Feinstein ‘not sure’ new sanctions will work

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Sunday expressed doubts that new rounds of economic sanctions would change Russia’s aggressive posture toward Ukraine.

“I’m not sure they will work. I’m not sure that shakes the people that much,” Feinstein said on NBC’s “Meet the Press. “People say, ‘Well, just wait till the sanctions bite and the economy slips.’ I don’t think so.”

She said “it’s the people that have to be spoken to. And it’s their solitary leader, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, who has to be spoken to.”

There ought to be “direct discussions” with Putin, according to Feinstein, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Putin is “the singular figure in Russia,” she said. “I think there ought to be steps taken to send people, to talk with him, to have our secretary of State talk with him personally.”

The Obama administration late Saturday commended the European Council for readying additional sanctions against Russia over its movement of troops and equipment across the Ukrainian border last week.

Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia, said that “ a deal is ready to be made.”

“But Putin has to want to negotiate. And so far, I think it’s very clear, that he doesn’t want to negotiate,” he said. Putin “thinks he can advance his interests through military means on the ground.”

The ex-diplomat said a solution could see Ukraine stand up a more decentralized government in the pro-Russia, eastern part of the country and accept Russian as the official language in the region.

“I think the government in Kiev would be willing to negotiate along those lines,” according to McFaul. But “Putin isn’t ready to negotiate,” he added.

Feinstein said she believes the conflict with Ukraine is “deeply personal” for Putin.

“I think he’s calling the shots himself. And he’s enjoying intensely high favorability in his country,” she said. “I think if Russians follow him, and up to date, they are following him, the Russians are very brave and very long-suffering. And they will tough out any economic difficulty.”