CNN "Newsroom" - Transcript: Crimean Crisis

Interview

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COSTELLO: All right. Diana Magnay reporting live from Moscow this morning.

I want to bring in Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy now. He recently traveled to Ukraine and is concerned about the escalation and violence there.

Welcome, Senator.

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D), CONNECTICUT: Thanks for having me.

COSTELLO: Thanks for being with us.

You make no bones about it. You think Russia is intent on invading eastern Ukraine. Why?

MURPHY: Well, I think for all intents and purposes, they already have. What we know there are Russian agents on the ground in eastern Ukraine. That they have been the provocateurs behind most of the violence that has happened there, and they are ultimately to be held responsible for the death and destruction that may occur between these so-called pro-Russian forces which are instigated by the Russians, sometimes made up of unmarked Russian troops and the Ukrainian military.

So, Putin is far from being a voice of reason here, to the extent there is going to be violence in eastern Ukraine, it's only his fault. It's up to him, ultimately, to pull his agents out of that region and to allow Ukraine to decide for themselves whether they want to orient towards Europe or whether they want to orient towards Russia. That's their decision as a nation, as a sovereign country.

COSTELLO: Are we wasting our time in finding a diplomatic solution in Geneva?

MURPHY: Well, I have low expectations for these talks in part because Russia is just lying to us about what is really going on. A group of senators -- we met with Russian ambassador about two weeks ago and he told us there were no Russian troops marshalling on the border of Ukraine. That there weren't Russian troops in Crimea, that those were Ukrainian private defense forces.

And so, I think we should have low expectations. But at the same time, President Obama is right, we have no interest in a military confrontation here. So, there's no reason not to talk to the Russians. Ultimately, I think, we have to understand that they're probably trying to buy time until they find a way to regain control of the government in Kiev.

I don't think that's going the happen, but that clearly is what they're trying to do here.

COSTELLO: On the subject of sanctions, President Putin said one of Russia's billionaires was unable to charge his wife's surgery on a credit card, does that mean the sanctions already in place are working?

MURPHY: Well, I think the sanctions are beginning to work. What we know is about $60 billion in Russian investment has already left the country. I met with one of the biggest U.S. banks last week. And they told me they have completely shut down all new business with Russia.

And so, the sanctions are beginning to work. But we still have enormous leverage in front of us. We have not begun to impose sanctions, direct sanctions on Russian banks. We haven't done anything against Russian petrochemical companies. If these diplomatic talks break down this week, then I hope our European allies are going to join us with very tough sanctions.

We haven't even begun to impose the most crippling sanctions on Russia that might ultimately change their disposition. The question has always been, will Europe join the United States? And I think Putin has become so unhinged here that even NATO allies in Europe have to be worried about what he might do next if he gets away with this incursion into Ukraine with no consequences to him and his economy.

COSTELLO: What do you mean by unhinged?

MURPHY: Well, I think he's living in just a very different reality than the rest of us here. There are enormous consequences that are going to come to Russia because of this action. He doesn't see that. There's going to be enormous pain to his people, and there is a solution.

I think the people of eastern Ukraine have a legitimate right of more self governance. We could have a dialogue with Russia about that. But they seem so intent and he seems so intent on essentially re- establishing the old Soviet Union, that he's not willing to engage in real diplomacy.

This is a guy that's impossible to talk to. He's lying to us on a regular basis. I think Europe has to be worried about that.

Angela Merkel said the same thing. She feels when she talks to Vladimir Putin that she's not talking to the same guy that she dealt with five years ago. COSTELLO: Interesting. Senator Chris Murphy, thanks to your insight. We appreciate it.

MURPHY: All right. Thanks.

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