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U.S. Officials See Russian Forces Equipped with Blood Supplies; U.S. Urges Beijing to Use Influence with Moscow; Russia Moves Navy Drills after Irish Fishermen Protest; Some European Nations Announce Easing of COVID-19 Measures; New Zealand Prime Minister Self-Isolating after COVID-19 Exposure; Unearthing the Truth behind Beijing's "Green" Games. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired January 30, 2022 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello, welcome to our viewers all around the world, I'm Michael Holmes, appreciate your company.
Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, a new, ominous sign: Russia more than just building up its military near the Ukrainian border.
Testing the limits: North Korea launches its seventh missile test, this month alone. Why it may be the boldest launch, in years.
And Beijing, touting itself as the green Olympics but some environmentalists say, it's anything but.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: The U.N. Security Council is set to meet Monday with the hope that Russia will explain why it has amassed such an unprecedented number of troops near the Ukrainian border.
British prime minister Boris Johnson expected to speak with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the coming days, the U.K. on Saturday announcing it is considering offering a major military deployment to NATO in Eastern Europe.
And two senior U.S. Defense officials, telling CNN, Russian forces now being equipped with fresh blood supplies, indicating an ability to treat casualties in the event of the invasion.
And of course, only Vladimir Putin knows if or when an invasion will take place. The Russian leader claims he has no offensive military plans toward Ukraine but some 125,000 Russian forces are amassed along various borders, strongly suggesting otherwise. CNN's Nathan Hodge is in Moscow with the latest. NATHAN HODGE, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: The Biden administration continues to warn of the risk of invasion in Ukraine. But Russian president Vladimir Putin is doing what he does best, staying above the fray, acting presidential and playing for time.
On Wednesday, the U.S. and NATO, delivered written responses to Russian security demands. But Kremlin and President Putin have yet to officially respond. On Thursday, Putin paid a public visit to a Second World War memorial, where he laid flowers at a grave, in a memorial for the victims of the siege of Leningrad.
On Friday, he chaired a meeting on the Security Council but again the Kremlin gave very little readout and very little indication on what Putin plans to do next. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia is not very receptive to the U.S. and NATO letters, saying, there was some possibility for common ground on secondary issues.
But on the main issue, whether or not Ukraine could join NATO, the two countries, Moscow and Washington, remain very far apart. Yet, the world is waiting to see, as the ball remains in Putin's court what he decides to do, whether he will move further and swing into military action or choose another one of the options at a time of his choosing -- Nathan Hodge, CNN, Moscow.
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HOLMES: The U.S. is calling on China to use its influence with Russia to urge a peaceful end to the standoff.
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VICTORIA NULAND, ASST. SECRETARY OF STATE: We are calling on Beijing to use its influence with Moscow to urge diplomacy. Because if there is a conflict in Ukraine, it is not going to be good for China, either.
There will be a significant impact, on the global economy and a significant impact in the energy sphere. And it will be all the harder for all of us to get back to what we should be doing.
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HOLMES: Experts say Beijing is unlikely to back Washington. But Chinese officials have urged cooler heads to prevail. With a call with the U.S. secretary of state, China's foreign minister said, Beijing is calling on all parties to keep calm and stop doing things which stimulate tension and a hype up the crisis.
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HOLMES: Joining me now from New York, Daniel Russel, vice president of security and diplomacy for the Asia Society Policy Institute.
Thank you for being with us. The U.S. has urged China to use its influence with Russia, pushing a diplomatic solution to all of this.
Would China choose to do that?
What is in it for China to do so?
DANIEL RUSSEL, VICE PRESIDENT OF SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY, ASIA SOCIETY POLICY INSTITUTE: I don't think there is any upside, from China's point of view, in putting pressure on Putin, on behalf of the United States.
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RUSSEL: What Putin and Xi Jinping have in common here, actually, is a desire to undercut U.S. credibility, to drive a wedge between Washington's allies in Europe or in Asia. I think Xi Jinping likes the idea that NATO would be weakened and there would be doubt about America's ability to defend other democracies.
HOLMES: If an invasion does happen or a partial invasion or whatever and the West does apply the serious sanctions it threatens, how might China, perhaps, move to mitigate those sanctions?
Help Russia out?
RUSSEL: Well, there is a lot that China can do, behind the scenes, in backfilling; in other words, in providing some of the forbidden goods that Russia can no longer get, overtly from the West providing other financial forms of support.
But there's a real risk in Beijing in that and I think that China, clearly, wants to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. They don't want to be lumped together with Russia, as a target, for U.S. or European sanctions. They don't want to alienate the Europeans so much that it hurts China's economic interests and other strategic interests.
HOLMES: China will be watching like everyone else how the world reacts for another reason perhaps.
If Putin were to invade Ukraine or part of Ukraine, like the Donbas region, and get away with it or survive whatever penalties, might that embolden China when it comes to Taiwan?
RUSSEL: Well, I think embolden, yes, but that is not the same as precipitating a military invasion. I think it is unlikely China will seize the moment, just because the West is preoccupied with Ukraine to try to invade Taiwan.
They are very different situations. But as you say, if Putin can invade Ukraine and get away with it, so to speak, to just tough out the sanctions and hold on to the territory, that would certainly encourage Chinese military planners to think that maybe China could do the same.
But the Chinese strategy, the principle is to win without fighting. So that's certainly not Xi Jinping's preference. I think the bigger impact, frankly, Michael, would be on Taiwan rather than on Beijing. Because if the people in Taiwan saw that despite all of Washington's
efforts and NATO's tough talk that they didn't deter Putin and the sanctions didn't succeed and forcing him to withdraw, then they are going to ask themselves, can we, on Taiwan, really count on the United States in a crisis?
And you can be absolutely sure that Chinese propaganda would hammer that point home. So in that situation, you might see actually the Taiwan leadership start make a few more concessions to Beijing.
HOLMES: That is, actually, a really, really good point. Daniel Russel, thank you so much.
RUSSEL: Thank you, Michael.
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HOLMES: Russia is relocating Navy drills further away from Ireland and a source in the Irish government tells CNN, it is due in part to a feverish 48 hours of talks between Dublin and Moscow. As CNN's Donie O'Sullivan reports, a group of Irish fishermen played a role.
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DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN TECH CORRESPONDENT: Here in Castletownbere, a fishing village at the southern tip of Ireland, fisherman have been making international headlines all week for standing up to Russia.
They learned that the Russian navy would be conducting military drills, operations, in the sea about 150 miles off the coast of Ireland here later this week. The fishermen were concerned about that, because they said it would disrupt their livelihoods, it would disrupt the fish stock.
And the fisherman told the Russian ambassador here in Ireland that they planned on going about their business, that they planned on continuing fishing, even through these drills.
The Russian ambassador suggested that that would be unwise, even dangerous for the fisherman to do that. But a change in tone tonight from the Russian embassy.
Here's a statement that they put out, saying in response to requests from the Irish government, as well as from the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organization, that is the fishermen, the Russian ministry of defense has made a decision as a gesture of goodwill to relocate the exercise by the Russian navy planned for this week outside the Irish exclusive economic zone --
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O'SULLIVAN: -- with the aim not to hinder fishing activities by the Irish vessels in the traditional fishing areas.
What that means, essentially, is that these Russian boats will be doing these exercises further away from the Irish coast. We were here, speaking with fisherman all day. And we were here when that news broke late on Saturday evening, here in Ireland. And here was the reaction from one of the fisherman.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shocked, really. We didn't think that little old us in the Irish South and West would have an impact on international diplomacy and make an impact like that.
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O'SULLIVAN: And so, as you can hear there, a real win for David in this David versus Goliath story. Obviously, also, the Russian embassy pointing out that the Irish government had approached them about moving their boats further offshore -- Donie O'Sullivan, CNN, Castletownbere, Ireland.
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HOLMES: North Korea raising the stakes with its suspected seventh missile test this month. Pyongyang, apparently launching an intermediate ballistic range missile, on Sunday, which would be the first such test in five years.
South Korea now says the move could indicate a big shift in Pyongyang's missile policy. Will Ripley, live for us in Taipei, joining me now.
The seventh this month alone.
What is the significance of this type of missile?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the busiest month, at least the busiest January ever for North Korean weapons tests. Some of these tests, earlier in the month, they launched two at once. This is significant, because we haven't seen any missile go this high.
You're talking about an altitude of 2,000 kilometers, more than 1,200 miles, we haven't seen anything close to that since North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile test back in November 2017.
They also tested twice in July, of that year. This is not an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to military intelligence but it is getting there. An ICBM would travel as high as 5,500 kilometers or more than 3,400 miles. Significantly, it is a higher altitude for an ICBM.
But the fact that North Korea is testing missiles of this range, it follows a pattern, quite similar, to 2017, when North Korea started with launching shorter range ballistic missiles and they've launched a number of those this month.
Then they moved to intermediate range, which is what happened today. The next step was to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles, to test the kind of missiles that could deliver a nuclear warhead to the mainland U.S. If North Korea follows the same pattern they did in 2017, keep in mind
the timing here, we are days away from the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. What bigger way for North Korea to send a message to the United States and the world that to do something so provocative, that even during the Olympics, which is supposed to be a celebration of peace, North Korea not participating, blaming the hostility of the United States and also coronavirus, for not going across the border to their neighbor, China, to participate in these games, it would be the way that North Korea would have everybody in the world talking about them.
And that may be exactly what Kim Jong-un wants right now. Michael.
HOLMES: Do you have any sense of why Kim would be testing so much lately?
Is it that Olympics angle?
Is it something else?
What is he up to?
RIPLEY: Back in late 2017, North Korea began a self imposed moratorium on long range missile testing and nuclear testing. This was done in conjunction with the Korean detente, that diplomacy between Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, and former U.S. president Trump.
Even though there were some smaller launches, last time we saw a series of launches, a missile launching binge, if you will, it was back in 2019. But the relationship, the personal relationship, the letters exchanged with president Trump, calmed down Kim Jong-un, at least on the surface.
We have no idea -- and a lot of analysts think that quietly he's actually been growing his arsenal this whole time, even during that period of diplomacy with the former president, which now brings us back to this point.
The Biden administration, they have reached out to North Korea but the North Koreans do not feel that those offers are legitimate. They think the United States is disingenuous, they don't trust the U.S. and they have vowed to bolster their defenses against the U.S.
And it's signaled that the next step could be long range, meaning intercontinental ballistic missiles or possibly even nuclear testing, Michael.
HOLMES: Well, thank you so much. Will Ripley, in Taipei.
Still to come on the program, Austria says it could, soon, ease COVID- 19 restrictions, even as infections there remain high. The latest coronavirus developments, from around the world, coming up.
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HOLMES: Despite Austria joining the list of European nations easing COVID-19 restrictions, protesters took to the streets once again.
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HOLMES (voice-over): With drums beating, thousands of people once again marched through Vienna, to protest the country's strict COVID 19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.
But at a news conference Saturday, Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer announced that some of those coronavirus measures will begin to ease up soon, especially those targeting the unvaccinated.
He said that, as of February 12th, people who are not vaccinated will no longer be barred from nonessential shops.
The following week, he said, they will be able to go to restaurants and other tourist attractions if they have proof of recovery or a negative coronavirus test.
Last week, the government said it was lifting the lockdown restrictions on the unvaccinated on Monday. Since November, they have only been able to leave their homes for essential reasons, like work or buying food.
Officials say that, even though infections remain high, the number of people hospitalized has dropped, which has allowed them to relax some of the rules. One thing that is not changing is the country's vaccine mandate for all Austrians over 18, except those with a medical waiver or proof of recent recovery. That still takes effect Tuesday.
WOLFGANG MUECKSTEIN, AUSTRIAN HEALTH MINISTER (through translator): We will see the peak of Omicron in the next 14 days. But we need other midterm measures to fight the pandemic and mandatory vaccination is a means to raise overall immunity across the population.
HOLMES (voice-over): Meanwhile, it was a noisy day in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, over a vaccine requirement for cross border truckers. With horns blaring, the so-called freedom convoy rolled into town, joined by other protesters angry with what they say is government overreach during the pandemic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This convoy is all about freedom. It's not only with the truck drivers, it's actually for every single person, you, me, buddy down the road, it does not matter. It is all about your free choice.
HOLMES (voice-over): Crowded scenes in Beijing, not for any protest but to board trains and buses ahead of China's Lunar New Year, which begins on Monday.
The Chinese capital and many other big cities advised residents not to go home for the holiday. But the national transportation authority says that travel in the first 10 days of the holiday season has increased 46 percent from the same period last year, though it is still lower than pre-pandemic levels.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Because of COVID, I have not been home for two years. I decided this year to go through a lot of difficulty and do five COVID tests to be able to go home, because the rules are very strict at my workplace.
HOLMES (voice-over): One person who is staying put for the next few days, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.
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HOLMES: She is self isolating after a close contact tested positive for COVID-19.
The Beijing Winter Olympics are less than a week away now. While the games celebrate athletic achievements, some environmentalists worry that it comes at the cost of an important ecosystem in China. We will have details on that when we come back.
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HOLMES: As you can see there, we are getting closer and closer to the start on Friday of Beijing's Winter Olympics. China has been promoting the games as the greenest Olympics ever. But many experts dispute that claim, saying that the cost to the natural environment is enormous. CNN's David Culver explains.
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DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Less than a week to go before the Olympic flame once again burns in Beijing. But for these, the second games hosted by China, a big commitment to the environment.
Beijing touting this as the first Olympics fueled 100 percent by renewable energy. CNN visited one of the mountain ski venues during construction. We could see dozens of wind turbines in the distance. And beyond that, solar fields, validation, so it seems, of a greater games blanketed by a white layer of snow.
CULVER: While China wants the world's attention to be on the competition, some are raising concerns with what was lost to make these games possible.
CULVER (voice-over): The games are happening in three main zones, one within the capital city of Beijing and the other two, Zhangjiakou and Yanqing, on the outskirts a bit farther north, both giving a more mountainous backdrop. At Yanqing, you have Beijing's first national nature reserve and the
second highest mountain. At the border of Beijing and Hebei, it's home to hundreds of types of animals and plants, even some endangered species. Perhaps not what you would expect when you think of China's smoggy capital city.
JAMES BULLOCK, U.K. CENTRE FOR ECONOMY AND HYDROLOGY: These areas of protection, of wilderness, of nature are really important, not just for nature itself but also it's really important for people.
CULVER (voice-over): CNN obtained this 2007 tourism planning policy for the national reserve. It explicitly stated that any development in this part, the core zone, is forbidden, China's law recognizing the value of its biodiversity and protecting it from disturbance. But it didn't last long.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beijing.
CULVER (voice-over): When Beijing won its bid for the 2022 Winter Games, some environmentalists highlighted an immediate worry.
Compare this map, detailing the rich Songshan nature reserve, with this, the proposed location for the alpine ski center. As environmentalists warned at the time, the planned construction site was right in the core of the nature reserve.
In 2017, they released an updated map of the nature reserve boundary. While it showed an even larger reserve area than previously designated, the original core zone, including the highest peak, experts say, that has the most significance to biodiversity, was no longer part of the protected lands.
CARMEN DE JONG, UNIVERSITY OF STRASBOURG: Because if you are destroying the upper, high altitude mountain parts, it is no used to try and cure (ph) in the lower parts.
CULVER (voice-over): In April 2017, construction began; the once lush forests torn down, trees shipped out.
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CULVER (voice-over): In less than three years, you could see the ski runs carved into the mountains.
When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the ski center a year ago, he emphasized Beijing's promise of a green Olympics and its commitment to the ecology. Beijing did not explain why the alpine ski center had to be built in the nature reserve.
But one expert on ecology inside China told us economic considerations may be at play. For safety reasons, we are not identifying him.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it is just for holding the Olympics, a lot of ski resorts in Hebei are good enough. There is no need to touch our nature reserve at all. But Beijing doesn't want the future winter sports revenue to be diverted to Hebei.
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CULVER (voice-over): In a response to CNN, the International Olympics Committee said that the development of the Yanqing zone "is transforming the region, a rural suburb of Beijing, into a major four- season tourism destination, improving lives and boosting the local economy."
In 2017, an environmental activist even sued the government over the nature reserve boundary change, according to a court notice. But a source with direct knowledge of the case tells CNN that the case did not proceed. China has never commented on it. The activist declined our request for an interview.
Keeping with the eco-friendly narrative, state media broadcasted images of the uprooted trees being replanted elsewhere.
BULLOCK: Who else has failed in trying to protect that area, whatever, then, OK, you can save the trees. But it doesn't really do that much.
CULVER (voice-over): Adding to the loss of ecosystems, water worries.
How do you turn an already dry climate, suffering from years of drought, into an Olympic-worthy ski venue?
Cue the snowmaking machines.
DE JONG: I think it's completely unsustainable. And if there is none or too little snow, all the snow has to be produced artificially. And that requires huge amounts of water.
CULVER (voice-over): Conservationists stress China is not the only offender. They fear the International Olympic Committee's constant rotation of Olympic venues and host countries almost encourages rapid, unsustainable development and stretches natural resources, all for just a few weeks of elite competition.
The international Olympics Committee told CNN that "Sustainability is central to the IOC's work and vision of building a better world through sport and all upcoming Olympic Games have committed to carbon neutrality."
The Beijing Olympics committee did not respond to our request for comment. China has stood by its green games narrative throughout its walk-up to the games, state TV touting the Beijing Olympics going green in all sectors, perhaps hoping the world looks only at their renewable efforts rather than remembering what was -- David Culver, CNN, Beijing.
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HOLMES: Thanks for spending part of your day with me, I'm Michael Holmes, you can find me on Twitter and Instagram @HolmesCNN. Do stick around, "AFRICA AVANT-GARDE" is up next. [00:30:00]
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