Welcome to the lead, I'm Jake Tapper, and we've been watching President Biden and German

Chancellor Olaf Scholl speaking at the White House after a meeting on how to attempt

to deter Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Scholl's promising that he and Biden have agreed on severe sanctions against Russia if

that country invades Ukraine.

Germany's willingness to confront the Kremlin alongside the United States has been called

into question in recent weeks.

We're going to talk to the German Chancellor in the studio here live shortly.

But before we do, let's talk about this with CNN's Chief National Security Correspondent,

Jim Sudo.

Jim, obviously, as his tradition, everybody pretended there was no daylight, the Germany

and the United States were on the same page 100%.

That's not actually accurate, though.

Well, on the question of Nord Stream 2, this has been a big question because that would

be one of the media sanctions that the U.S. and the West can impose.

The president said in no uncertain terms, quoting him, it's not going to happen if Russia

further invades Ukraine.

They won't turn on this bigot for the natural gas from Russia into Germany.

Exactly.

Now, Scholls did not say those same words.

He did say that were unanimously agreed on harsher sanctions.

He said were united.

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