CRUZ @01:35:56: Ms Nuland, as you know, in January of last year the senate voted on my legislation to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and it did so before Russia had invade Ukraine. When the senate voted on those sanctions, President Zelensk* publicly urged, even begged, the United States senate to pass those sanctions. President Zelensk* said, passing those sanctions then were the last chance to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine, the last chance to prevent Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine. Was President Zelensk* wrong?
NULAND: Senator Cruz, like you, and I think, the administration is very gratified to know that Nord Stream 2 is now, as you like to say, a hunk of metal at the bottom of the sea. I, personally having been involved along with my boss, Secretary Blinken, and all of those negotiations with Russia to try to prevent this war in December, do not believe that had that Nord Stream 2 not been cut off in Jannuary, that would have been decisive for Putin. It was important that the day the war began the Germans cut the pipeline as did the rest of the Europeans, but he was bound and determined to go into Ukraine, as you know.
CRUZ: So you believe, Zelensk* was wrong when he said stopping Nord Stream 2 was the last and best way to stop this war?
NULAND: I don't think it would have stopped Putin and, you know, I ...
CRUZ: And when the government of Poland similarly said, begged to the United States senate, pass those sanctions and said, this is the last and best opportunity to stop Russia from invading Ukraine, you believe, Poland was wrong, too?
NULAND: I do not believe, we would have prevented this war had the Europeans acted faster on Nord Stream 2. I wish, it were the case, but I don't think it would have stopped him.