I'm Brian Lehrer. This is my daily politics podcast from WNYC Studios. It's Monday, January 31st.

With all the headlines about Russia, possibly about to invade Ukraine, here are two questions you might be asking yourself.

One, what in the world are Biden and Putin up to? And two, what is NATO for in 2022?

A coalition that was created in and for the Cold War that ended 30 years ago.

We'll try to answer those questions now. What we do know is this.

Yesterday, here in New York City, the two superpowers faced off at a UN Security Council meeting.

Here's a clip of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield,

characterizing Russia's movement so far as an invasion.

The United States, along with our European allies and partners

and other nations around the globe,

concerned by Russia's threat to Ukraine,

have continued to do everything we can

to resolve this crisis peacefully.

In all of these talks, our messages have been clear and consistent.

We seek the path of peace. We seek the path of dialogue. We do not want confrontation.

But we will be decisive, swift, and united should Russia further invade Ukraine.

Further invade Ukraine, says U.S. ambassador to the United Nations,

Leonard Thomas Greenfield.

And here's Russia's representative to the U.N., Vaseline Bensia, through a translator, accusing the U.S. of stoking hysteria.

You are almost calling for this. You want it to happen. You're waiting for it to happen,

as if you want to make your words become a reality.

Meanwhile, in statements made at the White House yesterday, President Biden emphasized finding a

...