putin has been putin for the entire time he's been around. he was putin in the kgb.e's been putin since he started running the country 99. we have to see him for what he really is in the words of former defense secretary bill gates, a stone cold killer. back with us in the "crossfire" congresswoman karen bass and senator ron johnson. i think you feel like that's a pretty grim but maybe accurate view of putin. >> i do. i think it's rather scary. some of the photographs of him show he looks pretty thuggish although we don't call him that. >> the only change is he's been emboldened. >> right. >> he's gotten into that power. his head is expanding. he's more dangerous now. >> i would agree with you, and i do think it's because of the entire world. not because of president obama that he's emboldened. >> you were commenting during the break, you'd just been in ukraine. >> right. >> and i'd ask both of you, you really believe if he's determined to be aggressive that we can stop him? >> probably not militarily. from my standpoint, it makes no sense for russia economically. >>

not of 21st. >> critics of putin, beware.in of corruption and wound up spending ten years in prison and labor camps. alexander litvinenko accused state security services of organizing a coup to put putin in power. he was poisoned by a lethal dose of radioactive polonium. and viktor yushchenko the former ukrainian president poisoned, disfigured, and nearly killed by a toxic dose of dioxin. i'm not saying official russian bodies had anything to do with it, but it's mighty suspicious. >> i don't think you need to be a conspiracy theorist to say whoever did this very much wanted everyone to know who done it. >> everybody understands. >> of course. >> everybody is meant to understand. >> yeah, everybody understands. everybody understands everything in this country. >> when you're talking classic conspiracy theories and classically russian-style paranoia, you want some classic russian food to go along with it. pelmini, minced meat dumplings served on a pillow of cabbage with sour cream. >> mm. >> it's very good. maybe the most extr

not of 21st. >> critics of putin, beware.utin of corruption and wound up spending ten years in prison and labor camps. alexander litvinenko accused state security services of organizing a coup to put putin in power. he was poisoned by a lethal dose of radioactive polonium. and viktor yushchenko the former ukrainian president poisoned, disfigured, and nearly killed by a toxic dose of dioxin. i'm not saying official russian bodies had anything to do with it, but it's mighty suspicious. >> i don't think you need to be a conspiracy theorist to say whoever did this very much wanted everyone to know who done it. >> everybody understands. >> of course. >> everybody is meant to understand. >> yeah, everybody understands. everybody understands everything in this country. >> when you're talking classic conspiracy theories and classically russian-style paranoia, you want some classic russian food to go along with it. pelmini, minced meat dumplings served on a pillow of cabbage with sour cream. >> mm. >> it's very good. maybe the most ex

putin. please tell us about that and what we should expect to see after the ukrainian elections, after this has calmed down a bit, is this going to go on and on? >> well, we certainly are going into this for the long haul. this is one of the long games we are going to be playing for some time, and just what tom has already said about the neglect in many respects of russia and the united states, and elsewhere in europe has been something that is really rankled -- the kind of things that really get to buck up these comments russia is a second rate regional power, just the very idea, you know, that the best brains that used to look at the soviet union and the cold war have been diverted to other things, and the rest of us who are still looking at russia getting very long in the tooth like the three of us together with you, david, where we are in many respects a generation that have been working on this for a long time and it is very hard to see the next generation, because just simply the inter

putin's sochi olympics went off as planned.etition which was really all that mattered. a few journalists complained about the bathrooms, but that is all but forgotten. more than $50 billion of mostly public money gone. ukraine rose up and their pro-putin president run away. russia, in broad daylight has recently annexed crimea and is massing tens of thousands of troops on the border of ukraine. the world has done nothing. it will do nothing, as vladimir well knew. he wins again. >>> like it or not, religion and a belief in god is deeply woven into the fabric of this country. >> one nation, under god. >> this country was built by chris chan people who believe that the word of god -- >> but how important is religion to modern life? is it really still relevant? >> the church gives hope and we believe it's the only real hope on the planet. >> if we don't necessarily believe in god, where does that leave us? >> i don't gont to church, what am i missing. >> what are you missing? >> yeah. >> life. >> so help me god. >> there is only o

> putin is not right wing enough for them?> no, he's like a liberal. he doesn't choose immigrant workers. >> i'm shocked they're in the same demonstration. the only thing in common is general unhappiness? >> that's it. >> that's it. ♪ >> bad things seem to happen to critics of vladimir putin. journalists, activists, even powerful oligarchs once seemingly untouchable are now fair game if they displease the leader. so we were supposed to be dining at another restaurant this evening and when they heard that you would be joining me, we were uninvited. should i be concerned about having dinner with you? >> this is a country of corruption. if you have business, you are in a very unsafe situation. everybody can press you and destroy your business. that's it. this is a system. >> meet boris nemtsov. he was deputy prime minister under yeltsin and today is one of putin's most vocal critics. this restaurant was kind enough to take us in but the chef is a brit so maybe he has less reason to worry. >> first course, gentlemen? >> at yornik

ata the same time, it offers putin somebody to talk to. putin's at 82 percent. if you grab eastern ukraine, what do you get? you got these provinces that are destitute and the whole world against you. i think putin is a smart guy. i agree he acted revac -- reactaively. you have the naval base. he's the guy that got them out. i think there were 8osce guys locked up, 4 of them germans, and somehow they were let go in eastern ukraine. >> the -- >> we've hit pay dirt there. i don't think that's it. i think this man-made a convincing case. this is the best way to handle this new extension of your empire, which you -- a, b, c, d, and e. >> let me make a comment about putin's fortune. at that point, it doesn't make a difference -- >> he's the richest man in the world. >> he wants to preserve his power and place more than anything else. >> i think he was impressed with this was very careful footing -- >> i agree with that. >> and slow the process down. and he may have changed his mind. >>> student loan blues. >> the federal government does not let people holding student

putin is in power. if i'm correct and the starting point is this is part of the strategy for maintaining support, he's got a huge binge in popular support so far. you have to keep on feeding the beast, if you will, and that is not a happy scenario. let me turn quickly to sam's question. his first question had to do with what is your view of u.s. policy since the outset of the crisis in ukraine, has a it been weak, provocative or about right? i think weak and provocative are not mutually exclusive categories. for me outset, i think it has been weak and thus provocative. for me, it started with the initial response on february 28 will stop -- february 20 eight. already, the airport had been seized by military forces, it had to be at the behest of russia. the parliament had been seized, the speaker of the parliament had been seized, and was -- and when mr. obama came on at 3:00 eastern standard time, ira member at well because i was at the university of indiana, where my son who is a freshman there for the

of us know really what's in putin's calculation. i agree. we do need sanctions. i think we do need to consider giving military aid to ukraine. we need to let putin understand that any disruption, and i think merkel and obama said that, any disruption of the may 25th elections would bring a response from us. >> what is your definition of disruption in this case? i want to ask you, senator. >> we're seeing it right now. >> as far as elections are concerned. >> what we're seeing right now. we are seeing, you know, these russian sympathizers, and i would say really russian agents, in many respects, taking over administration buildings, fomenting unrest and we're really seeing this erupt into real violence, people are dying and that's exactly what vladimir putin wants. he wants to destabilize not only ukraine, but he's been undermining those breakaway republics for years, because he doesn't want to see successful democracy on his borders because that destabilizes russia, threatens his party and that's what this is all about. it makes no

that's why chinese people see putin as a hero. china has so many domestic problems they have to handle about pollution, the corruption, economics, all the problems will preoccupy china's leadership. the last thing i think from their mind to have is confrontation with the united states. that's why they talked about building a new power of that power relationship. >> you just heard the professor talk about how the chinese regard vladimir putin has a hero. is he using that newfound power and prestige inside his own country in a way that means russia is an inevitable not only rival but perhaps once again enemy of the united states? >> well, the deal and the crimea issue are definitely rose vladimir putin's popularity. his approval rate has never been higher. i would disagree with the statement that this means that the new energy-centered china/russia alliance is in the asia-pacific area for different reasons. one of which is simply russia will not defer to the chinese power of that area in the world. russia is helps vietnam to develop

president vladimir putin calls for an emergency meeting at the u.n.coup -- security council , where russia is a permanent member. the president says ukraine destroyed the agreement meant to calm tensions. >> translation: if the criminal misadventures of the kiev clooek are not stopped. the catastrophic happenings cannot be avoided. >> president obama hosted german chancellor angela merkel at the white house. wrestling with ways to turn up the heat on vladimir putin whilst not hurting german's economic ties to russia, trades amounting to $100 billion. >> a word on sanction, i agree with the american president. they are not an end in itself, but combined with an of of diplomatic solutions it's a necessary second component to show that we are serious about our principals. >> it is obvious to the world that the russian-backed groups are not peaceful protesters. they are heavily armed mill tans receiving support from russia. the ukranian government has the right to uphold law and order in its territory. russia needs to use influence so they disarticle and

the problem of putin is a russian problem.fortunately, there has been developments in russia that are tremendously detrimental to russian interests, state interests, middle-class, to russian people who work hard and have entrepreneurial talent. those developments include further stated station of the economy, deepening of the favoritism of who can obtain property or loans. brain drain because of pressure on the university system, tightening over the internet whereas before they were content to control the state television and almost all of the television is state. the internet space was much livelier and freer certainly compared to china and there has been a tightening in that direction as you know and have written about. these are all ominous for the people of russia. the people of moldova have their own problems. a quarter of the moldovan population does not live in moldova because the place is a basket case of corruption under more than a generation of poor elite. maybe things have gotten better recently in moldova under th

putin. but is russia really pulling back from the brink? >> syria's war. rebels evacuated from an area where there's been intense fighting. and border abuse. hundreds of complaints against patrol agents from undocumented workers but who's listening? we begin tonight in nigeria, where there's been a massacre. hundreds of people killed and the government the blaming boko haram. it is the same group that kidnapped more than 270 school girls three weeks ago. today's attack happened in the northeast corner of nigeria in the state of borno. residents murdered, homes set on fire during a 12 hour raid. yvonne indege reports. >> boko haram from previous attacked in the northeast. reports the group killed hundreds in northeast on monday will worry many. residents told the state government that masked men raided the village and started firing. >> anybody sighted in that area were shot and killed and then later on moved into the city and they gunned down aall the shirts and 500, not less than 300 people

give us your sense of putin's thinking and putin's russia right now.ions not steep enough? how do you think it plays out? >> it is less than needed but more than expected. and i think the u.s. is now way ahead of the allies that are very, very shy by trying to find the middle way. and the problem is it might work only putin. more important, people surround putin, they believe the sanctions will last. when you hear the minister of foreign affairs saying today we have to be cautious in applying sanctions. don't shut down the chances for diplomatic solutions. and the former minister of financial russia saying russia will not be isolated. so there's no threat of isolation. by hearing all the signals, i don't think putin takes it seriously. >> well, this is the point. and why would europe want to go deep in terms of sanctions. why would they ever do anything significant against putin when in fact, 35% of their gas is coming from putin, from russia? >> yes. that's exactly the problem. he is a dictator. he is not shy to use gas or every other element of econo

putin -- vladimir hasian vladimir putin visited crimea. a militaryattending parade there this friday. grace in italym continues. former prime minister silvio berlusconi has started committee service at alzheimer's home. and another mass rally to try to .ust the government also coming up for you in the next hour on "live from paris" as more troops in venezuela made campsawn raid on protest wereracas, more than 200 arrested. and an update on the fukushima powerplant three years on from the disaster there. but first, russian president vladimir putin has just arrived in crimea, the peninsula which only a few weeks ago voted to break away from ukraine and become a part of russia. ,his is a highly symbolic visit the first time bruton has been in crimea since its annexation. has beenrst time putin in crimea since its annexation. the visit was particularly striking, given the context. listen. >> this is a day marked by patriotism. we all have an acute feeling of what it means to be true to our land and how important it is. >> russian vladimir -- r

. >>> well, russian president vladimir putin is calling for a delay for a referendum on autonomy. they're planning to vote on sunday. >> some leaders say they will consider putin's request to postpone the vote. ukraine's interim president dismissed putin's words as hot air. >> they say it should be put on hold so they can give diplomacy. thousands of troops on the border of the ukraine will be withdrawn. for all of this let's go live to moscow and so, matthew, did putin blink here or is this some kind of a distance between himself and his pro russian groups? >> reporter: yeah, i think the answer lies somewhere in between those two things. the sanctions that have been levied against russia by the european union and the united states that caused vladimir putin and russia to blink. just a few days ago we spoke with someone saying the elections because of the poor security situation would have been absurd. also, calling on the separatist groups to postpone their referendums this weekend. i think one of the reasons may be that the kremlin is acknowledging that those groups have not bee

to putin?cky, i'm taking you down with me. we're going down together by the way. there was a comment about snowden. we immediately perked up. putin saying something to the effect that/. >> i wrote it down. >> he said something to the effect that the u.s. special forces, steve liesman speaks russian and heard some of this. they have taken down. they, we assume meaning the u.s., have taken down planes with presidents before. they taken his plane down. >> taken snowden's plane down. >> does that mean a forced landing? >> if what becky, steve and i both heard -- >> what you and i heard was the translation. the interpreter used the word "down." that could be landed. but i said they, meaning the u.s. have downed planes with presidents on them. they should have downed snowden. >> what was that? >> we should have prevented snowden -- >> almost like we should have shot down the plane. >> we could be guessing. >> he said the special forces, u.s. special forces were quote, unquote i thought unprofessional

vladimir putin has been out-maskalating barack obama at every turn. it's like obama is playing checkers, and putin is also playing checkers but doing it shirtless while riding a horse. >> russian president vladimir putin was busy playing hockey in sochi. the game reportedly aired on russian television saturday night. president putin supposedly led a team of hocker stars, including former nhl-ers to a 24-1 win. >> he shoots. he scores. spectators saw that often and early from an exhibition hockey game. >> putin dazzled the crowd, was able to score six goals in a single game. ( laughter ) ( applause ) >> stephen: the other team-- the other team would have tried to stop putin, but his games often end in sudden death. ( laughter ) now just take a look at putin in a show many are calling "dictator on ice." he's such a speed demon, the professionals goalie trip over their own skates as soon as he approaches. but the most impressive thing about putin's performance is that it was only six years ago that he learned to skate. and the first five years of his hoc

to be held -- a dramatic move by president putin .sident putin may just have blinked. he could be worried about russia's economy. people's lives here had been transformed by booming oil inorts, but from exile paris, an economist once close to putin warns that sanctions will undermine his promise to his people. but the promises were put on paper -- >> the promises were , and the promises were based on growth of 5% or 6% a year. some are still driving president putin to realize their dream of a greater russia. >> the nostalgia to restore big russia was what it was before, but now, it is a kind of reality. >> with president putin still basking in his crimea triumph, biding his time today, but he may be pulling back from the brink. >> the mystery of president putin. the people of egypt will elect a new president themselves later this month, almost a year after mohamed morsi, the last democratically elected leader, was ousted from power. since then, his muslim brotherhood has been declared a terrorism organization by the military leadershi

took all of putin's circle, putin standing in the middle, and it went boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. and if you don't get the message what that means, you have to be more than blind. now, i think it's also fair to just for the record -- i know sometimes it's easier to whip witnesses and to ask them to get to points that are either beyond their pay grade or for which a policy is evolving that they are not yet there. there are 28 nations in the european union. became very clear to me at dinner with chancellor merkel the other night that as much as we would like them to see -- be more forward leaning, they're going to get there on their time frame. now that's a challenge. that's a challenge. we have a $40 billion marketplace with russia. the european union has a $500 billion marketplace with russia. in terms of effect, there's no doubt that having the european union be alongside with us in this effort is going to be critical to the ultimate pain we want to elicit so that putin will change his calculus. i think people of goodwill on both sides want to get to the same goal, preserve ukrai

. >> putin dazzled the crowd, was able to score six goals in a single game. ( laughter ) ( applause ) >> stephen: the other team-- the other team would have tried to stop putin, but his games often end in sudden death. ( laughter ) now just take a look at putin in a show many are calling "dictator on ice." he's such a speed demon, the professionals goalie trip over their own skates as soon as he approaches. but the most impressive thing about putin's performance is that it was only six years ago that he learned to skate. and the first five years of his hockey training were spent putting the helmet on backwards. while he's hitting slapshots,

does that picture that shot around the world of a toasting shi and putin signal that it's here? joining us to discuss the significance of russia and china's gas deal are, from don ver, professor su shun jow, director for the center for china corporation. david sedny, deputy secretary of defense for east asia from 2007 to 2009 and in moscow, a research fellow at harvard's geo politics of energy project. david, let me start with you. i mean we have a state department spokes woman talking about this as a routine busy deal and the president of china talking about asia realizing its glory. how should we understand this? >> it certainly is a business deal, but it's a business deal with huge strategic implications. we have got a situation here where there is a fund mentioned realignment of the great power structure going on. and this deal is an inflection point in that. it's important for russia, because it gives it a counterweight to the europeans and u.s. sanctions that it's under now. it gives china hope for the future, that it's energy costs won't continue to balloon. the u.s. is g

>> i've been known to work an angel, yes. >> putin, putin fan club, putin went to siberia and caughtmoderator is obscured. did you just put up another anthony weiner photo? >> no, that was putin. >> scared the living -- i thought this is getting really weird. that's beyond limit. you can't keep that. >> no. so he got it, but here is the controversy. fishermen tell me putin is fudging it here. >> yeah, i love putin because he wears camo on the lake and waders in the forest. he is the most interesting man in the world. >> stay thirsty my friends. >> at least he put on a shirt after he caught the fish. >> you want me to wear a bra? >> no, no, a bra is for ladies. meet the bro. >> and the problem is that yaw can't tell, russians can't tell putin that he's fudging the fish or they will throw them in jail with those girls. >> gone insane. putin ought to solve their fiscal problems and come out with a double d cup of the month calendar. [ music playing ] >> watters' world on deck. jesse going to a miley cyrus ♪ abe! get in! punch it! let quicken loans help you save your money. with a mortga

let's remember what putin said as of last thursday.there's clip you showed may be out of date will stop putin says, russia have been opposed to the presidential election in ukraine on the 25th. >> he spoke on tuesday. this was him speaking. >> then this is a little out of date. on thursday, i believe, putin said, you want to have presidential election in ukraine. it is a crazy idea, but please go ahead, we will interfere. it is a crazy idea. why is it about idea? remember, we have drawn a new redline. we said to russia, if you interfere in any way with this presidential election in ukraine, we will impose more sanctions on you. so that election is very important to the united states because we want to list of some -- the stowe some legitimacy. what kind of election can take whilein eastern ukraine kiev's tanks are firing on used ukraine in cities -- east ukrainian cities? you can say, they will stop firing on the election day. but what will be the it impact? candidate who propose to represent eastern ukraine and the national election,

vladimir putin has a lot of money. he doesn't keep the money in his own maim, but in the name of his friends. i call them oligarch, trustees. if you want to have some impact on vladimir putin, or get them to stop invading ukraine, what the united states did was nothing. and then you got a list of russian business many looking after vladimir putin's money. it was a strong step. it hit vladimir putin in the pocket book. what is shopping and disturbing about the response to ukraine, is that europe has not. if you look at the european list, they are waving around the list looking at those that are sanctioned. there are no oligarchs on the list. you are not hitting vladimir putin in his own money. those people are not the ones that hold vladimir putin's money. >> prime minister is talking about a 10% reduction in employees, you talked about how the russian economy is brittle. could a downturn that hurts a putin. >> absolutely. in the end vladimir putin has had a couple of different phases of his presidency. the first phase,

putin is in power. if i'm correct and the starting point is this is part of the strategy for maintaining support, he's got a huge binge in popular support so far. you have to keep on feeding the beast, if you will, and that is not a happy scenario. let me turn quickly to sam's question. his first question had to do with what is your view of u.s. policy since the outset of the crisis in ukraine, has a it been weak, provocative or about right? i think weak and provocative are not mutually exclusive categories. for me outset, i think it has been weak and thus provocative . for me, it started with the initial response on february 28 will stop -- february 20 eight. already, the airport had been seized by military forces, it had to be at the behest of russia. the parliament had been seized, the speaker of the parliament had been seized, and was -- and when mr. obama came on at 3:00 eastern standard time, ira member at well because i was at the university of indiana, where my son who is a freshman there for th

and what is vladimir putin up to in ukraine? and as the world watches, the heartbreaking story of the missing nigeria school girls. what can the u.s. do to help? we'll sit down with former secretary of defense robert gates, intelligence committee chairman, mike rogers, and clarissa ward, who's on the scene in ukraine. plus, we'll talk with massachusetts senator elizabeth warren, who's i shaking things p on capitol hill. cbs news got the first look from inside the washington monument, which reopens tomorrow after three years of repairs and, as always, we'll have analysis on all of this from an all-star panel. 60 years of news because this is "face the nation." ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs >> schieffer: good morning again. we begin with the news from overnight. the washington post reports that top officials of the secret service ordered officers who the "the post" says are part of a squad that patrols a perimeter of the white house to leave their posts and drive to southern maryland to check on then-secret service director mark s

petersburg, it was putin's turn to unload on washington. accusing the u.s. of medaling in russia's backyard and backing an illegitimate ukrainian government. he admitted u.s. sanctions are hurting business but saved his sharpest jabs for president obama when questioned by cnbc's jeff cutmore. >> president obama accused you of untruths when it comes to supporting some of the separatists groups. >> who is he to judge, seriously, putin asked. if he wants to judge people, why doesn't he get a job in a court somewhere. a slap heard back in moscow on this warm, spring day. sanctions are starting to be felt here but so far the russian president is unhurt. putin's aggressive rhetoric and actions are proving extremely popular here. two recent polls put his approval ratings at 81 and 85%, the highest in years. >> i like putin for his attitude towards russia. >> i like president putin because he is very strong person. >> reporter: anger at the u.s. is growing here, reminding some of the cold war. but today, when russia high school seniors dressed up to celebrate their

have a putin relationship.up in the east, there was the three orientation towards looking towards the east. she can protest that. angela merkel is a remarkable politician. she is also fairly remarkable about complaining about some of the challenges she has sometimes. she seems world wary. but she always seems to pull through. she seems to be quite successful. just ask any of her opponents on the german political lashing. >> she has been doing pretty well for herself. thank u very much. hans nichols with the latest. it is the first time the chancellor goes to the white house in three years. >> let's move on. let's get back to corporate news. are upping bid, they their bid. with isn' in talks merck. our markets editor. why do you speculate ahead to up the offer? >> they came in at 50 pounds. they have sweetened the cash element which was one of the chairman's concerns. they sweetened the deal. it'll be interesting to see what the institution shareholders do. is this the final price? they put a very bizarre close.

that supposed withdrawal by putin, not the only thing who i'm going to call bizarre putin. he reached out to the pro russia separatists who seized a dozen buildings. putin asked them to postpone a cessation vote set for sunday. >>> just a day after his own foreign minister questioned whether it was appropriate for ukraine to hold presidential elections on may 25th, in the middle of an uprising putin today said with some reservations, they're a good idea. >> translator: i want to underline the planned presidential elections in kiev are a move in the right direction. but they won't solve anything if all of the citizens of ukraine don't understand how their rights will be guaranteed after these elections are held. >> now last week, president obama told russia to stay out of ukraine's elections or risk tough, new sanctions targeting sector of russia's economy. white house officials are suspicious of the new tone from putin. they don't think he's sincere of pulling troops back. they're warning he's got another prize waiting for him in ukraine in his crosshairs. jim sciutto here

we're hearing president putin having landed in crimea.a big event all over not just russia. tens of thousands of ethnic russians have been taking part in celebrations or commemorations perhaps in the capital reeger. tension is high this this year. it's europe day today. there could be counter pro eu demonstrations on the streets. >> reporter: their getting ready for fessatitivities. tens of thousands come every year to remember the defeat of nazi germany. most the people that come here are russian. 25% of the population are ethnic russian. about 40% speak russian as their mother tongue. many of them, not all, but many support what vladimir putin has done in crimea and what russia is doing in eastern ukraine. that doesn't necessarily mean they want the same to happen here. the government is nervous about russia trying to destabilize. it's talked about provocateurs being in the country and a march by russian groups has been a banned. i've been talking to the prime minister in the office behind me. she played down the threat of russia. she s