From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Big Oil, Vladimir Putin, and transactional diplomacy.

Hello again, I'm Aron Alney, and this is To the Point.

Donald Trump's choice to be Secretary of State is Rex Tillerson,

who's never had a job outside the oil giant Exxon Mobil, where he's the longtime CEO.

He and Vladimir Putin agreed to a multi-billion dollar oil drilling deal, now subject to sanctions over Ukraine and Crimea,

sanctions Tillerson is opposed. Some key Republicans are already grumbling about Tillerson's ties to

Russia and his lack of diplomatic experience, raising questions about Senate confirmation. We'll hear

more about Tillerson and Trump's concept of foreign policy as a process of making deals. On our

talking point later, a reported ceasefire may save many thousands of civilian lives in Aleppo.

First, here's the news.

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Hello again, Warren. I'll name back with To The Point. After world leaders and aid agencies appealed for saving thousands of lives,

severity and rebels confirm that a ceasefire has been reached with Russia to allow evacuation of eastern Aleppo.

That's our talking point later in today's

program. First, this news update. As a Republican candidate for president, former Texas Governor

Rick Perry once called Donald Trump a cancer on conservatism. He also campaigned to abolish

the Department of Energy. Now Trump has chosen Perry to run that very department as Secretary of Energy.

Rob Barnett is Senior Energy Policy Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. Good to have you on our program.

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