Former US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan

President Biden was in Kentucky today, touting last year’s massive infrastructure bill alongside Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. It’s that kind of bipartisanship that’s necessary to support the defense of democracy in Ukraine, whose foreign minister said today that preparations are underway to receive America’s Patriot air defense systems. This after Washington pledged another $45 billion in emergency assistance over the holidays. Every day that aid becomes more critical, as President Zelensky says Russia is digging in for the long haul – including with the bombing of cities and crucial infrastructure. John Sullivan is deeply familiar with the dynamics at play: for almost three years, he served as America’s Ambassador to Russia, and was there as Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine.  Also on today's show: An Afghan aid worker with Women for Women International; Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council; Beverly Gage, author of G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices