This is copied and pasted from the C-SPAN transcript of VP Kamala Harris taking questions from reporters outside the Munich Security Conference today. Putin must be cowering in terror

Let's go to Jennifer Jacobs from Bloomberg.

Q

Thank you. Would you be willing to talk a little bit about how the U.S. would get out of this potential conflict with Russia? What is the endgame? How does the U.S. - after imposing some of these sanctions and possible military action, how does the U.S. disentangle from this?

Kamala D. Harris

I would characterize it differently. I don't - we don't consider ourselves to be entangled. But we're very clear of our principles and our purpose, which is to be aligned with our Allies, understanding that - I mean, listen, guys, we're talking about the potential for war in Europe.I mean, let's really take a moment to understand the significance of what we're talking about. It's been over 70 years. And through those 70 years, as I mentioned yesterday, there has been peace and security. We are talking about the real possibility of war in Europe.So our position is, for us, very clear, which is as a leader - which we have been, bringing together the Allies, working together around our collective and unified position - that we would all not just prefer, we desire, we believe it is in the best interest of all that there is a diplomatic end to this moment. And so where do we want this to end? That is where we want it to end.

Let's go to Eli at the Los Angeles Times.

Q

Thank you, Madam Vice President. A question about something else that President Zelenskyy said yesterday relating to NATO. He seemed to question the sincerity of Allies, including the U.S., I think, in terms of a desire to admit Ukraine to NATO. Is there any - is there any reaction to those pretty pointed comments from the President? And was that something that was discussed with Chancellor Scholz and other leaders?

Kamala D. Harris

Let me start by saying I appreciate and admire President Zelenskyy's desire to join NATO. And one of, again, the founding principles of NATO is that each country must have the ability - unimpaired, unimpeded - to determine their own future, both in terms of their form of government and, in this case, whether they desire to be a member of NATO.And I'll put that in context, because the obvious is also the point, which is that: and therefore no other country can tell anyone whether they should or should not join NATO. That should be their independent choice. That is the point of sovereignty. So I respect President Zelenskyy's desire to be a member of NATO.NATO is a membership. It is about nations coming together as a group, making decisions collectively around, again, principles and what will be, then, the conditions and - and the standards of membership. And so that is the process.It doesn't happen overnight. No one country can say "I want to be, and therefore I will be." And no one country can say "You can't be." And isn't that at the heart of the very issue we're presented with in terms of Russia's aggression, or stated aggression, toward Ukraine?