MSNBC: Conflict in Ukraine
The following interview originally aired on MSNBC on April 26, 2014. A transcript and video of the interview are below. If you have difficulty viewing the video, click here.
MSNBC News Host Craig Melvin: Illinois Democrat Congressman Mike Quigley, part of a Congressional delegation that just returned from Ukraine. Congressman, just first of all, what was your impression of the situation there? You were all on the ground. You presumably saw a lot more than we've seen. What can you tell us?
Representative Mike Quigley: Well it's a real set of conflicts. It's a country full of turmoil. Certainly a lot working against them. Before this happened they had an economy that needed a bailout. Extraordinary corruption, their President left, fled the country, and they're facing military aggression from Russia. At the same time, I saw optimism. I think what they see is this is their doorway to the future. An opportunity to get past all this, and throw off, finally, the yoke of Russian military oppression.
Melvin: But how do they, what's the plan in terms of going about doing that? Because you and I both know that if there's an armed conflict right now that Russia has a sizeable advantage over Ukraine.
Rep. Quigley: Well, you know, it's interesting. The first thing they talk about isn't that fact. The first thing they talk about is the election on May 25th. They think the election gives them legitimacy, and takes away a lot of what Putin's using as political opportunism against them. So, the first thing they would say is this election has to take place. We need your help to make sure it works and shows the world this is a legitimate government. They obviously recognize the military threats there, and they recognize that Yanukovych basically dismantled their military the last 4 years. Their jets have no fuel, their trucks have no gas, their tanks have no batteries, but they're hopelessly optimistic. I left the country rooting more for them than I did coming in.
Melvin: President Obama as you know has said that harsh new sanctions, harsher new sanctions are going to be taking effect Monday, as early as Monday, if Russia does not stand down. What kind of impact do you think these new sanctions will have?
Rep. Quigley: I think the old sanctions are already starting to work. I mean the Russian ruble is at an all-time low, the stock market is down 20%, their credit rating is at nearly junk bond status, the capital is fleeing the Russian economy at an extraordinary rate. I think there'll be movements to have more independence from Russian exports of oil and natural gas. That's 75% of their exports. I think Mr. Putin is risking economic turmoil in his own country by doing this. I do think another round of sanctions makes sense, and if we can agree on anything, it is an international, unified effort to target, perhaps, the banking and energy sectors for further sanctions.
Melvin: Congressman, really quickly here, very simple question. How concerned are the Ukrainian people, how concerned did they seem to be that they're going to be invaded by Russia?
Rep. Quigley: I think there's a very legitimate concern. When I talked to the leadership in Ukraine, most of them feel like what Putin is more likely to do is invade further in the east. They don't see a full-country invasion. Their response is that 85% of the Ukrainian population supports a unified Ukraine, and wants nothing to do with the Russians. So they don't think that Putin could be very successful politically in a military invasion, in terms of the reaction he would get, and I obviously think that as a result of this, they need more nonlethal military aid as quickly as possible.
Melvin: Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley, just back from Ukraine. Congressman, thank you for your time this afternoon.