. ambassador of Kenya to give the speech that he did or to see the kind of condemnation¹² around the world. This is a different diplomacy¹³, and this is a stronger world that has said enough is enough. And we simply cannot allow him to invade democracies around the world like this. And he thinks he can. And I think for once, we're seeing a much stronger coordinated response. And you're right, the U.S. cannot do this alone. The president has made this clear. We have to coordinate⁵ with the EU, NATO and countries around the world.

MARTIN: President Biden has said no U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine. NATO says the same. Does the alliance lose leverage¹⁴ by taking even just the threat of that option off the table publicly?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I think the alliance had to be clear about where they stood on this and been straightforward¹⁵. But again, there are so many other ways to get at what Vladimir Putin is doing. And you also have the people of Ukraine. And I think if you talk to anyone that studied Ukraine, they're not just going to take this. If he goes in there in some fashion, they're not just going to succumb¹⁶ to this. And it may not be an immediate¹⁷ obvious fact, but over time, you've seen a country that time and time again has shown incredible bravery. They've lost 14,000 people since he last came in here. I was just in Ukraine a few weeks ago with a bipartisan delegation¹⁸, saw firsthand their commitment. I stood with Senator McCain on the front line with their troops a number of years ago. This is a proud nation that is not just going to take this standing¹⁹ down.

MARTIN: Pride cannot push back Vladimir Putin, though, in total. I mean, the Ukrainian military - they've invested a lot of money and resources into building that up since 2014. But I talked to, you know, retired²⁰ Admiral Mike Mullen, former joint²¹ chiefs of staff moments ago, who said, even so, Ukraine simply doesn't have the manpower or the might to push back Russian forces. So, I mean, we're looking at potentially an occupation, maybe an insurgency²². Is the U.S. prepared to fund that kind of insurgency?

KLOBUCHAR: First of all, let's look at where we are today, and that is on sanctions. And don't underestimate the power of these sanctions. Together, the U.S. and Europe has something like 45% of the world's GDP. You add into that our allies, other countries that are standing with us - well over 50% of GDP. The effect when all of these countries where Russia has holdings, where Russia does business - it is a major, major gut²³ punch. And so I just think minimizing the effect of these sanctions is a mistake, especially with what Germany has just done with Nord Stream 2. I think that is a major force that they did not expect, and we always knew that they had the - when they were starting to amass²⁴ the forces at the borders, that's obviously a mismatch with Ukraine. But we have a mismatch too, and that is the world working together against them.

MARTIN: Senator Amy Klobuchar, we appreciate your time and context. Democrat from Minnesota, thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you.

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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 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

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 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

8 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

9 glorified   

美其名的，变荣耀的

参考例句：

• The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast-food cafe. 这地方美其名曰餐馆，其实只不过是个快餐店而已。
• The author glorified the life of the peasants. 那个作者赞美了农民的生活。

10 transact   

v.处理；做交易；谈判

参考例句：

• I will transact my business by letter.我会写信去洽谈业务。
• I have been obliged to see him；there was business to transact.我不得不见他，有些事物要处理。

11 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

12 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

13 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。

14 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

15 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

16 succumb   

v.屈服，屈从；死

参考例句：

• They will never succumb to the enemies.他们决不向敌人屈服。
• Will business leaders succumb to these ideas?商业领袖们会被这些观点折服吗？

17 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

18 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

19 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

20 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

21 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

22 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

23 gut   

n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏

参考例句：

• It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。
• My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

24 amass   

vt.积累，积聚

参考例句：

• How had he amassed his fortune?他是如何积累财富的呢？
• The capitalists amass great wealth by exploiting workers.资本家剥削工人而积累了巨额财富。