Town Hall Debate - Russia: How can the U.S. pressure Russ...

SEN. MCCAIN: First of all, may I say I don't think -- we're not

going to have another Cold War with -- with Russia. But have no doubt

that Russia's behavior is certainly outside the norms of behavior that

we would expect for nations which are very wealthy, as Russia has

become because of their petro-dollars.

Now, long ago I warned about Vladimir Putin. I said I looked

into his eyes and saw three letters: a K, a G and a B. He has

surrounded himself with former KGB apparachiks. He has gradually

repressed most of the liberties that we would expect for nations to

observe. And he has exhibited most aggressive behavior obviously in

Georgia; as I said before, watch Ukraine. Ukraine right now is in the

sights of Vladimir Putin, those that want to reassemble the old Soviet

Union.

We've got to show moral support for Georgia.

We've got to show moral support for Ukraine. We've got to advocate

for their membership in NATO. We have to make the Russians understand

that there are penalties for this kind of behavior, this kind of naked

aggression into Georgia, a tiny country and a tiny democracy. And so

of course we want to bring international pressures to bear on Russia

in hopes that that will modify and eventually change their behavior.

Now, the G-8 is one of those, but there are many others. But the

Russians must understand that these kinds of actions and activities

are not acceptable, and hopefully, we will use the leverage --

economic, diplomatic and others -- united, with our allies, with our

allies and friends in Europe who are equally disturbed as we are about

their recent behavio