>> richard engel in ukraine tonight. richard, thanks. >>> up next, drug dealers selling deadly pills on social media. our exclusive. we ask if snapchat is doing enough to fight it ♪♪ thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer are living in the moment and taking ibrance. ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor is for postmenopausal women or for men with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole. ibrance may cause low white blood cell counts that may lead to serious infections. ibrance may cause severe inflammation of the lungs. both of these can lead to death. tell your doctor if you have new or worsening chest pain, cough, or trouble breathing. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. for more information about side effects talk to your doctor. ♪♪ be in your moment. ask your

>> richard engel in ukraine tonight. richard, thanks. >>> up next, drug dealers selling deadly pills on social media. our exclusive. we ask if snapchat is doing enough to fight it >>> now to our exclusive. we have reported on the alarming number of counterfeit pills young people are getting on social media now for the first time, a snapchat executive faces questions from kate snow on their crackdown. >> reporter: snapchat knows it has a problem. last year the dea seized over 20 million counterfeit pills. 4 in 10 had potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. young people have died after connecting with a dealer on snapchat >> what is snapchat doing to prevent those counterfeit pills from being sold on its platform >> kate, we are determined to make snapchat a hostile environment for drug dealers to operate. >> reporter: jacqueline beauchere joined snapchat as global head of platform safety in september our interview followed months of back-and-forth after the company offered to talk to us. beauchere says snapchat is partnerin

ground from nbc's correspondent ground from nbc's correspondent richard engel. ♪are you ready♪ when you really need to sleep. you reach for the really good stuff. zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. its non-habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. . >>> the world is watching and waiting for russia's next move, as president vladimir putin positions his military for a possible invasion of ukraine. u.s. officials say it's not really a matter of if russia is going to invade, it's rather an issue of when. russia is toughening its stance by announcing more military drills in the region, while more than 100,000 troops are already amassed near the ukrainian border. the u.s. state department has approved the allied shipment of anti-armor missiles. yesterday, the u.s. secretary of state antony blinken met with russia's foreign ministers who had some demands. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in ukraine with the latest on those discussions. >> reporter: what we're seeing is the ukrainian government and the biden

richard engel on the front lines. >>> the deadline for millions of health care workers to get their federally mandated vaccines. >>> the critical pilot shortage and the major airline launching its own flight academy no experience necessary. >>> and after 42 years of telling america's story, a beloved member of our nbc news family signing off >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt >>> good evening, everyone the process of choosing a nominee for the u.s. supreme court is officially under way tonight. president biden making it clear when he'll announce his pick, late next month, and who? the first black woman nominate to the court, holding to a campaign commitment the president's first detailed remarks on how he will move forward coming during an appearance with retiring justice stephen breyer this afternoon. breyer hand-carrying his retirement letter to the white house, outlining hi plans to step down this summer. tonight, a look at who may be on the president's short list to replace breyer, how he plans to make his decision, and what the reception might be on capitol hill pe

questioned in the uk >>> the white house warning russia could now invade ukraine at any point richard engel inside ukraine tonight. >>> our exclusive after our reporting on young people dying after obtaining deadly pills through snapchat the platform's head of safety on how snapchat is cracking down. >>> and the big honor for an nhl trailblazer. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >>> good evening it appears tonight the cell phone companies have blinked in their showdown with the airlines verizon and at&t now say they will voluntarily delay rolling

richard engel inside ukraine. >>> the new subvariant of omicron to watch in the u.s. why they're calling it a stealth omicron. it comes as cases and hospitalizations fall but deaths rise to the highest level in nearly a year. and the new study, up to two in three cases may now be reinfections what you need to know. >>> the deep freeze in the midwest as a powerful nor'easter takes aim at parts of the east al roker tracking it all. >>> the federal reserve signaling an interest rate hike is coming soon to tame inflation. the moves to make with your money now >>> music legend neil young versus spotify why the popular streamer is removing his music. >>> and more than 80 years after pearl harbor, the fallen u.s. serviceman finally laid to rest >> casket. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt >>> good evening let's begin with the fallout and a look ahead at the political battle to come following word today of supreme court justice stephen breyer's planned requirement from the court. a formal announcement from the 83-year-old clinton-appointed justice expe

lester >> richard engel, thank you. >>> for more on how the u.s. is viewing this tense standoff, i spoke late today with jake sullivan, president biden's national security adviser. mr. sullivan, thank you for joining us russia's opening message today was essentially we have no interest in invading ukraine. do you believe them? >> we believe the russians have positioned tens of thousands of troops and advanced military equipment on the border with ukraine and that they have done so with at least the capability, if not the intention to invade we believe the threat of invasion is real and we are determined through a combination of deterrence and diplomacy to divert that circumstance, to defend ukrainian integrity and sovereignty. >> the u.s. position is that some things are on the table, including limiting the size and scope of military exercises as long as russia reciprocates will that be enough, however? will the u.s. have to give more concrete concessions or incentives to make this process move to a peaceful resolution? >> the united states and our

city government forces have retaken the air force and restored some internet service lester >> richard engel, thank you. >>> back home covid is surging again inside nursing homes, including a new jersey facility we reported on extensively where a shocking discovery was made in 2020. our anne thompson has more >> reporter: covid hitting new jersey's nursing homes hard once again the state reporting active outbreaks in more than 500 long-term care facilities including the woodland behavior nursing center which nbc news has been covering since the spring of 2020. back when it was called andover sub acute. >> they're mismanaged. >> reporter: for an nbc news investigation, what he found at the facility just weeks into the pandemic shocked the nation. >> easter sunday of 2020, there was 17, 18 people in the morgue stacked up. >> reporter: a tiny makeshift morgue overflowing with bodies followed by lawsuits from families. $220,000 in federal fines, a name change, but still the same owners who remain under investigation by the state attorney general. they told nbc news at the time they faced unprece

lester >> richard engel in ukraine, thank you. >>> in just 60 seconds, a texas man in custody accused using craig's list to hire people to shoot and kill election officials in georgia. >>> and what's driving car shortages and how buying could be changed forever. what you need to know. >>> a texas man is in custody tonight charged with trying to get people to shoot and kill election officials in georgia and the justice department says it's investigating hundreds of threats like it here's pete williams >> reporter: on the day georgia was holding a hotly contested special election last year to fill two vacant seats in the u.s. senate, the fbi says a message popped up on the internet ad service craig's list, offering $10,000 to kill election officials in the state. according to court documents, it said it's our duty as american patriots to put an end to the lives of these traitors it used the word "exterminate" and advocated a specific act of violent it said could send a very clear message. officials charged the man, chad christopher stark, with a federal crime of sending an interstate th

lester. >> richard engel in ukraine, thank you. >>> back home, a second nypd officer has died days after a shooting left him with critical injuries 27-year-old wilbert mora was wounded on friday when a gunman opened fire during a domestic call mora's 22-year-old rookie partner jason rivera was also killed the suspected gunman was wounded at the scene and died on monday. >>> a new warning from the government tonight that the global shortage of computer chips is slowing the economy and could force some factories to close. so the supply chain crisis, shortages, and inflation could get worse. here's tom costello. >> reporter: it's not just cell phones and computers microchips today are critical components in an endless list of products tvs, refrigerators, power and communications systems, aviation, toys, cars, trucks the list goes on but the commerce department reports many u.s. companies had just a five-day supply of chips on hand late last year, down from a typical 40-day supply and 80% of computer chips are made in asia >> today our semiconductor supply chain is far too dependent on condi

lester >> richard engel, thank you. >>> words and tears honoring a fallen police officer here in new york today thousands turning out for the funeral of one of two officers shot and killed while answering a 911 call last week. here is rehema ellis >> reporter: a sea of blue with officers from around the city and across the country. outside st. patrick's cathedral for a final goodbye to jason rivera inside, mourners remembering the rookie new york city police officer, on the job only 14 months >> he did it for the right reasons. he wanted to make a difference >> reporter: both rivera and his partner wilbert mora shot and killed a week ago, responding to a routine domestic disturbance call inside a harlem apartment. proof no call is routine. at just 22 years old, rivera was so young, with so much promise >> i'm the loneliest without you. >> reporter: recently married to his childhood sweetheart today she's heartbroken for the life they won't live together >> i couldn't believe you left me. >> reporter: her words echoing outside to a city in mourning >> the little bit of hope i had that

. >>> president biden also making news tonight on ukraine, predicting a russian invasion richard engel is there with the latest. >> reporter: even as u.s. officials warn russia now has enough troops in position to invade ukraine, president biden today appeared to suggest if russia does a partial incursion, the u.s. could live with it. >> russia will be held accountable if it invades. and it depends on what it does. it is one thing if it is a minor incursion and then we end up having to fight about what to do and not to do, et cetera. but if they end up doing what they're capable of doing with the force amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for russia. >> reporter: president biden warned a significant operation, a massive operation would trigger devastating economic consequences. >> if they invade, they're going to pay they're not going -- their banks will not be able to deal with dollars. >> reporter: but even when pressed, president biden repeated that he sees a difference between a small and big military incursion in ukraine, and that he expects one. >> my guess is that

richard engel reporting that russia is now bringing in the infrastructure it needs for a potential military operation. we are going to talk to richard in a few moments. earlier advisers from ukraine, france, germany and russia all met for talks in paris. and the u.s. embassy just dialed up its calls for u.s. citizens to consider leaving ukraine and gave advice on how to do it. and now we have some new reporting that president biden is considering a speech or interview as soon as next week to outline his administration's ukraine strategy. plus, in just a few hours the president will put the economy front and center when he meets with ceos at the white house. the markets has about an absolute roller coaster this week. a look right now as you can see for now they're up, nearly 180 points. can get more interesting a few hours from now when the federal reserve chairman has investors waiting for a rate hike. did you have omicron? are up still coughing and having symptoms weeks later? >> and an historic move to fight gun violence. sam jose is on the verge of becoming the first city in the united s

richard engel joins us from ukraine with more. richard?ern ukraine. this is the front line, not very far from here, russia has about 100,000 troops and tanks and other offensive weapons. and ukrainian soldiers, men and women, tell us that they will use these positions to defend this country and that they will fight to the last man and woman. a lot is riding on negotiations that are taking place, starting with real intensity on monday. the troops here say that they are encouraged by the negotiations. they want these negotiations to go forward. and u.s. and russian officials are signaling a what they want to come out of these talks. what they're willing to talk about. u.s. officials say that they're willing to talk about limiting military exercises. not far from here, the u.s. and nato do carry out military exercises and russia carries out military exercises on its side of the border. and both sides find these provocative and intimidating and they hope to de-escalate them. and so the u.s. says they're willing to talk about the limiting the s

joining me now is nbc news chief foreign correspondent, richard engel. rd, what's the latest on the ground there? >> reporter: so, we're seeing a new round of diplomacy. and there was a flurry of activity last week, across multiple european capitals that didn't produce any result. the two sides, the u.s. and russia still seem very far apart with the u.s. demanding a de-escalation that russia pull its over 100,000 troops away from the border and sort of go back to a status quo and the u.s. is saying that it's willing to make some compromises, like more notification about military exercises, potentially limiting the scale of nato exercises near russia's border. and russia demanding far more, that there are guarantees that ukraine never become part of nato, and that nato dramatically scale back and effectively shed a lot of the countries that nato expanded into after the collapse of the soviet union. those talks seem to be going nowhere. and then, over the weekend, there was a -- not sure if it was a breakthrough or a crisis, but something inspired a new rou

telling his people he's got a handle on it, don't panic, this is more of what we've seen before. >> richard engeli want to dig deeper with ambassador william taylor now. the ambassador was ambassador to ukraine from 2006 to 2009, acting ambassador for ukraine to june of 2019 to january of 2020. he's now with the united states institute of peace. ambassador, let's start there with what richard was just reporting. this chasm, if you will, between the rhetoric, between what the president of ukraine is saying, what our president's saying, what nato leaders are saying. what do you make of the contrasting messages? >> craig, both messages are important. it is clearly the case that the russians have the capability to invade ukraine. ukraine's military is strong but not strong enough to defend against the russian military. there's no doubt about that. so that's a strong message to get ready. that's also a strong message for the united states and nato to prepare for that kind of an invasion. and that's what we've been doing. we're moving troops around, we're talking about moving the elements of the 101st

and nato our richard engel is in ukraine and has the very latest. >> reporter: this time, russia mobilized its ships in the black sea as it continues its military buildup for a possible invasion of ukraine. a western intelligence official tells nbc news russia tonight has 112,000 to 120,000 troops on ukraine's borders in 60 battalion tactical groups with more, maybe many more, on the way. russia says it's all in response to what the foreign minister today called hysterical threats from the west to attack russia and punish it with sanctions, insisting russia will not invade diplomatically, the united states formally gave russia written answers as requested, which fell far short of vladimir putin's sweeping demand that nato expansion since the collapse of the soviet union be undone and ukraine never be allowed to join. >> i can tell you that it reiterates what we said publicly for many weeks and in a sense for many years, that we will uphold the principle of nato's open door. >> reporter: western officials tell us they expect cyberattacks to cut the internet here and missile strikes will be

here's richard engel >> reporter: it's clear the ukrainian officials, ukrainian government are upset, frightened even by what they heard from president biden. president biden more than once suggested that the u.s. sees a difference, that he sees a difference between a small russian military incursion into ukraine and a major russian invasion of this country, which he said would trigger massive economic responses and economic sanctions from the united states and european allies. the ukrainian foreign minister said that there can be no difference, and there must be no difference between a incursion and invasion a russian military action is an invasion and an invasion is an invasion is an invasion. the white house itself issued a clarification after president biden spoke, saying that there is no difference between a small incursion and a major invasion of ukraine because the white house and ukraine, nato allies don't want to give the impression that president biden gave a green light to vladimir putin to do a minor military action, to take a piece of ukraine and that that would not trigg

joining me now is nbc chief foreign correspondent richard engel. ben rhodes, former deputy national security adviser to president obama, and michael mcfall, former u.s. ambassador to russia during the obama administration. richard, you are there on the front lines. certainly seem to be differing opinions and fears about a russian invasion depending where you are in ukraine. we saw a strong statement against russia saying if you don't plan to invade, i'm paraphrasing, then why don't you prove it, pull back your forces. what are you hearing and seeing there where you are? >> reporter: so here in mariople it's different than kyiv or other parts of eastern ukraine. there's more tension. people are visibly nervous. we speak to people on the street. they're concerned, they're more volunteer classes where people are learning first aid. a few people we spoke to today are planning to move their families out, have bags packed by the door. one person we spoke to now has bought a gun which he keeps in the family home. it's not panic. things are functioning as n

richard engel is on the front lines in eastern ukraine. richard? >> reporter: jose, ukrainian troops are on high alert in these trenches, and we've seen soldiers actually expanding the trenches here, because they're preparing for the worst. they worry that the negotiations taking place in geneva between the united states and russia will either fail or that russia isn't negotiating in good faith. and that russia is just engaging in show diplomacy, so that it can say that it gave peace a chance and then invade this country again anyway. russia has about 100,000 troops stationed on three sides of ukraine. it also holds troops in a pocket, a pocket held by separatists, that is very, very close to where i am right now. just dozens of yards away from here. if russia were to invade, it could invade from the east, from the north, from the south, and from within ukraine, it could push out of those separatist-held pockets and push deeper into ukrainian territory. so if russia were to decide to pull the trigger and deploy those hundred thousand, roughly, troo

nbc news chief foreign correspondent, richard engel is in ukraine. richard?> today we heard from the ukrainians, who have been largely silent throughout all of this. we've seen the united states negotiating with russia, nato stating its position. but the ukrainian president zelensky has come out and said he wants peace. he wants a total piece deal and he's pursuing his own track of negotiations with georgia, france, russia, and obviously, ukraine. and he wants to find a permanent closure to the war, the ongoing war that has been lasting nearly eight years in eastern ukraine. and that war, a war within the war, so to speak, has been largely overshadowed by this current crisis. right now, the world is focused on the 100,000 troops that russia has poised along ukraine's borders. but there is also also a pro-russian separatist enclave in eastern ukraine and fighting between ukrainian soldiers and pro-russian separatists have been going on for nearly eight years and about 14,000 people have been killed in that conflict. and that conflict within a conflict has the

courtney kube is at the pentagon, richard engel in ukraine, kelly o'donnell and we're joined by four-star general barry mccaffrey. courtney, i want to start with you, what we just heard from pentagon officials. what were your takeaways? give us the new. >> that's right. one of the things i was struck by is how secretary austin did not rule out the possibility that the u.s. military could be brought in, into ukraine, in advance of an invasion for the purpose of helping americans get out. he didn't say it would happen, but he didn't rule it out. and that brings back, of course, only months ago the evacuation of americans and afghans out of afghanistan when we saw the 82nd airborne and other u.s. military forces brought in to kabul airport to help americans get out. again, secretary general milley did not announce that but they did leave open the possibility that could happen. we also heard more specificity from general milley, chairman of the joint chiefs, about what exactly it is russia has around ukraine. among the things he mentioned are more than 100,000 ground forces, air, naval, speci

so we start tonight in eastern ukraine, near the russian border, that is where we find nbc's richard engel who joins us live. richard, we know the background, what is happening now? >> there is a game of wait and see. ukrainian government, presidents lewinsky, today gave his clearest comments yet. saying that the ukrainian people should ride this out. that they should not be overly concerned that this is something that russia does periodically, that it masses forces, it holds military exercises near the border, that it is a kind of psychological warfare, and that they shouldn't given to the bait. it is left the people here in ukraine, not just to the, east but across the country, wondering is he right? it is very tempting to believe that. that is what many people want to believe. or, it's something else going on? is the united states, are all of these european countries, nato countries, are they correct in their concern, and they are starting to wonder if their president is downplaying the crisis so that there is not an economic collapse here, so that there is not capital flight, and so th

nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel traveled to eastern ukraine. he met with soldiers there as they tried to fortify the frontline. >> reporter: ukraines are welcoming 2022 by preparing for a possible russian invasion, digging new trenches by hand in the frozen earth lined by minefields, the trenches already stretch for miles across eastern ukraine proof defenses have changed little since world war i this ukraine soldier said he will fight to the end but of the talk he said, my opinion is war is always resolved through diplomacy. we expect our leader will solve these issues maria, a forward scout, didn't see her 4-year-old son for christmas and may not to be many months to come "hopefully on the other side, they love their families just like we do and don't want to see bloodshed and death," she says russia has also moved in missile launchers and this huge clearing vehicle that can cut a path through forest for columns of tank for "the news," i'm richard engel. >>> apple air tags, the little devices meant to help you find your stuff, but what if the

richard engel is here, too.

nbc news chief foreign correspondent richard engel has more. >> reporter: facing mass protests sweepingescalated a deadly crackdown against protesters, giving security forces orders to shoot to kill. clashes began this weekend after the government lifted fuel subsidies and gas prices doubled. government builds occupied and some burned. the interior calls 26 armed terrorists and 18 security officers have been killed, 3,000 arrested. it's the biggest challenge to president kassym-jomart tokayev's autocratic rule. in a televised address, the president called those protesting his rule terrorists. those who don't surrender will be eliminated, he said. he's not working alone. russia sent in several thousand troops to back up the government , with many more possibly on their way. they come at the request of the kazakh government, which says russia's presence is only temporary. russia's expanded presence in kazakhstan comes as the u.s. in talks on monday will try to pressure russia to pull back nearly 100,000 troops from the border with nearby ukraine. tonight, violence has died down some in al

with me now to talk about all of this is nbc news chief correspondent is richard engel and phillip rucker for the washington post and ambassador michael mcfaul. analysts, thank you for being with me. richard, you spent the last couple of days on the front lines, talking to people and soldiers, what are they telling you? >> reporter: so when we speak to soldiers and citizens here in the east, they are saying they are calm that they are trying to go about their daily lives as if this crisis were not happening but then when you spend more time talking to them and they get beyond that initial reaction, they'll tell you that they do have lingering concerns that they are worried. there are certainly no panic. there was no panic on the front lines, we didn't see any increase activities or increase militarization. it was pretty much business as usual and here in this village was not far from the front and other villages we are not seeing panic buying or people coming off the streets, just this growing concern that this time may be different. so they have been in a low level conflict with russia a

>> richard engel in kiev, thank you so much.foreign affairs correspondent, andrea mitchell. you're in geneva, as richard was telling us, secretary blinken will be meeting with russia's top diplomat tomorrow. what is the latest on the diplomatic efforts? >> it is a matter of cleanup on aisle three, if you will, because tony blinken today was meeting with the germans, with the french and with the briss here in berlin. before he gets to geneva to meet with lavrov and so many things president biden said last night contradicted what tony blinken has been saying, what the u.s. has been saying in public at least about the unity of the nato alliance, saying they're completely unified about their response to any russian aggression. just last week wendy sherman the top negotiator reporting from brussels from nato saying anything would trigger sanctions, whether it's hybrid or cyber, any other response, non-direct military response from vladimir putin. all of that contradicted by the president last night. what the president said is much mo

richard engel is here, too. later we go one on one with a spokesperson about where these talks go from here. >>> we're also following the chicago teachers union about where the battle goes between teachers. more on how the mayor is responding. >>> capitol hill just going into session now on what could shape up to be a big week on voting reform. we have what president biden is expected to say in his speech tomorrow in atlanta. i'm hallie jackson with you here in washington on this monday afternoon. we start with the latest on u.s.-russia talks. i'm joined by chief foreign correspondent richard engel, dr. angela stent, center for eurasian, russian and foreign studies. richard, you are hearing about the talks between the u.s. and russia. what are you seeing from where you are? >> reporter: we're seeing a very stark contrast. the ukranian government has been remarkably silent about all of this. president walensky has not been out in front. yes, over the last several weeks we've heard him speak about the crisis, he's

to have a negotiated settlement but was unable to reach one. >> our chief foreign correspondent richard engele move as always. richard, thank you. richard mentioned real and show diplomacy. let's talk about it. we've brought in two experts, former deputy national security adviser to president obama. and also with me this morning steven who served as ambassador to russia at large from 1997 to 2000. he's also a senior fellow on the council of foreign relations. let's start with the expectations that were just laid out there. russia, again, the top demand would seem to be russia demanding nato, denied membership to ukraine and other soviet nations. secretary blinken ruled that and said he didn't expect any breakthroughs this week. if there are no breakthroughs expected this week, what's the best case scenario in terms of an outcome today? >> well, this is one of those scenarios where the best case scenario is that you just agree to keep on talking rather than to have talks break down and the potential for some military escalation from the russian side. what's been interesting in watching in is b

the country, there is this risk there could be an attempt to undermine him in some other way. >> richard engel, thank you so much for eastern ukraine. joining us now is chief national correspondent. i think you heard richard's reporting that there's a clear disconnect between what president zelensky is saying and nato allies are saying about the potential of an imminent invasion or some other aggressive action from vladimir putin. is he wrong? >> i actually don't see this as a disconnect. the presidents spoke yesterday. they had a very detailed conversation. he's sharing information about how we see the situation unfolding, how ukraines see the situation unfoilding. this is the first time they've spoken in recent weeks. we speak at great lengths with our ukrainian counterparts to make sure we're coordinating. i think the president has been very clear in public and private about what we see unfolding. significant russian troop build up recently in belarus. we're saying it could happen at any point and we need to be prepared for that, as the ukrainians do and we're preparing together for that po

with me now to talk about all of this, nbc news chief foreign correspondent richard engel in kiev, ukrainetical analyst and nbc foreign affairs correspondent, andrea mitchell in geneva. andrea, there was no breakthrough today in geneva. previous rounds of talks have achieved progress, not much. where do things go from here? >> well, we really came from dead end, the russian verdict last week to we're going to keep talking. as long as they're talking, there's no invasion. i'm not sure that's progress. what antony blinken would say when i asked him today at our news conference after his hour-and-a-half meeting sergey lavrov, the really tough foreign minister, as you know, from russia. what he would say is that until we see russia stepping back from its aggression, from what the u.s. says is the buildup, massive buildup on the border, as well as misinformation, disinformation, attempts to topple the ukrainian government, sanctions for ukrainians who left moscow who are still parliament members in the government trying to use their influence, poroshenko, the former leader back in the country.

richard engel is in kiev with the latest. >> reporter: katy, what we're seeing is really on/off diplomacyast week, there was a flurry of diplomatic activity, but it didn't produce any obvious result. both the united states and russia and nato remained far apart with the u.s. trying to contain the situation, convince russia to pull back its troops from the ukrainian border and the united states offering what russia considered minor concessions. more advanced notice about military drills. discussions about missile deployments in europe. while russia is demanding far, far more, it wants guarantees that ukraine never join nato. that georgia never join nato, and that nato expansion that has happened since the collapse of the soviet union, be rolled back. that nato effectively give up much of eastern europe and the baltics, which nato has said is a non-starter and has gone so far as to say that the russian demands are so unreasonable, that perhaps putin is fishing for a war. that's where we were over the weekend, and suddenly, we are seeing this new round of negotiations, with secretary blinken

richard engel, nbc news, kiev. >> coming up, why not is paying very close attention to an object thate the size of the empire state building, and is moving it thousands of miles an hour. with the 11th hour continues. my hygienist cleans with a round head. so does my oral-b my hygienist personalizes my cleaning. so does my oral-b oral-b delivers the wow of a professional clean feel every day. the last thing before we go, an asteroid estimated at 3451 feet wide. which is twice the size of the empire state building, passed by the earth earlier today. more than 43,000 miles per hour. now, it wasn't that close, it was five times as far as the moon, but it will be two centuries before this asteroid is projected to come that close again. this particular astros discovered in 1994. it is one of thousands, that are tracked by those in charge of planetary defense. nasa is working on a plan to defend earth from dangerous asteroids, in the future. this fall, nasa will deliberately crash a spacecraft into an asteroid, test their ability to re-direct the astros path. nbc's gaudy schwartz, -- with th

joining me now is richard engel in eastern ukraine where he's just back from the frontlines with the ukrainian troops. richard, they met for seven hours today. let's take a deeper dive on these talks from the ukrainian perspective as well. we understand that ukraine is having side talks with russia itself because of concerns that the u.s. and the allies will not stand by them. >> reporter: so the talks so far are just beginning, and as you just mentioned, there are going to be a lot of discussions about ukraine taking place between the u.s. and russia directly. which of the talks that just wrapped up nearly eight hours of talks. then there's expanded talks between nato and russia. there's talks going on between ukraine and russia. there's talks within european states about russia and ukraine. so this week we're seeing a flurry of diplomatic activity. and u.s. officials have said that they don't anticipate major breakthroughs going in. and based on what we're hearing so far about today's first round of talks, it doesn't look like they got any breakthroughs. ukrainian officials are also

. >> richard engel is nbc's chief foreign correspondent. he is in kyiv right now. where do things stand? do soldiers, for example, that you've talked to also believe that an attack could be imminent? >> reporter: so we're in a diplomatic phase right now, so there's obviously two sides of this. there's a military component and diplomatic component. secretary blinken is in kiev right now. he finished his meeting with the president. he's giving a press conference as we are speaking right now with the ukrainian foreign minister. earlier in the day, he spoke with u.s. embassy personnel and he's been sort of making the rounds on this tour. his next stop is to germany. the germans have been meeting separately with the russians. the german foreign minister was in moscow yesterday, and then the final stop on this particular round of diplomacy. there was another round of diplomacy just last week, is to geneva where he's going to meet the russian foreign minister sergey lavrov. militarily the situation is very tense on the border. you have the russian troops, about 100,000, o

richard engel, thank you so much from eastern ukraine. and kelly o'donnell at the white house, thank you as well. >>> joining me now ben rhodes. ben, you have been inside the white house in situations like this where there is a tense -- when we are in a tense moment with russia. as you are seeing things right now, when it comes to our diplomacy, we hand delivered a letter. sergey lavrov said there is not much cause for optimism. if you are looking at it from the white house right now, do you agree with that statement? >> katy, look, i don't think the administration expected their responses to russia's demands to yield to deescalation because russia's demands went far beyond ukraine to include things like the united states and nato essentially pulling back, pulling troops out of eastern europe. and, so, i think the administration wanted to be seen going the extra mile. you always want to test whether or not one diplomatic communication could lead to something that produces a deescalation. but the reality is everything from the russian side

richard engel is in eastern ukraine with more. >> reporter: russia asked for these written responses from the united states and nato about its security concerns, and those written responses have been delivered. secretary of state antony blinken has clarified them to a degree. he didn't present what the documents were, but it's apparent from what he has described and what i'm hearing from diplomats as well that in no way did they meet russia's demands. russia was asking, because it was citing security concerns that nato not expand ever into ukraine or georgia or any other countries near the russian border, and in fact, nato contract and move away from the border in order to make russia feel more secure and to address its security concerns, and secretary of state blinken said that nato retains an open door policy, meaning it's not ruling out anybody's membership and you only really have to hear that to know this is not acceptable to russia. many western officials have said that russia's demands were so expansionist, so over the top that these written responses were perhaps even a trap

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