♪ robert: bombshellic ient. the justice department charges 12 russian military officersio with ele interference. i'm robert costa. inside the laters turns in the mueller probe and president trump's confrontational diplomacy. tonight on "washington week." >> charges 12 russian militar officers by name for conspiring tointerfere with the 2016 presidential election. robert: the justice department ha charg 12 russian military officers with hacking into clinton's 2018 campaign. they directly link the kremlin with election interference that went beyond t jusgeting democrats. >> in a second conspiracy, they hacked the website of a state election board and stole

information from about 500 voters. robert: the latest on the expanding mueller probe, plus, president trumpparks unease overseas when he teresa may's brexit plan and warns it could put a trade deal in jeopardy. president trump: most likely we'll be deali with the european union instead of dealing with the u.k. so it will probably kill the deep. robert: may remained calm and carried on. >> from the outset president trump has been clear about how he sees the challenges we face and on many we agree. robert: and, after rattling allies at nato, president trump takes a victory lap on military spending. president trump:nd treous progress has been mad everyone has agreed to substantially up their commitment. robert:bu t the french presidentd debunke mr. trump's

assertion, saying there was no missouri new agreement. we discuss it all, next. announcer: this is "washington week." funding is provided by -- newman's own foundation, donating all profits from newman's own food products to charity and nourishing the common good. koo and patricia yuen for the yuen foundatio committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities. the ethicse and excelle in journalism foundation. the corporation for publicbr dcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. once again, from washington, moderator robert costa. robert: good evening. special counsel robert mueller's investigation into russian interference has had lopping stretches of quiet and then there are days of sudden action. today was one of those days. bad on mull ear''s work, the

department of justi charged 12 senior russian intelligence officers with hacking democratic officials during the 2016 campaign. the federal indictment. sheds new lightn the kremlin's sophisticated schemep to ma late the latest election. joining me now is develin barltse, who has been busy at the "washington post" newsroom. ent put ay's indic doubts to rest? >> i think it puts doubts to rest that the russians engaged in this hacking, definitely. ld so think it sh punishment to rest a lot of con spires tiories that have been tossed up that russia didn't engage in this hack. an indictment isn't proof but there is an incredibly detailed diet now to explain not -- dictment now to explain which russians did and it how and

tl.hat's pretty power robert: you hear about digital rnssi -- currency like bitcoin. you hear aboutl soc media. what did you learn? >> that they were really deep, teach inside not just the computers and iernal systems inside the democratic national capable committee and a lot of the email accounts of individual staffers, not just for hillary clinton but for those organizations but they happened control and access to dozens of computers whin those exeels -- committees and breaths of le the the thing, frankly. and that's what i think comes across in reading this indictment. today is that this was a very sophisticated, very well executed plan to hack a lot of computers. robeho: one of the people interacted with these russians or these russian-affiliated entities was roger stone, the longtime trump advisors.

what does this indictment mean for him? >> i think it may be ok for him so far. department attorney general rolled rosenstein said today we should not assume any implication of guiltor any of the americans who are referenced in this indictment. but what does show is that the russians were reaching out, that they were offering help. that they had a real willingness to ask, frankly, re people arounddent trump, can he -- we help full? robert: when you think about the mueller investigation, it has to tracks. there's the russia track looking at interference in the elecreon and then t the obstruction of justice track. what does today, theofiming it, say about mueller's progress? >> i think it says something that we've sort of long suspected which is that the u.s. government, the

intelligence community has had a good idea for someim exactly how this hacking was done. i think mueller's indictment lays its out in detail. we still have an unanswere question so, ok this is how the russians did it. what, if anything, did the americans do? at is still the unanswere question. and when it comes to collusion, that is still an issue that the president's lawyers are in talks with mueller about and i think frankly we haven't seen the final act of that play. robert: the timg o this was really interesting to watch because it came a day after the f.b.i. agent is grilled on capitol hill and he had rod rosen stipe, the deputy torney general under fire from republicans. asne som who studies and reports on the department of justice, what did you make of that message?

>> it's another instance w you've seen a day that's been tough for the f.b.i. and touch for the investigation ised follery closely or near a dana frankly is a powerful new investigative action. for example, i'm thinking particularly of lastear when the first information about these f.b.i. texts came out. it was really rights essentially on the heels of the guilty plea of mic felnn, the former national security advisor. so these things can get bunched up. it's another bunching up of big news events on both sides of the argument.be : when you think about what's next, these 12 russians are facing charges but will they ever actually face the charges? should we expect them to be extradited? >> we really shouldn't expect that. russia does not have an

extradition treaty with theun ed states and is not going to turn any of these people over. those folks would have to do something fairly dumb toet in a position where they could be arrested. having said that, this is a strategy that has ested for the u.s. government for a number of years called name and shame. pergue about the effectiveness of that strategy but obviously ihas significant domestic value to our own country to complain -- explain what the government believes happened so even n if yoer see any of these people in court. a lotel of igence officials would say there's great value in documents to saying this is what happened. robert: detch lynn, thanks for joining us. appreciatet. while the demty attorney general was at that elect turn,t presidentmp was in the united kingdom having tea withet queen eliz ii after meeting with british prime minister theresa may.

mr. trump was greeted with pomp and protest but it was that explosive interview with the sun, the tabloid owned by rubte murdoch's news organization that made headlines. in the interview, the president criticized may's approach to becks it. -- brexit. here's what he said. president trump: i actually told theresa may how to do it but she didn't listen to m >> what did she say? president trump: i told her how to do it. that will be up to her to say. she wanted to go a different route. bert: in the sun interview he also praised may's political rival buriesohnson, appearing to undermine may's faraj imposition in btain's negotiations with the efforts u. president trump: onc the brexit pros says is concluded s and progrhe u.k. has left the effort u. i don't know what they're going to do but whatever you do is ok

with me. robert: joining metonight from washington, peter baker of "the new york times,"ay tausche of cnbc and katty kay fromor bbc's world news america. thank you so much for being here tonight. all of you great reporters much butet's start with catty. you think of the president there in the u.k. and he's confronting the special relationship, a long-standing relationship but also rattling e rhythm at the same time. what's been the consequence for the prime minister? katty: he couldn't have waded into a moreentive domestic political issue at a more sensitive timehan he did today. president trump was fiercely critical in that sun interview of the way that theresa may has handled the brexit negotiations and also said that ift she w ahead with a new plan she's just unveiled for brexit then america wouldn't be able to sign a trade deal twi united kingdom. this isn't just being ruled to your host when you turn up for

dinner. this that is traditional impl stations for the prime minister. there have been times during this week where we didn't know if tresa may was going to survive to remain minister. so for the president to furment put her in a position where her leadership, her government and brexit plan are in jeopardy was really remarkable in the complex of wading into another untry's domestic politics. they then had this press conference, which can best be described as a kind of make nice cleanup operation but there are conservative memrs of theresa may's own parliament who looked at that sun interview and one in particular that i'm thinking of w before the sun interview had been in favor of the prime ministes new brexit plan and after that there's view said if not going to be a trade deal with the united states, i'm not sure i can support this plan afterll. robert: kayla, whatre the

economic implications facing the u.k.?ka a: it's going to be a long road for the u.k. and we kw that when citizens of the u.k. voted for brexit in the fir place a couple of years ago. one thing that donald trump might not like about the currents stance of prime minister smay that what this allows the country to do- not only will it maintain a free-trailed area between the u.k. and europe but it would allow the u.k. to pursue other deals with countries like the u.s. but prime minister may won' have theame type of leash to pursue the type of dealthatpresident trump could have wanted and she can insurance tulets her own tariffs just lining president trump has under the current structure of what she's pursuing even though president trump criticized the way prime inister may was handling brexit and criticized the way that germany was dealing with russia when he was at the nato

u.s. and this pipeline with russia, these two leaders are dealing with political concerns that president trump is intimately familiar with how to protect jobs in their own country. get investment, che energy domestically and those are things he can probably appreciate from afar. robert: peter, why did president trump take this approach in the u.k.? they're r laying out the carpet, the queen is there, they're removing -- riewing troops, seeing castles yet he els compelled to rat it will whole situation. peter: this is a disrupter, not a diplomat. he likes to make a stime, to extent. he likes to hit even our allies withbi theiest vulnerability. what's the biggestville vulnerability for treesa may right now? obviously this brexit situation. 's the biggest vull innocent for angela merkel

right now? migration would be one. he obviously her on defense pending and her energy dependence on russia as well. this is not somebody who's trying to smooth things over. this is somebody who likes to mix it up and enjoys the sort of chaos itreates. however, he tends to document like he did in britain, offstage. does it in an interview for a number then say it's fake news even though there's a tape of him saying it andater saying how much he admires and appreciates we are leadership. that's the trump sometime. one we probably won't see when he goes to helsinki. robert: the president also waded into the rise of nationalism on the continent in the u.k. but -- by talking about how immigrati is changing cultures. changing the culture of europe. what do to make of the president in that statement is

hear showing soly with the rise of nationalism or raisi foreign policy? katty: we know the -- the like the idea of promoting these more far right nationalist populist entities in the country. he made it clear that he thinks thatration has changed the culture of europe in bad ways. that was one area where the two leaders, prime minister may and president tru were at star dempses in that press conference. there were people in the u.k. who thought they might have a love actually moment where theresa may is standing up to president trump evoking pickford's left wrist. it didn't happen exemption -- except on the one issue of immigration where the prime minister said overwhelm immigration has been a good thing for our country. there are a couple of things foronlt trump to be consistent. he is consistent on not liking

multi-lateral not liking immigration and the feeling that america hasad a rough time and bad deal from its allies. asuropean allies nigate how to deal with this president, those are things they know they can rely on. robert: as european leaders trial to deal with this, they look at what happened in the nato summit and see the president try to pushsp up ding on military from 2% to 4%. what did they make?ou kayla: saw this one quote appearing many places from a nato official. we thought it was bad going in and even though our expectations wereow, it was worse coming out of'9". that was a startng admission, albeit not on the record. the countries were very much prepared for the president ton come and rich up the playbook at away games which hee

is comfortable at doing. as recently as the-7. the president would appro eh thesevents with all of the decorum that previous administrations would have and then he'd wait to get back to the united states to criticize the people he had just net with. that's not the case and there might be disagreement about leaders in the roombout exactly what they committed to and under what time frame but the one thing the president did was set a deadline. if these dunce -- countries by january do not meet the 2% deadline, he basicallyesves the right to withdraw from nato and preparing to pentially withdraw if he still doesn't like in it a few months' time. robert: potentially withdraw. nato is an institution steeped inistory, sharppede ideology when it comes to approach to the west. if you have an americanak

presidentg this approach, does it raise questions about the future of nameo ter: no, it was striking. on the headline of your number in weekwas will nato survive trump? for 70 years in organization has been the bed rock america's relationships with the west. european world order in effect and the idea that it's now somehow upue forion is stood their. of course during the campaign he said he thought w nato obsolete. he refused at first to recommit to the article five atlantic charter that says an attack on one is an attack on all. then he twisted aroundndaid no, i like nato. i'm all for it. it the very idea that we're discussing the one person happy about that is vladimir putin.oi he's to see president trump on monday in helsinki. for 0 years as president and prime minister of russia, it's

been his goal to drive wedge between america and its nato allies and here here he's seeing a great deal of discuss. robert: what do wt e expecat meeting on monday? the president and the russian president? katty: i think the indictments today have pa an ex load of pressure on the president as he goes into that meeting. inow takes the rush i-investigation right to the statue effectivy, the employees, people on the payroll of the russian government. le in putin's orbit.mp president taid that before the indictment. it's hard to see now how he cannot raise it, one would suspect with some force. but we don't know because there are only to be translators in the room and no staffers. he's just leaving the united kingdom with a british citizen has been killed by a nervet

aghat britain says was put on the u.k. soil by russia as well. a lot of concerns byurean allies about what's going to come out of that meeting with putin and now more tension around it because of what appened in washington today. robert: with when you think about the president showerering attentiohe russia energy relationship with germany this week, why did he do that? kayla: he really doesn't like the idea that he feels the u.s. is shoulderi the majority the burden for nato at a time when the purpose of nato is to protect eastern europe and -- against russia. meanwhile germany is taking lf even o connect it more intrinsically to russia and rely even more on i energy. he sought to draw the direct link between those issues at that time. it's unclear exactly what

vladimir putin's rhythm is with the lders of yume at this time. it's always been contentious ands still now. what's less clear is the rhythm between president trumpir and vlad putin. president trump reiterated today at the press conference in england that he barely noles president putin. he said that they are competitors and then on the same token, the drem lynn -- kremlin seems to be owning the imagining for today about what this meeting is the kremlin said the summit on monday a wil ut strengthening u.s.-russia ties. they'll talkbout russian meddling if there are any facts to even discuss ask thatusa considers the u.s. to be a partner. something donald trump the businessman would wantto hear. robert: beyond the russian meddling, what about answers on a, ukraine when these two meet? those issueser have beenfeg

for a long time. peter: you're right. a normal american-russian meeting right now could address. the middle east isor grabs in effect. ukraine is a frozen conflict. what about the poisoning of the russian former spy in the u.k. and the death of a woman who apparently was caught on this nerve agent by accidents? that's an important issue. just a few month ago the west was expelling russian diplomats overhe. you have the sense, though, that president trump is not going in with any particulards demn he making demands of thea ales about spending money but not on thed a ver sorry who making i unsafe in the first place. robert: two republicans sayg the president better take a tough line on putin on mony but there's not a chorus of

republicans making that statement. satty: the only chore royals -- cho from republicans where they have stuck together in oppositio against the president has been on the issue of free trade. they came up with a resolution week. just this when it comes to putin, look at the ways opinion pove shifted among americans in the country. led progrs by president trump's example, whereas russia was seen as definitely an enemy of the united statesust two or three years ago but the republican party and by the ameran voting public, those numbers are shifting. there's more n latitudeow in favorability for having a good relationship with vladimir putin. i think it's really this to tion of what is he going ask of vladimir putin and is he going to give something critical away? areing to see a promise, for example, to do something abt u.s. sanctions because of the invasion and annexization

of crime yafment that would be the huge coup for putin. and it's somethinglse thato one else, i think, in europe, would be prepared to signn to. robert: what do we know about putin's agenda here? alter: i think putin's agenda is to first o just have the meeting. the russians believe that there is, in fact, opposition to them inside the trump administration. they don't like people like nikki haley and others who have been straightforward in criticizing the russian government. and they believe these people around trump have held h back so they wanted to get past that outer layer and get the two of them in aoom together because they feel like president putin and president trump can connect on a lot of these issues. i think he'd want some de facto confirmation that crimea is

always going to be a part ofss . that russia is an important player and can't be ostracized and sanctioned. since the incursion into ukraine, the ideaas to isolate russia from the world community. saying itidn't belong at the table for the g-7, for instce. didn't belong in the union of civilized nationsng as it was seizing the territory of neighbors. having a one-onne meeting with the american president, especially one who says relatively friendly things ande doesn'ty hold them to account, that's a big win for vladimir putin. robert: peter, thank you very much for that and thanks so much to everyonor joining tonight. kayla, catty, peter and devlin. great conversation and we have a special edition of the "washington week" extra. i'll be answering your questions on facebook starting at 8:30 p.m. eastern time. i hope you'll join me and i

have some newso share. i'm robert costa. thanks for joining us. announcer: funding for "washington week" is -- newman's own foundation,ll donating profits from newman's own food products to chary andourishing the common good. the ethics and excellence in journalism foundation. koo and patricia yuen for the yuen foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in ourti commu. the corpuation -- corporation for public broadcasting and contributions to your pbs contributions to your pbs station from viewers likeou.

announcer: a kqed televis♪on production. ♪ ♪ narrator: this is a scopitone. these are virtues. these are letters of an iconic san francisco sign that once lived high about mission and 17th. ♪ these are films, lots and lots of films,d this is steven parr. he's an archivist, a aurator, a collector,n artist, a writer, an image maker.