James Clapper: “No, he's not, and by the way, put me in the stupid camp. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here when he said that…”

This is quite different. And, you know, shocking, stunning, but not surprising, a phrase that we often find ourselves using about revelations of abuse of power by the Trump administration.

Putin is committed to conquering, if he can, which I think will be impossible, all of Ukraine.

I think the reason they were taken off the list was to provide an inducement or motivation for them to agree to some sort of ceasefire.

I think it has more to do with the psychology of Putin, and Russia. And he needs to assure his own people, Parliamentarians, he was talking to, and for that matter, himself, that Russia is still a great power.