'Trump’s president now': CNN host spars with GOP strategist blaming Obama for US foreign policy

14 February

CNN anchor Jim Sciutto sparred with Republican strategist Brad Todd 2/14. Screengrab/TVeyes

CNN anchor Jim Sciutto sparred with Republican strategist Brad Todd on President Donald Trump’s Ukraine and Russia policy Friday. Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had begun negotiations on a Ukraine ceasefire, and it was “unlikely” Ukraine would take significant land back.

Russia “took a lot of land, and they fought for that land and they lost a lot of soldiers,” Trump told reporters Wednesday.

“I’m just here to try and get peace,” he added. “I don’t care so much about anything other than I want to stop having millions of people killed.”

Sciutto asked Todd why Trump’s strategy here was so much more conciliatory than the bold positions he had taken elsewhere.

“When you look at this, Brad, entering a negotiation, Trump has already said Ukraine is going to have to give up territory," the CNN host said. "It will not be a member of NATO. And he's also saying he wants to welcome Russia back into G7 courses kicked out because of the invasion. Help me understand why, with allies, Trump begins with maximalist positions. You think of Canada, 51st state, Denmark. I'm going to take Greenland, Panama, I'm going to take over the canal. But on this, he makes concessions prior to the negotiation. Is that strong?”

Todd responded by placing blame on former President Barack Obama. “Well, the question that was asked was, ‘should Ukraine return to its pre-2014 borders?’ That's when Russia invaded Crimea and took it from Ukraine and Barack Obama did absolutely nothing to stop him. And so I think that's the original sin in this situation in Ukraine, and both President Biden and President Trump have struggled to put the genie back in the bottle for Obama's failure to stop Russia from taking over Ukraine.”

Sciutto brought the conversation back to the present day.

“Trump is president now, who's saying he's willing to allow Russia to keep territory that it invaded," Scuitto replied. "The first time, we should note, since World War II, that a leader —a country — would be allowed to take territory and keep it by force.”

“No Jim that’s false,” Todd said. “Barack Obama let Russia keep Crimea after they invaded Crimea, he did nothing to stop it. That's that's just a false assertion --”

“[Obama] did not recognize the annexation. That's the point. That's the difference,” Sciutto cut in.

“He did nothing to stop [Putin],” Todd said.

“Fair criticism,” Sciutto said.

“He said he couldn't do it because of Russian identity,” Todd said.

“I understand you’re not willing to criticize anything President Trump will say,” Sciutto said.

“No, that’s not true.” Todd said.

Sciutto then cut off the exchange.

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