Kamala Harris flubs on world stage, undercuts intel by claiming sanctions would deter Putin

Vice President Kamala Harris claims that the threat of sanctions would deter Russian leader Vladimir Putin from ordering an invasion of Ukraine, despite also saying that she believes Putin has already made his decision.

"The purpose of the sanctions has always been and continues to be deterrence," Harris told reporters on Sunday in Munich, Germany, during the security conference.

"These are some of the greatest sanctions, if not the strongest, that we’ve ever issued," she said. 

A reporter then asked if the sanctions will offer deterrence if Putin has already made up his mind.

"Absolut- — we strongly believe — and remember also that the sanctions are a product not only of our perspective as the United States but a shared perspective among our Allies," Harris said, according to the White House transcript. "And the Allied relationship is such that we have agreed that the deterrence effect of these sanctions is still a meaningful one, especially because — remember, also — we still sincerely hope that there is a diplomatic path out of this moment."

"We believe that Putin has made his decision. Period," she later clearly told reporters.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the security conference asked for the United States and allied nations to impose sanctions on Russisa before an invasion occurs. 

"You're telling me that it's 100% that the war will start in a couple of days. Then what [are you] waiting for?" Zelensky said.

"We don't need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen, and after our country will be fired at or after we will have no borders or after we will have no economy or parts of our country will be occupied," he said, according to CBS. "Why would we need those sanctions then?"

Zelenskyy also asked for the list of sanctions to be publicized.

U.S. President Joe Biden agreed on Sunday "in principle" to meet with Putin so long as a Russian invasion of Ukraine has not ocured.