Hillary Clinton urges Biden administration to ‘double down’ pressure on Russia

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the Biden administration should “double down” on pressuring Russia to pull out of Ukraine.

Clinton said that the U.S. is “looking at this with our eyes wide open,” and seeing the threat that Russian President Vladimir Putin poses not just to Ukraine but to “Europe, to democracy, and to global stability.” Still, she claimed that the sanctions imposed and assistance given to Ukraine so far are not enough.

“We have to double down. There is more that can be done to increase pressure and stress: additional sanctions, more in the way of lethal aid, and now that there has been a pushback thanks to the brave Ukrainian military offensive action, there is time to resupply the Ukrainians so they can continue to defend their country,” Clinton said.

The Biden administration along with many other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia. Clinton is pushing for more to be done.

“The only way that we’re going to end the bloodshed and terror that we’re seeing unleashed in Ukraine and protect Europe and democracy is to do everything we can to impose even greater costs on Putin. There are more banks that can be sanctioned and taken out of the so-called SWIFT relationship. There is an increasing call for doing more on gas and oil.”

“There are more banks that can be sanctioned and taken out of the so-called SWIFT relationship. There is an increasing call for doing more on gas and oil. Now, obviously some of our strongest allies in Europe are desperately trying to get out from under their dependence upon Russian energy.”

“We need to expedite. And I know the administration has been doing that, looking at more deliveries of liquefied natural gas, for instance. So, I think now is the time to double down on the pressure. And I agree completely with Masha. Let’s not fantasize about what comes next in Russia. Let’s focus on what we’re doing right now to help protect and defend the Ukrainian people’s right to be a free, democratic nation and protect their sovereignty.”