Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Andrew Weiss is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he oversees research in Washington and Moscow on Russia and Eurasia. He served as Director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian Affairs for the Clinton National Security Council.
Are Russian protests a threat to Putin? Riot police detain demonstrators during an anti-corruption protest organised by opposition leader Alexei Navalny, on Tverskaya Street in central Moscow, Russia, June 12, 2017 Photo by Maxim Shemetov/Reuters This could have been one of Russia's most extensive days of political protest in recent history. Police in 200 cities were out in force and at least 700 have been arrested so far. Demonstrators also had to share the streets with people colorfully dressed in historical costumes for a Russian holiday. We hear more from the Guardian 's Alec Luhn, who was covering today's protests and was arrested at demonstrations earlier this March, and from Andrew Weiss, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment where he oversees the Russia and Eurasia Program.
Trump says US has no place criticizing Putin In a much-promoted interview yesterday with Bill O'Reilly on Fox News before the Super Bowl, President Trump once again confounded fellow Republicans — not just by defending Vladimir Putin, but by his characterization of the USA. Andrew Weiss, Vice President at the Carnegie Endowment, where he oversees research on Russia and Eurasia, says Trump's equivocation puts the GOP in the difficult position of having to explain what the President really means.
The US and Russia: Another re-set? Donald Trump has publicly scorned the CIA for claiming that Russia tried to help him get elected. But the disagreement's much deeper than that. Trump has picked a national security team with close ties to Vladimir Putin, who intelligence agents -- and many Republicans -- insist is up to no good. How much do they really know about that, and when did they know it? Is Trump's hand of friendship a lucky accident for Putin, whose real goal is a divided Europe? We look at the long-term threat to the Atlantic Alliance, national security and the global balance of power.
Russia Agrees to Sell Missiles to Iran, Provoking Obama Administration In the midst of negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, Vladimir Putin has lifted a ban on the sale to Iran of sophisticated Russian air-defense missiles. Andrew Weiss is vice president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , where he oversees research on Russia and Eurasia. Special thanks to Paul von Zielbauer for production assistance.
US Considers “Lethal Aid” to Ukraine Forces With Russian-backed separatists advancing in Ukraine, there’s pressure on the Obama Administration to provide the government with weapons sophisticated enough to strike back effectively. Is that the best answer to provocations by Vladimir Putin—or could it lead to a wider war? Secretary of State John Kerry will be in Kiev tomorrow, amid reports that the Obama Administration may change course and provide the Ukrainian army with high-tech weaponry for use against separatists backed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Ukrainian President Asks for Military Aid at US Congress Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told a rare joint session of Congress today the future of NATO and peace in Europe depend on US help for Ukrainian soldiers responding to Russia aggression. Andrew S. Weiss is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment, where he oversees research for Russia and Eurasia.
Russia Imposes Sanctions and Extends Snowden Residency The US and Europe have imposed increasingly deeper economic sanctions on Russia because of perceived aggression in Ukraine. Now, President Vladimir Putin is responding with sanctions of his own. Russia today banned some imports from the US and Europe and extended Edward Snowden’s permission to stay in the country for three more years. President Putin signed an oil deal with Iran — and he might prohibit western airliners from flying over Siberia. Andrew S. Weiss is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment.
Obama Pressures Putin to Control Russian Separatists Near the site where Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 17 went down last week, combat continues, and pro-Russian separatists are in control. President Obama demanded access to the crash site, saying, "President Putin says that he supports a full and fair investigation and I appreciate those words. But they have to be supported by actions. The burden now is on Russia to insist that they stop tampering with the evidence, grant investigators who are already on the ground, immediate, full and unimpeded access to the crash site. The separatists and the Russian sponsors are responsible for the safety of the investigators doing their work. Along with our allies and partners, we will be working this issue at the United Nations today." Andrew S. Weiss is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment, where he oversees research in Washington and Moscow on Russia and Asia.
Could Diplomatic Pact Ease Conflict in Ukraine? In Geneva today, the US, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union agreed on what they called "concrete steps to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens. Secretary of State John Kerry said he expected Russia to insist that pro-Russian separatists they've been supporting to "lay down their arms, leave the buildings, and pursue their political objectives through the Constitutional processes that the agreement guarantees." Andrew Weiss, who dealt with Ukraine and Russia at the State Department and the National Security Council during the Clinton and Bush Administrations, is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment .
US and Russia Exchange Incendiary Rhetoric on Ukraine Rhetoric escalated today over the crisis in Ukraine. In Moscow, Vladimir Putin denied that Russian troops had occupied Crimea and accused the US of "interference." In Kiev, Secretary of State John Kerry seemed astonished by Putin's remarks. "The contrast really could not be clearer. Determined Ukrainians, demonstrating strength through unity, and a Russian government, out of excuses, hiding its hand behind falsehoods, intimidation and provocations." Andrew Weiss is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment , where he oversees research in Washington and Moscow on Russia and Eurasia.
Bloodshed in Ukraine It's been another day of bloody clashes between police and protesters in Kiev, Ukraine's capital city. President Viktor Yanukovych says opposition leaders are trying to seize power by force, requiring him to order a crackdown. In Paris, US Secretary of State John Kerry responded to today's developments by "talking about the possibility of sanctions or other steps with our friends in Europe and elsewhere in order to try to create the environment for compromise." So what's at stake for Russia, and what's expected from Vladimir Putin?
Power and Amnesty in Putin's Russia Today brought the release of the two remaining members of the punk protest band Pussy Riot from Russian prison. President Vladimir Putin pardoned them as part of a mass amnesty of thousands of political activists, including Greenpeace protesters the Arctic 30 and oil oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. It all comes just six weeks before the start of the Sochi Olympics. Are the pardons a move to counter international criticism of Russia's record on human rights, or is Putin responding to larger forces? As Russia celebrates the 20th anniversary of its constitution, we hear how the international community's uproar over LGBT rights is playing out in the Russian media and on the ground, and what the current sparring over the Olympics bodes for US-Russian relations.
Power and Amnesty in Putin's Russia Today brought the release of the two remaining members of the punk protest band Pussy Riot from Russian prison. President Vladimir Putin pardoned them as part of a mass amnesty of thousands of political activists, including Greenpeace protesters the Arctic 30 and oil oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. It all comes just six weeks before the start of the Sochi Olympics. Are the pardons a move to counter international criticism of Russia's record on human rights, or is Putin responding to larger forces? As Russia celebrates the 20th anniversary of its constitution, we hear how the international community's uproar over LGBT rights is playing out in the Russian media and on the ground, and what the current sparring over the Olympics bodes for US-Russian relations.
Will Ukraine See Another Orange Revolution? Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians on the streets of Kiev were chanting "revolution" today, escalating demands that President Victor Yanukovich step down. Yanukovich was the President thrown out by Ukraine's Orange Revolution nine years ago — and then reinstated in a subsequent election. The crowds have been growing since last week, when Yanukovich spurned offers to join the European Union, apparently deciding to accept economic offers from Russia's Vladimir Putin. Andrew Weiss was director for Russian, Ukrainian and Eurasian Affairs on the National Security Council during the Clinton administration. He's now Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment .
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.