This is CBS. I on the world. I'm John Batchel. It is July 2009. Barack Obama is president of the United

States. Hillary Clinton is Secretary of State, and Vladimir Putin is the prime minister of

the Russian Federation,

the foreign minister named Sergei Lavrov,

everything in place for a conversation that is billed as a reset

between the United States and Russia.

A meeting in the open air with espresso and sweets leading to an understanding of the two states.

And Barack Obama, the new president, looking very carefully for advantages overseas,

though he's devoted to remaking the American economy.

This scene dominates the centerpiece of the book, A Disaster of Our Own Making by Brandon

Weikert, How the West Lost Ukraine.

Brandon is a senior national security correspondent for the national interest,

but I call upon him as a bookmaker right now, because what we're looking at is a story that

spilled out all the years between 2009 and right now is unfinished, is a catastrophe and a tragedy.

And yet, Brandon, a very good evening to you.

Thank you.

And congratulations.

The meeting between Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin.

What was the expectation by the United States for that meeting?

And what was the result for Mr. Putin? Good evening to you.

Good evening, John. And thank you for having me again. That's an excellent question, because as is so often the case, notably with newly elected leaders, the expectation of the political leadership or elite is often different from what the expectations of the kind of permanent bureaucracy is, especially when dealing with a country like Russia.

Barack Obama was elected, and to use a tired phrase, he sort of was high on his own supply.

...