Putin blames West for growing tensions in ‘incredibly provocative’ news conference

NBC’s Keir Simmons and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul join Andrea Mitchell to discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin blaming the U.S. and NATO for rising tensions on the Ukrainian border and talks of war. “Today and yesterday, were incredibly provocative black and white speeches,” says McFaul. “He's put out some pretty extremist views that you know, maybe it's a gambit in the beginning of a negotiation, but it's going to be hard for him to come back to some of the very, I would say outrageously false things he said over the last few days.”Dec. 23, 2021