CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Current Situation in Ukraine

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Joining me now, Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks of New York.

Good morning, Congressman. Congressman Meeks, can you hear me?

REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D), NEW YORK: I hear you fine. Can you hear me?

COSTELLO: Oh, good. I was just checking. You scared me for a second.

(LAUGHTER)

Congressman, I'd like you to listen to something Russia's ambassador to the United Nations said about those recordings that purportedly show pro-Russian rebels talking about shooting down the plane. Listen.

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COSTELLO: It's a little hard to hear, but, Congressman, what he's basically saying, you know, this was confusion, this was an accident. And if it was an accident, it was not an act of terrorism. How do you characterize it?

MEEKS: Well, look, what is clear is that the separatists, whoever pushed that button, where it's Russian or not is that they're out of control. And that this should never have happened and that it is incumbent upon President Putin to either get the separatists back in control and/or to make sure that we come clean so that all of the evidence is out front and examined by the entire international community.

COSTELLO: Well, in your mind --

MEEKS: This never --

COSTELLO: Is it too early to characterize it as an act of terrorism?

MEEKS: Well, I think that in my mind there's no question that the unstability that is taking place in the area has been created by the separatists. And this would never have occurred, period, had that not been the case. And so that's where the focus has to remain. You know, what you call the act is one thing but the fact that it occurred is another. And what is taking place in the region and the fact that it seems as though that we've got individuals that are out of control and turning a country into a place of turmoil.

COSTELLO: Does that make it terrorism?

MEEKS: Well, any time that you have these kinds of individuals who the individuals that were killed on the plain and their families and they're not in cooperation, they're non-cooperation that has taken place thus far, and I understand today that there's beginning to be some cooperation so that there's some result. But I like to get all of the facts and then we can property classify it.

COSTELLO: Your Republican colleagues, they're slamming President Obama for attending two New York fundraisers in the hours after the crash. Today the president leaves for another set of fundraisers on the West Coast. As a Democrat, what are your thoughts? Do you think the president is striking the wrong tone?

MEEKS: I think the president has been very vocal in talking about what is taking place and what we need to do and holding Mr. Putin accountable for his actions and moving forward. I think the president is very much on the job, he's talking to all of our European allies and trying to get them on board so that -- as to follow our lead, we have already begun sanctions against Russia, to strengthen those sanctions we need (INAUDIBLE) section.

And the president has been doing absolutely the right thing. So he's very focused on this agenda and this issue, and moving in the right direction.

COSTELLO: But --

MEEKS: So I think that the criticism on their part is just -- they're politics as usual.

COSTELLO: Well, some Americans might look at it this way. And look, the president's not running for re-election, not many Democrats want to appear alongside him. Why doesn't he just stay in Washington to show Americans he is truly engaged, because there's not just this crisis going on, right? There's the border crisis as well.

MEEKS: Well, I think that he's shown the Americans that he's really engaged. There's not an issue where there's a question as to whether the president stands or what we are moving or what he is doing to try to address those scenarios. It is clear. When you talk about the border security, you know, it's not for the president, it's not for Congress to act so that we can make sure that we get the dollars that's necessary --

COSTELLO: It's not for Congress to act?

MEEKS: It is time for Congress to act. The president has asked for dollars, the money that we need to secure the borders and to make sure that we stop the crisis on the border. So on that issue it is time for Congress to act so that we can give the dollar that are necessary so the president can continue to move forward his agenda. He said clearly what he needs to be done. With reference to the international crisis that is now taking place.

The president just this morning -- just last night, yesterday evening, has talked about that we've got to hold President Putin accountable. So he's not missing in action. He's very much in action.

COSTELLO: All right. Congressman Greg Meeks, thanks so much for your insight. I appreciate it.

MEEKS: My pleasure.

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