In a preview of a longer interview that will air on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS this Sunday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she believes Russian President Vladimir Putin deserves at least some blame for the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine last week.
“If there were any doubt, I think it should be gone by now that Vladimir Putin certain indirectly, through his support of the insurgents in Eastern Ukraine and the supply of advanced weapons, and, frankly, the presence of Russian special forces and intelligence agents, bears responsibility for what happened with the shoot down of the airliner,” Clinton tells Fareed Zakaria.
“Therefore, we have to up the sanctions that are required,” she continues. While the U.S. has done so, she said Europe as “been reluctant” but “need to understand they must stand up to Vladimir Putin.”
Clinton’s comments echo those of senior U.S. intelligence officials, who claimed this week that Russia is responsible for “creating the conditions” that led to the incident, but said there was no apparent direct link between the Kremlin and the rebels who are believed to have shot down the plane.
Watch video below, via CNN:
[Photo via screengrab]
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