happened to him and who did this to him. and we got it. we know who did this to pravin. that's all i needed to know. >> that's all for this edition of "dateline". i'm natalie morales. thank you for watching. >> i'm natalie morales and this is dateline. >> what's going on? >> my husband he's been shot, help, please. >> she had mud and blood all over. her >> panicked, saying her husband had been shot. >> a woman in distress, a murder in the dead of night. >> i'm trying. >> we were concerned for her. >> that's my husband's body. >> yes sir. >> did she say who shot her husband?

>> that's all i saw. >> she said just a figure, who turned and ran into the darkness. >> we take you inside this mystery. >> we don't know if the suspect is still out. there >> it's nerve racking. >> who killed your husband? >> oh my god. >> a small town murder with a big time twist. >> she knew somebody that she wasn't telling. >> yes sir. ♪ ♪ ♪ hello and welcome to dateline. at six four and nearly 300 pounds, but robert poynter looked menacing. but to love once he was a gentle giant. the selfless fire captain enjoyed helping others but no one could help him when he was murdered. an eyewitness offered only fuzzy details and yet investigators piece together the clues, bringing the deadly deed into sharp focus here is josh mankiewicz with "out of the darkness".

>> 9-1-1. >> this friday night sounded like trouble. it was 10:47 pm, a woman calling 9-1-1 santa desperate. >> calm down. what do you need? we are you at? >> i -- >> ma'am, we are u.s.? >> reporter: she was on the cell phone, somewhere on the outskirts of town. >> this is hunt county with the transfer. she's picking on county road, she's extremely out of breath, sounds like she's running, and she saying, crying, think she needs the police, needs the police. >> reporter: seconds later the call dropped out. >> okay. hello? >> ma'am, are you there? >> reporter: was she running from and what had happened on this texas country road? those questions would be answered quickly. >> all i could do is cry because i thought, oh my god,

you know, this cannot be true. >> reporter: it was the y and the secrets dragged out of the darkness that were so much harder to comprehend. >> when you get a call, what is it usually? >> theft, criminal mischief, reckless drivers. >> reporter: not that nice, not on september 9th, 2016. according to the running, gasping woman on the phone, someone had been shot. it was happening in royse city, texas, 31 miles from dallas. >> somebody shot, that's a major, collier adrenaline is running. >> officer rushed to the scene, his dash cam rolling. >> what's going on? >> my husband has been. shot can you help, please? >> the woman's name was chacey poynter.

>> she seemed frantic, said her husband had been shot, i got for a, put her in the back of my car. >> have a seat, have a seat. right here. >> and the shooter could be out here somewhere? >> yes, yes. so i put her in the safety of my car, and i ran down the road to find the victim. >> devins and the sheriff's deputy, who ran up at the same time, ran a half mile down the county road. >> that's a long way on foot on the dark. >> on foot, it is. >> and you have no idea where the shooter is, if he's behind one of these trees are waiting for you, or running the other way, or what. >> halfway down the road, an abandoned pick up truck kept going. >> we continued running down this road. and we could see headlights through the treeline, coming around the curve. our weapons were drawn. we gave orders, let me see your hands. headlights winterize, so what

was in front of me was unclear until we got closer. once we get closer to the vehicle, and saw nobody around it, suspect wise, we saw the victim inside the car. >> reporter: a man, slumped over in the driver seat, he had been shot in the head. >> it was evident that he was deceased. >> reporter: ribbons partner chain meek also made a call to the dispatcher. >> i said, what do you have, a murder? and he said yes. and i said, whoa, i've got to go. because that doesn't happen that often. >> reporter: the last murder in these parts was years ago. >> i knew i had to respond rapidly, not knowing what we had. >> reporter: meek call for backup because the shooter or shooters remained on the loose. >> everyone was on point, as far as keeping their heads on a swivel, because we didn't know who or how many people were out there. >> reporter: and while meek waited for royse city's low

detective to arrive, he took chacey to paramedics. >> so is anyone else out there with you? >> no. >> was it your husband? what's his name? >> robert poynter. >> somewhere in all this, she hit the ground. >> we were concerned for her and wanted to make sure where she was taking care of. we find out as much, and is quickly, what happened. >> reporter: and all the cops kept watching the sky. because this is texas. and the heavens were about to open. >> rain or any type of weather can damage or completely get rid of possible evidence, as quick as the storm was moving fast. >> the race was on to uncover any clues to the crime scene and what it might hold. what would investigators find?

>> coming up -- >> his phone was still in the center console. the blood, a big clue for us, was the weapon was a shotgun. >> reporter: a shotgun turned murder weapon. so where was it? when "dateline" continues. "dateline" continues. blurry near vision. wait, what? it sounded like you just said an eye drop that may help you see up close. i did. it's an innovative way to... so, wait. i don't always have to wear reading glasses? yeah! vuity™ helps you see up close. so, i can see up close with just my eyes? uh-huh. with one drop in each eye, once daily. in focus? yep. [laughs] like, really? really. vuity™ is a prescription eye drop to help you see up close. ow! wait, what? wait. wait? wait, what? see for yourself.

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and police were trying to piece together what had happened. who their victim was. and who might have wanted him dead. >> i don't know, i don't know. >> reporter: support in his signature mustache, and a six foot four inches, 300 pound physique, could robert poynter look intimidating. to those who knew him best, he was the complete opposite. his mom, candy. >> he was your favorite. >> so they say. >> what do you say? >> possibly. probably. >> reporter: bob was candies middle child, between two sisters, jennifer and cheryl. >> he was not confrontational. >> they are a non confrontational. >> reporter: he liked helping people, maybe that's why bob became a firefighter, a well respected one. he swallowed smoke for 19 years.

winding up as a captain in the university park department outside dallas. and from his firehouse, from the rug, even from the fires, bob kept in very close touch with his mom. >> we had the report, 10 to 15 calls a day. >> 10 to 15 calls a day? >> mama's boy. >> i know, truly. i adored him. >> so these fellow firefighters, they said, he got it done. even helped in louisiana after hurricane katrina. and he always came home unscathed. professionally speaking, anyway. bob's personal life was also a story of a man who ran toward trouble. bob married young and had two kids. after 19 years, that marriage fell apart, extensively so. around then is when bob met chacey, who was much younger. >> i think it wasn't infatuation.

someone 22 years old. he's in his forties. you know? >> a feeling. >> a fling, basically, yeah. >> reporter: it wasn't a fling. bob married chacey. it is a fresh start for bob, with this woman born and raised in small town texas. >> she had a heart of gold. she loved everybody. >> actually mid chacey back in middle school, back when royse city was a speck on the map. >> there was nothing here, we had one jack-in-the-box, and a gas station. that was it. >> farm town? >> farm town, just country. >> quiet. >> very quiet. >> people didn't lock their doors? >> no. >> chacey and actually lost touch after high school and then reconnected win actually noticed chacey's cake business. >> she enjoyed doing, it she was amazing what she did. >> what made her so good?

>> just for being so crafty and her imagination was everything. >> reporter: actually got to know chacey's young daughter and her mom helped her disagree cakes. >> reporter: however if an chacey absent spent time together, and chacey robert did not. >> what did she say about robert? >> he was never there. he always worked. >> well, he was a fire captain and he worked a lot of shifts. >> yes, he did. >> that was a problem? >> yes. >> bob tried to make things right. in early september 2016, he took his family on a trip to mexico. it was a chance to reconnect. >> reporter: six days later, robert poynter was dead and not in a fire. i detective michael berke drove

out to country go 25 95 to investigate his first career homicide. >> i grabbed my investigation equipment, mostly at that time, a camera only. >> and then you get to the scene. >> yes sir. >> reporter: about halfway down the road was that truck, later identified as bobs. then another discovery. >> we are shining our flashlights on the path to make sure we don't fall in one of the deep routes or trip. then there was a reflection in the water, in one of the puddles. on a closer look, it showed it was a cell phone. >> reporter: it was chacey's cell phone, she apparently dropped it in the mud when she fell. that's why her 9-1-1 call was cut off. for the down the mighty road, and around the bend, was chacey's jeep, with robert poynter's body behind the wheel. burke took a close look. >> was he robbed or...?

>> no, chacey's we still on the for full board of the vehicle,. >> the fatal shot had apparently been fired at close range. >> big thing for us was what the weapon was, a shotgun, it was that the wanting from the shotgun shell was still in the victim skull. >> so who shot bob and why? there was nothing at the scene. >> reporter: coming up -- >> just breathe for me. >> that's my husband's blood on me. >> reporter: what happened on that desolate road? chacey tells a dramatic story. >> the jeep started rolling. i saw a shadow. >> when "dateline" continues. >> when "dateline" continues.

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just witnessed her husband being shot and she could barely breathe. >> in through your nose, out through your mouth. slow your breathing down. >> reporter: even as chacey was getting hooked up with oxygen, officer meek needed to speak with her while everything was fresh. his body cam was rolling. >> tell us what happened. donald >> reporter: chacey told

meek she was on her we to meet robert poynter at the local jack-in-the-box. >> reporter: their daughter addison was at a friends house that evening so it would just be the two of them. >> he told me he was gone, a long three minutes. he texted me, i went off the road. >> reporter: chacey, still visibly east shaken, said her jeep got stuck. so bob, already at the jack-in-the-box, drove out to help or. >> he said, i don't think i can make it. so we walked, we walked up here and we walked back to my jeep. she said bob jumped in the driver seat and pulled her jeep out. >> and when i was back on it, i went to go get -- and i heard a shot. and the jeep started rolling and they didn't see anything and then i saw a shadow. that's all i saw. >> she yelled bob's name. and no answer. then, she said, in a panic, she ran.

>> i didn't know what else to do. >> reporter: chacey asked about her husband. >> under the bright lights chacey could see her arms. >> just breathe for me. >> that's my husband's blood on me. >> i mean, with my training and experience, i knew not to let her focus on that, so i re-directed her focus. >> reporter: officer took note of her injuries. once the -- police escorted her back to the police car where she seemed to open up. she described ongoing marital problems. >> we don't spend a lot of time together, we can only see each other for a couple of days. >> you argue. >> yes, but it's because we don't spend a whole lot of time together because of his shifts. >> reporter: they had talked about divorce and bob threaten to take addison if it went through.

>> why would your husband threatened to take your daughter from you? >> because he knows that would make me sick. >> reporter: she said they were trying to work things out. >> we just got back from mexico this week. we had a really good time. >> okay. >> and things were fine. >> reporter: that didn't last, she said. soon after returning from mexico, their marriage started heading south again. she told bob she needed space. and so chacey went to see a friend, michael garza. he knew about chacey's troubled marriage and offered his home to her whenever she needed. that night, friday, chacey texted bob and they made plans to talk at a familiar spot. >> we used to stop and get tacos at jack-in-the-box. when he would come on the way home from work.

>> right. >> so i asked him if he wanted to meet me at jack-in-the-box. >> reporter: and bob agreed. >> i said i love you, i want this to work out. he said, do you promise, i said yes. >> reporter: that promise now >> reporter: that promise now unfulfilled permanently, unfulfilled permanently, because bob was no more. and chacey, said she did not because bob was no more. get a good look at the shooter. >> i didn't get a good. look -- >> i wasn't there, i need to understand what you saw, okay? >> he was tall and dark. that's all i could see. i didn't see any firearms. >> reporter: naturally, meek wondered about chacey's friend michael garza. they looked up his facebook profile and there he was, holding a shotgun. could michael garza be the shooter? >> but then she start saying, he wasn't in town, he's a long

haul truck driver. so that you are mentioned that. and then you start thinking, who else could that be? >> reporter: meek wasn't sure. >> she was giving me too much information. she was telling me things that ultimately didn't make sense for what we were there for. >> reporter: and he noticed something odd. >> when i wasn't talking to her she would come down, but as soon as i would talk to her, she would get hyper ventilating again. the more i spoke to her, the more signaled like an act. >> reporter: was it all and act? or was there something else going on? only one way to find out. they escorted chacey back to the police station and dug deeper into her story. and that was sometimes hard to follow, as county road 25 95. >> reporter: coming up --

>> so somebody taking the shock, and put it right against your husband said. and you are telling me you see nothing? you see nothing? >> reporter: the fire captain's wife feels the heats. >> i don't buy it. i think you're full of bleep. >> reporter: when "dateline" continues. continues. ♪ breeze driftin' on by... ♪ if you've been playing down your copd,... ♪ it's a new dawn, it's a new day,... ♪ ...it's time to make a stand. start a new day with trelegy. ♪...and i'm feelin' good. ♪ no once-daily copd medicine... has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. it also helps prevent future flare-ups. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler

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the people of ukraine, our unity within the united states congress, and the unity within our allies. i would like to bring forward the chair of the intelligence committee. chairman adam shift. >> thank you chairman meeks. and thank you for organizing this -- to kyiv. i am honored to be here as i've polish roots as well. my mother's name is murkowski, and it is an honor to be with you. last night we had a three-hour meeting with president zelenskyy and his leadership team. we discussed sanctions, and how we can strengthen them. we discussed weapons and how we could increase the supply, so the city can defend itself

against russian aggression. we talked about food assistance, humanitarian assistance. and what the world could do to support ukraine. this is a struggle of freedom against tyranny. and that struggle in ukraine is on the front lines. the whole freedom loving world has an interest in the outcome of this war. and ensuring that ukraine is victorious. and we are determined to do everything within our power to make it so. on the intelligence committee, we are proud of the role intelligence has played in supporting our ukrainian allies. an intelligence prior to the war, and disclosing putin's plans and ambitions in stripping away the pretext, and demonstrating the naked aggression of this war by russia. that intelligence cooperation goes on. we are determined to make sure that we provide good time information to ukraine, to allow it to defend itself.

we are in awe, of what the ukrainians have been able to achieve. and they in courage of the ukrainian people. we express gratitude to zelenskyy for his courage, and his attitude. it is extraordinary. we will stand stroller to shoulder with ukraine until victories one. thank you, and now it is my great pleasure to introduce representative jason of colorado, a member of the intelligence committee. >> thank you chairman schiff. thank you speaker pelosi for bringing this group together and this delegation to ukraine, and to poland. it is a pleasure to be back in poland. i was here just a couple of weeks ago as well. checking on my beloved 87 division. i started my service career not too many years ago. but the people of poland have been incredible friends, and neighbors. not just to ukraine, but to the united states.

and it isn't an alliance, and a friendship that is stronger than ever before. i also think to president zelenskyy in the ukrainians for hosting us, and inviting us. and having a wonderful discussion an exchange of ideas yesterday as well. i came here is a member of the intelligence committee, and the services committee, and a combat veteran myself. with three areas of focus. weapons, weapons, and weapons! we have to make sure the ukrainians have what they need to when. we have seen in the last two months, their ferocity, they're intense pride, their ability to fight, and their ability to win? if they have the support to do so. as we had an exchange with ideas with president zelenskyy, and the senior leadership team of how we can do that. how we can continue to get the ammunition to them, to fuel the weapons they already have. how do we change the number -- nature of our support?

giving new an advanced weaponry to meet the next phase of this battle. and how do we change the ukrainian soldiers to use that assistance while they are all simultaneously fighting? we came up with a great exchange of ideas. i look forward to returning to washington to work with my colleagues and then put it into action. one thing made clear, -- president biden has made more clear with his aid package request, it is a hug story request that we are going to push for in the united states congress the path. but it is a message. we are not interested in stalemates, we are not interested in going back to the status quo. the united states of america's in this to win it. and we will stand with ukraine until victory is one! thank you. and now my pleasure to introduce barbara lee from california. >> thank you very much gordon.

let me first thank our speaker for her tremendous leadership and courage in bringing this delegation together. on behalf of the american people. as you all have heard we stand with ukrainian people until freedom is one, until the war --one on state foreign operations, we want to make sure that we send a signal to the ukrainian people, that our u.s. tax dollars are going to ensure that democracy prevails and that you can prevails, the people of ukraine. in that context, we now, as you heard, are looking at moving forward, with regard to the 33 billion dollar request, which the president has put forward to support our military and security assistance for the ukrainian people. for humanitarian assistance, for -- our treasury department.

all of those agencies, within our federal department, that are moving forward to support the ukrainian people in this very devastating bloodbath of putin. this is a moment in history, a defining moment, quite frankly, whether or not the world goes forward, with our democratic principles, or moves backwards, which is what putin is attempting to do. that's not going to happen. we're going to do everything we can do within our power -- of the subcommittee, we have an opportunity to really drill down with our partners in ukraine, and in poland, to make sure that the resources are targeted to ensuring that the light does outshine the darkness. i want to thank speaker pelosi, once again, i want to thank all of our members and thank the ukrainian people for showing us the strength and resilience, and what it means to fight to

make sure that freedom -- and we are going to stay there until, as everyone has said, and we have witnessed, that freedom is one. thank you again. next, let me bring forward mr. keaton from massachusetts, who serves on the house foreign -- >> i just want to thank speaker pelosi for her leadership, and once again, making sure the world knows, as well as ukraine knows, and poland, knows where the united states stands, and where they'll continue to stand. yesterday, on the side of the border, we met with incredible -- leaders with incredible courage. not one's with military -- humanitarian leaders, international leaders -- who, every single day arlette

risking their lives to help other people. they detail to us the horrors of the hidden and the silent casualties that are actually numbering in the several millions right now, in the greatest migration since world war ii. but -- about the brutality that they were facing they. told us about the war crimes and how important it is that we have the ability to document these war crimes. they told us about 15 years but -- systematically being raped by russian soldiers. they told us about how a critical area that doesn't get much attention is not becoming a crisis but, that's human trafficking, particularly of women. how they're working to prevent, and warn women of this. how that's being exploited by

other people as well. as we're here in poland, i want to tell you, it's not only the u.s. that's here standing strong, but the example and the work of the polish people -- in this regard. 3 million people have come over in several weeks. the doors, the households are open to them. over 180,000 students are in school here already. these are students who are traumatized. as we sat with these people, groups like ukraine 5 am, other groups that are, again, risking their own lives every day but, they impress upon us, with enormous acumen, their knowledge of the military side. saying, there will work would be meaningless, unless we give them the support they need,

militarily. they told us how important it was that we passed the 33 billion dollar plan that was forwarded by president biden but. we know that everyone standing here, on both sides of the aisle, already to do just that. i want to salute polish contribution. i want to salute those brave people that we never see, the never don uniform, and risk their lives every work. this is unprecedented moment, and it's a moment where we're showing great strength and humanity, and values. the values of the west will win this. i want to thank our delegation speaker for, once again, as we have since the start, and making sure the world --

transatlantic bomb -- the -- continue into the future. thank you will. thank you all. >> thank you to my colleagues. please take a few questions. we're gonna begin -- you want me to make this pronunciation correct? let me try. -- [inaudible] >> welcome to my attention the most? one thing we did know, the courage of the ukrainian people is something so -- it's no surprise, not only his courage, and his leadership,

but it is detailed knowledge of every subject we brought up -- and how the best way to get food, as a security measure, as an economic measure for the country, as a strategic measure as well. his knowledge of detail was dazzling, as it came to weddings, i think you would agree. he was conversing back and forth -- a veteran himself, a member of intelligence and arm services had very specific questions -- because of that when it came to sanctions, which is mr. meeks's committee, he had very positive suggestions to make and understood the refinement. i don't want to say that we -- well was dazzling, to go from one subject to the next, and

including intelligence, which is very important part of our discussion, and how we go forward. it was remarkable master class of leadership on the part of president zelenskyy, and that's the most recent -- we look forward to continuing our conversations in poland, in gratitude to the polish people in government, for their more than hospitality to the ukrainian people coming into poland. okay, here we go. i gotta take this thing off. mayra so i have -- a lot of questions. >> we don't have a lot of time! >> do you have a nay timeline for three billion dollars? how fast can impasse in congress?

[laughs] >> how do you feel with cooperation with the european union? in terms of sanctions? . do and what the united states is going to do to help europeans with the concern. >> is that okay with the rest of? you were gonna have a certain number of questions? >> specifically of russia using nuclear weapons? it was, do you think. what's united states and nato is supposed to do. >> what is your preferred question? >> [laughs] >> let me start with the first, when it is 33 billion dollars. an enormous amount of money. we are very proud of the 13.6 billion dollars that we have just sent, and we are down to the last drop of that. so with the leadership of the

appropriations committee, where the congresswoman is a leader. we are already writing a bill for the 33 billion dollars. for weapons, for security. for humanitarian assistance, and for economic assistance. we are very proud that that is on top of what we have already done in terms of sanctions with stopping the purchase of russian oil. stopping the trades with russia, as mister -- mentioned. with police that we passed this week, which the president will shine shortly. -- freeze of assets so that when they thaw, they will be used to rebuild ukraine after victory. the, again, let's see if someone asked about unity. in europe. and if not we'll come back to it. with threats, like putin.

in terms of an conventional weapon for three. >> with that will go to josh? >> my colleagues, any of you want to chime in on any of these questions, please do. >> i have a two part question. it's somewhat related to what we just heard. the first has to do with a package of aid, the sausage making piece of this. there seems to be bipartisan agreement that it is needed, but it's already getting wrapped up in this debate over covid really, immigration. how do you make sure that it doesn't get bogged down in this -- and survived the filibuster in the senate. the other question has to do with rhetoric, where the house sending far more in terms of weapons. it's about degrading the russian military. but where is the line?

i guess i don't know, how far is the u.s. prepared to go in preventing something far worse? >> when you say provoking something far worse, you made? >> the response from russia. >> let me just speak for myself on the second part, do not be bullied by police! if they are making threats, you cannot back down. that is my view of it. you are there from the fights. and you cannot fold to avoid. yeah, this is called legislating. that you have other proposals that may want to get on the engine that they know is leaving the station. and we do have to pass our covid legislation, and we will do all of it. whether we do it together, which is my preference, we'll see. but it will not be bogged down the process. did you want to speak to that? as appropriator?

>> well, we are in the process, as she said of writing the bill right now. and the negotiations will take place, we'll are taking place as we speak. but i think witticism portent is that the president has put forward the 33 billion. so much of that is desperately below the -- needed now. we look at the 1.5 billion a month, to help with the shortfall that the ukrainian government's face with. so there are many components of this bill that requires to move very quickly. the speaker said we are negotiating, and that is how democracy works in america. so we don't know the after, but we certainly know that we are going to stand with the ukrainian people need for on this agreement. >> any other comments on police? >> on that subject of police, your question about potential escalation? let's not forget here. russia invaded ukraine.

ukraine is defending itself. and russia seems to be sending, if the united states, if the rest of the world there is to feign ukraine against its aggression it will escalate. we're going to escalate. -- but there is a great deal at stake for everyone. if putin can succeed in invading his neighbors and get away with it, what is it to lead us to believe it will stop with ukraine? he has obviously demonstrated his designs with georgia, moldova, with the baltics. and elsewhere here in poland, that's obviously one of the most paramount concerns. so this is first and foremost about ukraine. but it is not only about ukraine. it is about a dictator, and a kremlin, making more likely world war ii again. with a massive invasion of his neighbor, and he must be stopped. we are prepared to prepare

ukraine with all the support necessary to stop them and to win this war. >> you asked the question about whether or not what we're saying here is provocative? in reality, putin has provoked all the people things that we are talking about here today. as adam schiff pointed out, he is the one who illegally, and an unprovoked, way invaded ukraine. and i think the better question is whether the world will hold him to account. because he has crossed many lines. he has committed war crimes. he has targeted hospitals, he has engaged in mass killings, which we have now documented. and the united states and other countries around the world need to be supportive of preserving that evidence. the question then should also be asked is whether the world will hold him to account for his work crimes. because if they don't, the

likelihood of him or somebody else doing the same thing increases. so we are, we want this war to end. we want the killing to stop, and again, the implications of this war are not just about what is happening to the people of ukraine. as i pointed out, it's what is happening to people around the world. he is exacerbating a hunger crisis on this planet. we should be all deeply concerned about that. so we need to hold him accountable once this is over with. i support the international criminal court holding him accountable, we have to support them. but he is the one who provoked this. this is putin's war, and what we are doing is standing up to bullying. >> and that goes with what the unity pieces, but putin did not count on was a speeding unified!

and he seeing unity now, like he never thought it would happen. he thought that he could divide us but he has not been able to do that. he has utilized his russian propaganda, all around the world with misinformation. with the guys, with the goal to divide us. it has not happened and it will not happen it's talking about sanctions and yes we will increase some. we will bring it together, not just one nation but all of us collectively. and we're talking about also when has been successful, and what we need to do to put more pressure on so nothing will decrease. everything will increase, pressure from the outside. pressure from the inside. there will be nowhere for him to go. we will continue to heed putin surrenders. >> perhaps you said, you've spoken about this with the president. all address the question with

unity with a nato countries, and what happens if they try to do something unconventional in terms of weapons. >> i think madam speaker, you said it all! if he does anything in regards to unconventional weapons. dealing with anything like chemical weapons, or any kind of strategical nukes. all bets are off! he's the speaker just said it. we are not going to back down to a bully. he is not going to be able to, sometimes bullies keep talking, but if they cross, he's going to have to face the consequences. he needs to know that. so there is no backsliding, or backing up that is not going to divide us. it will only bring us closer together to make sure that we repudiate him, and stop him in his aggression. >> if i could just mention, our allies. the european union is in the

process of, when i called the mother of all sanctions. blocking in russian gas and oil. the most critical thing that they can see for -- that is great sacrifice on our allies among other things. we're doing the same in the u.s.. so we are strong right now that we can be at any time. -- engaging on the effort themselves, in switzerland in sweden. when we have two nations that might shock of their own accord join nato very shortly. >> the next question is from chris martin crass me?

>> they're almost 5000 u.s. soldiers, can you imagine that you are -- might be in the baltic states. before the invasion there were about 80,000 u.s. military stations on a permanent and rotational basis. >> we have plans that are up to about hundred 5000. we have surged in an additional sources. what we've seen from nato's for battle groups, tunnel a battle grooves. a very firm commitment by nato to increase presents. what we are going to have to. -- both in the overall troop

number but the distribution of those horses. with that would look like is that breaking up of the larger force conference introductions into smaller unit concentrations among the eastern flank. pushing further east, and having both a permanent and semi permanent rotational forces in places like poland, the wallet takes states and other places as well. so certainly a lot of discussion happening out of washington right now how we distribute those forces. what is a longer term presence look like? to meet russian aggression? and what our allies would like as well. >> final question. >> nasa? >> my question is that what's the award will mean for ukraine? and maybe you could tell white

law [inaudible] >> i'm sorry what was the first part? >> how was the [inaudible] >> well, we passed the bill, i'll sign when we go back monday. it has to be processed and then the president will sign it. but we are in the process of something stronger than it is right now. we are not landing or release saying, we are giving so port in a very strong way. and it will not only be for ukraine, but eastern european countries who are resisting. so it will be -- we will see where it will be most effective. but we will be ready, we will be ready with it. and the next part of your question? >> if you can tell what kind of weapon -- >> oh you wanna speak to the wife been situation? >> so the nature of this war is evolving. what we have seen is that it is looking like a different war now that is moving from the north, to the south, to the east.

the train is different. it's much more open terrain as you know. so long range fires are going to be important. standoff within the military is important. so you are more likely to see long range rocket fires, artillery fires. the use of personal carriers to move troops. tank formations. as opposed to the smaller ambushes and unconventional tactics that we saw in the air just stages of this war. the next phase of our support is starting to look like that too. you're starting to see artillery, long range fires. more advanced drones. more systems that will help ukrainians engage in distances to preserve the force. but also reach out further and hurt russian forces while they're moving, and while they're trying to get into defensive positions as well. that's a large part of what the age package is looking like. that evolution into a new style of military assistance.

as well, at the same time, what we're looking at is long term support for the ukrainian sources and what it looks like. what is modernization look like? and can we continue to train as we have since 2014, the officer corps of the military. to help them sustain this over the long run. but also meet there long turn security needs. >> as i said at the beginning. >> we have been listening to our press conference with the delegation that was visiting in kyiv, with president zelenskyy. nancy pelosi, jan -- and jason crow. talking about their meeting with silence key and how nancy pelosi said he gave a master class on leadership. they're talking about how they are going to move forward with this war in ukraine. we will have more on this on our 7 am show with katie fang. i'm deborah, with nbc

headquarters in new york. we'll take you back to program. >> -- that that's all for this addition of that's all for this dateline, i'm edition of dateline, i'm natalie morales. natalie thank you for watching! morales morale >> coming up on the mehdi hasan show, president biden signals that he is willing to forgive some student loan debt. not the 50,000 that advocates want, though. what stands in the way of executive action on this point? plus, how does democratic mastering of police reform go from defund the police to weekend fund it enough? i ask a leading voice in the black lives matter movement. and, doctor fauci says we are in a transitional phase of the pandemic, as cases go