WEBVTT - Steve Witkoff Talks Greenland, Iran, Ukraine

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news.

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<v Speaker 2>Now let's go to Damos, where Bloomberg's Ari Hordarn is

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<v Speaker 2>standing by Henri.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much, Vonnie.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm now joined by, of course, the Special Envoy for

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<v Speaker 2>peace negotiations the Middle East. Is portfolios has expanded as

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<v Speaker 2>well to what's going.

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<v Speaker 1>On in Ukraine, Steve Wikoff. Thank you so much for

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<v Speaker 1>joining us here.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh it's my pleasure. Thanks for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>So this Davos.

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<v Speaker 2>I thought i'd start with you talking about your portfolio, Russia,

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<v Speaker 2>the Middle East. You successfully negotiated peace in Gaza, but

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<v Speaker 2>we first have to talk about this elephant in the

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<v Speaker 2>room when it comes to Greenland.

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<v Speaker 1>What's the thinking behind this?

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<v Speaker 4>Well, I think the President feels, as many other presidents

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<v Speaker 4>before him have indicated, that it's of strategic significance, importance.

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<v Speaker 4>It's just strategically critical and we're in the best position

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<v Speaker 4>to defend it against adversaries and enemies.

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<v Speaker 3>And I agree with that position.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just the president's talking about if he doesn't get Greenland,

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<v Speaker 2>it's going to be tariffs on the Europeans.

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<v Speaker 1>At the same time, they're trying to bring the Europeans on.

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<v Speaker 2>Board to get an agreement on their soil, on their

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<v Speaker 2>continent in Ukraine.

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<v Speaker 1>Does it make your job more challenging?

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<v Speaker 4>No, he makes my job easier. Actually, i'm his emissary

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<v Speaker 4>and he sets the table pretty good for people like me.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think there'll be an off ramp on Greenland?

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<v Speaker 1>What are the conversations like right now?

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<v Speaker 4>I think the President is an incredible negotiator, so he'll

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<v Speaker 4>get to the right place.

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<v Speaker 2>And those negotiations could potentially take place here in Davos.

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<v Speaker 3>I think there'll be some discussions here.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you think a lot of leaders are going to

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<v Speaker 2>show up to the Board of Peace event because Manu

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<v Speaker 2>Malcrana is left Vonderlines leaving, They're all going to have

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<v Speaker 2>an emergency summit on Greenland.

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<v Speaker 4>You know, we've got twenty or maybe twenty five leaders

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<v Speaker 4>who have already said yes, this is not such an

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<v Speaker 4>easy place to get to. They've already said yes. I

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<v Speaker 4>think you're going to see an overwhelming response. We have

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<v Speaker 4>many people who we weren't sure if they were going

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<v Speaker 4>to We even want to get invitation. Now the calling

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<v Speaker 4>up for invitation, so everyone wants to be a part

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<v Speaker 4>of this. What we're going to do here, what the

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<v Speaker 4>President is going to do here will be it'll be

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<v Speaker 4>game changing for the world.

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<v Speaker 2>How have you pushed the ball forward when it comes

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<v Speaker 2>to Ukraine talks here? I know Kerl Dmitriev was here

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<v Speaker 2>on the ground. Yes, she was tweeting about how the

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<v Speaker 2>talks went.

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<v Speaker 1>Well.

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<v Speaker 3>He's a tweeter, can you yeah, he is, He follows me.

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<v Speaker 2>Can you give us some insight into if the talks

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<v Speaker 2>are going well?

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<v Speaker 1>Where are we at this moment? What is the state

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<v Speaker 1>of play?

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<v Speaker 3>Well?

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<v Speaker 4>The Ukrainians have said that when ninety percent done, and

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<v Speaker 4>I agree with them. In fact, I think that we've

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<v Speaker 4>made even more significant improvement over this past weekend. We

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<v Speaker 4>were meeting with Kirol Boutonoff, who is of course the

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<v Speaker 4>new vice president, ran military intelligence for them. They're head

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<v Speaker 4>of the Parliament, David and with Ruster Mumarov, and we

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<v Speaker 4>made even moose progress during those meetings in Miami this

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<v Speaker 4>past week. I'll be with them tonight and I think

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<v Speaker 4>that and then I'm going to Moscow with Jared. All

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<v Speaker 4>of these discussions are when you're going to Moscow, Jared

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<v Speaker 4>and I will leave Thursday night and arrive in Moscow

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<v Speaker 4>late at night and then go over to the UAE

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<v Speaker 4>afterwards for working groups.

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<v Speaker 2>So do you think we are close to the final

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<v Speaker 2>ten percent of this deal?

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think this will get done the.

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<v Speaker 4>Next few weeks final ten percent? I don't know about

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<v Speaker 4>the next few weeks, but I know we've made more

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<v Speaker 4>progress in the last six or seven weeks since Geneva

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<v Speaker 4>then we've made according to the Ukrainians now I'm going

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<v Speaker 4>to use there what they say. According to the Ukrainians,

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<v Speaker 4>more progress than in the last three or four years.

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<v Speaker 2>We've seen Russia continue their attack, especially in critical infrastructure,

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<v Speaker 2>most recently energy infrastructure, leaving thousands, maybe millions of Ukrainians

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<v Speaker 2>without power, without heat. Do you think Puchin is truly

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<v Speaker 2>here for a peace deal?

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<v Speaker 4>Well, first of all, they're in a war, and so

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<v Speaker 4>they're shooting at each other, and we don't condone that.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, we think it's unfortunate.

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<v Speaker 4>That's why the President and me at the President with

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<v Speaker 4>Jared at the residence direction, while working so hard for

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<v Speaker 4>the piece, we hope that will occur. We think people,

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<v Speaker 4>you're right, are suffering on both sides. It's cold there

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<v Speaker 4>and not to have heat is terrible, and we've got

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<v Speaker 4>to correct.

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<v Speaker 3>All of these things.

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<v Speaker 4>But a peace deal corrects it, and the President is

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<v Speaker 4>focused on that piece deal. It's a very very important

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<v Speaker 4>important part of his agenda from a foreign policy standpoint.

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<v Speaker 2>But do you think Putin is there or is he

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<v Speaker 2>just dragging negotiations on for the sake of it.

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<v Speaker 4>I think that they've asked for the meeting. The Russians

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<v Speaker 4>have invited us to come, and that's a significant statement

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<v Speaker 4>from them, And Kirol was here yesterday and working on

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<v Speaker 4>this with us. So I think everybody is embedded in

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<v Speaker 4>the process and wants to see a peace deal happen.

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<v Speaker 2>If we do not get to a peace deal, what

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<v Speaker 2>does the tool kit look like in terms of potentially

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<v Speaker 2>more punishments on Russia? I know I've spoken to a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of CEOs which said it was a pretty big deal.

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<v Speaker 2>The President went after Luke Oil and Roysnaft. What other

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<v Speaker 2>measures you think we could see?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, if a peace steel happens.

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<v Speaker 4>If it doesn't happen, Oh, if it doesn't happen, okay,

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<v Speaker 4>Well we've sanctioned them quite a bit. And I'm not

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<v Speaker 4>sure what the President's game plan would be if it

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<v Speaker 4>doesn't happen. I think if it doesn't happen, a lot

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<v Speaker 4>depends on who he thinks is responsible for it not happening.

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<v Speaker 3>Right now, we have people working together.

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<v Speaker 4>We're trying to build consensus, We're trying to build unanimity

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<v Speaker 4>of opinion. We've sent an invitation out to President Putin

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<v Speaker 4>to join the board a piece, the same thing with

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<v Speaker 4>President Zelenski. So let's hope. I want to choose to

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<v Speaker 4>be an optimist here. I think we're going to get

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<v Speaker 4>a positive response from both. I believe that if.

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<v Speaker 2>There is a peace agreement, what are you hearing from

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<v Speaker 2>Corporate America and even European CEOs about rebuilding Ukraine and

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<v Speaker 2>even going back and doing business in Russia. All of

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<v Speaker 2>them had a presence there and then they fled at

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<v Speaker 2>the start of the war.

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<v Speaker 4>We have told Ukraine that we think that their GDP,

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<v Speaker 4>their economy can triple over the next year. That's an

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<v Speaker 4>assessment by the way, by Blackrock, who is working on

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<v Speaker 4>this and Larry Finks here. Now they have done an

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<v Speaker 4>exceptional job, by the way, with our staff, but we

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<v Speaker 4>have told them that disguise the limit for.

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<v Speaker 3>Their economy, and we believe that.

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<v Speaker 4>I think that could be the secret sauce here, not

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<v Speaker 4>just a peace deal, but aspirationally a better world and

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<v Speaker 4>a better life for the Ukrainian people who have sacrificed

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<v Speaker 4>so much, and for the Russian people as well.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to also ask you about your other big focus,

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<v Speaker 2>which of course is the Middle East, and what is

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<v Speaker 2>going on with Iran. Have you had backchannel discussions with

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<v Speaker 2>the Iranians, either directly or through the Omani's.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, the President has indicated that there have been some discussions,

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<v Speaker 4>and that's what resulted in the Iranian statement that the

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<v Speaker 4>killings will stop.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you believe them the killings will stop?

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<v Speaker 4>Well, there's been a lot of killings and there's terror

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<v Speaker 4>and that's terribly unfortunate and horrific. That's a good word

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<v Speaker 4>because it is horrific. These people were defenseless. They were

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<v Speaker 4>just coming out into the stream saying, we want to change.

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<v Speaker 4>You shouldn't be killed for expressing a viewpoint that you

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<v Speaker 4>want changes so Iran.

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<v Speaker 3>Iran needs to change its ways.

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<v Speaker 4>They need to do that. And if they do, if

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<v Speaker 4>they indicate that they're willing to do that, I think

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<v Speaker 4>we can diplomatically settle this.

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<v Speaker 2>Have you gotten this sense from this outreach that that

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<v Speaker 2>is the path they want to solve this in a

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<v Speaker 2>diplomatic way.

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<v Speaker 4>We don't have that sense yet we would have. I mean,

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<v Speaker 4>I think a right the foreign minister was supposed to

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<v Speaker 4>be here, couldn't come, or was even maybe disinvited.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm not sure. I was actually looking.

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<v Speaker 1>You'd be appropriate for him to come here given the level.

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<v Speaker 3>Of well, I was looking forward to killings Well.

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<v Speaker 4>I was looking forward to meeting him because I think

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<v Speaker 4>it's we need to build that communication channel. We have

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<v Speaker 4>to because the alternative to that is not a good alternative.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you have plans?

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<v Speaker 2>I know you're going to Moscow, then you said you're

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<v Speaker 2>going to go to the United Arab Emirates. Yes, Do

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<v Speaker 2>you have plants to potentially meet the Iranian Foreign minister

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<v Speaker 2>in the next few weeks or months.

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<v Speaker 4>We don't have a plan, but I think we're moving

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<v Speaker 4>in a direction where we could have that conversation, if

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<v Speaker 4>they're willing to have that conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>I just want to end on what a year it's been.

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<v Speaker 2>You're literally at the epicenter of massive seismic geopolitical shifts.

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<v Speaker 2>You are very successful when it comes to Gaza, You're

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<v Speaker 2>now dealing with a very hot topic when it comes

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<v Speaker 2>to Iran. These negotiations continue to grind on on Ukraine.

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<v Speaker 1>What has been so challenging.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, first of all, we have a great administration. We

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<v Speaker 4>have an amazing team. We have the ultimate boss, President Trump,

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<v Speaker 4>and he sets the table for all of us. But

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<v Speaker 4>Marco Rubio has been amazing too. I get to work

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<v Speaker 4>with the State Department with an incredible array of talented people,

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<v Speaker 4>and my job is now made even more easier because

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<v Speaker 4>Jared Is and I are doing so much together. So

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<v Speaker 4>the President is focused on solutions. He's focused on cleaning

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<v Speaker 4>up all these conflicts. He independently has settled eight warrants

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<v Speaker 4>and now we're on a path to settle all the

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<v Speaker 4>rest of them. And I, you know, I'm proud to

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<v Speaker 4>work for the administration. I tell the President all the time,

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<v Speaker 4>this is the greatest These are the great moments of

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<v Speaker 4>my life.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't strike me as you're preparing for an invasion

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<v Speaker 2>of Greenland, though, So it sounds like potentially that could

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<v Speaker 2>be soft here at Davos.

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<v Speaker 1>Could you tell us what the President's going to say?

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<v Speaker 4>Well, I don't know what he's going to say, and

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<v Speaker 4>I wouldn't presume to speak for him, but I think

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<v Speaker 4>what he's going to tell I think his feeling is

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<v Speaker 4>that this is a strategic asset, and we have to

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<v Speaker 4>make sure it's defended. And Denmok cannot defend it in

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<v Speaker 4>an adequate and inadequate way as compared to how the

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<v Speaker 4>United States can defend it.

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<v Speaker 2>And just for logistics, as far as you're concerned, the

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<v Speaker 2>President looks to me, maybe on time now, catching up

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<v Speaker 2>some speed.

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<v Speaker 3>I think so okay, well think so you.

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<v Speaker 1>Look forward to your speech. I mean, thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>your time. Thank you know you're incredibly busy. Tons of

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<v Speaker 1>negotiations on the sideline here at the World Economic Forum.

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<v Speaker 1>Of course, that was the President's Special ENVOYE. Seve Wikoff,