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Russian Skating Star Allowed to Compete in the Olympics; German Chancellor to Meet with Ukraine and Moscow Leaders; Los Angeles Rams Wins Super Bowl LVI; Freedom Convoy in Canada Sparks Inspiration Globally. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired February 14, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching "CNN Newsroom" and I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead, it's the doping scandal that's rocking the Olympics. And now a decision on the fate of the 15- year-old Russian skater involved has been made. We are live in Beijing with the details.

Live images from Kyiv's Independence Square as another world leader prepares to take his turn at preventing war between Ukraine and Russia, a day after President Biden promised swift and severe cost if Russia invades.

Plus, hip hop halftime. We will break down the Super Bowl of music performances that sent a powerful message.

Good to have you with us. Well, a Russian Olympian lives to skate another day. Fifteen-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva will be allowed to continue at the Beijing Winter Games. Despite testing positive for a banned heart drug in December. Last hour, the Court of Arbitration for Sport declined to suspend the teen skater since she had limited time to mount a defense in the case and because of special circumstances since she is a minor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHIEU REEB, DIRECTOR GENERAL, COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT: First the athlete is under 16 and is a protected person under the World Anti-Doping Code. The anti-doping rules of RUSADA and the World Anti-Doping Code are silent with respect to provisional suspension imposed on protected persons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRUCH: CNN sport analyst Christine Brennan says even though it was a positive outcome for Valieva, it's a black mark on the Beijing Winter Games. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: I would have said she should not be competing here. Total sympathy to the 15 year-old. It's the adults in her life who did this. The adults should be looked at and they will be looked at, her coach and others, her team around her because, you know, she's not making these decisions, the adults are, John. So for me, I think this is a terrible black mark on the Olympic games.

A woman who had, even though she's 15 and we're very sympathetic, a woman who had a positive drug test less than two months ago will be competing in the women's competition and likely winning the women's competition. What a disastrous P.R. nightmare of a headline that is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN World Sports Patrick Snell is here in Atlanta, but let's go first to Steven Jiang in Beijing with the very latest. So, Steven, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Russian ice skater Kamila Valieva will be allowed to continue competing in the Olympics because as a minor she is protected under anti-doping rules. What are the ramifications of this decision and what has been the reaction so far?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Rosemary, the reaction have been swift and mixed. The U.S. Olympic Committee, the U.S. Anti- Doping Agency expressing their doubts and disappointment over this decision.

And seeing how the Olympic committee should be upholding the highest standard of integrity in sports allowing athletes to compete on a level playing field and this decision seems to be flying in the face of all that.

But on China's closely monitored social media, there seem to be quite a bit of cheering or support for Valieva and of her team, but with many users really seem to view the whole episode from a very geopolitical point of view, probably as a sign of our time. But what needs to be stressed here of course is that cast decision is very narrowly focused.

It's really addressing only one technical procedural issue, but it's not really addressing the issue of whether or not she has committed a doping offense and what's going to happen to the Russian's gold medal from that team event last Monday, just one day before her positive test result returned.

Now, the panel as you may have heard, seem to be really showing sympathy because she's a minor as you mentioned, but also they seem to be siding with the Russians on several arguments including how she's been testing negative since she arrived here in Beijing, and of course, pointing to the length of time for the lab in Sweden to return her test result. Now, all of this of course is not very satisfying for many people

including the IOC which said they actually would like to see everything settled once and for all, but they simply couldn't bring all the parties involved on board for that to happen.

So for now, there are separate more thorough procedures happening to investigate the adults around Valieva for example and also to decide what's going to happen to the Russian gold medal from the team event. And also the IOC has pointed out if she wins on Tuesday, conceivably she could take home a medal, but that medal could be revoked later if a separate process finds her guilty of doping.

So with that decision, one question answered, many other things left hanging with many people left quite upset, Rosemary.

[02:05:00]

CHURCH: Yes, indeed. And Patrick, how much concern does the decision like this raise and does it taint the games when dealing with doping cases particularly in relation to Russian athletes given their history?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, Rosemary, yes. I think, you know, however this ends, we're far from the end of this right now. Yes, these games will be forever tainted from that point of view. It's what people are all talking about.

Right now there are so many questions that remain unanswered. And whatever the final outcome regarding the medals and there's so much more to come on that, a doping scandal that's going to be scrutinized and analyzed for a very long time to come. But here's the thing. This is just a reminder to our viewers worldwide.

Russia is already under restrictions for system violations of anti- doping rules. This follows a 2019 WADA decision. WADA being the World Anti-Doping Agency. Remember it banned Russia from participating in international sporting competitions following allegations of state- sponsored doping going back to 2014 Winter Games that Russia hosted in Sochi.

That ban set to expire later on this year. Until then though, that is why Russian athletes are allowed to compete as neutrals under the Russian Olympic Committee. But let this sink in just for a few moments. Valieva, who returned that positive test during the Russian Figure Skating Championship. That was on Christmas Day last year in St. Petersburg in her homeland. Cleared to compete at these games.

So what's going to happen now? Well, it means the 15-year-old can compete in the short program of the women's single competition. That's on Tuesday there in China. She is the favorite for gold in the women's single. Remember, she's already won the gold medal in the team event, but that gold medal, remember, not awarded. Will it ever be? I wonder.

Now the USA, they won silver in that team event. We did get reaction from them coming in from the America's Olympic Committee expressing its disappointment and then adding these words, really do stand out for me, "Athletes have the right to know they are competing on a level playing field. Unfortunately, today that right is being denied. This appears to be another chapter in the systemic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia. We know this case not yet closed and we can call on everyone in the Olympic Movement to continue to fight for clean sport on behalf of athletes around the world."

So really strong words. But look, in summary, Rosemary, a cloud over these games. No question about that. And here's -- here's other things that come to mind. What impact is this going to have on the 15-year- old in question when it comes to her performance amid such scrutiny now? How will other competitors react to her? Limited fans as well in the stands watching. How are they going to react?

One thing is clear to me, the global fight against doping could not be more important right now at this time, but there is so much more to come on this story, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. A lot of questions to be answered there. Patrick Snell, Steven Jiang, many thanks to you both. Appreciate it.

All right, to Eastern Europe now where a Russian invasion of Ukraine appears to be inching closer by the hour. But officials in the west say a diplomatic solution is still on the table. German Chancellor Olof Scholz heads to both Kyiv and Moscow this week to try and end this crisis and avoid a war. He's expected to touch down in Kyiv in the coming hours.

Meanwhile. U.S. President Joe Biden held another call with Ukraine's president on Sunday vowing the U.S. will act swiftly and decisively if there's aggression from Moscow. But the Kremlin is showing no signs of backing down. Russia already has Ukraine surrounded on three sides. And a top Pentagon official says the drum beat of war is growing louder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We have good sources of intelligence and they're telling us that, you know, that things are sort of building now to some sort of crescendo opportunity for Mr. Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Multiple countries are now drawing down embassy staff in Kyiv and urging their citizens to leave the country immediately. This as the U.S. and its NATO allies continue sending weapons and support to Ukraine with 180 tons of U.S. ammunition arriving over the weekend. But President Biden says there is one thing the U.S. will not do if a Russian invasion begins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LESTER HOLT, NBC NEWS HOST: What's scenarios would you put American troops to rescue and get Americans out?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They're not. That's a world war, when Americans and Russians start shooting at one another. We're in a very different world that we've ever been in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN is covering this story from every angle. Our Sam Kiley is standing by in Ukraine with the latest there. But let's start with CNN's Fred Pleitgen who joins us live from Moscow. Good to see you, Fred. So, what more are you learning about the buildup of Russian troops at Ukraine's border and that call between President Biden and Vladimir Putin?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Rosemary. Well, the U.S. (inaudible) says that that buildup is still very much continuing and just in the past week that thousands more Russian troops headed there to the border area.

[02:10:03]

And I think one of the other things that the U.S. has been saying in the form of the national security adviser, but also the Pentagon as well, is that it's not only the fact that there's so many Russian forces who are building up close to the border with Ukraine, but also the way that they are building up. The force posture, where they are deploying their forces and how they are deploying the forces.

And that appears to factor into what the messaging is out of Washington where they're saying that they believe that an invasion or further invasion of Ukraine could happen at any time. Now, of course, the Russians from the very beginning have been saying that all of this is hysteria, that all of this is not true.

In fact, after that call between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a senior aide to Vladimir Putin, Yury Ushakov. He said that hysteria reached its climax and that that was sort of the context in which the call between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place.

Now, both sides. Rosemary, described that call as being very frank, very business-like. The U.S. side obviously said that once again, President Biden warned President Putin of massive consequences if there was a further invasion of Ukraine saying that the U.S. would act swiftly and decisively, and of course, in lock step but with its allies.

The Russians for their part are essentially saying that first of all they have no intention of invading Ukraine, but also saying that they had put forward those security requirements, security demands to the United States that they have. And they say they still don't feel that the answers that the U.S. has given has really taken note of those demands that the Russians have.

Of course, those demands, including a withdrawal of many NATO forces from Eastern European countries and also guarantees that Ukraine would never become a member of NATO. The U.S. has rejected many of those demands out right, but the Russians are saying what they want is an answer to their request and to see how negotiations can move forward from there. Both sides saying in that call that they want to remain in

consultations. So, they are going to continue speaking to one another as the U.S. continues to say, Rosemary, that we are in this very dangerous phase this week where the Russians as the U.S. puts it, would be ready for an invasion should Vladimir Putin decides to do so, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. And Sam, 24 hours after speaking with President Putin, Mr. Biden also talked with Ukraine's leader, President Zelensky. What more are you learning about that call and why Zelensky asked Mr. Biden to visit his country when he knew that would not happen at this time?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, during that phone call, we understand that President Zelensky asked for more lethal aid on top of the $200 million extra military aid that the United States has been sending in. Of course, the number of NATO countries notably Britain, but also Poland and others are sending lethal aid.

But it's not strategic weapons. It's anti-armor. At most, its artillery, which leaves the Ukraine extremely exposed to the might of the Russian military. Just 30 miles from here is the Russian border. About 40 to 50 miles beyond that, Belgorod (ph) is seeing inside Russia a gigantic buildup of military forces, the likes of which has never been seen in modern times, certainly not since the end of the Cold War.

So in that contact, President Zelensky is doing everything he possibly can to try to generate support for Ukraine. At the same time, insisting that nobody should panic, that they disagree with the Americans that an invasion is imminent. And some hint potentially coming from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom who told the BBC recently that he felt that there was -- it was conceivable perhaps that in order to avoid war, Ukraine may back away from its intents to try to join NATO.

That would cause constitutional issues here in Ukraine. But also, we have to remember whether or not or think about whether or not this is actually all about Ukraine's membership of NATO for Vladimir Putin. Under NATO's main rules, countries like Georgia and Ukraine who are in territorial dispute who have territory under occupation of another country can't actually join NATO.

If Vladimir Putin wants to stop Ukraine joining NATO in perpetuity, all he has to do is continue to have destabilization in the Donbas and continue to claim ownership of the Crimea. That is effectively a permanent block on Ukrainian membership. So, the real bluff here might be to call Vladimir Putin say, okay, we're going to back away from NATO, Ukraine joining NATO. And then see whether or not that is actually the reason behind this very threatening posture that they've adopted not just across the border here, but of course, across the border in Belarus and in the Azov and Black Sea to the south.

CHURCH: Yes. We'll see how far they'll go with those negotiations. Sam Kiley, Fred Pleitgen, many thanks to you both. Appreciate it. [02:15:01]

Well, Canada has had enough. Coming up on "CNN Newsroom," police crackdown on protests against vaccination restrictions arresting dozens and restoring a major trade route with the United States.

And the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl with an ending fit for Hollywood. CNN is outside the stadium with the highlights. That's all next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: An appropriate Hollywood ending for the L.A. Rams and Super Bowl LVI. They scored the winning touchdown with less than two minutes left. CNN's Andy Scholes is outside the stadium in California with the highlights.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: Super Bowl LVI here in Los Angeles is going to go down as one of the best ever. It had it all. Emotional lead changes. A heartbreaking injury. One of the best halftime shows we've ever seen. And a fantastic finish. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow showing up to SoFi Stadium for the Super Bowl with an incredible hat suit combo.

We then had the Rock out on the field hyping up all the fans before kickoff. Rams would lead 13-10 at the half. But first play of the second half, Burrow going deep to T. Higgins.

[02:20:00]

He goes 75 yards for the score. So the Bengals take the lead, 17-13. Fast forward to the fourth quarter, Matthew Stafford putting together a 15 play 79 yard drive ending with Stafford hitting Cooper Kupp for his second touchdown in the game. Burrow would get one more chance to go win this one, but Aaron Donald gets to him on fourth down forcing the incomplete.

Donald and the Rams defense sacking Burrow a Super Bowl Record tying seven times. L.A. wins 23-20. Kupp named the game's MVP. And Donald said this week the only thing missing from his career was a title. And now he's got it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AARON DONALD, LOS ANGELES RAMS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: The ultimate goal was always to be a world champion. I've been saying that for the past few years. So, you know, to finally get the opportunity to feel this, to be living in it right now and at this time, this moment, it's like, I don't know. It's hard to put it in words right now.

MATTHEW STAFFORD, LOS ANGELES RAMS QUARTERBACK: It's probably going to take some time, you know. I'm going to have to think about it. I know in the moment I was -- I didn't know what to think. I was just a little emotional and it's so happy to be a, you know, world champ. And so happy to be a part of this group. I mean, that's the biggest thing. It's not me, it's not any individual on the team. We're a group. We're a team. And to get it done together was so special.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: And this win a long time coming for Matthew Stafford. He spent 12 seasons in Detroit. Suffered through a lot of losing. Stafford and Rams coach, Sean McVay, they ran into each other vacationing in Cabo in last off season. That's when McVay decided to trade for Stafford hoping he would get the Rams a title. Mission accomplished.

And what a season for Cooper Kupp. He's been the best receiver all year winning the Triple Crown in receiving. That's most receptions, most yards and most touchdowns. He's the offensive player of the year. Now, Super Bowl MVP. The great Jerry Rice, the only other receiver to do it for a career. Kupp did it all this season.

And finally the halftime show by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar was just incredible. Had the whole stadium singing and dancing the entire time. Got rave reviews on social media with some saying it was of the best ever. In Inglewood, California, Andy Scholes, CNN.

CHURCH: Well, more on that halftime show ahead. The editor of the Hollywood reporter will join me to discuss whether this was indeed the best one ever.

Well, North America's busiest land crossing is now open after it was closed for days by a blockade of protesters. A short time ago, officials in Detroit announce that the Ambassador Bridge between Canada and the U.S. is now fully reopened. Early on Saturday, Canadian police had stepped up their crackdown on protesters at the bridge arresting dozens of people and seizing vehicles.

The protesters anti-mandate sentiment is making its way around the world. CNN's Paula Newton takes a look at the global impact of the so called Freedom Convoy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jammed streets, blaring horns. Over the past few weeks there has been a loud and clear message from Freedom Convoy truckers in Canada and their supporters about their opposition to the government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and other health restrictions.

A cacophony of horns that's resonating with protesters right around the world who staged similar demonstrations over COVID-19 restrictions over the weekend. A convoy of cars and vans in Paris snarled traffic on the Champs Elysees for hours on Saturday. Protesters waved French flags and climbed on top of their vehicles near Arc de Triomphe after bypassing police check points and defying a ban by authorities by entering the city center.

Police eventually sprayed tear gas to disperse the protesters who say they are opposed to the country's vaccine pass. Some adding they are also upset over lower standards of living and inflation. One demonstrator described the convoy as something extraordinary. He

says there was honking everywhere. We took the highway, people waved at us. Volunteers were there with food and everything.

In the Netherlands, a convoy of vehicles brought the Hague city center to a brief standstill to protest coronavirus restrictions there. And police warned protesters they would be fined and arrested if they did not leave by midafternoon so the drivers withdrew.

Another so called freedom protest happened in Canberra, Australia's capital where there weren't as many trucks, but many shared sentiments with the truckers in Canada.

Lines of vehicles rolled into New Zealand's capital city last week, blocking streets near parliament. Some protesters setting up tents on the lawn in a mass camp out to protest mask mandates and vaccine requirements for police and medical workers.

[02:25:01]

UNKNOWN: We're here to ensure that the mandates are taken away.

NEWTON: Tell us about what's going on here?

UNKNOWN: We're making food.

NEWTON (voice-over): Officials in New Zealand using softer tactics to try and get people to move on. Playing songs from loud speakers like "You're Beautiful" from James Blunt and music from Disney movies, even Barry Manilow.

But protesters say their spirits haven't dampened even in the rain. And after authorities turn sprinklers on them last week, local residents say they are losing patience with the disruption.

UNKNOWN: Destroying the grass. Destroying just, yes, like come on.

UNKNOWN: It's a little bit annoying for us who live here. I think the police are doing the best they can.

NEWTON (voice-over): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the demonstrators are a fringe minority, but the protests this past weekend have been hard to ignore. Paula Newton, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Coming up, some U.S. states are now looking to end mask mandates. One health expert weighs in on whether now is the right time to make that move.

Plus, social media is giving the world a peek of Russia's military buildup near Ukraine. We will look at the units Russia has surrounding its neighbor and what they may say about Moscow's next move.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: We want to recap one of our top stories this hour. German Chancellor Olof Scholz is due in Ukraine in the coming hours to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. All this as the U.S. warns a Russian military buildup is accelerating.

[02:30:01]

CNN's Scott McLean has details on what kind of military units now have Ukraine surrounded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is just one element of the Russian armor now gathered on three sides of the border with Ukraine. Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles parked up near Ukraine's Northeastern border near the Russian town of Veliky. These videos posted on social media confirmed from different angles and geo located by CNN.

The Russian buildup includes heavy armor including elements of the elite 1st Guards Tank Army that is now moved to within 20 miles of Ukraine. Also on the move, a substantial number of short-range ballistic missiles known as Iskanders, with a range of some 450 kilometers. Further south, long columns of military vehicles rumble along the highway near Rostov-on-Don. A CNN analysis of Russian movements shows the extent of the buildup in Crimea, to the east, and north of Ukraine.

And in Belarus, the Russians have released video of the large-scale exercises being conducted with Belarusian forces. Exercises that include top line Russian hardware. Among the equipment being paraded, S-400 air defense systems and S.U. 25 ground attack aircraft. Those exercises are extensive. According to NATO, the largest Russian military presence in Belarus since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

But CNN has also geolocated Russian military movements a long way from those exercises in the far southeast of Belarus, and just over 10 miles from the border with Ukraine. This convoy including multiple rocket systems headed south in the last couple of days, a long way south the Russian Navy has begun drills involving more than 30 ships in the Black Sea. They're exercising in the Black Sea a mix of forces that include several large amphibious ships.

The latest satellite imagery also shows a buildup of troop accommodation and units close to the Black Sea in Crimea. Altogether, the analysis of social media videos from Russia when added to fresh satellite imagery shows a relentless buildup of forces that seems almost complete, as we're bases are emptied and units take to the roads and rails.

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: What we've seen just in the last 10 days or so is an acceleration of that buildup and the movement of Russian forces of all varieties closer to the border with Ukraine in a position where they could launch a military action very, very rapidly. MCLEAN: To Rob Lee in the Department of War Studies at the University of London, Russia's current military buildup near Ukraine is unprecedented. This is not like previous war scares where the build up in the spring of 2021. The amount of Russian aerial ground and Naval Military power near Ukraine now is quantifiably far greater. That's the view of Western governments too. The capabilities have been assembled. The Kremlin's intent is still unknown.

Scott McLean, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: For analysis, I'm joined now from Kyiv by Peter Zalmayev. He is the director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative which promotes democracy in post-communist states. Thank you so much for being with us.

PETER ZALMAYEV, DIRECTOR, EURASIA DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE: Hi.

CHURCH: So, President Biden took another shot at diplomacy with a phone call to Vladimir Putin vowing swift and severe costs if he invades Ukraine. 24 hours later, he spoke to Ukraine's president, and now Germany's Chancellor will visit Kyiv and Moscow for another round of shuttle diplomacy. But that window is fast closing. How likely is it that diplomacy and deterrence will resolve this in the end?

ZALMAYEV: Well, there's hope that it will obviously, you know, I'm, I'm based here in Kyiv, and I, you know, I have determined to stay here and give as Ukrainian-American if need be to fight for my country. You know, I just want to refer to a document that came out by the Center for Defense Strategies, which is led by former defense minister Mr. (INAUDIBLE) which is very respected.

It does quote such, you know, stark figures such as 87 battalion, tactical groups, which is about 147,000 personnel -- service personnel that are masked around Ukraine's borders, et cetera. But it does make clear that there are no signs that there are additional reinforcements needed for a large-scale offensive are in the offing. I'm quoting from the report. At present, the accumulated forces on the border are insufficient for a large-scale operation aimed at capturing oil or a significant part of Ukraine.

Mind you, Rosemary, you know, when the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, it took 500,000 troops to quell an uprising in a country that several times the size of Ukraine that had no determination to really fight militarily. You know, think about the size of the country, the size of Ukraine, and what it would take Vladimir Putin, the expenditure and blood and treasure that it would take.

So, which leads me to believe that Vladimir Putin will continue to skirt on the edge of the probable and will continue to, you know. mix up the cards for Western powers.

[02:35:09] ZALMAYEV: There may be limited incursions either from the south, from the north, or from the east of Ukraine. But Vladimir Putin will not be doing anything that will, you know, unify the West in an overwhelming response, whether that be by sanctions or additional and large, additional supplies of weapons for Ukraine. Vladimir Putin will not stomach hundreds and thousands of coffins of dead Russian soldiers coming from a country.

That Vladimir Putin's propaganda machine reclaims this part of the Russian nation. They do not consider Ukrainians as very separate from Russian. So, this is going to be very, very bad P.R. And Vladimir Putin is probably too smart for that.

CHURCH: So, what do you think Putin's intent is here, then?

ZALMAYEV: Putin intent is, obviously to keep Ukraine on a short leash. If he can do it through diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, if he can use personalities such as Mr. Scholz or French President Macron to force Ukraine to abide by the Minsk agreements. That's all for the benefit. Minsk agreement essentially is it subjugation of Ukraine by other means. It is designed to put these breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk back into the body politic of Ukraine in Kyiv.

So, that in fact lives in a function as a block on Ukraine further movement towards the West or NATO. And that is -- that will remain Vladimir Putin's goal. And so, we may be just digging it for a long haul here. This is -- this may just be the beginning.

CHURCH: So, we are seeing an information war play out right now with the U.S. revealing sensitive military intelligence in an effort to remove the element of surprise from any military move that Putin might make. But an autocracy like Russia is better equipped to play this game than a democracy that needs to follow the rules. So, what do you expect the outcome of this information will be?

Given Biden's national security adviser has said that the U.S. is publicizing intelligence on Russia to stop a war not to start one, but there are still a lot of people saying and they're asking questions, they're saying there's not enough evidence with what's being said on both sides here.

ZALMAYEV: Well, that's precisely Biden's, you know, line. The megaphone diplomacy that is designed to prevent Russia from, you know, going any further, you know, we have exposed you, we know what you're doing, you are on notice, and Vladimir Putin, keep in mind, the Russian side continues to say that it has no plans to invade Ukraine. So, while there's some justification to Biden's megaphone diplomacy, he can claim that he unified the West and a very strong response.

And even Germany now is on board with a potential disconnection of the Nord Stream 2 project should Russia invade. I think that we have to go back a few months ago and to build up that your previous correspondent mentioned in the spring, to see that, you know, this should have been done much earlier. And Joe Biden should have started supplying weapons to Ukraine much earlier. Putin saw America's weakness after this withdrawal from Afghanistan. And after that, Joe Biden turns around and gives the green light to Nord Stream 2 thinking that he's doing it but Chancellor Merkel but essentially getting Vladimir Putin carte blanche. That it led to the crisis on the border with Belarus with migrants, et cetera. So, he really goaded Putin. He encouraged it and now he's learning the tough way that Vladimir Putin only respects strength.

CHURCH: Yes. Peter Zalmayev, thank you so much for talking with us. We appreciate it.

And coming up next, Hong Kong battles a fifth wave of COVID infections with hospital beds and quarantine facilities filling up. We'll have an update for you after this short break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:42:04]

CHURCH: Well, across the United States a growing number of states are moving to end mask mandates even though the CDC has not changed its mask guidance. U.S. President Joe Biden weighed in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I committed that I would follow the science. The science as put forward by the CDC and federal people. And I think it's probably premature, but it's, you know, it's a tough call.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And Earlier, I spoke with Dr. Ashish Jha. Dean at Brown University's School of Public Health. As we see pandemic fatigue around the world, I asked him how we can strike a balance between science and what people can handle after two years of restrictions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ASHISH JHA, DEAN, BROWN UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: I think if we look at where we are in the United States, for instance, and many other parts of the country, of the world as well, infections are coming down very, very quickly. And that means I'm expecting a reasonably good spring. That means, I think it's reasonable to lift back and pull back on some of the mask mandates.

Until there is a future search and obviously if there is one, we'll have to put those mask on again. But I think right now pulling back is pretty reasonable thing to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Officials in South Korea say they will soon make a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccines available as cases surge. The country reported more than 50,000 new cases Sunday for the fifth consecutive day. Seoul reportedly will also supply millions more home test kits. Health authorities in Hong Kong a warning that hospital beds and quarantine facilities are nearly full. The city reported more than 1300 new cases Sunday.

Officials say there are another 2000 suspected positive cases. And Kristie Lou Stout is in Hong Kong now facing its toughest battle against the virus in two years. She joins us now. Good to see you, Kristie. So, we've talked about this tough battle against the virus in two years. What is the latest from the city?

KRISTIE LOU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Here in Hong Kong, the hospital system is absolutely overwhelmed as a city is being hit with a record surge in COVID-19 cases. On Sunday, Hong Kong reported well over 1300 new cases of COVID-19 and on top of that an additional 2000 suspected cases of the virus. We also learned that 90 percent of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are already full.

On Sunday, over the weekend, we got more details about that meeting that took place in Shenzhen that meeting on Saturday between Hong Kong government officials and mainland Chinese officials. The Hong Kong government said that Beijing has pledged to offer support for Hong Kong's growing outbreak in the form of treatment, testing services boosting, capacity for quarantine as well.

A task forces have been announced by the government of Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam. But as for a timeline that remains unclear. Now late on Sunday, we also heard from the Hong Kong government they said that they plan to open up vaccinations to children age three and up. That development announced after a very tragic news of a death of a four-year-old here in Hong Kong who had tested preliminary positive for COVID-19.

[02:45:11]

STOUT: And lastly, Rosemary another update from here in Hong Kong. We also learned that the Hong Kong government is warning of disruptions in the food supply to this territory of 7.4 million people because of cases of confirmed COVID-19 among truckers who cross the border between Mainland China and Hong Kong. I should add that Hong Kong is heavily dependent on imports of food.

Some 90 percent, nine zero of a food or fresh groceries come from imports. Back to you.

CHURCH: Yes, that is a real concern. And Hong Kong and mainland China are among the few places in the world with a dynamic zero COVID strategy or policy designed to suppress every outbreak. So how far could they take it?

STOUT: Yes. That has been a question on the minds of many residents here in Hong Kong. Could this be in the form of lockdown? Say Shanghai style lockdown, a Wuhan style lockdown. Over the weekend, that number two official charge of Hong Kong John Lee addressed that question and he said that there are no lockdowns planned for Hong Kong. However, there are a number of extremely strict dynamics zero COVID measures already in place here in the territory. Schools have been closed for an extended period of time. You have no dining services from 6:00 p.m. A ban on groups of more than two people gathering outside, no more than two families can make socially indoors, entertainment venues, from cinemas to gyms, et cetera, all closed here in the territory. And despite these tough measures that are in place, not to mention the border restrictions, you have epidemiologist at Hong Kong University anticipating that cases could rise to as much as 28,000 new COVID cases a day by March. Very grim situation here, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. Indeed. Kristie Lou Stout joining us live from Hong Kong. Many thanks.

Well, coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM. Many are calling it the greatest Super Bowl halftime show ever. I will speak to an entertainment reporter about the star-studded event after the short break. Stay with this.

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[02:51:01]

CHURCH: For the first time ever, the Super Bowl halftime show featured hip hop artists, rap legends, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, and more put on a performance. Many are calling the greatest in Super Bowl history. Dr. Dre says this was a long time coming for the hip hop genre, and the crowd was certainly into the performance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: West Coast, make some noise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Incredible. Rebecca Sun is the senior editor at The Hollywood Reporter. Joining us now from Irvine, California. Great to have you with us.

REBECCA SUN, SENIOR EDITOR, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: Thanks so much.

CHURCH: So, five Grammy-Award winners all on one stage. It is the first time hip-hop featured like this. Where does it rank with the all-time great halftime shows do you think?

SUN: Well, obviously, that's going to be subjective. But I think given the critical as well as the social media reactions, so far, a lot of people are calling it either the best ever or the best since Prince in 2007, which is, you know, nothing to pitch into coming in second to Prince. So, this was definitely very, very well received.

CHURCH: And rap legends, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg clearly the headliners of the night. Lots of talk about Eminem too. Not just for his magic on the mic, but also for taking a knee something the NFL says it was aware he was going to do. And it comes as the NFL continues to struggle with diversity and equity in hiring. So how did all this play out? And how was it received? SUN: Oh, you know, I think that -- yes. There was an earlier report before the game today that, that, you know, somebody had said that Eminem was planning to take a knee and that the NFL had asked him not to. Obviously, we don't know exactly what went on behind the seats, but he took a knee and the cameras showed it. I think that it was seen as a gesture of solidarity. Eminem has always been very vocal, you know, about his support for Black Lives Matter.

And obviously, he's very aware of his -- he's always been very aware of his position as a white M.C. in a largely black genre. And so, I think that by and large people found it to be -- they recognized it as an acknowledgment of Colin Kaepernick and his continued effective blacklisting from the NFL ever since he started taking a knee back in 2016. So, I, you know, I think there's probably if you choose to, you know, kind of wade into some parts of social media, you can probably find people who are vehemently opposed to it.

But, you know, for the most part, it was OK and the NFL is saying that they would not have stopped anybody from taking a knee.

CHURCH: And Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar also brought their A games. Plus, a 50 Cent cameo. How did they all go?

SUN: It was great. I mean, I think that -- again, these are -- these are legends. And that's another thing that we should emphasize. This is the first time hip-hop has been allowed to be the headliner at the Super Bowl, which is a little bit shocking, considering that, you know, the -- more than 70 percent of the league is black, in terms of the players and in terms of the fact that hip-hop has been the most popular genre of music in the United States, if not the world for years, if not decades.

You know, so these are beloved extremely popular artists. All of these songs are hits, you know, I mean, In The Club was 20 years ago. So, you know, that's something that I guess we would be we're not really tech boomers, but you know, it's boomer music now. Mary J. Blige remains a legend, Kendrick Lamar, the youngest performer on stage today, you know, bringing out sort of a little bit more of the current generation of the cutting edge of hip-hop. It was all extremely well received.

[02:55:06]

CHURCH: Yes. It was just dynamic, wasn't it? And beautifully woven together. So, let's talk about Jay-Z and Roc Nation's three-year partnership with the NFL. They spearheaded tonight's performance. How much of a difference has Jay-Z made in the league?

SUN: Well, you know, if first if you just look at in terms of Roc Nation's responsibility and putting on the halftime shows, it has been a very market departure from the past years. I mean, I think that the NFL face this enormous crisis back and if you go all the way back to what was it now to 2014, you know, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, you know, the famous wardrobe malfunction. They sort of overcorrected and what started going very, very conservative, you know, with their halftime show picks. And there were I think, under a handful of headliners of color during that span, until The Roc Nation partnership and since then we had -- it was J-Lo and Shakira in 2020 which was the first halftime show they were responsible for it. And people really saw that this was the first time that, you know, Latina -- Latin music was allowed to sort of be on the world's biggest stage. Last year was The Weekend, you know, modern R&B.

And then now this year, you know, the legends of rap. Legends of West Coast hip-hop. And so, you know, from an artistic standpoint, Jay-Z has delivered with his clout and his credibility. But the NFL continues to face a number of issues with racial -- allegations of racial discrimination. You know, in terms of all the business that doesn't have anything to do with artists and entertainers, the business regarding its head coaches.

Regarding how its, you know, treating its players, the business regarding diversity or the lack of diversity and ownership. So, you know, as an artist, I think Jay-Z has certainly brought a lot of influence into those choices.

CHURCH: Rebecca Sun, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

SUN: Thank you.

CHURCH: And thank you for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with more news from all around the world after this short break. Don't go anywhere. You're watching CNN.

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