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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Biden: U.S. Is "Prepared No Matter What Happens" In Ukraine; California Ends Mask Mandate Today, Keeps Masks In Schools For Now; Nine Sandy Hook Families Agree To $73M Settlement With Gunmaker Remington; Skater Tears Up After First Competition Since Doping Decision. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired February 15, 2022 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[16:00:22]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Just minutes ago, President Biden sending a direct message to Russian President Vladimir Putin and to the Russian people.

THE LEAD starts right now.

Breaking news moments ago, President Biden saying there is plenty of room for diplomacy to still work but if Russia invades Ukraine, all options are on the table. Our team of correspondents and experts are standing by to react.

And also ahead, an American first for an American problem. A gunmaker held legally liable for the horrific Sandy Hook massacre where 26 first graders and six adults were gunned down. Now, some of those parents are reacting.

And skating her way or cheating her way to gold. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva takes the ice after claiming she only failed her doping test because of an innocent mix-up with her grandfather's meds.

Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

And we start with breaking news. In our world lead, just moments go, President Biden addressing the world from the White House saying he wants to give diplomacy every chance to succeed with Russia, but it still remains, quote, distinctly possible that Russian President Vladimir Putin will order an invasion of Ukraine. Biden announcing that U.S. intelligence believes Russia now has 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine. Also, Biden also acknowledged Russia's claims today that it is moving some troops away from the Ukrainian border after recent military drills. But Biden said the U.S. has not been able to confirm whether that Russian claim is true.

Let's get straight to CNN's Kaitlan Collins at the White House for us. CNN's Clarissa Ward is live for us in Kyiv, Ukraine, and CNN's Nic Robertson is also live for us in Moscow.

Kaitlan, let me start with you. Why did the White House think it was important for President Biden to come out and give this speech today? This direct address to the world and to Putin and the Russian people? Kaitlan, well, Jake, that's something they haven't fully explained

yet. This was a speech not on President Biden's schedule when we woke up this morning. It was something they debated adding and they, of course, ultimately did. But they were clear from the beginning that they did not expect it to be any kind of major announcement from President Biden.

Instead it was more of a status update, and it was the first time in several days that you've seen the president actually address what is happening. And he did come out and say that the United States has not verified the claims by Russians that they are pulling back some of the troops that has been on Ukraine's border. Of course, that is a claim that was met for obvious reasons with a healthy dose of skepticism. And so, he did say it would be a good thing if they did do that but they haven't verified it.

And that the threat of an invasion remains distinctly possible because of where they have the troops on the borders, that we can still see positioned. And we should also note, Jake, he did increase the number from what previous assessments had been, 130,000 Russian forces surrounding Ukraine. He now said that was at least 150,000 forces. So the president coming out saying they will continue to try to pursue diplomacy here but warning, this idea that we've been talking about the last several weeks now, that an invasion could happen, is still very much on the table.

TAPPER: And, Nic, in Moscow, it was pretty interesting. President Biden directly addressing the Russian people.

Let's play a small clip of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States and NATO are not a threat to Russia. Ukraine is not threatening Russia. Neither the U.S. nor NATO have missiles in Ukraine. We do not -- do not have plans to put them there as well.

We're not targeting the people of Russia. We do not seek to destabilize Russia.

To the citizens of Russia, you are not our enemy and I do not believe you want a bloody, destructive war against Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: So it was 11:30 at night in Moscow when Biden started speaking. I don't know if it was carried live. Did Russian state media air it?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Not so far, Jake. And I think we can estimate fairly accurately, when they do, it will get -- President Biden's message will get somewhat mangled through the Kremlin spin machine that runs on state TV.

President Biden's message, if it lands with the people here, it is one that will perhaps resonate. Certainly a lot of people here who don't want war, they don't feel that they want to go to war with the people of Ukraine. But President Putin has so constricted and essentially suffocated the independent media, getting president Biden's message to land in the way that he made it is going to be extremely difficult.

And, of course, everyday, we hear from the Kremlin that everything that comes from Washington, D.C., from the White House, is all spin.

[16:05:03]

It's hyperbole. It's hysteria and it's a propaganda message.

So, President Biden is really trying to get and undermine the Kremlin's propaganda. It's going to be a big ask to hope that it can land squarely but it will land with some people.

TAPPER: And, Nick, there was a direct contrast to what Putin said and what Biden said about what can be negotiated.

ROBERTSON: Yeah. This was really interesting. President Biden said yes, we can negotiate. We can negotiate on the transparency of troops. We can negotiate over sort of arms control, on strategic stability, we can negotiate about that. But we're not going to deviate from our core principles and those core principles, that Ukraine has the right to join NATO and NATO won't go back to its 1997 alliances the Kremlin wants.

Contrasting that today, President Putin said he is ready to negotiate. He's ready to negotiate on some of those smaller things that I spoke of but only, only if it is negotiating as well on those core issues, the core demands that Russia has, that president Biden has again said are not up for discussion. So where President Putin think this is road of discussion is going to go, or how he will get on it when he set that threshold, President Biden has answered that question. There is a high threshold here.

TAPPER: And, Clarissa Ward is in Kyiv, Ukraine, the capital.

Clarissa, Russia claims that they're withdrawing some troops from the border from Ukraine. We just heard President Biden say that would be welcome news but the U.S. has not verified that it is true. What do Ukrainian government officials, the Ukrainian people think about the veracity of that statement?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, Jake, there is not a huge amount of trust here. In fact, there is a lot of skepticism and we saw that reflected in the comments of the foreign minister here, Dmytro Kuleba, who came out and said, we don't believe what we hear. We believe what we see, and if we do see a meaningful reduction of Russian troops then we will greet that happily as a marked sign of de-escalation. But until we see something significant, something actually tangible, then no one is rushing to celebrate.

And as you mentioned, President Biden said that it does not appear yet, that they have not been able to verify that that troop reduction has begun. That some analysts say they continue to maintain threatening positions. We also heard from the head of NATO, Jen Stoltenberg, who said the same thing. So far they haven't seen any signs of de-escalation.

So while I think there's definitely a chink of light throughout the course of the day, given the sort of hopes for diplomacy now, there is undergirding that huge amount of skepticism and cynicism as to how it is playing out. Nobody wants to get duped here and nobody wants to take their eye off the ball until it becomes clear that there is really a meaningful de-escalation, Jake.

TAPPER: And, Kaitlan, President Biden addressed the potential consequences that the American people might see if Russia invades Ukraine. Tell us more about that.

COLLINS: Yeah, I think that's been a big part of conversation over the last several weeks as you've seen these build-up happening, as people wonder how that affects them here. Not just the print of democracy and sovereignty which is something that he and his national security team have pushed but also the energy impacts of this. Talking about their efforts to shield Americans from the impacts they could very well see from that. He said this would not be painless for Americans here at home if this invasion does move forward.

Obviously, he was talking about what is really important here, the humanitarian costs that could happen. If this Russian invasion, of course, the U.S. has assessed they are capable of doing, was carried out. But he also is talking about the difficulties they would see when it comes to energy prices at home.

He also talked about how he has offered warnings and his national security team to the Russians about the effects that they went after U.S. companies when it comes to these cyberattacks, which has been another major factor of a potential invasion that we've talked about.

TAPPER: All right. Kaitlan at the White House, Clarissa in Ukraine and Nic in Moscow, thank you, one and all.

And joining us to discuss, former U.S. ambassador to NATO under President Obama, Ivo Daalder, and distinguished fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, and esteemed war correspondent Robin Wright.

Ambassador, let me start with you. President Biden argues there's plenty of room to argue for diplomacy. Here a little snippet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States has put on the table concrete ideas to establish the security environment in Europe. We're proposing new arms control measures, new transparency measures, new strategic stability measures. These measures apply to all parties, NATO and Russia alike.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: But, Ambassador Daalder, I have a difficult time imagining that will sway Putin and convince him of the good intentions that the Americans and NATO have.

IVO DAALDER, PRESIDENT, CHICAGO COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS: Yeah. I think that's right. I think the president needs to put on the table as he has today, but also in written statements to the Russians.

[16:10:08]

An idea about what we might be able to talk about and there's plenty to talk about if we want to find ways to improve European security writ large. There are measures that it may not have applied in the 1990s, to revisit and a number of that. The reality of the matter is that what Putin wants is something we can't give him through diplomacy. He wants to control Ukraine. He wants to, in many ways, reset the European security order that was agreed to after the cold war.

In some ways, he wants to end American dominance. Not only to the world. These aren't things that can be negotiated and frankly, I don't even know whether he can achieve those militarily. But it seems to be that he wants to threaten us into unilateral surrender.

And Biden went out today and said, it's not going to happen. This is going to be a very costly mistake if Putin continues to threaten and then further invade Ukraine. And we're ready for that. And it was a statement that we needed to hear.

TAPPER: Robin, President Biden didn't any new policies. He did make this direct appeal to the Russian people. What do you think of the speech? What do you think about the strategy behind the speech?

ROBIN WRIGHT, DISTINGUISHED FELLOW, WOODROW WILSON CENTER: Well, the reality is nothing has changed. We are at the Pentagon this weekend, at the crescendo moment. We are on the precipice. The Russians have troops stationed around three sides of a country the size, slightly smaller than Texas.

And Putin is pushing his agenda despite the overture to diplomacy, despite the claim that some troops have withdrawn. And you know, nothing is negotiable when it comes to the fundamentals.

I think Vladimir Putin is the four vectors that produced this crisis are still very much in place. He looks at it very differently than we do. We look at what can we do to compromise on these issues of European security, and Putin looks at Ukraine as something that is part of historic Russia dating back more than a millennia, and on those grounds, there is very little room for compromise.

So we are now at that moment where both sides claim to be interested in diplomacy. And yet it is very interesting to see, because of the different sense of history, this different sense of what strategic values or goals are, that it is very hard to see where there is room for compromise. Putin is now crafting his legacy. He is almost 70. He has looked at Ukraine and the manifesto he issued last year as something that he wants to be part of Russia one way or the other.

TAPPER: Mr. Ambassador, President Biden did say if Russia invades Ukraine, there would be consequences here in the U.S. for the American people, including higher energy prices. He's clearly trying to explain to the American people why they should care, even though it has been very clearly stated by President Biden and others in his administration that U.S. troops are not going into Ukraine.

What do you think of that part of the job that he's doing, trying to explain to people why they should care? The American public?

DAALDER: Well, I think he's doing a good job explaining why freedom matters. I think as to how he ended it, if we don't stop when freedom is attacked here, we will pay a higher price somewhere else. He also underscored the incredible importance of the NATO alliance to stay together and of the U.S. commitment and the commitment of all allies to defend each other and every inch of NATO territory.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO and therefore, that commitment doesn't exist towards it, but it is important that when you have 150,000 troops of the strongest military power in Europe ready to roll in massive force, not only into Ukraine but possibly further. That we make very clear to our friends and allies, the Romanians, Baltics, Poles, others, that the United States is here ready to defend themselves.

We have a NATO defense ministers, tomorrow, this is the right time for the president to say, we do hope for diplomacy, we want diplomacy but we have principles and we need to stand on our principles and here's how we will be able to unite all the NATO countries. And it is important for the American people to understand that standing up for principle is what has made America the power it has long been since the end of World War II, that we need to bring that power if the rest of the world is going to be able to rely us on.

[16:15:01]

So that's why we are here. That's why it is important. If there's a cost to be paid, we will pay those costs. But it is important that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends who embrace democracy and want to choose their own future and not let a bully like Putin determine their future for them.

TAPPER: Robin Wright, any final thoughts? What do you think the American people should prepare for? Do you still think Putin is going to invade?

WRIGHT: If I were beating woman, I would suspect his interests are in exerting his influence, one way or another, over Ukraine. I think the important thing to remember in all of this is that the issue is not just Ukraine. It is really the kinds of thing we fought for in World War II, during the Cold War.

That when he talks about liberty and freedom, the western alliance and all the things the United States has built to try to avoid the kind of conflicts we saw in the 20th century, that this is a much bigger issue that will define much of the 21st century, and America's place in the world, frankly.

TAPPER: Yeah, Ambassador Ivo Daalder, Robin Wright, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.

So what is actually happening on the ground in Ukraine? Are Ukrainians bracing for an attack or are they just going about their lives? We're going to go live to Ukraine, next.

Plus, California dreaming about taking off masks and sharing some smiles with strangers. The latest rollback of COVID restrictions, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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TAPPER: And we're back with breaking news in our world lead.

President Biden speaking at the White House just moments ago, insisting that he wants to give diplomacy every chance to succeed with Russia. And as Biden was speaking, CNN learned the president of Ukraine will travel to a key port city tomorrow which could be a Russian target in any possible invasion.

Let's take a deep dive into what is happening in both the east and west sides of Ukraine. CNN anchor Erin Burnett is live in Lviv near the border with Poland. CNN's Alex Marquardt is live in Mariupol, on the south east coast of Ukraine.

Alex, let me start with you.

President Zelensky is going to be there in Mariupol tomorrow. It's important to note, if Putin wanted to connect Russia with Crimea, which he seized in 2014, he would go right through the city that you're in. Is there any sense there that Putin is serious about de- escalation?

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, you really do get a sense here of the mixed messaging from Russia. The confusion over what they're doing. There are claims they are withdrawing. At the same time, we're seeing them build up.

We are in Mariupol. As you mentioned, this is a major port city on the Sea of Azov. That's also where Crimea is. And they have stationed thousands of Russian troops in Crimea, which could help invade Ukraine from the south.

Now, today, the Russians are saying that they are withdrawing some of their troops from Crimea. They say the troops along with tanks and artillery got on trains and are heading back to Russia. That, of course, remains to be seen.

And Jake, at the same time, we're also seeing satellite imagery that shows they are continuing to build up around here. Straight across the water, across the Sea of Azov, we have seen satellite imagery of ten new strike bombers based in Russia. They could get here in no time. At the same time, that same set of satellite imagery is also showing that some 60 new helicopters have arrived in Crimea, being based at an air base that hasn't been used in around 20 years. So that build-up is continuing. Jake, as you know, it has long been

thought that Putin has wanted to join Crimea which he seized eight years ago with the Russian mainland. That would come right through here. We are just about 35 miles from the Russian border, even closer to that area of fighting where Russia has been backing separatists against Ukrainian forces for the last eight years -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Alex Marquardt, stay safe and thank you.

Let's go now to CNN anchor Erin Burnett who's live in Lviv.

And, Erin, both the Ukrainian defense ministry's website and one of Ukraine's largest commercial banks were both hit by an apparent cyberattack today. What are you learning about that?

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST, OUTFRONT: So, Jake, you know, we've always heard this would be what Putin would do as a precursor to an actual physical invasion. I should note they had done similar attacks to these sort of -- the attacks we see, in January. Obviously not directly clear that Putin is behind this but I will tell you who was attacked and you can make your own inference.

The ministry of defense, the armed forces of Ukraine websites, both of those are down, as well as one other major Ukrainian bank. So, that's what we see. And they are major attacks. When you go to the website, you can't load it or get information.

As of now, we understand they're still down. But, you know, that's the situation we're in, where it is this uncertainty moment by moment, and an instability. A sort of feeling of what does this mean? Is this nothing? Is this just or is it something different?

TAPPER: Erin, today, you met with a group of civilians in Lviv, Ukraine, who are training for potential military conflict.

BURNETT: Yeah, you know, Jake, it was amazing. The national pride here is very palpable, and as I know, you and I have discussed this, I've been saying this, this is true whether you tend to speak Ukrainian or you tend to speak Russian. And a lot of people are much more comfortable speaking Russian.

That doesn't mean they aren't passionately and ardently Ukrainian. So, what we do see is, you know, civilians are getting ready, most to prepare to defend themselves and their actual homes, some of them going out in full tactical gear. People who are used to shooting, who are arming themselves now with things like AR-15 rifles, to fight.

And we spoke to one of them. We went to a shooting range where some of them are preparing. They are guys with college degrees, graduate degrees, and they are prepared to fight. I talked to one of them. And here's what he said he is seeing at the shooting club now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SVIAT KIVACHUCK, PRACTICAL SHOOTING CLUB: We see a growing tendency for people wanting to learn to shoot. So, we are -- we are kind of having this weekly trainings for the civilians.

[16:25:06]

And last week, we had training for 350 people. So guys just want to learn how to shoot because they want to protect their families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So people want to protect their families, Jake, and that's the vast majority, as he said. All ages. He said he was actually helping teach an 11-year-old boy and his family over the weekend.

But again, you also see these men who are much more experienced, who are prepared to do whatever they need to do on the streets and who are actually coordinating with Ukrainian defense forces and Ukrainian police, because they say they are ready and they don't think Russia realizes that.

TAPPER: Erin Burnett in Lviv, Ukraine, thank you so much for that great reporting. And, of course, you can see more from Erin tonight as she anchors OUTFRONT from western Ukraine. That's at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN.

Two downward trends in the battle against COVID. Well, one of them is good news. The other is rather concerning.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:30:42]

TAPPER: In today's health lead, the numbers really tell the story of where we stand with COVID today. Just look at this drop. Right now, new daily COVID cases are a fifth of where they were during mid- January's record high when the omicron variant was spreading like wildfire. But another graph shows a more concerning downward trend. That's fewer people are getting booster shots.

As CNN's Alexandra Field reports for now, that slowing pace has some health experts worried.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): California joining the wave of states saying goodbye to mask mandates, with one exception. Like some other states recently dropping mandates, masks are still required in schools. The states plan to reassess at the end of the month.

FATIMA ZUNIGA, PARENT: It's reasonable and it's responsible that way. Since they're in schools together and always passing by each other, I think it is best they wear the masks.

FIELD: While in Virginia, they plan to end school mask mandates now.

GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN (R), VIRGINIA: I'm really looking forward to seeing kids and parents reestablish their decision rights.

FIELD: The rollback of restrictions continuing as COVID cases nationwide plummet. Down about 80 percent from the omicron peak, hovering now around pre omicron levels. Before the CDC makes any new recommendations on how to move forward.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISESASES: If it continues to go in that direction, you're going to be seeing the CDC makes the recommendations. At the end of the day, it's for the locals to do it.

FIELD: Just five states still have mask mandates in place along with Puerto Rico. Washington, D.C. is letting its mandate lapse at the end of the month.

MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT (D), CHICAGO: We're trending in the right direction. There are expectations about what we may be able to do if we keep moving in the right direction but we're not there yet.

FIELD: Deaths across the country still remain high, averaging around 2,300 a day. New CDC data showing omicron's toll on children with peak hospitalizations four times higher than during the delta surge.

As the pace of booster shots hits a low not seen since the CDC first recommended booster shots for seniors and at-risk people back in September.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD (on camera): And, Jake, as the country looks to make its way out of the pandemic, there will be a new FDA commissioner to lead the way. The Senate voting to confirm Dr. Robert Califf. Six Republicans voting for the pick. Five Democrats voting against after expressing only significance to his ties to the pharmaceutical industry -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Alexandra Field, thank you so much.

Let's bring in Michael Osterholm. He's the director for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

Good to see you again.

I want to dig into this drop in numbers. The weekly average of daily cases is down 44 percent since last week. COVID hospitalizations dropped 23 percent versus last week. COVID deaths down 10 percent since last week.

You've been studying infectious disease for decades. Might these numbers suggest that the omicron variant is petering out in the U.S.?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESARCH AND POLICY: Well, this virus is doing what we expected it to do in November and December. Cause viral blizzard. With the viral blizzard, at the end of that blizzard come sunny days and that is what we're seeing right now. Now, we have to be careful based on data from south Africa and some of

the European countries. It didn't come down at the very tail as much as we had hoped it would, meaning it won't be anywhere near the peak. In fact, it could have ongoing transmission of some concern in our communities for the weeks and months ahead.

TAPPER: The numbers also suggest that the pace has slowed for booster shots. In September when the CDC first recommended that everybody who is vaccinated and go get a booster, only 28 percent of Americans are fully boosted.

What do you make of the slowing trend? Do you think for the most part, everyone who wanted a booster got one and for whatever reasons, most folks didn't think they needed to get it?

OSTERHOLM: Well, you know, Jake, this is a real challenge, because the people that need to get that extra dose, and I'm one of those that hate calling it a booster. I think it should have been a three-prime vaccine, three doses, before you really complete being fully vaccinated.

But the point is, what is confusing to us, is these are people willing to get the first two. They weren't vaccine hostile. They weren't vaccine hesitant. So it is important to get that third one.

Data last week from the CDC and a number of studies coming out now showing that that third dose can be very important in reducing serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths.

[16:35:07]

So we just have to keep pushing it there, knowing that this is the group most likely to get that extra dose that we in fact continue to emphasize why it is so important.

TAPPER: The state of California today dropped its mask mandate, except in schools. Does it make sense to drop mask mandates everywhere except this schools? And if so, can you explain that to me? Because I don't get it.

OSTERHOLM: Well, let me just say, I can't explain mandates overall in terms of mask. Remember we talked about this in the sense of saying that a mask is a mask is a mask. People wearing face cloth coverings and the data we have supporting how well they work are really wearing nothing more than apparel decoration. We need to wear high quality masks. The N-95 respirators, the KN-95s, and omicron is by far the most infectious of the viruses, really begging the fact that we have to wear these much higher levels of protection.

So just mandating a mask to me has never been by itself an important public health element. It is about are we also mandating the fact they're using high quality, true respiratory protection masks.

TAPPER: What about the disconnect between bars and restaurants? You don't have to do masks anymore, arenas for concerts, or whatever, but schools still do it. OSTERRHOLM: I mean, I think there is been an inconsistent issue. If

nothing else, we in public health owe the public a better explanation, a better plan for what we mean by masking and why. I think we've created our own problems by forcing masking in a way that was not always that protective on the public.

I'll tell you right now, an N-95 respirator, the kind that you can readily buy at any hardware store, can be highly effective in reducing risk of getting infected or transmitting the virus but we have not conveyed that.

Jake, if you walk out on the streets of those wearing a mask, you see a quarter of them still wear them under their nose. That's nothing more than a chin diaper. That does nothing to protect them.

So, my whole message is whether it is a school, a bar, a restaurant, anywhere, we have to wear high quality respiratory protection masks or we're doing very little except upsetting people by telling them they have to wear that face cloth covering.

TAPPER: Michael Osterholm, thank you so much. Appreciate it, sir.

A ground-breaking settlement in one of the worst school shootings in history. Why the sandy hook parents say this should serve as a warning to all gun makers.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:41:55]

TAPPER: In our national lead, for the first time ever, a gun manufacturer is being held legally liable for a mass shooting in the United States. On December 14, 2012, 20 first graders and six adults were gunned down with a semi-automatic rifle at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut.

Today, the families of nine victims agreed to a $73 million settlement with Remington, the manufacturer of that gun. They had sued Remington years ago saying the company was partly responsibility because of how the company marked the weapon, touting its combat style.

CNN's Erica hill is live for us in Connecticut where the families held an emotional press conference.

Erica, tell us more. What did they have to say?

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR & NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. That number will grab your attention, $73 million. What we heard from the family and the attorneys, this is not about the money. As you point out, Jake, what they were going after were the marketing practices which she said violated Connecticut state law. And that was going to be an uphill battle, is what everybody said.

Today, we can tell you, that $73 million settlement included another part. The families say is key here when it come to accountability and specifically, more information on those marketing practices. The other part of the settlement is that they now have access to thousands of internal documents and, Jake, they can make those documents public.

With the families and the attorneys say, is that this will show why and how this marketing was, in their words, such a problem in the way that it went after specifically young men.

TAPPER: Erica, you sat down with some of the family members.

HILL: I did. You know, as you said, this was emotional. This is always emotional after nine years, when you're talking about 20 kindergarteners and first graders and six adults who were gunned down.

And I spoke, I sat down with a couple whose 7-year-old son Daniel was killed on that day. They talked about what it is like in these moments when it feels like a bit of a victory but it is understandably, Jake, hollow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK BARDEN, FATHER OF SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIM: We have the moments where there's any kind of a victory or form of progress you want to celebrate and then it hits you lake a gut punch. You know, our Daniel is still gone. It's a strange psychological dynamic that continues to beat the crap out of us. We can protect other families by course correcting for these advertising practices that these companies are engaging in. We'll do that. There has to be accountability, especially when you're marketing the single most lethal consumer product there is. You should have extra responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: None of this will bring any of those lives back. However, what we kept hearing today is this is about what's right and what's wrong. This is about responsibility, about accountability and, Jake, about pulling back the curtain on the gun industry and how things are done. An industry that really up until today, many have seen as being one with basically immunity.

[16:45:03]

That changed today.

TAPPER: Yeah. I interviewed Mark Barden years ago and there is no such thing as closure in situations like that. It is always going to be awful.

Erica Hill, thank you so much. Really important -- a really important story.

And another significant legal settlement revealed today, Britain's Prince Andrew will not have to testify in that trial related to a lawsuit, accusing him of sexually assaulting an underage girl, Virginia Giuffre, his accuser, has reached a settlement with the prince. And Giuffre had claimed that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her when she

was 17 and forced her to have sex with his friends, including three times with the prince. A new court document shows that Prince Andrew entered into some sort of financial agreement that includes an undisclosed substantial donation to charity in support of victim's rights. The prince says he regrets his association with Epstein and pledges to demonstrate it by showing the fight against the evils of sex trafficking.

She might skate away with it. The Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva takes the ice and the lead. And she claims the positive doping test was all just an innocent mix-up.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:50:54]

TAPPER: In our sports lead, Russian teen Olympic figure skating prodigy Kamila Valieva took the ice today with the world watching after a decision by an independent court allowed the 15-year-old to compete despite failing a doping test. Valieva told the International Olympic Committee the positive test in December was a result of an innocent mix-up with her grandfather's medication.

CNN's Selina Wang was inside the stadium for the teen's emotional return to the ice.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kamila Valieva, Russian figure skater and favorite to take individual gold at these Olympics, raced into the lead at the women's single skating competition allowed that despite her testing positive before the games for a banned drug.

Valieva defended her positive drug tests by saying it was cost by a mix-up with her grandfather's heart medication.

DENIS OSWALD, CHAIR, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION: He presented the elements which brought some doubts. She was in a very special situation that the Olympic Games take place only every four years, and if she would miss the competition, in these games, the damage would not be repaired.

WANG: The 15-year-old stumbled on her first jump but she gave an otherwise stellar performance, sealing her place in Thursday's free skating program. Valieva visibly emotional when she finished her routine.

Valieva returned the drug test on Christmas Day but it was only last week that the sample was reported to have come back positive for the drug trimetazidine after she and her teammates had already won gold here. The World Anti-Doping Agency says it will also be investigating her entourage and the team could still be spread of her medal, a glimpse behind the glimmering surface into the murky world of Russian sports.

DICK POUND, FOUNDING PRESIDENT, WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY: Maybe it is time for Russia in the Olympics. Simply say, you will not be invited into the next games. You will not be able to host any Olympic sport events and so forth. That will get their attention.

WANG: Team USA not holding back in a statement. Quote, this appears to be another chapter in the systematic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia. The Russian Figure Skating Federation President labeling the decision, common sense and justice. But though the Russian Olympic Committee says Valieva tested negative for banned performance enhancing drugs, inescapable is that clean athletes are performing against an athlete who tested positive once. At an Olympics dogged by politics, with chime's rights record, this is tainting the sport here as well.

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WANG (on camera): And, Jake, Valieva, she burst into tears when she finished her performance as if she was feeling the weight of this controversy. When she walked off the ice, she had a solemn expression, immediately holding on to her stuffed animal. It was a stark reminder that she is just 15 years old. A victim, many say, of Russia's system.

This scandal now not only tainting her sensational talent but also the integrity of these entire Olympics.

TAPPER: All right. Selina Wang inside the Olympic bubble for us, thank you so much.

Can the world really believe Vladimir Putin's claim that he does not want war? The former national security adviser, and U.N. ambassador, John Bolton will join us live next. Stay with us.

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[16:58:56]

TAPPER: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

This hour, the one-word change impacting thousands of people. How a priest's 20-year long mistake could mean thousands of Catholics might need to get baptized and even married again.

Plus, united states of addiction. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here to investigate a radical treatment using brain surgery to try to combat opioid addiction.

And breaking news, leading this hour, moments ago, President Biden addressed the world, saying he want to give diplomacy every chance to succeed with Russia. But Biden also appealing directly to the Russian people saying he does not believe most of them want a bloody war with Ukraine.

And as CNN's Matthew Chance reports, Biden laid out the cost not just to Russia and Ukraine but the United States if Putin does, in fact, ultimately order an invasion.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To the citizens of Russia, you are not our enemy.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Biden with a powerful message for Russia. It appears it stands on the brink of war with Ukraine. A war that he said would be a self-inflicted wound.

BIDEN: If Russia attacks Ukraine, it would be a war of choice, or a war without cause or reason.