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IOC Appealing Russian Anti-Doping Agency Call on Skater; European Leaders Offer Ideas, Warnings to Russia; Officials Warn Freedom Convoy Blockades Could Spread to U.S.; Asia-Pacific Struggling with Record Wave of Infections; Parts of Europe Relaxing COVID Rules Despite High Cases; E.U. Pledges $170B Investment in Africa; Prince William in UAE to Promote Closer Ties with U.K. Aired 12-12:45a ET

Aired February 11, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: This hour on CNN, confirmation that Kamila Valieva, the Russian figure skating sensation, failed a drug test back in December. Russian officials, knowingly allowed her to compete in Beijing.

[00:00:34]

A massive display of Russian naval firepower are blocking most of Ukraine's access to the Black Sea. Just military exercises, says the Kremlin, but many fear this could be the start of a naval blockade.

And Canada's trucker protest against fan pandemic restrictions now blocking three border crossings with the U.S. Warnings of similar protests this weekend at the Super Bowl, targeting host city Los Angeles.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: Thank you for being with us for CNN NEWSROOM. We begin with breaking news from the Winter Olympics and confirmation that the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned substance in December and was still included on the Russian team and allowed to compete in Beijing.

The teenager had been a -- had been on provincial suspension, but that was lifted by the Russian anti-doping agency, a decision which is now being challenged by the IOC.

Valieva had been a sensation at these games, on Monday landing one of the hardest jumps in figure skating, not once, but twice, to help her team win gold.

For more on this, we're joined by CNN's Beijing bureau chief, Steven Jiang.

I guess at least we now know why the medals for the event have not been awarded. What else has been confirmed at this point?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, John. You know, after days of dodging this question by the IOC, now we finally got some clarification from the International Testing Agency, ITA.

That's the agency in charge of all of the anti-doping enforcement during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

As you mentioned, they have finally come out to clarify the situation, saying what happened was sample -- a sample collected from Valieva last Christmas day, during the Russian figure skating championship, was tested in Sweden. And the result of that test was turned positive on Tuesday, the 8th of February.

So as a result of that test result, the Russian anti- -- anti-doping agency immediately suspended Valieva, which was why the medal ceremony couldn't go on as planned.

But the next day, on Wednesday, the 9th of February, Valieva successfully appealed to have that ban lifted, which is also why we've been since seeing her at training sessions here in Beijing, and as of now, she can still participate in her next event on next Tuesday.

And as you said, as of now, there's a legal process going on, led by the ITA, on behalf of the IOC, to appeal that Russian anti-doping agency's decision to lift that ban.

So this is why IOC has been saying this process is ongoing with legal ramifications. So the -- the place to hear this appeal by now is the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Now, all of this, of course, is playing out against this backdrop of Russia already being suspended, or sanctioned, by the IOC for the systemic problem of doping back in 2014. That's why they have been participating in the Olympics ever since, under the Russian Olympic Committee flags and name, instead of their country's name and flag.

But all of this, of course, is really casting a long shadow on these games, with this 15-year-old star skater's fate. And still a bit unclear, because we don't know how long this process is going to take and how fast that Court of Arbitration for Sport can make up their mind, John.

VAUSE: Steven, thank you. Steven Jiang, live for us there with the very latest on the Winter Olympics. Appreciate that.

Now to the crisis over Ukraine. While high-level diplomacy ramps up, Russian warships and submachines have massed in the Black Sea. The opening of a potential new front happened quietly while much of the world's focus is to the north, on Russian troop and tank movements.

Moscow says the ships will be there for five days of military drills, but the naval buildup has cut off most of Ukraine's access to the sea. And Russian war games with Belarus now into their second day.

The top U.S. general called his Belarusian counterpart for the first time on Thursday to try to reduce the chance of miscalculation. While new satellite images appear to show the Russian military buildup now on all three sides of Ukraine. These pictures show more than 500 troops tents, and hundreds of vehicles, at a former airfield in Crimea.

And in Belarus, images show a new deployment of troops, military vehicles, and for the first-time, helicopters.

Ukraine is conducting ten days of military exercises, as well, training with drones and anti-tank missiles provided by western countries.

[00:05:08]

And the U.S. has sent F-15 (ph) fighting jets to Poland for NATO air patrols. Four American warships have been deployed in recent days to the waters of Europe.

The latest attempt at diplomacy, though, did not go so well as the British foreign secretary visited her Russian counterpart in Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): I'm disappointed that we had as a conversation between a dumb and a deaf person. It seems like we listen, but don't hear. At the least, our most detailed explanations fell on unprepared soil.

LIZ TRUSS, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: I certainly wasn't mute in our discussions earlier. I put forward the U.K.'s point of view on the current situation and the fact that, as well seeking to deter Russia from an invasion into Ukraine, we are also very resolute in pursuing the diplomatic path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: It was a day of diplomatic hits and misses, while Russia's steadily growing military buildup continued. From CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, we begin our coverage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Russia's undiplomatic muscle, kicking into high gear Thursday. Operation Allied Resolve, its massive military maneuvers a few miles from Ukraine. Training, it says, to defend its borders. But timed as talks over its security demands begin to get traction in Moscow.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron came for diplomacy. The table, and the talks, long.

President Vladimir Putin showed him, and the world, a thug. An innuendo-laden insult for Ukraine's president, Putin saying it was nothing personal, but giving no clues on his next move.

Sixteen hours later, in Kyiv, meeting the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the table smaller, the diplomatic reach, easier. Zelensky politely parrying Putin's insult, earning praise from Europe's de facto diplomat in chief.

Macron touting hope, ending festering conflict between pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine's east and Zelensky.

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): I was able to obtain a very clear and explicit commitment from President Putin and Zelensky to the strict basis of the Minsk agreement.

ROBERTSON: In Berlin Thursday, those commitments tested, as Russian, Ukrainian, French, and German diplomats met to ramp up Minsk talks, an effort to revive the 2015 cease-fire deal.

DMITRY KOZAK, RUSSIA'S CHIEF NEGOTIATOR FOR UKRAINE: Unfortunately, almost nine hours of negotiations ended without any visible, tangible results.

ROBERTSON: All week, diplomacy on the march. From Washington to Berlin, the Baltics, to Brussels, binding allies.

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Poland and the U.K. won't accept a world in which a powerful neighbor can bully, or attack, their neighbors.

ROBERTSON: In Moscow, the British foreign secretary trying to land her PM's message.

TRUSS: There is an alternative route, a diplomatic route, that avoids conflict and bloodshed.

ROBERTSON: Two hours of talks Thursday with her Russian counterpart. Frustrations running over. Diplomacy on the retreat.

TRUSS: No one is undermining Russia's security. That is simply not true.

LAVROV (through translator): It seems like we listen, but don't hear.

ROBERTSON: As Lavrov spoke, Russia's robust military message loudly received south of Ukraine. Russian naval exercises that could block access to Ukraine's strategic Black Sea ports and the coastline, amping up concerns, despite Russian denials, a land grab could be in the works.

(on camera): Military exercises planned to last at least the next ten days. But, diplomacy not dead yet. Britain's secretary of defense due here Friday and Germany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz, next Tuesday, following his visit to Kyiv Monday.

And President Putin yet to respond to President Macron's proposals.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: William Taylor is vice president of Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace, an independent institution funded by the U.S. government. He was U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2006 to 2009, as well as acting ambassador from 2019 to 2020.

Thank you for being with us, sir.

WILLIAM TAYLOR, VICE PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA AND EUROPE, U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE: John, it's good to be here.

VAUSE: So there's clearly a growing concern, especially around European leaders, about where this crisis is heading. We'll hear from the secretary-general of NATO in a moment, but first, I would like you to listen to the British prime minister, Boris Johnson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:10:09]

JOHNSON: This is probably the most dangerous moment, I would say, in the court of the next few days.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So right now, the Russian military drills which are underway, and yet to get underway, and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) intelligence has reportedly come to the conclusion of many experts, like Rob Lee (ph) of the Foreign Policy Institute, who tweeted this.

"The Russian military, as of this week -- weekend, has the military capabilities to actually conduct a large-scale invasion. So an invasion could occur on days' or hours' notice."

At this point, would you say for Putin, the cost of inaction is greater than the cost of escalation?

TAYLOR: There are a lot of things that would push him to act quickly. We've talked -- talked at length about how frozen ground is easier to move tanks across. We've also talked about how he doesn't want to embarrass President Xi of China during the Olympics.

We've talked about how, for the end of his -- of his military exercise that he calls, with all these troops in Belarus, would be poised.

So there are a lot of things that would suggest that the next couple days could be the time. But again, he probably hasn't decided. President Putin has probably not yet decided what he's going to do. And if that's true, then it can still be deterred. He can still rethink.

There's another way to go. There's another way to go that we've talked about. He can negotiate to get security, rather than invade to get security.

Invasion, by the way, will not bring Russia security.

VAUSE: The U.S. deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman, actually repeated those previous warnings made to Vladimir Putin about the high cost of military invasion.

She also dialed it up a notch in terms of language. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WENDY SHERMAN, U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Not only will there be dire consequences to the economy of Russia, but Vladimir Putin should understand that body bags will come back to Moscow, as well. That the citizens of Russia will suffer, because their economy will be completely devastated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Right now, with the situation so tense, this talking about sending Russian troops home in body bags, is it helpful?

TAYLOR: I think this is another effort to deter President Putin from making a bad mistake. He is very concerned, actually, about Russian soldiers dying in Ukraine and being sent back to their villages and towns to be buried. He's very sensitive to this.

And again, this could lead to unrest. This could lead to demonstrations. This could lead to Russians in the streets protesting an invasion that's killing their sons and brothers and sisters, for no reason that they can understand. So I think this is -- I think this is right to point it out.

VAUSE: We just heard from the U.S. president, Joe Biden, who kind of, in a way, added to this overall tone of fear, if you like, as well as urgency. He was speaking to NBC News. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: American citizens should leave; should leave now. We're dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. This is a very different situation, and things can go crazy quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE Is that warning necessary? And also, were you surprised when he added that there is no scenario that would see U.S. troops being sent to Ukraine to rescue Americans?

TAYLOR: So he's been very clear. President -- President Biden has been very clear that he doesn't intend to send new troops to Ukraine. I say new, because it turns out, of course we know, we know that there are training facilities where U.S. forces are helping to train Ukrainian forces in the western part of the country. So there are about 200 U.S. soldiers there already.

But President Biden made it clear that he's not prepared to send in U.S. troops to fight against the Russians, as the Ukrainians are going to have to do, if President Putin makes this bad decision to invade.

The Ukrainians know that they are on their own in terms of combat forces. Now, we're helping them, as are the Brits, as are the French, as are NATO allies, are helping them with weapons, and ammunition, training we already talked about, new equipment, communications equipment, transportation.

There's a lot of support going into Ukraine, but they are on the frontline. That's what that support is there to do, is to help them defend themselves, but they are the -- they know they are going to have to face this alone.

VAUSE: Ambassador Taylor, thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate your insights and the analysis. Thank you.

TAYLOR: Thank you, John.

VAUSE: Canadian truckers protesting against all pandemic restrictions might just be going global. U.S. officials fear similar demonstrations starting this weekend. Those details in a moment.

00:15:09]

Also, the World Health Organization sees a light at the end of the tunnel in Africa's battle with COVID. Timeline for when the virus could be under control in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: What began as a blockade of downtown Ottawa is now spreading way beyond the Canadian capital. It's called the Freedom Convoy, a gathering of truck drivers initially angered over vaccine mandates but now protesting pretty much all pandemic restrictions.

And this movement is growing and bringing traffic to a standstill to at least three major border crossings between the U.S. and Canada, including the busiest crossing, which links Detroit in the U.S. and Windsor in Canada.

This four-day long roadblock there has already disrupted the flow of auto parts between the two countries.

On Thursday, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, accused his political opponents of enabling a small fringe minority.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: The leader of the Conservative Party and her team have been their biggest champions, even promoting their fundraising.

The consequences of these actions are having dire impacts. They're impacting trade. They're hurting jobs. They're threatening our economy, and they're obstructing our communities. I am focused on ending it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Canadian officials say more federal police are being sent to Ottawa, Windsor, and Alberta. But there are no signs the protest is nearing an end. In fact, it appears to be growing.

A similar protest taking shape in Europe. The truckers and their sympathizers heading towards Paris. It's even become a rallying point for the yellow vest demonstrators, who staged massive anti-government marches in France three years ago.

Paris police say they're mobilizing to stop the convoy from entering the city.

The U.S. government already sounding the alarm over potential truck blockades in the U.S., possibly as early as this Sunday's Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Blaring horns, rows of trucks clogging the streets. The Department of Homeland Security is now warning scenes like this in Canada, and at several other points along the border, could soon be seen inside the U.S.

A new bulletin obtained by CNN is alerting law enforcement agencies that a convoy of truckers could begin here in the U.S., possibly as early as this weekend, at Super Bowl 56 in Englewood, California.

(on camera): How could they potentially disrupt the Super Bowl?

JAMES CARAFANO, HOMELAND SECURITY EXPERT, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION: We could see there would be a disruption. People may miss the kick-off. They might miss Snoop Dogg at halftime, but I think the game could definitely go on.

TODD (voice-over): A federal law official tells CNN police and security personnel are preparing for possible disruptions at the Super Bowl. The DHS bulletin also says the potential convoy could make its way from the L.A. area to Washington, possibly impacting President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on March 1.

PHILIP MUDD, CNN COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST: It's legitimate for the security services, the FBI, for example, state and local police to look at open-source information, things like Facebook posts, the kinds of things that you and I could look at to determine what's going to happen, if there are truck protests here. But you can't stop them.

[00:20:09]

TODD: And a law enforcement official tells us authorities have seen calls on a variety of online forums for the protests be expanded into the U.S.

The DHS bulletin says there are currently no indications of planned violence if truckers converge on American cities, but they could disrupt transportation, government operations, even first responders rushing to get to scenes of trauma.

MUDD: What if there were a health emergency, somebody has a heart attack at the Super Bowl, there's a major traffic accident, and you have blocked ingress or egress from parking lots? You have prevented people from getting in and out, and it takes an hour for an ambulance to leave that facility.

TODD: Three border crossings between the U.S. and Canada have already been cut off by the protesting truckers. Dozens of vehicles temporarily disrupted traffic at Ottawa International Airport Thursday morning, by circling the airport's arrival and departure terminals, according to airport officials.

The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, says it's not a quick or easy operation to just go in and arrest truckers if things get out of hand.

MAYOR DREW DIKENS, WINDSOR, ONTARIO: It's very frustrating, because people just want us to go in and flush everyone out, and there's a real threat of violence here. We've seen protesters come out with tire irons when the police attempted to tow a car.

TODD (on camera): Security experts say there are ways to possibly head off or disrupt truckers' protest before they happen in the U.S. Police departments will have to coordinate to divert truckers from bridges and other major arteries.

But experts say the police departments will have to be nimble, because the truckers are really good at communicating within their own ranks.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: The highly contagious Omicron variant is being blamed for the second straight day of record high COVID infections in New Zealand. Omicron is also driving up cases in South Korea, Russia, parts of southeast Asia. It's not how many thought the year of the tiger would begin.

Here's CNN's Kristie Lu Stout to explain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There were wishes of good fortune and good health, but after the lunar new year holiday, many Asian countries are now hit with a record wave of COVID-19 infection.

This week, Hong Kong reported its highest daily spike in new cases on record, as well as its first COVID-linked deaths in five months. The city has heightened its already tough zero-COVID measures, resulting in this: long lines of people waiting to take their mandatory COVID-19 tests.

South Korea is also setting new records in COVID-19 infection. This week they surpassed one million cases since the start of the pandemic. This health agency warns that they could soon see daily cases quadruple by the end of February.

Japan has posted a record rise in COVID-19 deaths, as Omicron tears through the nation.

And infection is showing no sign of slowing in zero-COVID China, where Baise -- it's a city of three and a half million people -- was locked down on Monday.

In Singapore, there's also been a dramatic rise in case numbers. Now, health officials there had warned the country would see a spike in infection from the Omicron variant, as it chooses to continue to live with the virus. And the World Health Organization is urging vigilance.

MARIA VAN KERKHOVE, COVID-19 TECHNICAL LEAD, WHO: Unfortunately, this virus is not done with us. So we have to really remain vigilant. That doesn't mean lockdown. It doesn't mean shutting down societies.

We will not be able to prevent all transmissions. That's not the goal. To prevent all infection and all transmission, that's not attainable at this point.

STOUT: As New Zealand reports a record number of locally-transmitted cases. It's on track to gradually reopen borders.

Now, from February the 27th, vaccinated citizens and visa holders can travel from Australia to New Zealand, without managed quarantine. And from February 21, Australia will welcome all fully vaccinated international travelers.

In Malaysia, a COVID-19 recovery council advised a full reopening as early as March, with required testing, but no mandatory quarantine.

And this comes as the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand all relaxed quarantine rules for vaccinated international travelers.

But China and Hong Kong remain closed off, with their zero-COVID policy. And billed as Asia's world city, Hong Kong is struggling with prolonged isolation. Hong Kong's top leader says that the city will stick to his dynamic, zero-COVID strategy, pointing to the low vaccination rates among those over 70.

So far, the year of the tiger has not tamed the virus, nor the zero- tolerance policy out to control it.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Well, international travel is now cheaper and easier for many in the U.K., with the country's new COVID guidelines now in effect. Fully-vaccinated travelers who are -- are no longer subject to any testing requirements.

And many European countries are relaxing restrictions of their own, as COVID cases stabilize in some parts and flare in others.

CNN's Isa Soares has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) [00:25:03]

ISA SOARES (voice-over): In the German capital, Berlin's international film festival begins, an in-person event this year for the first time in the pandemic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is kind of phenomenal to actually be at a big public film festival again.

SOARES: In Ireland's capital, Dublin has welcomed the return of their own flagship event last month.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are excited for the return of St. Patrick's Day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's good to see Irish culture back, and after so long. Definitely looking forward to a few pints anyway.

SOARES: Dublin's famous St. Patrick's Day parade will return following a two-year absence after the Irish government dropped many COVID-19 restrictions last month. Residents there eager to return to some semblance of pre-pandemic life as much of Europe appears to be learning to live with COVID-19.

In Spain, outdoor mask requirements reimposed in late December are ending Thursday. So, too, in France, where residents are allowed mask- free outside since February the 2nd, after the French government lifted a series of COVID restrictions.

SOARES: By March 1, there will be very few coronavirus measures in place, the Czech prime minister said Wednesday, as he promised to start easing restrictions and increasing numbers of people allowed at public events.

The Czech Republic now joining Italy, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, the U.K., and several other European nations, loosening COVID rules, despite staggering COVID case numbers across the region.

Many countries have seen rising infections in recent weeks, some reaching record levels. But health officials say in Europe there's a plausible pandemic end in sight, for three key reasons.

HANS KLUGE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: First, a large capital of vaccine derived and natural immunity by Omicron. Second, a favorable seasonality toss (ph) as we move out of the winter, and third, a lower severity of the Omicron variant now well-established.

SOARES: The outlook appearing to reassure European cities like Nice in France, where its iconic carnival is set to begin Friday, following last year's cancellation.

There, like elsewhere in Europe, preparing for the return of beloved events and the possibility of life, post-pandemic.

Isa Soares, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: As Europe starts to return to some vision of normalcy, the World Health Organization says the endgame might be also in sight for Africa. The continent is at the tail end of its fourth coronavirus wave, and cases are now on the decline. And the WHO says Africa may get this pandemic under control by the end of the year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MATSHIDISO MOETI, WHO REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA: As we stand here today, we are finally able to say that if the current trends hold, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As long as we remain vigilant, and we act in terms of particularly the vaccination, the continent is on track for controlling the pandemic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: However, only 11 percent of adults in Africa are fully vaccinated, despite a drastic increase in vaccine supplies. The WHO director says more than 240,000 people have died from COVID there so far, and according to the World Bank, the pandemic has pushed up to 40 million people in Africa into extreme poverty.

The European Union has been promising an alternative to China's economic investment in Africa, and now the rubber hits the road as E.U. leaders turn on the tap, announcing billions of euros available for investment for a lot of projects. Find out. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:31:06]

VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

The European Union is making good on its promise to invest more in Africa, and along the way to try and counter some of China's influence there.

On Thursday, the E.U. announced 150 billion euros, more than 170 billion U.S. dollars, will be invested in the continent in the coming years. The funding will come from the E.U.'s Global Gateway Program, which launched in December.

It's a counterweight to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which has already invested billions of dollars in Africa and elsewhere.

But E.U. leaders say that program leaves many countries under China's thumb, and in debt. But in Europe, they do things differently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT (through translator): Global Gateway is about investing in infrastructure and strategic infrastructure and industry infrastructure, but also in health, youth education. So important. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Live now to Los Angeles and CNN's European affairs commentator, Dominic Thomas.

Good to see you.

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Great to be on, John.

VAUSE: OK. So according to Reuters, an E.U. source said the 150 billion euros could come in payments of 20 billion per year, of which only six billion would come from E.U. funds and the rest from E.U. states and private investors.

Or, as "The Economist" puts it, "The funding is a mixture of existing commitments, loan guarantees, and heroic assumptions about the ability of the club to 'crowd in' private investment, rather than actual new spending."

Is this a bit of a shell game going on here right now?

THOMAS: Well, John, there certainly are a lot of moving parts in this project, and a lot of uncertainty. I mean, the European Union has clearly outlined what its priorities are when it comes to -- to Gateway. But, I think, until we actually see concrete disbursement of funds, a lot of this is still going to be about the optics.

VAUSE: But wait. It's not just 350 million euros -- or 350 billion euros. It's 150 billion euros now, but there's more, a lot more. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VON DER LEYEN: Our goal, until the summer, is to have 450 million doses of vaccines to share. But it's also important to get the vaccines in the arms, so to have the vaccination.

And for that, we have already allocated 300 million euros. But we will give an additional 125 million euros. It is so important to get the vaccinations up and rising.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The euros just keep on coming. A hundred and twenty-five million euros to train medical staff and build infrastructure, which is what the WHO says is needed right now, because there is this adequate supply of vaccine.

But here's the thing. Where was Europe when there wasn't enough vaccine? Is that something that can be easily forgotten?

THOMAS: It won't be easily forgotten, because it's clear that the European Union, along with other regions of the world, took care of their own people before they really turned their attention to the African continent. So, I think as much as this will be appreciated, let's not forget that

African leaders have not exactly sat back, waiting for this kind of help to come. They've demonstrated their own resourcefulness in dealing with this problem. And I think, in this particular case, it comes a little too late in the game.

VAUSE: Yes. And long before there was adequate supplies of vaccines in Europe, China was in African with their vaccine, and, despite its low efficacy. China has also been there for years, investing billions of dollars in infrastructure, as dodgy as it is.

But the E.U. is trying to compete with Beijing for influence. How far behind are they?

THOMAS: So I think there are many ways we can think about that question, John. I think first of all, I mean, of course, many European countries, as we know, have very long-standing relationships with the African continent.

Of course, they've shifted in recent decades, and they continue to wield considerable political influence. But I think nevertheless, their economic interests do intersect.

But I think that if the European Union goes into this with a spirit of competitiveness, it would almost be a futile exercise. The Gateway's priorities are very different. China's role, or position, or place in Africa, is existential. And at the end of the day, money talks.

[00:40:02]

It needs to be there. It needs the resources. And it will do everything it can to draw on those, in order to sustain development domestically and to maintain its standing in the world.

And to that extent, China's priorities and the E.U.'s priorities are very different.

VAUSE: "The South China Morning Post" has some reporting on the internal machinations, if you like, within the E.U. about how this money should be spent.

"Spain wanted to see more projects in North Africa. The Germans doubted that all of the projects were carefully thought through. Hungary, Finland, Portugal pointed out that they had to budget for the additional development projects."

This is a problem that China does not have.

THOMAS: Absolutely right, John. It does not. I think there are a few ways we could look at this.

First of all, it's really interesting that the European Union continues to look at Africa as a continent. Then, it has the issue of the 27 different members that need to coordinate their position on how to go about dealing, not with a country, but with that particular continent. It's very different from, say, how it does business with Australia,

and New Zealand, Canada, and -- and so on. And then, beyond that, the 27 have very different priorities.

So of course, you see part of those in Gateway. One of the important priorities is about migration, controlling migration, development on the African continent, and so on and so forth. Because that has political impacts in Europe itself.

But China operates unilaterally, country to country. And to that extent, once again, it has an enormous comparative advantage in its ability to act and react when it comes to dealing with the African continent.

And I think that the European Union's priorities, through Gateway, need to be on those questions of renewable energy, sustainability, and all the other issues that its outlined that make it very different than to what -- to what China is up to.

VAUSE: Dominic, thank you. We appreciate you being with us. Dominic Thomas there in Los Angeles.

THOMAS: Thank you.

VAUSE: In the United States, inflation appears to have climbed to a nearly 40-year high, with the consumer price index rising seven and a half percent in the 12 months ending January. That's worse than economists had forecast and the biggest jump since the early 1980s.

Just about everything is costing more, especially at the dinner table. Food prices went up by more than 7 percent compared to a year ago.

U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged the stress inflation is having on Americans and says relief, it's around the corner.

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LESTER HOLT, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: When can Americans expect some relief from this soaring inflation?

BIDEN: According to Nobel laureates, 14 of them have contacted me, and a number of corporate leaders, it ought to be able to start to taper off, as we go through this year.

In the meantime, I'm going to do everything in my power to deal with the big points that are impacting most people in their homes.

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VAUSE: A very different story on the jobs front. In January, the United States added 467,000 jobs, more than three times what economists had expected in the midst of the Omicron variant.

We'll take a short break. When we come back, Britain's Prince William is on his first official trip to the UAE to promote his agenda and that of the U.K. The latest on that agenda and what it could be, in a moment.

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VAUSE: Here's a sad sign of the times. Koalas in two Australian states and the Australian capital territory have been listed as endangered.

The country has lost about 30 percent of the koala population in just the past three years. Officials blame a rapid decline in their habitat, caused by prolonged drought, bush fires, and land clearing by developers.

Experts have been warning this iconic Australian mammal could become extinct, unless the government immediately intervened to protect them, as well as their habitat.

Prince Charles is in isolation after testing positive with COVID for a second time. Officials say the 73-year-old heir to the British throne, throne is fully vaccinated and received his positive test just after being at an event at the British Museum, with dozens of other people.

The royal source also tells CNN Charles met with the queen recently but did not elaborate on how recent. A source says her majesty is not displaying any COVID symptoms.

Meantime, Prince Charles's son is in Dubai, looking to strengthen ties between Britain and the UAE. Prince William is also there to showcase his conservation efforts.

CNN's Max Foster has details.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prince William, in a cargo container at Dubai's Jebel Ali port to reveal illegal wildlife exports. It's a demonstration to show what D.P. World, which runs the port, is doing to prevent one of the most lucrative cross-border criminal trades.

William's charity, United for Wildlife, is raising awareness of the issue, and D.P. has agreed to help fund it. As has the airport in Dubai, amongst the world's busiest.

The United Arab Emirates has one of the highest per capita carbon emissions rates in the world. They're also keen to show the prince how the country is tackling climate change.

(on camera): Here in Abu Dhabi, they're investing heavily in mangrove parks like this one, which the government says soaks up four times as much carbon as a rainforest. They also protect the coastline from flooding and erosion.

(voice-over): William shown the project by Emirati counterpart Sheikh Khaled, and he planted new mangroves for the children from the British school. SUMAYA AHMED, STUDENT AT BRITISH SCHOOL AT KHUBARAT: His presence

alone kind of like -- it's sort of not almost motivating to think about there are big players in the world who are actually, they're interested in these sort of things. And they are also motivating students, as well, to sort of learn about it.

FOSTER: Then in was on to the Dubai Expo and a stark message.

PRINCE WILLIAM, UNITED KINGDOM: This is the decisive decade. If we do nothing, by 2030, we will be speeding towards increasingly devastating planetary and humanitarian crises as a result of our changing climate.

FOSTER: In an effort to find solutions to the climate crisis, he launched the Earthshot Prize. This was a chance to meet those involved from this region.

This first official visit to the UAE for William, a chance for him to promote his interests, but also those of the U.K. The government dispatching royalty to deepen ties and to project stability and strength over the chaotic politics currently playing out at home.

Max Foster, CNN, Dubai.

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VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. WORLD SPORT with Don Riddell will be up after a very short break. Have a good weekend.

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