Former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Putin believes it's his 'destiny' to 'recreate the Russian Empire'

• Putin sees Ukraine as part of his "destiny" to "recreate the Russian Empire," said ex-Defense Secretary Gates.
• "He is obsessed with retaking Ukraine. He will hang in there," Gates said on Sunday on NBC News.
• The US and other military allies are sending tanks to Ukraine to aid the country against Russia's advances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes it's his "destiny" to recreate the Russian Empire, according to former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

During a Sunday interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Gates said that Putin had made it part of his vision to retake old territories to recreate Russia's former geographic sphere of influence.