CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Ukraine Crisis

Interview

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BURNETT: More of our breaking news out of Washington tonight, President Obama spent an hour on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin today talking about the crisis in Ukraine. Now, obviously, there is translation. So, it's not a full hour of talk time.

But from the understanding we have of what happened, they talked about Russia's actions, the president reiterating his case that he believe is a violation of international law, but there's a way to resolve the situation diplomatically. The Russian readout of the call, in a translation, our Jim Acosta loosely translated and basically said the relationship between U.S. and Russia so important to the world stage -- that acknowledgment seems to imply that there could be some movement here on a deal. But no news of that as of yet.

Congressman Michael McCaul is in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He's also the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and he's OUTFRONT tonight.

Great to see you, Congressman.

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R), TEXAS: Thanks, Erin.

BURNETT: A lot of criticism of the president from Republicans. I mean, we all know Ted Cruz, bullies and tyrants don't respect weakness, and is that weakness which invites Putin is all but openly laughing at the president. That was Ted Cruz today. There's been a lot of other comments like that. Marco Rubio and others jumping onboard.

Do you share that view?

MCCAUL: I don't think some of that dialogue is constructive. I think we're Americans. We need to unite in this effort.

The fact of the matter is I do think that Putin having gone to Russia understands one thing and it's strength. And I think he probably does view this president as weak and it invites aggression as we've seen in the Ukraine and certainly in Crimea.

So, I'm very concerned about the words we use, as well. At the hearing today, you know, I asked the administration if this was an act of war.

BURNETT: Yes.

MCCAUL: And they kind of danced around that issue when one government invades another country and sovereign nation with troops, I think that is an act of war that must be dealt with.

I think Russia -- to get into the policy side -- is looking at the Georgian playbook that they used to so well, when they invaded and then occupied, and their allegiance now is to Russia. I think Russia and Putin is trying to do the same thing now and trying to recast the empire that he once had.

BURNETT: All right. Let me just note that, of course, that invasion of Georgia was under George W. Bush. So, you know, you can't blame Obama for that, obviously.

MCCAUL: True.

BURNETT: But also the point that you're making about the president seeming weak. I mean, this is exactly what I'm curious about -- if you want to declare it as something, an act of war. That's a strong word to use, right? So, if he called it an act of war, wouldn't he then be forced to interview militarily or else have people like you saying, he's being weak?

MCCAUL: No, it's an act of war against the Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. I think that we need to give our NATO allies every assurance that we are going to provide them with the necessary military assistance, but it's not our war. It's a war -- an act of war of Russia against the Ukrainian people and I think it's important to call it that because that's Putin's language and he understands that.

So, when you're negotiating with him and I do give credit to the president to try to negotiate with Putin over this. I don't know if I'm entirely optimistic, but I do think the sanctions we voted on a measure today to give long guarantees to Ukraine. I think the sanctions the administration is looking at in fairness to the president. They deployed a destroyer to the Black Sea and they've given fighter jets now to Poland.

That's all very important messaging, if you will. That's the only message that Putin really understands.

BURNETT: And -- to your point, what would the president do differently? You know, Lindsey Graham was just on "CROSSFIRE" and I know you may not have heard exactly what he said, but he basically applauded him directly and said, look, the past 24 hours, he's been great -- specifically referencing the fighting jets that the president has now deployed over the Baltics.

But what would you do differently? I mean, this seems to be something which really easy to criticize whoever is president in a time like this, but it's really hard to come up with something better than sanctions or something that a lot of critics easily call weak. But what's the better idea? You have one?

MCCAUL: Well, you know, I agree with that. It's very complex situation. I think we should have seen this thing coming and try to do everything we could diplomatically and through sanctions to stop it.

But, again, I think he's doing exactly what he did in Georgia, which I think, you know, I hope the sanctions and the pressure amounts to something. I'm very concerned that Crimea now is going to go back to the Russian federation. In fact, the parliament just voted today to do just that in Crimea.

So, yes, I agree with you. I'll tell you one thing I would do and that is open energy exports to the Ukraine. They have been denied by this administration since the Russians don't have that leverage that they have over Ukraine right now. This natural gas has been chunked by the Russians as leverage in this conflict.

BURNETT: Right. You know what? This country should be exporting natural gas left, right and center. But that's a totally different conversation.

All right. Good to talk to you. Appreciate it, Congressman.

MCCAUL: Thanks, Erin.

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