journal, we discussed ukraine with al green and brian fitzpatrick. also, phyllis rap -- foot pressure joins us to talk about the impact of russia's invasion on u.s. agriculture and the supply chain. >> it is true. in the august time for our country, for europe, i call you to do more. host: volodymyr zelenskyy made an emotional and historic appeal to u.s. congress yesterday, asking the u.s. to do more. we will get your take on the u.s. response. is it not enough? (202) 748-8000 if you believe it is not enough. (202) 748-8001 if you think we

have done too much. if you think it is the right amount, dial in at (202) 748-8002. also, you can text us at (202) 748-8003. join us on facebook or send a tweet. we will get to your thoughts in a minute. pew research did a poll on this question before the ukrainian president addressed congress. they found that more americans approve than disapprove of the biden administration's response the russian invasion. just 7% said the u.s. is providing too much support to ukraine. where do you come down on this question? president biden, after the ukrainian president talked to lawmakers, announced an

additional $800 million to ukraine in assistance. president biden: i am using my presidential authority to activate additional security systems to continue to help ukraine fend off russia. that brings the total of new u.s. security systems to ukraine to $1 billion just this week. these are direct transfers of equipment to help them as they fight. i thank the congress before appropriating these funds. this new package is going to provide unprecedented assistance to ukraine. it includes 800 anti-aircraft systems to make sure they can defend the ukrainian airspace.

we have identified and are helping ukraine acquire additional, longer-range antiaircraft systems and munitions. a new assistance package also includes 9000 and like armor systems. these are portable, high accuracy shoulder-mounted missiles that ukrainian forces have been using with rate effect. it will include 7000 small arm machine guns, grenade launchers to include -- to equip ukrainians. as well as the ammunition, artillery, and mortar rounds to go with the small arms, 20 million rounds in total. this will include drugs, which demonstrates -- will include

drones, which demonstrates our commitment to sending the most cutting edge equipment to ukraine. our allies have stepped up and will continue to help facilitate these deliveries. host: president biden yesterday responding to the ukrainian president's call for more help, but the white house drew the line at a no-fly zone. debate is still going on in washington about those polish fader jets. what do you think the u.s. response should be? take a look at the london times -- u.s. gives, because the switchblade drugs to ukrainian offenders. on this question of a no-fly zone, the ukrainian president speaking to lawmakers yesterday reiterated the call for a no-fly zone.

an alternative would be providing them with the defense systems they need to do their own no-fly zone. take a listen. >> ladies and gentlemen, americans, great history, you have pages that would allow you to understand us now, when we need you. remember pearl harbor. the terrible morning of december 7, 1940 one, when your sky was black. just remember it. remember september 11th, a terrible day in 2001 when people tried to turn your independent territories into battlefields,

when innocent people were attacked from an air. just like nobody else expected it, you could not stop it. our country experiences the same every day right now, at this moment, every night for three weeks now. there is ukrainian cities, odesa , mariupol, russia has turned the ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands. russian troops have already fired nearly 1000 missiles. they use drones to kill with precision. this is a terror that you have has not seen for 80 years.

we are asking for an answer to this terror. is this a lot to ask for to create a no-fly zone? is this too much, a humanitarian no-fly zone? so that russia would not be able to terrorize our free citizens. if this is too much, we offer an alternative. you know what kind of defense systems we need. you know help much depends on the battlefield, on the ability to use powerful, strong iffy asian to protect our people, our freedom, our land. aircraft that can help ukraine, help europe. you know that they exist and you have them, but they are on

earth, not the ukrainian skies. they do not defend our people. i have a dream. these words are known to each of you. i have a need. i need to protect our skies. i need your help, which means exactly the same -- the same you feel when you hear the words, i have a dream. host: president zelenskyy yesterday before congress. the hill says what the takeaways was that ask that you just heard. they report that zelenskyy did suggest a less emphatic option -- the provision of warplanes and air defenses those are likely to be at the center of american political debate the days to come. tom, you say the u.s. has provided too much already.

caller: i and owing on the too much line, but i think there is nuance. it was not that long ago that we were told that we needed to stop the cold war military foreign affairs strategy. we were told that president trump wanted to withdraw from nato went what he was trying to say was, you need to start chipping in your obligatory percent. people have been saying for all these years that russia posed a risk to europe and european countries needed to put in 2% of their gdp for their own defense. now, as soon as country, in many peoples's minds, our leadership showed a degree of weakness,

that is when putin decided this was his best chance to try and take ukraine back now, everybody is like, europe just defend itself. we have been saying for years that they could not defend themselves without our help. the nuance is this -- remember, people in the military told you that nato was not capable of fending itself. without putting in 2% of their gdp. we are having to chip in. we should not have to do that. host: we heard your point. oliver, falls church, virginia. you say it is the right amount. why? caller: i think it is the right

amount. at one point, i was really nervous that people surrounding joe biden were giving him good advice. they have played it they do not want to get into a new excerpt war with russia. that does not make sense for the american people. i am happy with what he has done so far. i believe that one day, we will find out that putin and donald trump had been working together the whole time. remember, donald trump tearing nato apart. he was trying to dismantle nato for this reason. people better wake up and

realize joe biden will save this country if given the opportunity. host: the ukrainian president yesterday spoke virtually in front of lawmakers on capitol hill but also directly to biden, saying i wish you to be the leader of the world. to be the leader of the world, you need to be the leader of peace. this is not the first time the ukrainian president has spoken to the west and nato allies. he first spoke to eu leaders, then the parliament in the u.k., then canada. he also went before germany's president does parliament yesterday. he urges them to tear down the new wall in europe that is growing bigger with every russian bomb.this is

from the daily mail on line. and this is from the times israel. zelenskyy will save the holocaust when he speaks to the israeli parliament today. also, from the times of israel, they are reporting that the ukrainian leader is suggesting jerusalem host negotiations between ukraine and russia and talks are continuing for some sort of peace deal. the kyiv independent also reporting zelenskyy asked the israeli prime minister to act as a mediator. brian in minnesota, you also say the right amount. caller: i am not sure about what you just said, but can i ask two questions?

one, where dozens of this -- i just saw the president with $1 billion worth of weapons --, where does all of this magically come from? another question is, why doesn't ukraine just give up? host: nancy, louisiana, not enough. caller: if you look at the beginning of this issue with russia going into ukraine, the one thing on his mind was strictly to get to the black sea. once he gets to the water, then he can bring in his native arsenal. if we do not protect them, do

not tell us exactly what we are doing in ukraine, we have the best military, national guard, other individuals that can go into the country that nobody knows about, and take action to protect these people, which has now been westernized. it does not matter where the money comes from. we are in a situation that could roll into a world war three. if we do not act now, it will be too late. host: mark, north carolina, not enough. caller: i realize exactly what i was calling this morning. i do not think we should look weak in this moment. like the lady before me excited,

this thing is building up to something bigger. i do not think america or any of our allies should look weak or allow any genocide to take place. host: kevin, fort wayne, indiana. caller: i agree with many of the other colors in terms of saying not enough. my rationale is simple. the purpose of fighting russia is to defeat russia. it cannot be done -- it cannot be done if we do not make for measure of every defensive tactic. the lady that spoke previously spoke of putin's and russia's natural desire to have the black

sea. there naval forces are already secured off of that coast. one of the weapons we have not committed yet toward defending ukraine is antiship missiles. the u.s. and her allies, we have the antiship missile systems that could be given to ukraine. to be perfectly honest, not to be crass, these weapon systems to -- should be used to put that fleet to the bottom of the black sea. host: maria, indiana. caller: i am really upset to see that we are not helping more, not doing enough for these children, those families.

we are not doing enough for those families. host: you are getting confused, because i can cure your television. can you meet that? you were saying, we are not doing enough. caller: we are going to be -- soon, because the children will be going up for adoption in the u.s. that is not acceptable. this is not hell -- saying, we are going to help, but we are going to take your children to try to save them from the war. why aren't week putting boots on the ground, doing more to save those families? we should be doing more.

if biden wanted to stand for a free country, he would stand there first if he is not going to do it there first, that means he does not mind the solo with the kidnapping and the hurt of families. i am one of them. i have had kidnapped children and i know other families who -- host: the president responded yesterday to the atrocities in ukraine. children and the ukrainians 900 missile -- under missile and bomb attacks. ukrainian officials accused

russia of bombing a theater where hundreds have sought refuge in mariupol, part of attacks that continued even as diplomats said they were making progress. video showing the rooms of the theater emerged after russia and ukraine express -- expressed cautious optimism. the landscapey -- zelenskyy delivered an impassioned address to congress, calling for a no-fly zone to protect humanitarian corridors. president biden was asked if he thought the russian president had committed war crimes. take a listen. >> -- a war criminal? president biden: no. >> [inaudible]

president biden: [inaudible] i think he is a war criminal. host: has by says no and then comes back to say yes. he is not the first leader of nato allies to say so. worse johnson -- boris johnson two weeks ago said he thought the russian president was guilty of war crimes. take a look at the response from russia. unforgivable, the kremlin spokesman calls biden's comment

and acceptable and unforgivable rhetoric. betty, south carolina. you say too much. caller: my part goes out to ukraine, especially when it comes to children. it is upsetting. there is bodies in that ditch. that man from virginia parking about trump -- the war do not start and trump was not in there. biden is the president when the war started. everybody keeps saying, trump, trump. you had somebody on the other day who said, go and fight. he did not.

host: let us stick to the u.s. support to ukraine. art, mississippi. you say so far the right amount. caller: i think the work would be over. all you have to do is with the white flag. they stretch out a 600 mile country. what they did in world war ii, stalingrad, let the germans slip out. all have got to do is back off, let them cover the whole country . get them stretched out in these little towns and then they have got to come out of those tanks sometimes, and then bomb the hel* out of them. host: this is from the new york

times. russia told over 7000, including 3 or 4 generals, in 36 days of fighting in world war ii, nearly 7000 marines were killed. now in 20 days, russian military has already lost more soldiers according to russian intelligence estimates. they import -- report the conservative estimate of russian troops killed is greater than those killed in 20 years in iraq. this is a staggering number, with implications for russian units. pentagon officials say a percent casualty rate is unable to carry out combat related tasks.

with more than 150,000 russian troops involved, russian casualties are near that level. the russian military has lost at least three generals. two to jim in new york. you say took on much. caller: it is good to help, but i wish we could put that kind of enthusiasm into our own border. what a mess this area is. we have limited resources and are giving them away. who is taking care of all these people? a guy died and that the bill for good $1000. what are we doing here? we had another shooting down the block. houses are packed like sardines

with cheap labor. we have problems in this country. host: that in massachusetts, you agree, too much? caller: he has been invaded by over 2 million people. the biden administration is flying people into massachusetts and that dropped off the screen of the media. you just quoted ukraine and nato. there is no propaganda for that site? let us not forget in 2014 when they had an overthrow of a elected person, did they slaughter 100 people? we are in a big propaganda war. look into child trafficking, money laundering. when you have george soros -- host: brian, buffalo, new york,

you say the right amount. caller: biden says this perfectly. we have sent arms, sanctioned russia. i do not know what more people want other than war three. he is under tremendous pressure to start that war and he is not. i give him credit for that. host: do you think he might have escalated things by calling the russian president a war criminal? caller: maybe, but if you are a world leader, you can -- >> the president has declined to use this label. there is a formal process where you can use this term. something must have changed. >> the president was asking a direct question and responding

to what he has seen on television -- barbaric acts by a foreign dictator that that's in a country that is threatening the lives of civilians, women who are pregnant, journalists. host: that was a white house spokesman yesterday explaining why the president now called putin a war criminal. host: silver spring maryland, you say not enough support. caller: i never call you, but i am feeling for the ukrainian people. it is not africa, not india. it is like 15 months right now,

a lot of people dying, 500,000 people. new pretty is: about this people. in the building, 500,000 people almost died. [indiscernible] they are my people. 360 degrees, blocks everywhere. they are genocides. could you speak for them, too? i do not know if my family is alive or not. could you please speak up for

those people, too? host: bill, colorado. we are asking about the u.s. support to ukraine, not enough? caller: too much. i am a retired army public affairs officer. there is total censorship of news from the other side. if we were not pouring so much money, arms, weapons into ukraine, which is not a part of nato, maybe zelenskyy would sit down, negotiate, and save more lives, including ukrainian soldiers and civilians. the more weapons we port in, the more people are going to die. my third point is since we got out of afghanistan, this is a

boondoggle for the military selling weapons. host: glenn, lakeland, florida. you say the right amount? caller: i think is right. people need to understand if you cannot get too emotional. this is a collective effort with the native countries. we are the ones that are going to be taking the lead. everybody is working together to stop this war from happening, but you cannot survive the two things he wants. he wants a no-fly zone. nobody is going to do that when everything he needs ammunition, food, fuel, but it is not going to happen by employing those things, because now you expand the work. a lot of people do not realize

that russia has 6000 new weapons. if we were to get involved in a war, everybody participates. now, at some point, and desperation by putin, he shoots a missile, boom. the whole world is upset. nobody wants that. it sounds like this is to defeat the russian army. it is not that simple. kids are getting killed and everything. you cannot get emotional, because you have to keep your focus without having to go to the extreme. we spent 15 years in iraq but killed just as many people as is happening right now. you have to keep your focus, and

you cannot just get emotional. he is doing just enough. host: from bbc all -- all figures for new weapons are estimates. but russia has 5977 nuclear warheads. this includes about 1500 that are set to be dismantled of the remaining ones, most are considered strategic weapons which can be targeted over long distances. chuck, texas. not enough? caller: good morning. there is a lot of people around the world who say if we get too involved, we could get dragged into war as well and could have world war iii on our hands.

but the effect of the matter is we are already at work with russia. if you think picking is going to stop with ukraine, you are mistaken. we needed to come to terms with this situation and start working to win this war. we are already involved. host: the russian president also went before cameras yesterday following president biden talking to the american people. the russian president saying the west is trying to split his own people and acknowledged that the sanctions are hurting the economy. this is a cliff that bloomberg edited. it is in russian, so read the captioning below.

[video] [video]

host: the russian president yesterday. is the support ukraine enough, not enough, the right amount? not enough, robert. caller: not even close. if you watch putin and his press conference, he is not even -- with his own people. he listens to nobody. what are we supposed to do? biden is in a bad place. he is a real chicken now. you do not even know if he is

stable. i met know what we need to do, but we have got to do something. cannot trust him. host: crystal, manchester, new hampshire. too much, crystal? caller: i think that we should not be picking fights. my heart goes out to families in ukraine. but they are losing people on both sides between ukraine and russia. we do not have the money or resources for people to come here. it should not be picking sides. host: most people fleeing ukraine are heading to poland. take a look at this month from usa today. more than 3 million people have left ukraine. the ukrainian government have forbidden men ages 18-60 from

leaving. almost all fleeing our women, children, elderly people. 1.9 children in poland. they have headed to slovakia, moldova as well. mike, new york, what do you say? caller: we are doing enough. we are keeping u.s. troops and boots off the round. -- off the ground. the ukrainian people handing the russians at their own trouble. the russians are not fearing too well. russia spent many years in afghanistan before we did. they did not learn their lesson then and are not learning it now. caller: good morning. i also believe we are not doing

enough. we should seize all russian assets in this country and any other nation who has assets in this country and not be complicit to this. i think that is very important. at point, no more boots but take the squeeze. host: what about the citizens trying to put the squeeze on american companies still doing business in russia? that is the key is in the washington post. coke industries saying they will do business in russia and promising western businesses if they say they will have opportunities for growth, but daniel milbank goes on to this the countries that are still doing business there and the

ones no longer doing business, but he says, you the citizens could stop buying these products. brawny paper towels, dixie cups, quilted northern toilet paper are helping the spilling of ukrainian blood. authentic brand groups, also known as aeropostale, any bauer, nine west all in the hall of shame. before you bite into cinnabon, and he ends -- auntie ann's pretzels, you are taking a bite out of democracy in ukraine. trivia, diamond crystal, avon

cosmetics, lg appliances, mission tortillas, verrilli tires are produced by companies on, he says, the shameful list. caller: -- nation that has people in it that want to make money by overcharging people, they should be also. that is important. host: al in california. your thoughts? caller: quick question. i do not think it is enough. greta, do you drive an electric car? host: why do you ask? caller: congress just passed a $1.5 trillion budget. there is $15 billion worth of aid for ukraine. i do not know how much is food

and help much is weapons. there was another thing i thought was important. there is a lot of video out there. one that i thought was important -- on november 27, 2021, antony blinken was in ukraine talking to the government. he said, we support you and would welcome you into nato if you choose. that was november the seventh. that video was out there. the other video is december 5. that is when you saw putin start putting his troops on the border. the question i have is, who is at the fuse? who actually started this?

i am not going to say who, but look at the video and if you cannot put two and two together, it is difficult to understand. host: but you still say not enough assistance? caller: yes, because we do not know what is in that package. if we gave them enough, this would have stopped. i am worried that putin is seeing that we are not fully committed. if we are not fully committed, we are going to end up going even deeper. do you have an electric car? host: you've never told me why it matters. caller: because they are going to start putting these electric posts all over the country. we do not know where. i think there are going to put them in the cities.

that is not going to help farmers, people who live outside the cities. host: on that $13 billion in aid, this is from npr. congress passed this as part of a bigger package. npr reports it was part of a massive ending package to keep the government open, along with that $13.6 billion in emergency aid for ukraine. -- as a result of lengthy bipartisan negotiations that took on new urgency after russia invaded ukraine. it says that the 30 points explain dollar emergency package for ukraine includes money for humanitarian aid, defense assistance, economic support. lawmakers more than doubled the amount over the next couple of weeks.

it included money for poland, romania, countries taking in refugees. it went to not only ukraine humanitarian aid, but the countries around ukraine. it sounds like defense assistance as well. tyrone in savannah. or 10 in oregon. caller: it is probably not enough. i am a cold war veteran of the u.s. air force. i was stationed in western europe during the carter-reagan years and spent many hours wearing chemical warfare suits and masks for days and days. i just find that i cannot believe that the soviet union that folded in 1990 and on that

day, putin was in charge of the east german kgb, and you add it up. he is wanting that ussr logo back on all that military hardware. i find it a bit shocking that, i do not care who you are, if you did not have enough courage to sign the paper and, it was 40 years ago for me. i am in my 60's now and i think, this is the most unbelievable thing i am witnessing. host: annapolis, gail. you say the right amount? caller: yes. i also believe -- i am listening

to people calling in talking about biting since we left afghanistan. we spent 20 years and how many bodies got sent back home from afghanistan? we left the military hardware and they folded within a week. unlike the ukrainians who are fighting and doing well they have to do for their country. because of nato and it is not just the united states, this is the right approach. let the people in russia take over there on country and do what they have to do. host: the new york times reporting on the investigation into hunter biden. the headline, biden's son paid

tax bill but still faces an inquiry. and the year after keith disclosed a federal investigation into his tax affairs, hunter biden paid off a significant tax liability even as a grand jury continued to gather evidence into his international business dealings. mr. biden's failure to pay all his taxes have been a focus of the investigation. what wiping out his liability does not include criminal charges, the payment could make it harder. mr. biden's taxes are just one element of a water investigation stemming from work he did around the world. hunter biden's professional life has been intersection with his father's public service,

including lobbying while his father was vice president. last month, a federal grand jury heard testimony from two witnesses, one of whom was a former employee of hunter items. there will be more in the new york times. al in toledo, washington. you say it not enough support? caller: 30 years of service during korea. -- was working alongside joseph p moore. we do not have to depend on our nato allies and others goodwill toward us.

otherwise, we do not have the multiplier to do what we need to do. we get weapons was -- from our fingers. -- the task at hand that say [indiscernible] if we put in enough of top, we have fewer losses at the other end. some have told us [indiscernible] get in and get out, but you do not go to war unless you have that capability. host: jennifer, the right amount? caller: yes. i understand everybody's desire to go with zelenskyy's call for

a no-fly zone, but what is more horton is that we continue to do what we are doing as far as supplying aid to ukraine and defending themselves against russia and working with nato, because every time we have made monetary action unit lottery -- unilaterally, it is always -- because russia is in such a threat to the entire democratic world, we need to keep fighting through the international legal processes at continue to pursue action through the united nations and nato and is everything that we can, because then we can [indiscernible] that is what i believe.

host: tim, iowa. caller: i think it is too much. host: but you called on the not enough line. caller: sorry. i think if you look at who the winner's on this deal is, there is 3 -- oil companies, military makers of weapons, and biden, because it has brought his numbers up some. i think if you are not the seeing this if you had not been for the last five years. it is russia, russia, russia. it is almost like people have been brainwashed -- everybody is

took down on russia. -- everybody is so down on russia. host: don, michigan, not enough? caller: i say that president biden is doing a good job, but we did make an agreement with ukraine that if they would get rid of their nuclear weapons, we would protect them. russia made the deal, great britain made the deal. we are doing enough, but, at some point, we should be willing

to put boots on the ground. we made a promise to get rid of nuclear weapons. if we are not going to support them, we need to give every country nuclear weapons. i hope we can get out of this without going to war. host: alabama, roger, your turn. caller: i: on the right amount. maybe i should have said too much, because if we are going to have it work russia surrounds cities and cannot really win, they are just going to bomb them to death. it is going to look like stalingrad. there is no way ukraine is ever going to be russia. that gentleman just called it, said something about the way we have been demonizing russia all

these years. we demonized trump for five years. you've got to demonized russia, too. they love everybody -- bernie sanders, he had his honeymoon in 1974 in communist russia. but there is this other thing where they are talking about war crimes. president clinton killed half a million iraqi's with sanctions. obama used drones and killed hundreds and hundreds of women and children. he had two wives and 10 kids. he did not not shooting missiles at them. biden knows of a bus with kids and relief workers, that is not a war crime? come on.

i do not know if it is too much or not enough, but it is dangerous and people act it happens every week. host: i do think that the u.s. is doing whatever it can without putting troops in there. the ukrainian people are determined to fight and doing a great job. france, too, with its diplomacy efforts. george, ohio. caller: thank you for the things you do. i was thinking that we need to do more. we need to do a lot to protect the ukrainian people. like the gate said, we need to deal with if they got rid of their nukes, that we would protect them.

that is what we need to do. we made a commitment to protect them, and i am a fat, served in the air force, in the navy 12 years during vietnam. i think we need to do more. if we do not, this could be on our doorstep. host: seattle. caller: i am confused about the nature of all of this for i think we are doing too much. we have people that are jobless, homeless, people that are about to lose their homes because they did not have a job for two years, but we are sending $1 billion to ukraine, sending weapons and we have problems at home.

nobody is thinking about that. host: the warehouse announced yesterday $800 million in more military assistance, bringing the total just this week to $1 million. since the conflict began, it is at $2 million. congress passed $13 million in more aid for ukraine and neighboring countries. we are looking at around $15 billion just over the course of this administration, most of that money coming during the three weeks plus of the invasion. ken, georgia, right amount. caller: yes. i thank you for all that you do. you put out good information. it is interesting.

i was in the army in the cold war and was a tank commander. i will never forget that when one of the -- the red one, was running for president in 1984 -- host: jesse jackson? caller: yes. he come up to where we was at, looked out across into east germany and said, what would you feel like if we took all of our forces out of europe? he looked at this lonely corporal on the radio. i stood up and said, sir, i am an american soldier. i go where i am supposed to go,

do what i am supposed to do, but i believe if we left, it would be a disgrace to freedom. that is all i said, but my hope point about saying we have done enough is that we have to watch our back door. china has always supported russia. china supported vietnam, north korea. we have to put host: the conversation continues on the other side and we will ask two lawmakers. first senator al green and later, republican congressman brian fitzpatrick.

>> american history tv saturdays on c-span2. this morning the people and events. at 2 p.m. eastern, part three of our eight part series first ladies in their own will -- words. this week will feature rosalynn carter. >> -- agreed with me on the importance of cooperating and consulting closely on the issues that concern you, jimmy, and concerned us all. economic development, arms control, i think we have made progress in all these areas. >> at 3 p.m. eastern, a confirmation hearing for supreme court nominee -- including ruth

bader ginsburg. elena kagan and amy coney barrett. exploring the american story. watch american history tv saturday on c-span2 and find the full schedule on your program guide on watch anytime on our website. -- or watch anytime on our website. >> weekends on c-span2 are an intellectual feast. on sunday, we bring you the latest of nonfiction books and authors. learn, discover, explore. weekends on c-span2. ♪ >> "washington journal" continues. host: congressman al green with

us this morning. he represents the houston area, the night stripped of texas. -- night district of -- ninth district of texas. -- guest: let me thank you for allowing me to be with you. i have my mast going because i have a policy of wearing a mask when we are in presence with each other. i believe the president has done a great job. i am of the opinion that he is doing a fine job so far. i believe that with the sending

of the $13.6 billion that congress passed in the latest bill, i think it will be very helpful. he has sent additional money, $650 million initially. secured a $1 billion loan and we have sent armaments to ukraine. we will send switch plates. these are weapons that can be used -- i think this president has done a good job. host: you heard the president of the ukraine repeat his calls for a nor -- no-fly zone. where are you on that? guest: the no-fly zone is a separate part from another call he made -- i think you makes

excellent -- excellent point when the president says a no-fly zone will trigger a world war. we have to be measured in terms of how we approach it. i would join the president with the premise that a no-fly zone could lead us to an area in history that we have never been and we do not want to go there. i think it is important to say there is so much more killing of babies that we can take. i am going to support peace. i don't believe in war but killing babies is something i don't think a civilized nation can stand in the american people are tolerant -- we are seeing this in real time and we will tolerate but i am not sure that

we will tolerate killing babies. that is aligned that we do not want to see crossed. host: it appears to have been crossed. what do you do? guest: i am not sure how much that -- of that we can take. i say we have a request for planes. i think ukraine can use planes for defensive purposes. if a person comes at you with a bazooka and you have a automatic closure cost and use that, it is not in a office of wave -- offensive way. -- the assault on ukraine is coming from within russia and as a result, planes would not be of great help against the assaults. my position is not wait until the sky of ukraine have been darkened with question planes.

that's get the point to them why we can before it becomes -- let's get the points to them while we can before --plains -- they have the right to determine their destiny and we have the moral imperative to help them. moral imperative because of the budapest memorandum. that memorandum requires them to give up all of their nuclear also know. russia receives it. -- when it comes to world and your possibility of having to deal with another nation. let them -- left them practically defenseless. it's about more than ukraine. this is about reading -- freedom

loving people wherever they may be. dr. king was eminently correct. he said life is a network of neutrality -- what impacts one directly impacts all directly. gas prices will go up around the world. because of what is happening in a distant place. the notion that if we leave the world along, the world will leave us alone, is flawed. we have a duty to take on the great challenges and i think planes would help ukraine and help them defend moxie not only in ukraine but for us in the usa. host: what do you think when the ukrainian president invoke of -- the world -- words up martin luther king -- martin luther

king? guest: i had the opportunity to glance at the room. people were moved by its. --it. i was moved by what he said. he has a need to help maintain a country and a people and protect babies from being murdered so that his country can live in peace. this is about making sure that people who have done no harm -- to a neighbor are protected from that neighbor. killing baby is -- babies is unacceptable. i am opposed to the no-fly zone

but i don't know how much killing babies you will be able to witness. i am hurt. host: let's go to bert's in columbus --bert in columbus. caller: i disagree with the congressman on his representation of joe biden. joe biden is aa week --a weak president. we would have inflation and gas prices like we have if he didn't shut down the oil fields and sat down the drills. but the ukrainians, you should have started giving -- he should have started giving the ukrainians weapons six months ago when he saw putin was on the border and he knew that if he invaded just a little bit, we would give him a pass but he has

leveled the country and also, when i was 10 years old, i was watching the people come across the bridge and i watched connor and all of his people beat him up and it was -- i was affected by that but i realized these were people protesting and the people were trying to stop them were democrats. i could not be a democrat because the democrats -- host: congressman. guest: i respect his opinion. i defend his right to express himself and give his opinion but it is obvious that he and i are at different places. i have something i have coined and i have used this phrase sparingly but there is something called a hindsight quarterback.

but the benefit of hindsight, we can see the fallacies in the flaw and there are times to -- that are appropriate to hindsight quarterback. i think the president has done pretty tough decisions and i think he has done a good job and those who would blame the inflation solely on him, i would remind us that we had a pandemic and we had -- it was very difficult to get the necessities of life in many cases and other things that would help us with our technology and economy, it was difficult to get those things with the supply chain and this impacted inflation. i am with him on this point. i pay more attention to the supermarket than this -- stock market. i am concerned with what is happening when my constituents

go into buy things and the prices have gone up. we have to recognize there are other factors, including what is happening with russia and gas prices going up. american people want a cease and desist as it relates to buying oriole or russia, gas russia, close russia, -- clothes from russia. -- i supported that and i still support it but i also realize that when you do that, it is going to impact gas prices, which will impact the transportation of food, which would impact the cost of food. i am saddened from what we have to do but killing babies is something that is very difficult to tolerate in my world. when it is a baby, it really changes the dynamics about life.

my hope is that putin will cease and desist with his behavior and we can get back to a world where people can live together in harmony. it was better before mr. putin invaded ukraine. host: democratic caller. guest: i disagree with the last caller. one thing we need to have is unity in this country in order to succeed. we need to stop talking about the president being weak. putin is missing everything you are saying. with congressman, i wanted to ask you about the planes. isn't it with -- poland can have to points that they do not want to deliver it because they don't want to be accused of stuff.

they want to send the planes to germany to u.s. space to deliver the planes come up with put -- plains, what put us in -- host: let's talk about that. complications. guest: the foundation of complications rest on knowing that we have an aggressor that invaded one country and may not stop with us one country. we don't know what it will take you -- to satiate this appetite for aggression. i can understand the concern, but i do believe we must find a way because we cannot allow this to become the paradigm. you cannot use planes for defense up purposes -- defensive

purposes but the opposition can use them for authentic purposes. if russia will use planes to destroy ukraine, the people of ukraine should use planes to save ukraine. i don't believe that we just give russia ukraine. if you give an of russia -- aggressor one country, where does it end? i cannot allow the notion that we don't allow them to defend themselves with planes. i think they should be allowed to have the conventional weapons. host: here a headline from a local headline in houston. how large is the ukrainian community in the district? guest: there are numbers -- i met with the consul general of

ukraine and other persons and they know where i stand and they also know that i stand for justice. i am working with the community. we want to make sure that we treat them fairly and especially the immigrants who may be coming to the united states. we recorded tts -- to these persons of ukraine in the country, which would give them 18 months. we can't extend that but -- can extend that -- i don't want to forget it. the people in ukraine who are not ukrainian, not born there, maybe they are from some other country. they have to be treated fairly too. if they want to exit the country, all persons exiting have to be treated the same. you can't decide that some

people will have to stand at the back of the line. that is important to me. i had to stand in back of lines and sit at the back of the bus. every person exiting will have to be treaty -- treated the same. that is what i received when i talked to the consulate general and we passed legislation 13% billion-dollar -- 13.6 billion dollars legislation -- there was language in their --there. host: are you hearing situates from the ukrainian community that they need your help to get their people out of their country into third district? do they want to sponsor them? guest: i note that it is out there and i was support people

escaping. i will support doing people in this country what we expect poland and other countries to do. i want to lead by example and president biden does that. i want us to continue to lead by example and extend a hand of extension. make the written statue of liberty mean something, not just words. masses yearning to be free. but that means something to -- let that mean something. we must predicate the hand of extension -- host: you are on the air with congressman al green. guest: i have listened -- caller: i listen to the callers

as they were talking about trauma. what they don't hundred -- trump. they don't understand that we had several presidents, republicans, democrats. when they get to talk about trump, they act like he is a god. trump would have gave ukraine to russia. the united states knew that russia was trying to invade you crop -- ukraine. he is trying to bring back the glory of the ussr -- they knew they were going to do this. they should have been prepared for war. host: congressman? guest: i am of the opinion that you can prepare for many things and you should prepare for those

things that you can dissipate -- anticipate. i am not sure who was prepared to believe that russia would put thousands of troops on the border and then flush them -- for -- rush them into a another country. i am prepared now to do whatever we can to protect the nation of ukraine and the people. it is the people i am concerned about and i would ask something else that i think is important. i will come back to that one more time and i beg your indulgence if i seem to be superfluous and overly repetitious. here is something that dr. king called to our attention. one of the people who is called a prince of peace, reminded us that a person who has not found something worth dying for isn't fit to live.

if you have not found something worth dying for, you are not fit to live. killing babies is unacceptable. at some point, i don't know where that point is, i think the american people will not tolerate it. even they will shut it off or if it continues to be covered the way it is being covered, the american people will not stand for that. host: are you saying that putting u.s. soldiers on the ground, boots on the ground, and risking their lives, is something that you would do or agree to if this continues? guest: i am saying that i support what the president is doing currently. i don't want to see us go to a world war iii but at some point,

i don't know how we can watch babies being murdered and not do whatever we can to be of assistance. i believe that the people of ukraine have demonstrated that courage and the wherewithal to defend themselves if we give them the proper munitions and i am forgiving them the proper munitions to defend themselves. that includes planes. that is my position and i stand by that and i stand with this president. host: sean in colorado, republican. caller: is it true that the new deal, -- causes weakness from biting in the brighton --biden family is over. you need to stop the mass theater because covid and -- is

over. read that january 6 people -- guest: i think your words speak volumes about your opinion and i will leave it at that. host: riverdale, maryland. independence. -- independent. caller: he is using the words of dr. king, -- the black caucus as a whole is a performance -- i have never heard you speak so passionate about the suffering of black people in this country. you have 50 plus voting blocs in the house of representatives. don't have never stopped anything to attack something for black people.

all are holding up the progress. -- y'all are holding up the progress. you mentioned the budapest memo but you never have anybody on to talk about the agreement in february of 1990. -- that there will be no expense of nato past east germany. you never talk about that. it is about war, war, poor. go find -- money for war. the black caucus, karkass -- jacob push anything for black people. -- you do not push anything for black people. host: we got your point. guest: i have spoken out on some of the issues. i do not speak for the black caucus.

i am not the chair of the caucus. we have a great chair. i speak for myself and those who agree with me. let me share the things i have pending in congress. legislation, resolution for a department of reconciliation. i believe that we have not reconciled in this country, especially as it relates to how --the original sin, which is slavery. -- secretary, secretary of commerce, secretary of defense. it would help us reach the point where in, we better understand each other and the problems that confront each other. on virtue of being just who we are. i believe there should be a

records -- secretary of requisite -- reconciliation. i have met -- legislation to change the russell office building. he was a self proclaimed white supremacist. his name should not be on a building supported by tax dollars. we in congress are critical of others on what they do in terms of having representation of bigotry and xenophobia, transported via -- transphobia -- all the insidious phobias. i have recently made comments about the passage of a lock that would make it a crime to lynch a person. lynching, critical evidence. you go on my website and you will see a news article about

that. i think you will see i have spoken out with a degree of passion of the issues of our time as a test it impacts people within the time. host: we will go to kenneth. caller: mr. green, i hear you are passionate about the killing of small children and babies in this war and i agree with you. people should be punished. i am really discouraged in you and i feel you are a hypocrite because you have voted for the abortion up 60 million babies in this country. same on you. how can you say you are for the protection of children when you allow this to happen. that's all i have to say. guest: thank you, sir. i do not profess to be perfect. i am a public service -- servant, not a perfect servant.

i have -- some say on what happens to them -- women are starving -- sovereign. i think somehow in the country as men, we can legislate for women in ways that women differ with us. i tend to believe that women can make some decisions about their bodies and how they manage their bodies and i will stand with that premise. i have never said that i personally support abortion. i have said that women have a right to choose and i support their right to choose what happens to their bodies and their right to consult with their family and their

physicians and other trusted persons when making these decisions. i do not think that the law extends to the womb. i think women have a right to choose. host: congressman al green, democrat of texas. thank you sir. guest: thank you for having me. host: when we come back, we will be joined by brian for traffic -- fitzpatrick. cochair of the bipartisan congressional ukraine congress. we will be right back. ♪ >> i am pleased to nominate joel -- just action. -- judge jackson. a record judicial record to the court. >> i am truly humbled by the extraordinary honor of this nomination and i am grateful for

the care that you have taken and discharging dark congregational -- discharging guard duty -- with all that is going on in the world. >> president biden nominate judge jackson for the district up clumpy at surface to succeed stephen prior on the u.s. supreme court. she would become the first african-american woman to serve on the nation's highest court. watch our life coverage of the hearings starting money -- monday at 11 eastern. on c-span, c-span.org or downloading our app. >> in the dedication of the book, the heart of karen, dr. mark -- mark vonnegut tells

people everywhere thank you for letting me have such a good time. he is a pediatrician graduated from harvard" school in 1979. this is after he was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia. he has four mental breakdowns in his life. -- he writes in his newest book about patients, parents and insurance companies. >> dr. mark vonnegut on this episode of book notes plus. it is available on the book note at or wherever you get podcasts. >> "washington journal" continues. host: joining us is congressman brian fitzpatrick.

he sits on the intelligence committee as well. we asked our viewers if the u.s. assistant to a claim is not enough, too much or the right amount. how would you ask that -- answer that? guest: it is not enough right now. i think the sanctions are the first routes in the sanctions need to be complete. they cannot impact 80% of the banks in russian. they have to impact 100% because vladimir putin impacts -- controls the banks. we have to tighten the news -- news completely around russia's economy. host: what is the head is empty host: -- what is the hesitancy to do that? guest: the boomerang effect. -- there are a lot of foreign

advancements, a lot of trade agreements. sometimes sanctions will have blowback but extreme situations call for drastic measures. one example is banning russian imports as a result of a marginal price increase, yes. -- that is one example. remove the swift banking system. there is hesitancy because of the economic blowback. there is only one thing which vladimir putin understands and that is strength. any kind of economic cap measures are perceived by him as a settlement. host: what about china if they have about russia -- help out russia economically?

guest: the getaway driver is as chargeable and prosecutable as the robber and if china abets the circumventing of sanctions by russia, have to be held accountable. host: congressman brian this record, -- brian fitzpatrick, the, you made it comes for your experience. guest: if you have loopholes that people can of vaped the law, they can do it. you have to close every single loophole. host: what about the cries from the ukrainian leaders -- guest: berezovsky is a hero and he should be making that asked because he is defending his people. there are two different types of

no-fly zones. there is at nato -- no-fly zone -- the second should be considered because what we need to be talking about is not just the risk of action but the risk of in -- an action. -- in action. how bad must things get before people move and change their position. we must supply them with the aircraft that they asked them. the drones, which turkey has offered. the s 300 missiles which many countries have exploitable inventory and they have offered. we need the government to agree not -- greenlight the go-ahead.

it is not american technology. we are just providing them with the equipment that is not even ours that would help protect them to get civilians out of ukraine. it was reported this morning that a facility that was clearly marked in russian and english, it got struck by a missile. it doesn't get any works -- worse than this. host: when president biden called russian president award criminal, was it appropriate or x will put toward -- a war criminal, was it appropriate or was it exculpatory? guest: when you are targeting journalists and executing them. when you are targeting locations where children are and you are

bombing them and you are not allowing people out of the country that have nothing to do with military, it does not get any more clear. war is a brought the to a level -- there is no question about that. if this is not a war crime, i would ask anyone what is. host: why not get more involved? united states and nato allies get more involved? guest: nato is triggered by article five, when direct assault is triggered by a country -- when one gets attacked, everyone comes in to assist. guest: ukraine is able to attack -- they are amazing and their

morale is off the charts. they have not asked for boots off -- nato boots on the ground. they asked for a fighting chance to give equipment. they are not asking for patriot missiles -- or an iron dome. they are asking for soviet technology being provided by the countries. host: ithost: you served in the country nap fbi. what were you doing, if you can tell us? guest: there is the ca -- cia station -- i was working russian counterintelligence, cyber -- cybersecurity, helping ukraine. they work falling short on --

war --were short not because of ukrainians but because of russian saboteurs to a road institutions and their judicial -- people -- erode institutions and their judicial system that -- putin's biggest fear -- ukraine -- he views ukraine differently from other soviet countries. he views ukraine as the crown jewel of motherland russia. it is significant for him and the fact that last year, the average gdp income -- per capita income of ukraine exceeded out of russia. it is a thriving democracy. kyiv is a thriving european

metropolis which was getting a ton of tourists. it is a huge threat. he tried to? up the corruption instances in ukraine, eroding their judicial system, trying to bribe our makers because his biggest fear is a thriving democracy. host: i will like to invite viewers. phone lines on your screen. brian fitzpatrick here to take your questions and comments. congressman, is there an off rent here for president put? -- putin? guest: he needs to tone down his rhetoric. he needs to stop using the term cleansing and having a. 80 -- having a purity test. on who is ukrainian or not.

look at putin's language and study your history. for anyone who is supporting economic cap measures or any type of abuse against them. only he knows his offramp -- none of this makes sense. what is inside vladimir putin's head? not many people know that. what is his offramp? i think that will be determined by his advisors and oligarchs. hopefully that -- but to their family members. many of the family members live in the united states. if they are not able to fly to other countries, if there is embargoed locking up financial transactions via swift -- they may go back to him and say this calculus is not wise and

pullback troops. host: we will go to a republican first. caller: yes sir. i would like to understand possibly this ukrainian situation. it is nothing but a diversionary tactic used by china and russia to see how the united states would react. it is a test of how they are testing biden's reaction and since he is always doing what is unexpected, such as the lightning of all the military -- ukrainian border. what else are they going to do but invade? -- the evasion numbers placed, -- [indiscernible] this all being be diversionary tactic of the main thing of the

strike of the united states of america, not to be expected because -- hypersonic capabilities which i believe the united states will have running in 2025. they already have. why are we behind the eight ball? host: let's take that. guest: there are number ways to view what is going on. you mentioned sanctions. i was saying this then and not just now. i thought this sanctions should have been ramped up to measure vladimir putin's exculpatory actions. if he is amassing troops on the border on the russian and belarusian side -- another level of sanctions should have been ramped up. that is the way to do it rather than an all or nothing approach. we are continuing to add to the sanctions list of both

individuals and different avenues, i.e. the embargo and sanctions on putin personally. i think it was a missed opportunity. we are paying the price of that. i was calling for this way back before the invasion because we knew it was going to occur. the intel we were getting going back to september said that. as far as what vladimir putin's long-termers -- long-term goals are, all we can do is based on past conduct. if we look at the maligned actors. -- they have ambitious of religious dominance across the globe. kim jong-un is looking for self preservation and tries to flex his preserve -- his fiefdom in north korea.

but vladimir putin, it is territorial. he wants to reconstitute the former soviet bloc. he has made no secret about this. he called the fallen soviet union the biggest catastrophe of the 20th century. he blames ronald reagan and the west. he is approaching 70 years old and he is up for a quote unquote election in 2024. he has what i call le gacylomania. you made a great risk -- he made a great miscalculation. while he has the military force to accomplish short term objectives, the russian shoulders -- soldiers out number ukrainian shoulders -- soldiers.

they will likely obtain their short-term objectives but he will never be able to hold ukraine. this is a nation of 40 billion people. they have been independent for 40 years. close to half the population was born after 1991. you cannot hold a country like that. vladimir putin is believing his own lies. he had everyone convinced that he would be welcomed as a liberator in ukraine -- and we think he has been increasingly isolated and that has had a deteriorating effect on him. that explains what -- why we are seeing what we are seeing. host: you explain the significance of death in ukraine

and if russia was able to control that for a significant amount of time, but with that due to the ukrainian economy? guest: that deficit on the black sea, it is a major shipping port and the -- that is been one of the goals, is to shut down waterways that border ukraine. it would be a big problem but they are putting up a strong fight. host: lawrence in massachusetts. caller: thank you for your insights on the previous congressman. let me ask. why can't some ukrainian pilots go to poland and get those airplanes and fly them back to ukraine. i am confused about the

logistics of those airplanes that they need. thank you. guest: a great question and the answer is they can do it and they should be doing. what you are seeing is there seems to be a concern about where this crossing of the rubicon is for a quote unquote escalation, although i don't know how much more provocative and exculpatory can -- you can get. putin has been invading a sovereign nation that has been doing nothing wrong. i don't know what is more provocative than bombing a children's cancer hospital or a woman's maternity ward or a shelter that is housing people trying to survive. i don't know what is more provocative -- in mayor paul, --

mariupol. this distinction where some in this administration and other governments think somehow we should distinguish between legal equipment driven across the border and illegal equipment being flowing -- legal equipment being flown under the desk over the border, that someone -- somehow vladimir putin distinguishes between them. we are either all in for supplying defensive equipment or not. i believe we have to be. the missiles are a defense of system to knock down incoming missiles heading toward innocent civilians. i don't see why there is hesitancy to do that. people can argue about no-fly zones -- there should not be any debate to giving soviet

technology that is not even our equipment to ukrainians to be able to defend their own skies. this is not offensive operations. it is defensive. they are protecting the country and they can win a round site. russian knows that and that is why they have resorted to bombing of civilians because they see that ukrainian will to fight is off the charts. the resident will to fight is nonexistent. it is an x factor. they are trying to break the ukrainian spirit and they are trying to devastate them senses -- through senseless loss of life's -- lives. -- relatively respective -- and expensive. they are mid-level flights.

they have been used to great effect. i welcome they are coming. all the stuff is coming too late and i think that is important but once we get through this, we will be able to look back and determine what should have happened when all this stuff is coming too late. better late than never. i am glad they will make their way there. it cannot just be limited to switchblade drones. as to be the tv to drones. soviet technology, the x300 are probably the most important thing because that is what ukrainians can use to knock down missiles that are being targeted against civilians. host: bernard. independent. caller: what biden is doing and congress working together family

on something and agreeing on something with the sanctions is wonderful. keep up your good work, working together. that are late than never. i have a question. at the cpac, when donald trump said how nicely it would be to have putin on the southern border and he got a plus, -- applause, what did he mean? did he want put in here to kill mexicans -- putin here to kill mexicans or have him close enough to attack america here like on january 6? did he mean both? i would like you to answer that question for me. guest: i don't attend that conference. i did not hear that. i don't know what he means by that. i have been very disappointed.

when it comes to issues like this come out what we are seeing in ukraine, it is where -- when it comes to form policy viewpoints, the liberal and libertarian viewpoints are together. but they tend to be isolation all lists. it is dangerous and i you. -- naive. we are seeing this play out with the disaster in ukraine. with many people within did republican party as well, as well as french elements of the democratic party. we live in a very small and dangerous world. there is only 195 countries in the planet. the world has become smaller. this has never worked and it does not work now in 2022. you can take this perspective -- something occurring across the

pond, in another country does not impact us. i haven't heard any of these comments but i have not been shy to call out outrageous comments from members of both parties, stripping people from committees, which i voted to do and condemning people in both parties for outlandish language and i have been very disappointed, particularly right now when it comes to vladimir putin, there are people who are claiming he was provoked. that is language that is being played in russian began to television to bolster the russian economy, is outrageous. it needs to stop. it got me very upset. there are members up both parties doing it and it breaks my heart as someone who was sanctioned in ukraine. these are my friends. this is personal.

they are under assault by murderous war criminals and there should be no apology, no justifying anything at this work crinut, is doing. if any elected official is doing it, they need to be condemned. host: you are in ukraine and poland. who did you meet with and what did you learn? guest: we were there with the house foreign affairs committee -- and other committees -- who are front and center in prewar of ukraine. antony blinken was with us. we met with court authorities to nato's eastern flank in poland. we met with members of the polish military and we went to the poland-ukrainian border to see the humanitarian efforts. we met with the commissioner of

refugees. we met with the province of livy --lviv. there was an excess of 100,000 people who came into poland on that day alone. that had broken a record in the record was broken the next day. they are approaching 4 million. they expect the number two land from 10-15,000,000,000. we have not seen anything like this since world war ii and we have to think about this piece of the puzzle now. poland cannot absorb all these people. we have to relieve the pressure and start providing assistance to other neighboring countries and in the united states to welcome ukrainian refugees. in my part of the country in the northeast, we have an tremendous ukrainian population.

a significant number of ukrainians live in our part of the country and we would be happy to welcome them. that is what we start -- saw their and one of the most heartbreaking seeds eyewitness was seeing -- seems eyewitness was seeing ukrainian men staying for their country, which they want to. to be transporting their elderly parents and wives and country best children and saying goodbye to them for the last time perhaps because they are outnumbered 10-1. they are outmatched technologically. there is a good chance they may not survive this. a good chance that blood beer zelensky may not survive this. volodymyr zelensky -- the kurds that they are showing that they are willing to die --

the courage that they are showing that they are willing to die for the country. it is text for -- textbook leadership. when president zelensky spoke to us, he delivered the address to both chambers. there was not as single person that did not rise to their feet and applaud them. he managed to do it. this issue united congress. host: there was a congress -- reporter who was in the room who said you could hear a pin drop. guest: even people who do not get emotional work getting a notional desk were getting -- emotional work getting emotional. we are only a few generations old. we are the world's oldest democracy. there has been no democracy on this planet that has survived more than a few generations and how many of us take that for

granted? we cannot fathom a world where the u.s. dollar is not that currency standard. -- that could go away very quickly. if what we are witnessing in ukraine now should teach us anything, it is how fragile democracy is. the ukrainian people had been living free and thriving for 30 years and that is now being taken away from them. we cannot take any of this for granted. beyond the struggle the ukrainian people are going through, this is not just a struggle for ukraine. this is freedom versus authoritarianism. president xi jinping has told president biden in the world many times that he doesn't believe democracy can survive in the 21st century. he thinks that oligarchs and authoritarians are the way of the future because they can stay disciplined and on message.

they have this vision that they have the guardrails up, a superhighway where they can invest all the money they need, all the growth and determining industries of the future like artificial intelligence, quantitative computing, machine learning, semi conductor production. what they say about america is democracy is messy, changes directions every couple of years, a lot of gridlock, a lot of infighting. this is that struggle on display right now. which is why it is so important we support ukraine not just for ukrainians, which we should, before all aspiring democracies across the globe. if vladimir putin is successful here it will be devastating to the cause of freedom and democracy around the world. host: congressman brian fitzgerald, republican of pennsylvania, thank you for the conversation this morning. guest: you bet, thanks. host: when we come back, philip

brasher will be here to discuss the impact of the russian ukraine conflict on food supply chains in russia and across the globe. we'll be right back. ♪ >> first ladies, in their own words. the eight part series looking at the role of the first lady, their time in the white house, and the issues important to them. >> it was a great advantage to know what it was like to work in schools, education is such an important issue for governor and for president. that was very helpful to me. >> using materials from the award-winning c-span biography series, "first ladies." >> i'm very much the kind of person who thinks you should say what you mean, mean what you say, and take the consequences. >> we will feature first ladies

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2022 savannah book festival in georgia, including the book beautiful country, volunteers in the forever war, a better man, a mostly serious letter to my son, and "spymaster of baghdad," watch book tv every sunday on c-span two and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime at book tv.org. >> "washington journal" continues. host: philip brasher is our guest this morning, the executive editor of "agri-pulse ." he is here to talk about food prices and the impact of the conflict on them. what is grown in russia and the

ukraine? guest: a lot of people don't realize it, there has been a lot of focus on oil, but they are two of the most important producers of grain in the world. ukraine has become an incredible breadbasket in the last, always has been to some extent, but certainly has increase production substantially in the last few years. the fourth largest exporter of corn, sixth largest exporter of wheat in the world. also the largest single producer of sunflower seed, a major source of vegetable cooking oil. host: and ingredients and dressings and other products. guest: critical. host: so what, where do they export to and how much of that comes to the united states? guest: it doesn't come to the united states but the congressman you just had on made the point that the world has become more interconnected and that is true, there's no place

that's more true than with food. these are globally traded commodities. so a shock in one part of the world, in this case, ukraine, has reverberations across the food supply and can affect and increases the price of, of these grains and vegetable oils and so forth. you asked about ukraine, ukraine is a major supplier of wheat to north africa and into the middle east. where that is a staple. many of us were member the arab spring. that was actually sparked in part by food riots. the fact that you have got a cutoff of supplies, yes you can replace it to some extent from somewhere else, but you, you have the impact of driving up the price. for people who pay a large, much harder proportion than we do for food, it can have a really

detrimental impact. host: what are the reverberations like? how is this playing out? guest: well, we don't, it's still, it's still early. prices, it's important to remember that food prices already are at very high levels. in the u.s., the price of food in supermarkets has risen 8.6% over the past 12 months. it came out last week. in february the when food and agriculture organization tracked global food costs. meat, poultry, fish, etc. they have an index that tracks that, adjusted for inflation. those prices hit an all-time high in february. that was before, really before we saw the impact of the russian invasion in ukraine. now, what's, going forward we have several problems.

potential problems. one, the first and most immediate is that ukraine plants most of its wheat, the farmers and ukraine paint -- plant most of their wheat in the fall. grapeseed, it's a source of vegetable oil that is harvested towards the summer. so that's, that's growing. there's a question about whether farmers can get that out of the field and if they can export it if they can get it out. then crops like corn and sunflowers planted this spring. host: so, could there be food shortages and where in the world? guest: well, yes. the food and agriculture organization came out with a study last week that was a preliminary assessment of the situation. they projected that ukraine, farmers and ukraine would probably not get 20% to 30% of

their crops harvested or planted this year. i have seen numbers that are significantly higher than that. it all depends on where it goes from here. fao estimated that because of the price increases that are a result of this, several million more people in asia, africa, and other areas could, could go hungry. host: what, what, how is land, agriculture, land in the united states, how is it used and how has that changed over the years as we and other countries have relied on them to produce certain products? guest: well, we, over the years the largest amount of land area is used for corn and soybeans. after that, wheat. the largest area by far is used for corn and soybeans.

much of that goes directly into livestock feed. we obviously use some corn for fuel ethanol, a byproduct of that goes into feed as well. there are food products, food ingredients that come from soybeans and corn. we have a roughly 90 million acres of both of those crops, depending on, depending on the year. and then we also have a lot of wheat in the plains and pacific northwest as well. host: why is so much of corn and soybeans dedicated to feeding livestock? guest: because the poultry, the livestock convert that to protein. that is obviously a major food source. they need feed and it takes a lot of feed for them. a lot of the corn and soybeans and wheat gets exported. very large percentage of it.

it's different, different crops, traditionally for example, half of the wheat that we produce has been exported with a substantial portion of corn and soybeans, soybean crops are exported as well. host: exported for consumption by people or livestock? guest: some for people. certainly, wheat is a foodstuff. a lot of the corn and soybeans goes to, goes to feed livestock and poultry in other parts of the world. host: does that expend the price increase people are seeing for meat products? we have heard from viewers saying that bacon costs as much as a filet mignon. guest: there are other factors at play. a lot of it has to do with supply chain factors and supply and demand.

demand has been up significantly for meat over the last couple of years. that has a lot to do with it. the costs of feed is a major production costs. -- cost. it doesn't necessarily translate directly to what you pay in the grocery store. host: philip brasher is here to take your questions and comments with what you are seeing about the price of food around the world and in this country. richard, minneapolis, good morning to you. caller: yes, good morning. i saw on the newscast recently that the farmers got to drive these big trucks, great egg tractors and combines. they had to use 200 pounds of nitrogen and 100 pounds of potash, 100 pounds of, what's the other one?

phosphate. food prices are an exponent of the oil. we need to drill right now. open up texas, alaska, north dakota, we need to get the wells in the ground. offshore in alabama and mississippi. host: per the point. philip brasher, the impact of oil and gas on agriculture and food prices? guest: very large, it's a good point. we haven't even talked about the issue of fertilizer. it's a big potential impact of this, could be far-reaching impact of this war in ukraine. part of the reason for that, to start with, food prices were already at a very high level. so our fertilizer prices. -- so are fertilizer prices.

a lot of it is made from natural gas, those prices have been soaring. we have heard an economist testified before the house agriculture committee just yesterday saying they have been studying fertilizer prices and they have gone up another 20% to 30%. add to the fact that russia is one of the largest exporters of fertilizer. the largest single exporter of nitrogen fertilizer. i believe the third-largest exporter of potassium and phosphate. and there is a lot of countries, european union, that depend on that. so, the impact of this war is probably going to be, especially if it continues, is to increase the costs of fertilizer further, putting more pressure on farmers and ultimately on, can put

pressure on food prices as well. especially if farmers have to cut back on what they can produce. host: going back to the crops produced in this country, the conservation reserve program is one conducted by the agriculture department. what role could it play? guest: probably not a big one at this point. a couple of weeks ago and economist suggested opening it up. the biden administration has shown no interest in doing that. the conservation reserve program is about 22 million acres of land. a lot of it is in the planes and upper midwest. of this country. it is former cropland and a lot of it is fairly marginal. former cropland planted in grass and the landowners get paid by usda under a 10 year contract. host: they get paid not to farm

it? guest: that's right, to leave it in grass for 10 years. that's 22 million acres and potentially some of that could be opened up to emergency cropping. it's a very short window for doing that. you would have to have the feed answer lies are to do it. this tends to be environmentally sensitive land. if there is an environmental impact from doing it, it's also, it is one of the biden administration's significant initiatives for reducing greenhouse gas, storing carbon in the soil. host: akron, ohio, good morning. caller: animal agriculture takes

81 times the energy that that's a bulls and fruits. animal agriculture causes cancer, heart disease, food poisoning, all kinds of things, etc. and it is the least productive of the food economy per acre. does "agri-pulse" take a stand on it? guest: well, human beings heavily rely on meat and poultry, dairy, dairy products. seafood. they have a lot of health benefits. they are major sources of protein and minerals. omega-3. fatty acids, in the case of seafood. a tremendous number of benefits

bob -- benefits, turned into protein that we can eat. host: let's go to paul, south dakota. caller: i was wondering how much of the increases in the grocery stores, how much of that money is going back to the farmers and the producers? i would also like to comment on the previous caller if you can give me a chance at some point. i have a lot of food allergies. i have problems eating. meat and beef in particular is one of the few things i can eat where i don't get some kind of immune response. i tell you, i just had my last checkup, six-month checkup at the doctor, i'm fine. for my age, he's constantly telling me what great shape i'm in.

i don't believe there's any truth to that. but i am worried about the producers. host: what was your first question again? guest: producers, are they seeing any of the inflation, the high prices at the grocery store? or are they getting some of that back? host: philip brasher, where is the money going? guest: producers get a fairly small part of about roughly $.10 on the dollar that you spend on food. there are a lot of other things that go into it. it depends on the food, too. the processing, the transportation. that said, commodity prices are much higher. they have been at historically high levels the last couple of years, partly because of export demand. or because of retail food demand here at home.

the price of wheat has really jumped because of the war in ukraine. come back down with some in a few days, these are pretty good prices. farmers will tell you yeah, the costs of growing the crops is higher and as we talked about, fertilizer costs are much higher. production costs are up but also the price for their crops in most cases is significantly higher as well. host: what about the companies we have heard about, foreign companies that only slaughter houses in this country and the money they are making and the concern by the administration of monopoly? guest: yeah, that's sort of a separate issue that really came to light at the beginning of the pandemic. getting that shut down of a number of plants. packing plants. it happened with beef and with

pork. these plants got backed up. they could take fewer, fewer animals. the prices paid to the farmers went down. there was a higher consumer demand and a smaller supply. a sharp difference between what the farmers were getting and what consumers were paying. and the price of meat has been a major factor, particularly until recently. the biden administration and the white house have really taken after the meatpackers. the meatpackers have always been a little bit of a punching bag, but they really are now. they have really struggled to kind of push back against that. but the administration has certainly made a big issue. one of the four big packers,

jbs, is owned, it's a brazilian owned company. so, they have become a target as well. host: thomas in texas. caller: i would like a comment and then a question. brazilian owned company? man. far as texas oil is concerned, we have a lot of capital already and currently we are getting 40% of our energy for wind -- from wind. surprising, isn't it? they have cut back here in houston until they could make the money over the last two years. the comment, the point i would like to make, about 10 years ago they did a study that said americans throw away $2 billion worth of food. i mean, in the trash. i have worked for food banks. i have watched them throw cans in the garbage because they have a dent in them. i have watched roche restores throw out carrots.

i have even seen someone throw out chickens. you know it's bad when you have to put a chain of the dumpsters to keep from feeding people. $1 billion of waste? host: let's take that point. guest: yeah, it's a major problem and has been for a number of years. it obviously has ramifications for how much food you need to produce. rick -- produce less, less land. one of the major potential ways you could help with climate change is to waste last food. the industry has really struggled with this. one of the things we tried to do is make, make use by labels easier to, easier for consumers to understand so that they don't throw away food that is still good. the caller's right, this is a major, major problem.

if we could, if we could reduce our food waste, even the relatively small amount, we would need to produce less. host: brandon, florida. caller: america is the fattest country in the world. you overrate too much by at least 1000 calories per day. my wife and i went on a diet about a year and a half ago, our doctor told us to do it. we lost 40 pounds apiece. we cut our food diet by 50%. just cutting down half of what we were eating. we could, i think the average person could cut their food price by 25% by just reducing their intake and eating potato chips and all that junk food out there. seems like, america seems to

think that america first means being fat, happy, and cheap gas. but i think it is a lot more than that. so here's the problem. we just eat way too much, more than anybody eats in the world. if we could stop complaining about high prices, we would quit eating so much. guest: obesity is, has been a problem. it has a lot of health ramifications. let's be frank. people are obese. have been at higher risk for complications from covid. it has not gotten the, it was an issue of major concern during the obama administration, somewhat. they struggled to try to address it. it has kinda fallen off the radar of it. certainly a lot of us eat too much. can't argue with that.

host: nelson, pembroke pines, florida, good morning. caller: i have one little concern, the never-ending development that seems to be taking place in the united states that is mostly from the most part, what i can see, former farmland. in the state of florida i use to see miles and miles of citrus groves. now those same areas are developments. there's some kind of feeling that the united states has sufficient farmlands for future generations to prevent a never ending continuing development of an encroaching into farmland that we will need for the future. guest: interesting point.

we don't have a national plan, per se. there is a usta program which will, which will, which is aimed at keeping land for farming rather than selling it for development or conservation. tax credits can do something similar. and obviously, putting money into,. a lot of that development however, the pressure is obviously around the cities. washington, d.c., people moving out, a lot of the developments are in former farmland. out in the midwest, that's less, less the case. you get much greater expanses. you do have development around a

city like des moines, chicago, minneapolis and saint paul, where as he points out you have the suburbs and exurbs encroaching into farmland. host: catherine, new jersey, good morning. caller: good morning, greta, nice to see you. i watched a news space -- news piece some years back on smithfield farms and it was my understanding that they were purchased by a chinese company that is said to have direct ties back to the communist government , at which point i stopped buying that product. to covid and now with the war in ukraine, can you speak to any impact of that company now being chinese owned and what it may have had here on the united states? guest: you are talking about smithfield foods, one of the largest producers of pork. talking about bacon, smithfield is one of the largest ones.

yes, it is now chinese owned. can't say that has had, they are still a large producer of hogs and pork. they were before and they continue to be. host: philip brasher, thank you very much for your time. guest: thank you. host: we'll take a short break and when we come back we will repeat our question to all of you this morning. u.s. support to ukraine. if you believe it's not enough, there's a line on your screen. too much? 0001. the right amount? you dial in at (202) 748-8002. you can also send us a text, first name city and state, to (202) 748-8003. join us on facebook.com/c-span or join us -- send us a tweet with the handle @cspanwj. [indiscernible] [indiscernible] >> only at c-span do you get it

straight from the source. no matter where you are from or where you stand on the issues. c-span is america's network, unfiltered, unbiased, word for word. if it happens here, here, here, or anywhere that matters, america is watching on c-span. powered by cable. ♪ >> at least six presidents recorded conversations while in office. here many of them on the new c-span podcast, presidential recordings. >> season one focuses on the presidency of lyndon johnson you will hear about the gulf of tonkin incident, the march on selma, and the war in vietnam. not everyone knew that they were being recorded. >> certainly johnson's secretaries knew transcribing

many of those conversations. they make sure that they were taped as johnson would signal to them through an open door in his office and there is. >> you will also hear some blunt talk. >> i want a report on the number of people assigned to kennedy the day he died, and of mine are not blessed, i want them blessed right quick. if i ever have to go to the bathroom, i promise you i won't go, i will go right behind the gate. ♪ >> "washington journal" continues. host: we are back. after hearing from the ukrainian president yesterday in a virtual address to congress, lawmakers

are debating what more should be done if anything to support ukraine. this morning we want you to tell lawmakers behind us what you think. has it been not enough, too much, or the right amount? those are your responses and tell us why, start dialing in. the pew research poll found out that more americans approve their disapprove of the bite and administration response to the russian invasion. 7% say the u.s. is providing too much support ukraine. the ukrainian president yesterday saying that the u.s. needs to do more, including a no-fly zone. here is what he told lawmakers. >> ladies and gentlemen, friends, americans, in your great history you have pages that would allow people to understand ukraine and understand us now.

what you need is right now. we need you right now. remember pearl harbor. the terrible morning of december 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. just remember it. remember september the 11th. a terrible day in 2001 when people and independent territories were in battlefields where innocent people were attacked. check from the air, yes. just like nobody else expected it. you could not stop it. our country's. the same every day. -- our country has experienced the same every day. every moment for three weeks now, ukrainian cities, [lists

cities], russia has turned to the ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people. russian troops have already fired nearly 1000 missiles at ukraine. they use drones to kill us with precision. a terror that europe has not for 80 years. we are asking for a reply, and answer to this terror from the whole world. is this a lot to ask for? to create a no-fly zone over ukraine to say people? is it too much to ask? to ask that russia not terrorize our free cities? if this does too much, we offer an alternative.

you know what kind of defense systems we need. you know how much is on the battlefield, the ability to hear the aircraft. powerful and strong aviation to protect our people, our land. aircraft that can help ukraine, help europe. you know that they exist, you have them. but they are not in the ukrainian sky. i have a dream. these words are known to each of you, i can see. i have a need to. i need to protect our sky. i need your help. it means the same. the same you feel when you have -- hear the words i have a dream. host: the ukrainian president

volodymyr zelensky yesterday, calling for more sanctions on russians and russian politicians . the oligarchs, calling on u.s. companies to to leave russia and abandon russian imports into the united states. we now turn to all of you in florida. you say it is not enough? tiffany, you've got to turn down the television. can you mute it, please? caller: yes, ma'am? host: please mute your tv and tell us why it is not enough. guest: i do think it's enough -- caller: i do think it's enough. what i really want is the truth out of washington. i believe in my heart that there is some real sticky stuff going on really deep and no one is coming out with the truth. i cannot afford all these silly

vices. what is going on? host: bob, pennsylvania, the right amount? caller: i hope so. we really don't know, do we? the ukrainian air force, do they have planes? thank you very much. host: greenville, tennessee, dave from above to the conversation. caller: i really appreciate your efforts on the subject. this morning you cut off two people who tried to bring forward facts that haven't been allowed. one was about the 2014 coup that was there and also when the end of the cold war, putin promised -- putin was promised that nato had not come one inch closer and that have been violated 14 times.

they are now 700 miles closer. you have to understand the threat that he feels. we've talked about the mental health of putin. we haven't talked about the mental health of biden. biden has been involved in this effort to ostracize russia for a long, long time. we have seen all this, this report that just came out. it's going to shed a lot of light on what has been taking place the last 10 years. host: that's stick to the topic of russia ukraine conflict. as you know, the ukrainian president has addressed the european leaders, the parliament members in the u.k., the canadian members of parliament yesterday. the u.s. congress. he also went before the german parliament yesterday and according to "the jerusalem post

," the ambassador to israel met with nikki leavy about that agreement to facilitate the ukrainian president, zelinski, speaking to the knesset sunday evening at 6 p.m.. he is expected to invoke the holocaust. he invoked 9/11 and pearl harbor before u.s. lawmakers. and for german lawmakers yesterday he talked about russia wanting to build a wall. similar to the berlin wall in their efforts to invade ukraine. anthony in west palm beach, we will go to you. caller: how are you doing, gretchen? host: it's greta, go ahead. caller: greta, sorry. i think washington journal. i think we haven't done enough.

i think we should support ukraine. i think they should put planes out there. but you have so many countries like the united states, germany, and canada. what does it matter if russia wants to go deep? they are already killing these people, destroying a whole country and showing no respect over their sovereignty. we are doing enough and we should some ortho from the air. thank you. host: verona, missouri, hello, richard. caller: yes, i think anything we can do to help, we should do. i remember the threats, if you are old enough to limit that, he got it bad. this needs to be stop. otherwise he will rule the world. he's got the atomic bomb.

[indiscernible] it's just almost too much, you know? we are the home of the brave, let's start acting like it. host: ok, richard. the president, president biden, deciding to go before the american people after mr. zelinski address lawmakers here, and him, to tell the americans that he was going to provide an additional $800 million in military gear. listen to what the president had to say. [video clip] >> i am once again using presidential authority to activate additional security systems to help ukraine fend off the russian assault. when additional $800 million in assisted reading the total of new security assistance to

ukraine to $1 million just this week. these are direct transfers of equipment from the department of defense and ukrainian military to help them as they fight against the invasion. i thank the congress for appropriating these funds. this new package is going to provide unprecedented assistance to ukraine, including 800 antiaircraft systems to make sure that the ukrainian military can continue to stop the and helicopters that have been attacking their people and defend the ukrainian airspace. at the request of presiden zelensky we have identified and are helping you rain require -- acquire longer-range antiaircraft systems and munitions for those systems. the new munitions package includes 9000 anti-armor systems . portable, high accuracy shoulder mounted missiles the ukrainian forces have been using to great

effect to destroy invading tanks and our vehicles. 7000 small arm machine guns, shotguns, to acquit the ukrainians, including the brave women and men defending their cities. as well as the ammunition and mortar rounds, 20 million rounds in total. this will include drones, which demonstrates our commitment to sending our most cutting-edge systems to ukraine for defense. we are not doing this alone. our allies and partners have stepped up to provide significant security assistance and will continue to help facilitate the deliveries as well. host: president biden yesterday laying out additional military assistance for ukraine. the question for you, is that now enough, not enough, or just

the right amount? new jersey. caller: thank you for taking my call, happy st. patrick's day to all. that was pretty much what was going to be my point. pass the bills for, i'm sorry? host: $13 billion. caller: right, these people are warmongers, war pigs. veterans in the streets, their kids go to school without breakfast or lunch money. this country used to be something that people looked upon, trying to come to this country. when they get here they see the starving, the poverty, the corruption. all of these people, all they care about is war. because it builds up their profit. their portfolios. host: ok.

peggy, what do you say? >> i think we need to do everything we can for ukraine. remember, united states is the number one enemy of putin and he blames the u.s. for the breakup of russia. we need to remember mark muller, anti-semitic nazi supporter lutheran pastor during the nazi control of germany. he said first they came for the communists and i did not speak out. then they came for the socialists and i did not speak out. they came for the trade unionists and i did not speak out. they came for the jews and i did not speak out because i was not a jew. they came for me because i spoke out against that out see control of churches in there was no one

left to speak for me. -- nazis control of churches in there was no one left to speak for me. thank you. host: as to whether the ukrainian army has an air force, our producer held this, "presiden zelensky's forces can mount a defense against the ongoing invasion. according to the world air force database, the ukrainian air force has 210 military aircraft, including 98 combat aircraft consisting of soviet made may 29's and three types of jets. russia has a significantly larger military air force, with almost 15 times more combat planes. north carolina, tim, good morning.

caller: how are you this morning? host: what do you say? caller: that we are not doing enough for them. great is this country is, people on social security cannot even afford groceries. yet still we still need to support ukraine. we need to send troops over there. stop putin now. if he gets ukraine, he will want to go for poland, germany, or the other countries over there. it isn't going to stop with ukraine and i think we need to stop him now. host: does that include a no-fly zone? guest: absolutely. -- caller: absolutely, we should have done that back when he was putting troops on the line. we need to do what it takes to put russia back. host: ok. london, kentucky, you say too

much? caller: i want to remind the american people that this aid package they are getting ready to send, is $13 million. there are a little over 3000 counties in the united states. that's over $4 million for every county in the united states, that's the aid package we are getting ready to send to ukraine. i think we could use it better here on any number of things then we could sending it and trying to set a tripwire for world war iii. with russia. thousands of miles away on a different continent, it seems that americans, there is bipartisan support for this no-fly zone that will trigger world war iii. meaning that we shoot down russian airplanes. host: of that 13 billion that

you mentioned, it's part of a larger $1.5 trillion package to keep the government running. some of that money, around 50 million or more, going to the country of poland because they have seen this 2 million, 3 million refugees, women and children coming from ukraine to help them deal with the refugee crisis there, as well as others around ukraine. do you think that is well spent? >> spending u.s. taxpayer dollars to house refugees in war zones that the u.s. creates with taxpayer dollars, this is all a foolish waste. it's more than that, though, i think it is intentional and criminal, squandering our future for this nonsense and greed. politicians are bloodthirsty.

lindsey graham tweeted for someone to assassinate putin. doesn't get worse, that's is why trash as it gets. host: lindsey graham was asked about that yesterday, making the comments on camera and other places as well. here is the moment yesterday. [video clip] >> i hope you will be taken out. i don't care how. i don't care if we sent him to the hague and try him, i just wanted to go. i'm on record. please understand, if john mccain were here he would be saying the same thing, i think. it is time for her to go. he's a war criminal. i wish that somebody had taken hickner out in the 30's. yes, vladimir putin is not a legitimate leader.

he's a war criminal who needs to be dealt with by the russian people. i'm not asking to invade russia. i'm not asking to send american ground forces in ukraine to fight the russian army. i'm asking to end of this reign of terror for you in the world at large. if you follow, you will have zero future. host: grundy, millville, we are asking all of you how you would rate the support to ukraine. you say too much? good morning, go ahead. caller: by grandparents are from ukraine, going back about 120 years. at all used to be russia. has anyone stopped to consider that if they had just capitulated, no one would be dead right now. i will give you the reason why. when the soviet union fell, 30

years ago there was talk that they could come back. they have been planning this year's. especially the last 10. they took crimea. you've got the oil fields over in southeast romania that fueled the third reich. they just want ukraine. he is not hitler's trying to take over western union -- western europe. there's no way to stop it. there's no way to stop it. host: we will go to sue in florida. caller: people seem to forget that back in solomon's time, when ukraine did become, was overtaken by russia, before stalin, ukraine was not part of russia. stalin came and said you will not eat for two years.

they took every bit of food. millions of people in ukraine starved. that seems to be kind of what putin is trying to do. he wants to surround the capital so that they cannot get any food in or out. or ammunition. i think we should be joint -- doing food drops and whatever it takes. host: joseph, you say the right amount? >> i do. but if we say no-fly zone, it could lead to world war iii. i watched an interview with alexander vindman.

i believe he is a ukrainian national, he and his family emigrated to brooklyn, he said you could have ukrainian pilots go to poland and fly the planes from poland to ukraine. that would be the best way to handle it. i think that if you put a no-fly zone, it is going to end up leaving, going to world war iii. i also want to piggyback off of a couple of previous callers. we spend half our gdp on military spending. we spent -- we send lots of money, billions, to saudi arabia, bombing using our planes, bombing yemen. where is the outcry on that war? people are starving in yemen. because it is not in europe? because it is not a white country, per se? that is something people have to think about. thank you.

host: presidents biden spoke yesterday and vladimir putin spoke to his citizens yesterday. bloomberg put together clips of what he had to say and russian. so, read the captions below. [speaking foreign

host:host: the headline on his remarks, acknowledging that the economy is hurting, sanctions reverberating across russia resulting in a doubling of interest rates and a decline of the ruble with inflation galloping ahead of the central interest rate target and russia is at risk of defaulting on debt . has the u.s. done enough to cripple the russian economy, or should they do more? jason, minerva. you say not enough. on which front, jason?

caller: on all fronts. first of all, in terms of thank you's to c-span, i appreciate it. good morning, america. i believe that we should not encroach on the russian territory. i don't think a no-fly zone would work for us. as far as from poland, they are waiting for us to give them some new planes rather than them gave up the only planes they have to the ukrainian folks. i would agree that flying them to the ukraine would be the best and easiest solution. i don't understand what is holding that up. host: max, mechanicsville, maryland. caller: want to remind everybody

that the 80's are calling and they want their policy back. i think biden was a special envoy to ukraine for four years in the second half of the obama administration. it has everything to do with what's going on. why would we be spending planes and air defense systems now? we should have sent them before. i guess you as our quest -- checking out questions and answers. wasn't ukraine and civil war for the last eight years? where was this righteous indignation when crimea was taken? the little green men have been running around for what, 10 years now? at least? what about georgia? where was everybody when georgia was taken? host: mike, nebraska, good morning, how do you answer the question? caller: it's way too much, biden

can't even handle our own country. biden has been compromised by russia and china both. russia and china. where is hunter biden? that's all i've got to say. host: michael, stockton, the house is about to come in, make it quick. michael, gotta make it quick. caller: how you doing? i don't know if that's the stuff or not. host: ok, john, can you be quick this morning? you say too much? caller: we are being sucked into, this is biden's war. this is the stupid democratic party war. biden could have offered concessions to keep putin out. host: all right, have to jump

in. the house will be gathering -- gaveling in shortly. they will be considering civil rights gave it -- cases. gavel-to-gavel coverage right here on c-span. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2022] the secretary: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speaker's rooms, washington, d.c. march 17, 2022. i hereby appoint the honorable sheila jackson lee to act as speaker pro tempore on this day.