MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace says Jan. 6 'made everything about invading Ukraine easier for Vladimir Putin'

MSNBC star Nicolle Wallace suggested that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is directly linked to the Capitol riot on January 6. 

The conversation began with Wallace citing remarks former National Security Council adviser Fiona Hill made arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin would have been emboldened to go into Ukraine himself if then-President Trump was successful in maintaining power following the events of Jan. 6, saying how Putin would view the U.S. as "no different from any other country in the world that just had a coup." 

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Wallace then referred to "some experts" who believe the extreme politician divisions that unfolded that day in Washington D.C. "solidified Vladimir Putin's ambitions to go to war in Ukraine, because even though Trump had not succeeded, Putin saw a window of opportunity in January 6 to strike while America wrestled with its own deep conflicts."

MSNBC legal analyst Daniel Goldman agreed with Hill, calling Jan. 6 a "triggering moment" that "opened the door" for Putin to invade Ukraine because of perceived instability in the U.S. 

"What Fiona, I think, puts into undeniable and uncomfortable reality for Republicans is that everything about January 6 made everything about invading Ukraine easier for Vladimir Putin," Wallace said to Puck News correspondent Julia Ioffe. "And I remember the first time I heard Vladimir Putin say Ashli Babbitt's name. I thought, ‘Why is he talking about Ashley Babbitt?' Just talk about how January 6 Is this? It's almost like a record on repeat in Russia."

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Ioffe pushed back at the notion that Jan. 6 was the "deciding moment" for Putin to invade Ukraine, pointing to Trump's first impeachment and the fallout about how Americans felt about Ukraine at the time as well as the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan (though she refrained from directly mentioning President Biden's name), saying "all of it" showed Putin that the U.S. is "not a reliable partner" to geopolitical allies and that "we were too busy chasing our own tails internally."

Wallace, who hosts "Deadline: White House," might as well rename her program "Deadline: Mar-a-Lago" because she dedicates overwhelming coverage to former President Trump in comparison to current President Biden. 

A Grabien transcript search found the word "Trump" was uttered on the show 11,668 times from Jan. 20, 2021, when Biden succeeded Trump, to Dec. 30, 2021. As for Biden, his name was mentioned just 4,710 times, nearly 2.5 times less often on Wallace's program, which airs weekdays from 4-6 p.m. ET and features a mixture of reporters and left-leaning pundits.

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The word "insurrection" was said on "Deadline: White House" 2,260 times, an average of nine times per show, according to Grabien, while "January 6th" was mentioned 2,852 times, including more than 800 times in November and December combined. In all but five weeks last year, Wallace's show led off at least one program with references to or direct news about the Jan. 6 attack. Only major news stories like the Derek Chauvin murder trial, the chaotic Afghanistan troop pullout, or significant COVID-19 updates could take Wallace away from her preferred story of the day.

Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.