The Russia-Ukraine crisis ramped up this past weekend, and in a controversial address on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two Russian-backed territories in eastern Ukraine: the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. In response, the White House announced sanctions on Ukraine’s separatist regions but not yet Russia, as there had been hopes of further diplomatic solutions. Michael McFaul, the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014 and professor at Stanford University, joins us to discuss his view of the situation.

And in headlines: England is ending most COVID restrictions this week, the Supreme Court of Colombia decriminalized abortion, and the horse Medina Spirit was stripped of his Kentucky Derby title after he tested positive for a banned drug last May.

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