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Putin Holds Televised Talks with His Defense Minister; Eileen Gu Claims Silver in Dramatic Slopestyle Finish; Russian Figure Skater to Compete Amid Doping Scandal; Trudeau Invokes Rare Emergencies Act to Stop Protest. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired February 15, 2022 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:29]
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes live in Ukraine where we're hearing new warnings of a possible Russian invasion, despite signals from Moscow that they haven't given up on diplomacy.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Vause at CNN's World Headquarters following the very latest from the Winter Olympics, where a Russian figure skater at the center of a doping scandal is about to hit the ice.
Another ominous sign that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be drawing near U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is closing, all remaining personnel relocating to the city of Lviv, 500 kilometers to the west of the Capitol and not far from the border of NATO ally Poland.
On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry released images showing tanks conducting military drills in the Leningrad region. At least that's what they say. But it should be noted the area borders Estonia, which was once under Moscow's rule, but it has been a member of NATO now for almost 20 years.
According to the Pentagon, an invasion could happen at any moment. And despite U.S. intelligence, which says Russian troops and material continue to be deployed to Ukraine border, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov advise President Vladimir Putin on Monday there is still a chance for a diplomatic end to this crisis. A Kremlin spokesman says Mr. Putin has always been willing to negotiate.
CNN's Michael Holmes is following all the latest developments live this hour from Lviv in Ukraine, so you're very busy over there?
HOLMES: Yeah, certainly is, John. Good to see you now. Yeah, these tensions, they continue but thankfully diplomacy not dead yet. Germany's Chancellor, in fact is the latest European leader shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow. Looking for a diplomatic solution to this crisis. Olaf Scholz will be arriving in the Russian capital in a few hours from now. On Monday he met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky went on to address the nation saying Ukraine remains calm in the face of the Russian threat. But he did call for a day of national unity on Wednesday when Ukrainian should fly the nation's flag and wear blue and yellow ribbons is what he said about Ukraine's hope of joining NATO.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): Regarding the future alliances, our aspirations and missions, you know them perfectly well. We have some desire in our country. And in addition to this, we have a war in the east. Yes, we would like to join NATO, and it will protect our integrity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now CNN's Sam Kiley reports now for us on the mood in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, near the border with Russia. We begin with Nic Robertson with the latest diplomatic signals coming out of Moscow.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: So, this was a really well choreographed meeting between the Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Putin sitting at the other end of a big-long table, because of course, they could meet behind closed doors and have a private conversation. But no, it's played out on state TV for everyone to see and hear the conversation for the international community to be able to hear what President Putin is saying. So, Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister begins by giving a sort of a step by step of all the different diplomatic things that have been going over the past few months. And then President Putin says, well, is there a chance for diplomacy to continue and Lavrov doesn't miss a beat, talks about the phone call with President Macron over the weekend with President Putin, the phone call with President Biden meeting with President Macron earlier last week. And then says yes, I think there is a chance.
SERGEY RYABKOV, RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: If we are ready to listen to some counter proposals, it seems to me that our possibilities are far from being exhausted. Of course, they should not continue indefinitely. But at this stage, I would suggest that they be continued and increased.
ROBERTSON: So, this was clearly an intended message, the one that President Putin wanted to get out, but I don't think we can read too much into it at the moment because what kind of diplomacy does he mean? What's he prepared to do? We know that Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor coming to Moscow Tuesday, expected
to tell President Putin that if he wants to go down the diplomatic track, that he needs to deescalate his true presence around Ukraine reduce some of the tensions there to get onto that track of diplomacy. And perhaps a clue into Putin's thinking there. He also had a choreographed meeting with his minister of defense, Sergey Shoygu. Shoygu told him -- Shoygu told him that, yes, some of the military exercises were still going on. There were a lot of them, but some of them were beginning to come to an end. Is that a hint from Putin that some of the military exercises are coming to an end? Is that the message from there?
[01:05:24]
But what it all adds up to is unclear. What it is, though, is the first time publicly perhaps an indication from President Putin about a little of what is thinking, the strategy behind it, we just don't know. Nic Robertson, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hear in Kharkiv, a city of a million and a half people, 75% of whom are Russian speaking as a mother tongue at least and the landscape between here and the Russian border, long sweeping steps flat, almost featureless landscape, perhaps ideally suited when the ground is frozen to a tank invasion. But there is no sign whatsoever of any kind of Ukrainian military forces between here and the Russian border. At the Russian border itself there is a handful of border guards, no signs of any kind of military, defensive positions being constructed by the Ukrainians. That doesn't mean that they're not doing so but they're certainly not visible in the main artery, which is an artery that in all probability, any invading army coming in from Russia, and reportedly there are very substantial forces indeed, the first Guards Tank Army of the Russian Federation being poised in Belgrade, only 20 miles north of that border crossing has been reinforced recently. We understand with helicopter gunships, no sign at all of none of them visible either from the Ukrainian side or feeling rather like this is almost a Potemkin war. And that will be somewhat supported by recent statements coming from Vladimir Putin out of the Kremlin and a briefing or other stage briefing with his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in which Vladimir Putin said that they did appear he agreed to allow diplomacy to continue opening a bit more of a window of diplomacy, a bit more of a window to peace and perhaps dialing down at least in the short term, the very fevered rhetoric that's been coming particularly from Western intelligence, notably out of the United States. Sam Kiley, CNN in Kharkiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now joining me from Los Angeles, Robert English, he is the Director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California. And good to see you, sir, thank you for making the time. So, President Zelensky made it clear that Ukraine still wants to be in NATO, and he said, yes, we would like to join NATO, as it will protect our integrity. How important is it for Ukraine, especially given, it's a red line for Russia. I mean, it's a statement that obviously unsurprisingly angered the Kremlin.
ROBERT ENGLISH, DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES, USC: Look, everybody knows the Ukrainians, chief among them, that they won't be joining NATO for at least a decade. And that would have been the case anyway, even prior to this crisis. And I think part of Putin strategy is to make it so difficult, so threatening, so tense, that the next time Ukraine would apply for membership might be considered that the allies would back off and wait even longer. So, of course, Ukraine has aspirations, but everybody knows it's not going to happen for a decade or more, which, by the way, leaves the ground for compromise here, so long as the Russians drop their insistence on some kind of legal guarantee, because the threat of Ukraine and NATO is not on the horizon for a long time.
HOLMES: Yeah, indeed, there's a lot that works against them, in a technical sense to with part of the country occupied with Putin invest this much effort, so many troops and material and then back down what are the risks of him doing something simply because it can't look like he's doing nothing?
ENGLISH: Oh, that is a risk, right? That's why some diplomats in the West want to hold firm to the essence of the Western position, but give him an off ramp, a way to retreat the safe space. And that simply means finding compromise, on not a promise that you can will never join NATO, but instead, that NATO would restrict certain deployments of missiles and troops in the eastern zones closest to Russia, other kinds of confidence building members and maybe a resumption of that Minsk process on autonomy and a resolution of the Donetsk issue in the east, those kinds of small breakthroughs would add up probably to enough for Putin to back off save face and claim that he'd achieved a victory for Russian security.
[01:10:08]
HOLMES: Yeah, that's fascinating. And I wonder, I think to in a strategic sense, what do you make of the U.S., you know, intentionally declassifying and releasing intel on what it thinks Russia might do to provoke some sort of military action? I mean, it's an unusual tactic but might it be keeping Putin off balance? You know, preemptively talking about what he might do before he's even done it?
ENGLISH: Yeah, it's a tactic on the part of the United States to ramp up the counter pressure on Putin, to perhaps stiffen the spine of our allies, Macron, the French President now Scholz, the German chancellor, by showing Russia in this nefarious light, maybe poised with some kind of provocation. The Russians for their part of their media full of reports of a potential genocide, or chemical weapons attacks. It's part of this process of brinksmanship, we are at the brink, who will blink first, nobody wants this war. Putin doesn't want it either. He knows it would ruin Russia and destroy his legacy. But he doesn't want to back down and he wants to gain some concessions. So we are at that edge, and it's always darkest before the dawn.
HOLMES: Yeah, yeah, indeed. And to Putin's fundamental complaint, you know, NATO encroachment towards Russia's borders. I mean, the U.S. wouldn't want an adversarial military alliance near its borders. I mean, is Putin's position being heard enough, do you think has expanding NATO so post the Russia been a strategic area in some ways?
ENGLISH: A lot of people think it has, including some of our sort of leading diplomats and deans of Cold War studies, who warned back in the 90s, that if we went too far, we would provoke Russia and get the backlash that we were seeking to avoid. And I think this is what Putin is counting on now that this pressure, this brinksmanship, this threat of war, will now make the European allies think two or three times maybe four times before NATO seeks to expand again, whether that might be in the Balkans, Georgia, and of course, Ukraine. He's not just playing for pushing back today, but for pushing the threat as he sees it back tomorrow. So, I think NATO might have reached its limits for a long time to come. Because the U.S. can't act unilaterally. It needs all its allies on board. And some of them have exactly the doubts that you're raising that maybe it's gone far enough.
HOLMES: Great analysis. Robert English, really appreciate you making the time. Thanks so much.
ENGLISH: You're welcome.
HOLMES: And I'll be back with much more from Lviv at the bottom of the hour. But let's throw it back to John at CNN Center with a look at the day's other news. John, back to you.
VAUSE: Yeah, Michael, thank you. So, a few hours from now, competitors in the women's singles skating short program will take to the ice at the Winter Games in Beijing, but one of them at least will have a distinct advantage over the others. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive in December for the banned drug, trimetazidine, a heart medication used to treat angina, I will get that right. But when taken by athletes, it increases the hearts efficiency and blood supply and improves endurance.
On Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared Valieva to compete, but they did not clear her outright. Another investigation only just began in her failed drug test and the Russian coaches and officials who may have pressured her to take the banned substance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENIS OSWALD, HEAD OF IOC DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION: Yes, of course, it's clearly a wish and a decision of the IOC but also mainly on WADA to examine all aspects of this case and including the situation of the entourage of the girl because of course you can imagine a girl of the 15 would not do something wrong alone. So yes, the entourage will be investigated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Valieva is favored to win at least one more gold at these games. And if she does, there'll be no traditional ceremony on a podium with flowers and a medal presentation. That also applies to those who finished in second and third place as well.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout live in Hong Kong with more of the doping scandal. But first let's go to World Sports, Patrick Snell, for the very latest on the winner games and what at a Winter Olympics for the California born U.S. raised superstar team China, Eileen Gu.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Eileen Gu, yeah. John, yeah, one of the breakout stars of these games. No question about that American born, the teenager, the free ski sensation you chose to compete for China 18 years of age, already she won gold, that was in the big air event earlier in these Olympics. Fans temporarily crushing China's leading social media platform in the aftermath of that victory, but on this Tuesday the team from California needing a performance for the agents. This was in the final runner in the slopestyle competition ultimately though for her just falling short in her quest for a second straight goal, it would have been an amazing achievement. She got very close indeed. But a score of 86.23 would result in a silver medal for Gu.
[01:15:19]
Now, the gold go in the way of the Swiss competitive, Mathilde Gremaud, really special moment for the 22 year old after her silver medal finish four years ago in South Korea, and another special moment for Swiss competitive Corinne Suter winning gold in the women's downhill today, the 27 year olds first Olympic gold, disappointment though I have to say for the Italians, Sofia Goggia, who misses out on becoming the second woman to win back to back Olympic goals in this event, as she would take silver.
And, of course, John, as we've been saying, still to come on this day, hours from now, the global spotlight fully focused on 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva who's failed drugs test controversy, it continues without question to overshadow Beijing's Winter Games. The teen is expected to skate after been controversially cleared to compete despite that testing positive for a banned substance late last year. She is the favorite, just to recap for our viewers. She's the favorite in the short program. But as you said earlier, we already know even if she does finish on that podium, the IOC that's the International Olympic Committee already saying no medal ceremony until her case is fully concluded. And that could be some time away from right now, safe to say all eyes will be on her to see how she's able to perform given everything that's happened in the last few days. Also, I'm thinking, you know, John, how will other competitors react to her? How will those fans who are there inside watching as well, it's going to be fascinating to see how it all unfolds. Back to you.
VAUSE: Absolutely. With that we go to Kristie Lu Stout over in Hong Kong for more on what's actually going to happen, I guess in the coming hours and also what has already happened in terms of outrage over this decision to allow Valieva to continue to compete at the games, Kristie.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, widespread outrage especially from fellow Olympians after that decision by CAS declare her to compete as we heard just now, she is widely considered to be a favorite to win the women's single event due to begin in Beijing about seven hours from now. And there will be no wedding ceremony if she wins, which would be a huge disappointment for all the athletes involved. And interestingly, the IOC did request a 25th competitor to take part in the free ski portion of the competition on Thursday, but the bottom line is Valieva has been cleared to compete. And that has prompted a host of angry responses. Let's bring up a couple for you. This from Tara Lipinski, the 1998 Olympic Women's Champion, the American skater writes this, "I strongly disagree with this decision. At the end of the day, there was a positive test and there was no question in my mind that she should be allowed or not be allowed to compete."
And then we have this from Kim Yuna, the 2010 Olympic Women's Champion from South Korea. She posted this on our Instagram account saying, "Athletes who violate doping cannot compete in the game, as principle must be observed without exception. All players efforts and dreams are equally precious." And then finally, must share this from the U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson who missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after she tested positive for cannabis. And she writes, "Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mine?" You know, the anger is palpable here. Of course, it was on Monday when we heard from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, they decided to clear her to compete, citing that she is young, she's a minor only 15 years old, and there were a number of issues surrounding how the drug test was processed. And but before she became the face of the Russian doping scandal, she was the breakout star at the Beijing Olympic Games, the Russian skating sensation and managed to land those quadruple jumps successfully the first time for an Olympian, a female Olympian to do so at the Games. All that has been eclipsed by this scandal and a number of angry responses are pointing to the fact that she's not necessarily the one to blame here, but Russia and its enablers, I'm going to bring up the most recent response that we got from the global athlete organization. They posted this on Monday shortly after the CAS clearances announcement came out. Said "Today is another example the failures of the global sport and anti-doping system. The fact that Kamila Valieva, a 15-year-old Russian figure skater has been found to
have a performance enhancing substance in our system is evidence of abuse of a minor. Sport to be protecting its athletes, not damaging them."
And John again, she takes to the ice today 9:52 p.m. Beijing time, just seven hours to ago. Back to you.
VAUSE: So, we'll be watching that one. Kristie Lu Stout there in Hong Kong, thank you. Also, Patrick Snell for World Sport, we appreciate you being with us. We'll take a short break, though, in the meantime, when we come back for the first time ever Canada invoking its decades old emergency act, right and weeks of blockades and protests over COVID-19 mandates, ahead details on how that law could work to end this protest.
[01:20:00]
VAUSE: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked the never before used Emergencies Act to bring to an end, more than two weeks of protests and occupation of downtown Ottawa. The so-called Freedom Convoy has refused to leave until all pandemic restrictions are lifted. But now under this decades old law, authorities can suspend freedom of movement and assembly as well as freeze bank accounts blowing to anyone linked to the protests. CNN's Paula Newton reports now from Ottawa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The rowdy backdrop for these protest obscures the threat the Canadian officials say is real. This movement they say now in its third week is a threat to public safety. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: It is now clear that there are serious challenges to law enforcement's ability to effectively enforce the law.
NEWTON: In an historic move, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time. And while he said it will be limited geographically and in scope, it will allow for stronger enforcement.
The protests right across the country, especially at border crossings have proven to be determined and apparently potentially dangerous.
TRUDEAU: This is not a peaceful protest.
NEWTON: Police in Alberta allege a small group within the protests had a stash of weapons and were willing to do harm at the Alberta Montana border if attempts were made to disrupt the blockade. And the war of words spills out daily on Ottawa streets, differences on COVID pitting protesters against residents.
MARK TRANTER, PROTESTER: I mean, there's people here that traveled across the country. If you want to talk to real people --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- with everything, he's a -- he's awesome. He's from Alberto whatever.
TRANTER: Yeah, sure --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're destroying Canada, but --
TRANTER: (Inaudible) talk to someone who's lost a job, talk to someone who's lost their business and will give you a clearer perspective on what's going on here. We don't want to be in Ottawa. We don't want to be in here --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're get real picture from him. He took it from Facebook.
TRANTER: The people from around this country have come here because we want to stand up for freedom and we will stand up for freedom.
NEWTON: The so-called quest for freedom has made many of those downtown feel like they're in a noisy, chaotic prison.
ALEX WOZNICA, BIKE SHOP EMPLOYEE: To shut down the city to, you know, harass and intimidate local residents to this extent I wouldn't have thought that the police and the government would allow it.
NEWTON: And so, Trudeau is saying enough. Now he says the military won't be called in. He is using more enforcement power and imposing stiff financial penalties which could bankrupt some protesters, and risks further inflaming an already tense situation, Paula Newton, CNN, Ottawa.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: With us now is Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, an Internal Medicine Specialist as well as host of the TED Health Podcast. It's good to see you. It's been a while.
DR. SHOSHANA UNGERLEIDER, INTERNAL MEDICINE, CROSSOVER HEALTH: Good to see you too, John. Thanks for having me.
[01:25:00]
VAUSE: You're welcome. Now, in the Canadian capitalist, these protesters dig in and we're seeing the authorities ramp up the response to try and clear the city, at the same time CNN reporting that the Premier of Ontario now has plans to drop the province's vaccine passport requirements, much worse if COVID-19 hospitalization rates continue to improve. Now, he's part of the announcement from Doug Ford. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG FORD, ONTARIO PREMIER: Let me be very clear, we're moving in this direction, because it's safe to do so. Today's announcement is not because of what's happening in Ottawa, or Windsor, but despite it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: OK, I guess the question is, are they in a position where they can actually scrub this vaccine passport? This has been a key demand of the protesters over for some time now, they'll obviously see this as a win.
UNGERLEIDER: I agree, John, you know, cases have dropped precipitously and in Canada, like much of the rest of the world who's experienced a huge Omicron surge in the last two months.
Now, hospitalizations actually remain high relative to their peak in Canada just two weeks ago. So, I have to say that that dropping vaccine passports doesn't make sense to me. And similarly, talking about removing masking requirements feels very premature, you know, vaccination is decidedly our most powerful tool to control this pandemic. And I certainly understand the political interest in a transition from a government-imposed mandate to more of an individual decision to do these things. But just because for example, masks may no longer be required, this doesn't mean that everyone should go massless. It also doesn't mean that it's suddenly safe to do so. There's still a whole lot of SARS-CoV-2 out there. So, I think for people who are inclined to be safe, keep doing that. Now, is not the time to throw caution to the wind.
VAUSE: Yeah, the big demand for hearing from these protesters in Ottawa as well as their supporters around the world is what everybody wants, to return to normality. Yet the protesters are opposed to pretty much everything that will make that happen. Vaccination, vaccination mandates as well as mandates from mask. So, what sort of impact is that having? They're actually telling on prolonging the epidemic. UNGERLEIDER: Well, you know, John COVID-19, has been the most disruptive experience to daily life, certainly, in my lifetime. And I think every facet of our society has been impacted by all over the world. And vaccination is the way out of this pandemic. And these shots have been administered to over half of humanity at this point, they're extremely safe and effective. That's very clear. So, you know, the fact that people are protesting again, the thing that will, as you say, set them free to me, doesn't make sense. But what I do know is it's going to keep taking an ongoing global effort to make sure that we get more vaccines in arms. I think asking people to take a very simple step that also provides good protection to themselves, and their families and the rest of society is not only completely reasonable, but it's necessary and we need to press on and continue to find ways to get more shots into arms.
VAUSE: The White House medical adviser, Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, he was recently asked when local health authorities will take the lead in responding to the pandemic as opposed to the Biden administration. He told the Financial Times as we get out of the full-blown pandemic phase of COVID-19, which we are certainly heading out of these decisions will increasingly be made on a local level, rather than centrally decided or mandated. The World over countries are using pandemic restrictions. You mentioned Canada dropping the indoor mask mandate, we're now part of the pandemic defined more by what we can do as opposed to what we cannot do. But at the same time, we're hearing from the WHO, the head of WHO, saying, in some countries, high vaccine coverage combined with the lower severity of Omicron is driving a false narrative that the pandemic is over. At the same time, low vaccine coverage and low testing rates in other countries are creating the ideal conditions for new variants to emerge. So, can both these things be true at the same time?
UNGERLEIDER: It's the tough kind of nuance of this whole situation, right? I think starting with Dr. Fauci, you know, he said that he thinks we're getting out of the full-blown pandemic phase. Gosh, don't, I hope that's true. I don't know. In the same breath, though, he says, everything I'm saying is based on a big caveat. And that's that we all need to be prepared for the eventuality that we might get a completely different variants, one that breaks through all the protection that we've received from prior vaccination or infection, and that's possible. So, I do think that we need to continue to message that as physicians, as public health departments as governments. So, the message should be let's deal with what's in front of us today. Let's follow the science and make policy based on that. Let's act accordingly. But that does not mean that we won't need to ramp up our mitigation measures, reintroduce things like mandatory masking and others in the future if things change. I think that's really hard for most people, and we're all looking for certainty about when this pandemic is going to be over and when we can just forget about it all.
[01:29:46]
And we're just not there yet and actually we may never be completely and I think even though we are all just sort of over this virus it's not over us unfortunately. VAUSE: Yes. Be flexible, I guess, is the key to all of this at the
moment.
Dr. Ungerleider, good to see you. Thank you so much.
UNGERLEIDER: Thank you John.
VAUSE: The wife of Britain's Prince Charles, Camilla, has tested positive for COVID. A statement from (INAUDIBLE) house Monday offered few other details apart from the Duchess of Cornwall is now self- isolating. Charles tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time last week. But Charles and Camilla have been fully vaccinated including booster shots.
Still to come, the White House is monitoring the Russian military drills along Ukraine's border, as world leaders try to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Details, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Welcome back, everyone.
I'm Michael Holmes in Lviv in Ukraine, with more on our top story this hour.
Officials in the U.S. appear more alarmed than ever that Russia could attack Ukraine at any moment even as Moscow says, a diplomatic solution is still very much on the table.
On Monday, the U.S. announced it is closing its embassies in Kyiv, and moving remaining staff further west, to the city of Lviv, where I am, right now. It comes as American intelligence officials warn Russian forces, are quote, "clearly advancing their ability to invade."
Now, that is a sharp contrast, of course, to the scenes playing out in Moscow Monday, where the foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, told Russian President Vladimir Putin, that he still sees a diplomatic path forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIA FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): If we are ready to listen to some counter proposals, it seems to me that our possibilities are far from being exhausted.
Of course, this should not continue indefinitely, but at this stage, I would suggest that they be continued and increased.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is expected to arrive in Moscow in the coming hours, after meeting in with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday. Mr. Zelensky is still urging calm in the face of the threat, calling for a day of unity on Wednesday. The date some have warned Russia could attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINE PRESIDENT (through translator): We have been told that February 16th will be the day of the attack. But we will make it the day of unity. I have already signed a respective decree.
[01:34:56]
ZELENSKY: On this day, we will hang national flags, put on yellow and blue ribbons, to show our unity to the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And although President Zelensky says this is an attempt by Moscow to sow panic among Ukrainians, western leaders say that an attack could still come at any time.
CNN'S Phil Mattingly reports on the continued diplomatic efforts at the White House to resolve this crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Biden returned to the White House, faced with a world on edge.
JAKE SULLIVAN, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: We are in the window. And an invasion could begin, a major military action could begin, by Russia in Ukraine any day now. That includes this week before the end of the Olympics.
MATTINGLY: And a world awaits for Russian President Vladimir Putin's next move.
JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: It is entirely possible that he could move with little to no warning.
MATTINGLY: Biden's top advisors engaged in a flurry of calls and meetings. As the administration's national security team gathered at the White House.
But the world, engrossed in an urgent effort to find an elusive off ramp as massive Russian military drills continue in close proximity to Ukraine's border.
Biden spoke by phone with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson this afternoon, his national security adviser briefed top lawmakers about the current state of play.
SULLIVAN: We are preparing to work on diplomacy, but we are also prepared to respond in a united, and decisive with, with our allies, and 0partners, should Russia proceed.
MATTINGLY: Biden speaking to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on SUNDAY. Just one day, after an hour-long phone call with Putin. Though, officials said that there was no breakthrough, or shift in dynamics, as more than 100,000 Russian troops bring Ukraine's borders, with western leaders, closely monitoring every word, and statement.
CNN reporting Russian military reaction would center on airstrikes, targeting Ukrainian military installations. In a carefully scripted exchange between Putin and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov -- one potential signal.
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIA FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): If you're ready to listen to some counter proposals, it seems to me there are possibilities are far from being exhausted.
MATTINGLY: The statement coming after a top Ukrainian official, hinted that a push for NATO membership, a key Russian red line maybe negotiable.
ZELENSKY: What I'm saying here that we are flexible trying to find the best way out. If we help to go through some serious, I don't know, concessions. That is something we might do.
MATTINGLY: It's an idea quietly floated by U.S. officials who privately acknowledge there is no near term path for Ukraine's NATO membership. But it is also one Ukrainian officials quickly lose to walk back.
ZELENSKY: Yes, we would like to join NATO, and it will protect our integrity.
MATTINGLY: And while the explicit warnings, the urgent diplomacy have made clear just how real the U.S. views the threat, and potential for Russian invasion, perhaps nothing underscores that point more so than what they've done with the U.S. embassy in Kyiv.
Over the weekend, moved the vast majority of staff outside of that embassy, and on Monday evacuated it entirely. Now, they say it's only a temporary move but when asked why they made that decision, the State Department was very clear. They believed it was, quote, "a necessity because it was almost a certainty, or at least seemed very likely, the Russian forces would invade in the near term in Kyiv, would likely be one of the potential targets.
Phil Mattingly, CNN -- the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now with Russian troops surrounding Ukraine on three sides one other question, of course, remains. If Russia decides to invade, what would that look like? And where is it likely to happen?
CNN military analyst, and retired U.S. Army Major General James Spider Marks, shared his thoughts earlier.
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MAJ. GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, U.S. ARMY (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: If Russia invades, Kyiv is right here. I do not think that Putin is going to use these forces and invade Kyiv. If he were to create rubble, and try to control Kyiv, he doesn't want to do that. Because he would have to rebuild it. He doesn't have an economy that can accommodate that. and also, these forces here, would have to go through the Chernobyl exclusion zone, the world's worst nuclear disaster back in 1986.
I don't know that he wants to push those forces through that nightmare, if you will. But what I think is going to happen, is he could take forces that are located here, increases presence in the Donbas and then extend to Dnieper River down here. And then, he creates, he now connects Crimea with a land bridge to the rest of Russia. I think that is the objective that he is going after.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Retired Major General James Spider Marks there sharing his take on the situation.
I'm Michael Holmes in Lviv. Much more from Ukraine coming up in our next hour.
But for now, let's toss it back to John Vause in Atlanta, John.
[01:39:50]
VAUSE: Michael Holmes, thank you. We'll catch up with you in a moment.
In the meantime, for close to a decade, Turkey and the UAE have been on opposing sides of almost every regional conflict. Turkey accused the UAE of bankrolling a failed coup attempt on Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. But now clearly relations are on the mend.
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh reports President Erdogan met Monday with the Emirati Crown Prince, the two leaders signing more than a dozen agreements on trade, climate change, defense, and other issues.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived here in Abu Dhabi on Monday and he got a royal welcome from the country's de facto ruler, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
Now, just six months ago, this would have been unthinkable. These two countries have been rivals for the most part of the past decade -- ideological differences, divergent interests -- it pitted them against each other in conflicts and crises from the eastern Mediterranean to east Africa. And it played out so dangerously in Libya's proxy war, where they backed two different sides.
Now, we can't look at this reset in the relationship without looking at what has been going on in this region as a whole where major powers in this region seem to be recalibrating their foreign policies. That is driven by so many different factors, arguably this perception of U.S. disengagement in the region. Making these different powers in the Middle East reach out to foes and neighbors alike trying to mend ties and prioritizing their own interests.
At the heart of the shift in change really is the economy. And we have heard this both from the UAE and from Turkey last year. The UAE announcing this U-turn in its foreign policy saying that economic interests are going to be at the heart of its foreign policy.
And for Turkey, this is very much about the economy. President Erdogan has been talking about all these different agreements, that they're going to be signing with the UAE, the UAE investments that are going to be coming to Turkey.
On Monday Turkey saying that they have signed a dozen or so trade agreements with the UAE, ranging from security, defense to agriculture. For President Erdogan, he really needs to turn around his country's economy before the country goes to the polls next year. And he believes with the support, investment and money coming in from Gulf states, like the UAE, he is going to be able to deliver that.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN -- Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Neftali Bennett is now the first Israeli prime minister to make an official visit to Bahrain. He's scheduled to hold talks with the local Jewish community before meeting with Bahrain's crown prince and prime minister.
This latest sign of cooperation between Israel and the gulf states is due in part to mutual concerns over Iran. Earlier this month Israel and Bahrain agreed to formalize defense relations, Israel has stepped up cooperation with gulf states after the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired missiles at the UAE.
The normalization of relations between Israel and Gulf Arab stays has done little to end the decades of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. In East Jerusalem -- an extreme right wing Jewish lawmaker and dozens of his supporters have set up camp near the home of the Palestinian family under threat of forced eviction.
This provocative move set off hours of skirmishes between Jewish settlers, Palestinians, and security forces.
CNN's Andrew Carey picks up the story.
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ANDREW CAREY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE), a far right Jewish settler leader elected last year to the Knesset called it his parliamentary office. A trestle table, a tent, and some posters in front of the Salem family home in Sheikh Jarah in east Jerusalem. Loudspeakers blared music and Ben-Givr's young supporters danced and sang.
The lawmaker said he was here to protest police in action after a nearby Jewish Home was -- several days earlier.
Members of the family looked on. There. It's one of several Palestinian homes in the neighborhood, over which private Jewish groups are pursuing ownership claims through the Israeli court system. Advocacy groups say the 11 strong family which includes all the children have exhausted all legal avenues, and could face expulsion within weeks and put basic stock to within weeks.
Tensions like this don't dissipate readily, and so it proved with sporadic clashes throughout the day involving Israeli nationalists, Palestinians and the east. More than 30 Palestinians were injured according to the Palestine Med Crescent Society including a child hit a by a stung grenade.
Police say they made 19 arrests for public disorder offenses, two officers, one likely wounded, along with several Israelis police there.
[01:44:58]
CAREY: On several occasions, supporters of Ben-Gvir were caught on video shouting, "death to Arabs" and, Death to Terrorists.
Sheikh Jarah has become a lightning rod for the conflict in recent times. Palestinians, feel incensed over what they see, as clear attempts by Jewish nationalists to displace the families, by taking advantage of unfair restitution laws.
Weeks of unrest last spring were among several developments that led to an 11-day war over Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Many on all sides hope tensions here can be tamped down quickly, to avoid another serious escalation.
Andrew Carey, CNN -- Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Next up on CNN, an extreme winter drought has revealed a long lost village in Portugal. Just one example of how climate change is taking a toll on the Iberian Peninsula.
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VAUSE: The normally wet winter months in Spain and Portugal have given way to the second driest January in more than two decades. One of the region's worst droughts in years have seen water levels in many camps plummet.
And in one reservoir in Portugal, a long-(INAUDIBLE) one has been revealed 70 years after being submerged.
Meteorologist Tom Sater has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM SATER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: On the border of Spain and Portugal, a village swallowed by the Zaziri River (ph) in 1992 to make way for a reservoir has now emerged as a ghost.
Visitors walking on the muddy ground cracked by drought, found partially collapsed roofs, bricks, and wooden debris that once made up doors or beams. Over the years, onlookers were able to see the roofs peaking out of the water during drought season.
But the extreme drought this year has revealed the village in its entirety. The Iberian peninsula, home to Portugal and Spain is experiencing one of the driest winters on record, which is draining out reservoir, worrying farmers, and residents.
Official records show Spain received only a quarter of the precipitation it normally gets in January. And water reserves are now at less than half of their capacity.
RUBEN DEL CAMPO, SPANISH METEOROLOGY AGENCY: If, in these months, when it should be raining the most, it is not raining, then the reserves don't refill. Also, their capacity, their water quantity, will continue to drop. And that can be quite worrying for the future.
SATER: In neighboring Portugal, drone footage shows boats, docked along dry banks as river waters recede.
Earlier this month, Portugal ordered five of its hydropower dams to halt water use for electricity production, to save enough for peoples daily use.
Antonio Estevaio is one of the farmers who is struggling to feed his livestock. Many are worried their crops for the season will be ruined.
[01:49:46]
ANTONIO ESTEVAIO, CHEESE MAKER, BEEKEEPER: It is simple, there is no water, so the grass does not grow. I only water a very small plot there. But only once a week. Because the water sources have very little flow, and very weak.
Here in this whole area that is not water, nothing grows. Nothing grows and therefore, the animals eat little.
SATER: Parts of Spain and Portugal sit in a semi-arid zone, historically prone to draught. But an environmental specialist describes the severity of the recent dry spells as one of the most serious consequences of climate change.
Tom Sater, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Let's bring in our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri. And I seem to see, when you look at some of these images there, you can see the green fields. And everything looks fine, but it's what they call a green drought, because the grass is still green. It's just not growing.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You know, and it' s been occurring, of course, for many years across this region of Europe. And I just want to show you, John when it comes to -- it's kind of the broader perspective of the most extreme drought scenarios across Europe.
It is right there. I mean the Iberian Peninsula, off towards the south an d west where we have soil, and moisture deficits, rainfall deficits, and vegetation stress. As observed, and you'll notice if you kind of broaden the perspective, portions of Ireland, portions of the U.K., also experiencing a long term drought, and even parts of Scandinavia.
Dealing with the rainfall deficit that's been in place in a few areas of soil moisture deficit. But rainfall is a storm -- of course, it is the wet season. This is when you expect to see some of the heaviest rainfall, across some of these regions. And the south the west of Europe, some moisture events leading the United Stat es seven to 10 days in the next works and 10 days, and work your way towards North Central Europe, rainfall, also it's going to be persistent there, at least the next couple of weeks.
Now the Western United States, is an entirely different story. 95 percent of the western U.S. sins underneath drought conditions. Again, in the wettest time of year.
We've seen quite a bit of rainfall, and say the months of November into December, it has all turned off as we usher in January and February, rainfall deficits between say four and almost ten inches upwards of 250 millimeters of rainfall deficit in the wettest time of year.
If it doesn't happen in January and February, you're certainly not going to see much when it comes to say March, April and may across these areas.
But the latest study coming in from the "Journal Of Nature" climate change, showing exactly how things have played out. And the data suggests that since the year 2000, the driest 1,200-year period on record was observed. And what is fascinating, John, is the same data suggests that from 1980 to 1998, the wettest period of 1,000 years was observed.
If you're able to look at this data, and we know anthropogenic cause are kind of causing this dramatic shift within just a few decades where soil since the year 2000 has dropped off 42 plus percent.
They look at Tree Ring Data, which is an incredible accurate source of data because you can look through the reigns and see stress levels based on how far apart or how compact the tree rings are located and they can kind of backtrack just to hundreds of years, and thousands of years, and see the data across this landscape, John.
VAUSE: Doing quite a number on the planet, aren't we.
Pedram thank you. Pedram Javaheri there in the weather center.
Well, at just 15 years old, at the center of an Olympic doping scandal, Kamila Valieva about to return to competition after sparking worldwide outrage including a barrage of anger from former Olympian's. More on that story, when we come back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: More now on one of our lead stories.
A doping scandal involving a Russian 15-year-old figure skater. Athletes and officials are airing their grievances to say the least over the decision allow Kamila Valieva to continue at the Beijing Olympics.
Despite testing positive for banned substance, some say, her natural talent is too much to ignore. Here is one of her former coaches.
]01:54:57]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KSENIA IVANOVA, FIGURE SKATING COACH: She is, simply a prodigy and her abilities, her gifts, her work ethic. Well, she is a brilliant child and talent and hard work and ability. That is -- there is talent, plus hard work, plus ability, plus desire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Plus banned substances.
CNN's Selina Wang with more now on the doping scandal from inside the Beijing bubble.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From the Russian Olympic Committee ---
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A reprieve for a young Russian figure skater, under immense pressure. Kamila Valieva will be taking individual cold at these Olympics. Allowing that chance, despite her testing positive for a band drug.
MATTHIEU REEB: first t he athlete is under 16 and he's a protected person under the world anti doping anti-doping code. Preventing the athlete to compete at the Olympic games, would cause here irreparable harm.
WANG: The timeline here is crucial. Valieva took the tests on Christmas day, but it was only last week that the sample came back positive, for the drug.
Their teammates had already won gold here. The court of arbitration for sport said, Monday, that the minor has not had enough time to defend herself. So, the issue is kicked on down the road. Valieva will still compete while a full investigation is done.
The team could still be stripped of her medals in the coming months. In the meantime, the IOC says it would not be appropriate to award her any medals. All eyes are on Kamila Valieva here in Beijing. But she's only 15 years old.
So while a full investigation says it will investigate her entourage, the adult around her that may have pressured here into taking the banned substance.
A glimpse behind the glimmering surface into the murky world of Russian Sports which has been accused of state sponsored doping and extreme pressure on very young athletes.
Team USA, not holding back in a statement. "This appears to be another chapter in the systematic, and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia. The Russian figure skating federation president labeling the decision common sense and justice.
While the IOC condemned any use of performance enhancing drugs. How should clean do athletes feel about the decision that is made?
MARK ADAMS, IOC SPOKESMAN: The system, I'm afraid, is slow. Justice, I'm afraid, the wheels of justice do run slowly. We would like them to run faster, so there will be clarity for everybody involved, for all athletes.
WANG: Inescapable as the fact that clean athletes will line up Tuesday against a competition favorite, who tested positive once.
At an Olympics dogged by politics and China's rights record, this doping scandal changing the sport here as well.
Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us, the news continues with Rosemary Church here in Atlanta and Michael Holmes in Ukraine, after a very short break.
[01:57:46]
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