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Russian Foreign Minister: Still A Chance For Diplomacy; Ukraine's Zelensky Calls For Day Of Unity Wednesday; U.S. Closes Kyiv Embassy Amid Fear Of Russian Invasion; Bennett In Bahrain For First Official Visit By Israeli PM; Far-Right Israeli Lawmaker Opens Office In Sheikh Jarrah; Turkey's Stray Dogs At Risk In Government Round Up. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired February 15, 2022 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:00:38]
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello everyone. I'm Michael Holmes in Lviv in Ukraine where efforts to avoid a Russian invasion go on in earnest. Despite a Pentagon warning that an attack could happen at any moment, "with little to no warning."
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And I'm Rosemary church in Atlanta. In the coming hours, a 15-year-old Russian figure skater takes to the ice in Beijing, even though she tested positive for a banned substance. The fallout from this Olympic size doping scandal ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.
CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. Well, the U.S. is delivering some of its most urgent warnings yet that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time. But in Moscow, there's new hope for a diplomatic solution. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says there is a chance for dialogue with the West and the Kremlin spokesman claims Vladimir Putin has always been willing to negotiate. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is headed to Moscow after a stop in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling for a day of unity on Wednesday and says his country still wants to join NATO.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Look would you lamb was feeling the budget the Ukrainian Russian border is an unprecedented challenge to Europe and globally. That's why we aim to strengthen our defense capabilities, which is the guarantee of security in Europe. I always reiterated that without Ukraine, it is impossible to shape security in Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: U.S. officials tell CNN intelligence shows Russia is clearly advancing its ability to invade Ukraine. And one source says an attack on Ukraine sometime this week is more likely than not. The U.S. has temporarily closed its embassy in Kyiv, moving staff to Lviv in western Ukraine. It's also telling Americans to leave both Ukraine and Belarus immediately. And CNN's Michael Holmes is following all the latest developments for us live this hour from Lviv in Ukraine.
So, Michael, what have you got?
HOLMES: Yes, Rosemary. Yes. I think you could say that there is concern here among ordinary Ukrainians are concern but not panic. I mean, it's interesting. People are going about their everyday lives pretty much as normal. But of course, they're worried and why wouldn't they be given what's going on on their borders? I want to go to CNN's Fred Pleitgen live for us in Moscow.
And that's where the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to meet and arrive soon and meet with the Russian president. And Fred, I know you heard personally from the Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov and the messages diplomacy.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The message certainly is diplomacy. It's quite interesting because Dmitry Peskov told me that Vladimir Putin, the Russian president has always been interested in diplomacy and in a diplomatic solution. And one of the things that he said is actually something that Russian officials have been saying throughout all of this.
And that he said that Ukraine is one of the issues that Russia has and Ukraine, possibly in the future, becoming a member of NATO. But he also said that it wasn't the only issue. It was part of a broader problem that the Russians have with the current security architecture in Europe. Some of that obviously being NATO's posture. They say in some Eastern European countries. Of course, one of the demands that the Russians had made to the U.S. was for NATO troops to leave Eastern European nations, which is something that the U.S. for instance has flat out rejected.
But they did say and Dmitry Peskov said that, of course, Ukraine is one of the issues but not the only issues. The Russians also saying in the past that they believe that despite the fact that Ukraine is obviously nowhere near being a NATO member, they believe that it's slowly de facto being absorbed into NATO structures as they put it through exercises and also through weapons deliveries, as well.
And this came Michael, the spokesman speaking or messaging me came after -- there did seem to be a new light of hope for diplomacy as well from the Kremlin itself also, when you had to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sitting with Vladimir Putin.
[02:05:01]
PLEITGEN: And Vladimir Putin asked him, look, is there still a chance for negotiations and Lavrov told him that yes, he believe that negotiations are a possibility. And pointed also to the visit today of the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who is of course coming here. Germany has a key role in all this because of very close relations with Russia economic relations. And of course, also the big issue that we keep talking about, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Michael.
HOLMES: Yes, absolutely. Yes. Fred. Thanks for that. Fred Pleitgen in Moscow. Now joining me from Kyiv is Michael Bociurkiw. He's a global affairs analyst, and also a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Good to see you, Michael. The U.S. and U.K. withdrawing their nationals from the OSC missions. Now, I want to ask you about that Because you were the spokesman for that organization. What will be the impact of that on what is an important mission?
MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Good to be with you, Michael. Yes, I couldn't have come at a worse time. Remember, as you and I have spoken many times, the OSC special monitoring mission to Ukraine is the only eyes and ears of the international community on the ground, especially in the occupied territories. And between the U.K. and the U.S., they have 100 monitors out of a total of about 600.
Pulling them out as a blow, a huge blow to the ability of the mission to perform their mandate. Remember, they not only observe what is happening in the on the ground in terms of ceasefire violations, in terms of movement of heavy weaponry, but they also facilitate the repair of critical infrastructure along that long contact line. So, one more thing, Michael, on that one, a lot of U.K. and U.S. members are actually heads up teams.
They play key roles in the mission. So again, it -- it's not good for the survival of the mission for this to happen.
HOLMES: Yes, yes. I'm curious. We're hearing a lot about diplomacy, is in your view, it -- dead as suggested -- not dead, but on life support. Or what else can the international community do to deter Putin further to what's already being threatened?
BOCIURKIW: Yes. I think your colleagues point about, you know, the back and forth between Putin and Lavrov yesterday was interesting, and gave us some hope. But there's a lot more that the international community can do. Look, the Ukrainian government here, a few blocks away from me, they're arguing that those biting sanctions of which the West talks about need to be implemented now or at least part of them.
So, what I'm saying -- I mean, for example, they could really make that bite happen by cutting off Russian gas exports completely. The West can find that somewhere else. Immediately, immediately freezing the property bought with dirty money by members of Putin's inner circle, and places like London, French Riviera, Miami, Vancouver, Toronto. Another thing they could do is suspend landing rights for Aeroflot.
Michael, why do I mention that one is because Ukrainian airlines and Ryanair and others have been told, if you fly your aircraft into Ukraine and airspace, we may not cover you insurance wise by leasing companies. So, without firing a shot, Putin is already wreaking havoc with Ukraine's travel industry, aviation industry. So, there needs to be some reciprocity here, if we can put it that way because it's really taking a big tumbling effect on the Ukrainian economy right now.
HOLMES: Yes. President Zelensky subsidizing insurance payments for a lot of those airlines for that very reason. It's going to be too expensive for them to fly. President Zelensky also, he made it clear that he still wants to be in NATO, Ukraine in NATO. Now that clearly won't, and in fact, can't happen for a variety of reasons. Some of them are pretty complex. But why wouldn't Russia be worried about a NATO member on the border, especially considering Russia's view that, you know, Ukraine is part of the broader Russian family if you like?
BOCIURKIW: Yes. Well, Michael, Mr. Putin has always thought of Ukraine as his sphere of influence. He wants it firmly in his grasp. On the NATO membership, as you know, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.K., Mr. Prystaiko, who's a former foreign minister and very respected here, actually floated the idea of Ukraine at least temporarily suspending its NATO membership.
I don't think that was an off the cuff statement. Should that happen? Should that happen? I think you will see people on the streets here. It's a death knell for any Ukrainian president, as would be granting, for example, more autonomy to the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine. So, we're all kind of in a bit of a state of confusion here but there is growing concern here, Washington, elsewhere among diaspora community, that a kind of solution to this escalation may be imposed on Ukraine by the West and that will not go over well here on the streets.
[02:10:05]
HOLMES: Yes. Yes. And speaking of the streets, I mean, you're back in the country, you've spent an awful lot of time here. How do you feel ordinary Ukrainians are coping? You know, and when it comes -- also when it comes to the performance of President Zelensky himself, what is your assessment of the, you know, T.V. comedian turn potential wartime president?
BOCIURKIW: Sure. Yes. Well, I wrote a big CNN on that topic. Well, first of all, my client was doing reconnaissance last night, and the restaurants and bars here are full. They were full of Valentine's dates, you know, enjoying themselves. So, live here is really in a state of normalcy, if I can put it that way. Very little chaos, if ever, but a lot of people, a lot of my Ukrainian friends are asking where is Mr. Zelensky?
He seems to be a little bit of out of the picture at the moment. Of course, he's a very busy wartime president, but they really expect to hear from him more about what they should do. More encouragement from him. But today, he declared a day of unity. No one quite knows what that -- what that's going to mean. But it is thought here among many Ukrainians that he should be much more proactive in terms of giving people guidance, what to do.
Quickly, Michael, a lot of people have been taking the initiative by themselves, maybe going to the countryside. Those who can afford it or working from home remotely, but for the most people, most people they're staying right here. HOLMES: Yes. Michael Bociurkiw, appreciate the analysis. Good to see you. Thanks.
BOCIURKIW: Pleasure.
HOLMES: And I will be back with much more from Lviv at the bottom of the hour. But first, I want to throw it back to Rosemary Church at the CNN Center with a look at the day's other news. Rosie?
CHURCH: Thanks for that, Michael. Just a few hours left until controversial Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is set to compete in the women's singles skating short program at the Beijing Olympics. The 15-year-old skater was cleared to compete after testing positive for a banned substance in December. Investigations are still underway to determine whether Valieva can keep her first gold medal or any others she may earn at the Winter Games.
The IOC is also looking into Russian coaches and officials who may have pressured her to take the drug.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENIS OSWALD, HEAD OF IOC DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION: Yes, of course, it's clearly a wish and a decision of the -- 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 15 would not do something wrong alone. So yes, the entourage will be investigated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The situation has sparked fierce debate and reactions from athletes and officials in the Olympic community. But some say Valieva natural talent is too much to ignore. Here's one of her former coaches.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KSENIA IVANOVA, FORMER SKATING COACH TO KAMILA VALIEVA (through translator): She is simply a prodigy in her abilities, her gifts, her work ethic. Well, she's 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)
CHURCH: CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is live in Hong Kong with more on the doping scandal. But first let's bring in World Sports' Patrick Snell for the latest on the Winter Games. Patrick, this doping scandal has of course overshadowed so much of what's been happening at the games but let's leave it for a moment and take a look at all the highlights of the day. What's been going on?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, thank you, Rosie. Yes, plenty going on as we count down to Valieva's appearance, expected appearance later on today. You know, one of the breakout stars at these games has been the American-born teenage freeski sensation Eileen Gu who chose to compete for China. Now, the 18-year-old winning gold in the big air event. Her fans temporarily crushing China's leading social media platform in the aftermath of that victory.
But on this day on this Tuesday, that teenager from California, she needed a performance for the ages. This was in a final run in the slopestyle competition. Ultimately, though, she gave me the best effort falling just short though in her quest for what would have been a second straight gold medal. She got really close I'll have to say a score of 86.23 would result in a silver medal for Gu. Pretty impressive achievement nonetheless.
The goal though go underway of the Swiss competitor Mathilde Gremaud. A really special moment for the 22-year-old (INAUDIBLE) outstanding talents at these games after her silver medal, and that was four years ago in South Korea. To that, she adds the gold. She also won a bronze earlier at these Beijing Games.
Now another Swiss, Corinne Suter winning gold in the women's downhill today. The 27-year-old's first Olympic gold medal.
[02:15:01]
SNELL: Disappointment though for the Italian competitor Sofia Goggia, misses out on becoming the second woman to win back-to-back Olympic goals in this event and she takes silver and just to reset for our viewers worldwide on this day. Still to come hours away now as the global spotlight fully focuses on the 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva who's failed drug test controversy, no question about this.
Continuing to overshadow Beijing's winter games. Later on today, the teenager expected to skate after being controversially cleared to compete despite testing positive for the banned substance. It was on Christmas Day in fact, late last year. She is the favorite as well in the short program. But we already know even if she does finish on the podium, the IOC, that's the International Olympic Committee already saying there'll be no medal ceremony until her case is fully concluded.
And that could, you know, conceivably take some time to come moving forward. Fair to say so much scrutiny, so many eyes will be on her to see how she handles it all, how she handles the pressure, how she performs given everything that's been happening in the last few days. How will she react? How will the other competitors alongside her react? How will the limited fans in attendance react?
So many unanswered questions. One thing's for certain this saga is far from over. And we're watching it every step of the way. Back to you, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Certainly, Patrick, thanks for that. Kristie, so let's get back to that doping scandal and reaction of course from other athletes and the rest of the world to the controversial decision to allow Valieva to continue competing just by testing positive for a banned substance. What's been said?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There is widespread anger and outrage after Valieva was clear to compete. And she is widely seem to be the favorite in the women's single event that's due to begin in Beijing in just a few hours from now. And if she wins, there will be no award ceremony which would be a huge disappointment for all the athletes involved. And interestingly, we learned that the IOC, the International Olympic Committee has requested a 25th competitor to take part in the free skating portion of the competition on Thursday.
But the bottom line here is she is cleared to compete and that has prompted a host of very angry responses from former Olympians. Let's bring up a few of these angry responses from Tara Lipinski. The American figure skater. She was the Olympic Women's Champion in 1998. She wrote this, "I strongly disagree with this decision. At the end of the day, there was a positive test, there's no question in my mind that she should not be allowed to compete."
And then we have this from Kim Yuna of South Korea who shared this on Instagram. She of course, was the Olympic Women's Champion and figure skating in 2010. She says, "Athletes who violate doping cannot compete in the game. This principle must be observed without exception. All players' efforts and dreams are equally precious."
And then you have this from the American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson who missed out on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after she tested positive for cannabis. And she raises a really important question. She asked this. "Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mine?" Now of course, it was a Monday when the Court of Arbitration for Sport or CAS ruled that Valieva was cleared to compete.
They cited two reasons why this -- it was because of her age. She's 15 years old. She's a minor. Also questions surrounding the process of how that drug test took place. Valieva has now turned into the center in the face of the Russian doping scandal. But before that, she had been the breakout star, the Russian figure skating sensation of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games known for athletic prowess.
And for doing that incredible accomplishment that the world witnessed that -- to become the first woman to land this quadruple jumps during Olympic competition. She is so young, so talented, all of that being eclipsed by the scandal, and that's prompted additional angry responses directed not necessarily at her, but Russia and its enablers. We have this new statement from global athlete. This came out on Monday.
And they were this. "Today is another example of 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 your system is evidence of abuse of a minor. Sport should be protecting its athletes, not damaging them." Rosemary, should add the Valieva is one of the youngest Olympians ever to test positive for a banned substance.
She is due to hit the ice to compete about 9:52 p.m. Beijing time. That's roughly six hours from now. Back to you.
CHURCH: Yes. A lot of attention on this story. Patrick Snell, Kristie Lu Stout, many thanks to both of you. Appreciate it. Well, next here on CNN NEWSROOM. Canada's Prime Minister invokes a decade's old law never used before to put an end to the freedom convoy protests.
And the stray dogs known for roaming the streets of Turkey now face a government roundup. How one filmmaker and others are coming to the rescue.
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[02:21:58]
CHURCH: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued his most aggressive response yet to the so-called Freedom convoy protests, invoking the government's emergencies act for the first time ever to try to end more than two weeks of blockades and demonstrations. The law passed in 1988 can temporarily suspend people's freedom of movement or assembly and allows authorities to go after those who financially support the protests.
Here's more from the Prime Minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting people's jobs and restoring confidence in our institutions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: CNN's Paula Newton is in Ottawa speaking to Canadians on both sides of this divisive issue.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 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.
TRUDEAU: 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 invoked 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. Did you to talk to real people?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- everything. He's awesome. He's from Alberta or whatever.
TRANTER: Yes, sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're destroying that's Canada, but --
TRANTER: (INAUDIBLE) someone's lost a job, talk to someone who's lost their business. And we'll give you a clearer perspective on what's going on here. We don't want to be in Ottawa.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't want to be in your --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll the 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 -- 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 WOZINICA, 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 (on camera): And so, Trudeau is saying enough. Now, while 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 and already tense situation. Paula Newton, CNN, Ottawa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:25:02]
CHURCH: Stephanie Carvin is an Associate Professor of International Affairs at Carleton University. She joins me now from Toronto. Great to have you with us.
STEPHANIE CARVIN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, CARLETON UNIVERSITY: Hey, thanks for having me on.
CHURCH: So, Canada's Prime Minister Trudeau has invoked rare emergency powers in an effort to break up the anti-vaccine trucker protests that have paralyzed Ottawa and of course, clogged border crossings. What all of these powers allow the government to do and why wasn't this done earlier before these protests inspired others across the globe?
CARVIN: Well, these powers aren't just rare, they've actually never been used before. This was legislation that was introduced in 1988 to really kind of update Canada's emergency law. And it was thought that perhaps early on in the pandemic, the federal government might have to use it in order to deal with some measures. That was dealt with at more of a local level. So, this really is a very powerful tool.
And I think the government was concerned about using it just from a civil liberties perspective. So, it allows the government to do a number of things, it basically is going to provide more resources to law enforcement, it can actually direct companies like tow truck companies who've been reluctant to get involved in these convoys, to actually assist law enforcement in removing vehicles.
But the real powers that are coming with this are financial. It's going after some of the crowdfunding sites and basically making them register with the Canadian government to prevent money laundering. It also is going to potentially seize the assets, the bank accounts of people who are involved in these protests, and it could cancel their driver's license and insurance.
So, you know, these are some pretty sweeping powers. They're temporary measures, but they could have a serious impact on the lives of those who are, you know, camped out in Ottawa as we speak.
CHURCH: Yes, of course. I mean, that is extensive, isn't it? Because just a few people have been arrested so far. And guns, body armor, and a large quantity of ammunition have been seized at a border blockade in Western Canada. So, there is some movement, but it has appeared very slow. So, when will normalcy likely returned to the U.S.-Canada border crossing, where protesters have blocked the supply chain for U.S. automakers and a whole lot of others?
CARVIN: That's still unknown. I mean, we have seen governments introduce legislation and, you know, use the Emergency Powers Act more at the local level in order to try and deal with these protests. But so far, the problem hasn't been one of law, it's been one of enforcement. So, I think what's kind of interesting here is that, you know, the attempt, I think, is kind of an Al Capone approach, in the sense that, you know, with Al Capone, you didn't go after him for, you know, bootlegging or for murder or anything like that, they went after him on taxes.
So, we think what they're trying to do is to actually put a financial squeeze on people to try and get them to leave and basically impact their livelihoods. Rather than a kind of a big confrontation and series of arrest. We saw some success this weekend at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, which is responsible for a significant amount of trade between Canada and the United States.
It did, you know, the police went up to protesters, explains the severity of the charges that they could be facing. And many of them chose to leave instead of actually facing those charges.
CHURCH: And of course, these protesters' grievances stemmed from Canada's new mandate that requires truck drivers to either be fully vaccinated or face a two-week quarantine if they want to cross the border. Now, that only impacts about 10 percent of truck drivers because the rest are fully vaccinated. So how much support do these protesters actually have across the Canadian population?
And how much of this is about far-right political groups pushing their anti-vaccine message?
CARVIN: Right. I think it's important to remember that at the core of this protest, you know, it was never really about mandates in the first place. It's always been about a small group of people who call for convoy, who hold very anti-government views and as well as kind of a racist white supremacist views, conspiratorial worldviews. They were able to frame their grievances around basically, the issue of mandates and public health regulations have been put in place now for two years.
And that really took off because a lot of people are tired. But as this convoy goes on, the tactics being employed are less and less popular.
CHURCH: Yes, indeed. And Facebook has revealed that fake overseas accounts are fueling these trucker protests. And we're also learning that online activity in the U.S. is indicating that March 5th could prove to be a big day for protesters pushing the anti-vaccine message and whatever the other grievances are. What more are you learning about that?
CARVIN: So, it doesn't surprise me that much that we have seen these Facebook accounts, you know, whenever there's a popular social media issue that's divisive, that really gets people riled up.
[02:30:00]
You do see a number of these pages that form, that are, you know, basically there to kind of grift, to find ways to make money selling ads and things like this. So that doesn't surprise me.
It does, however, surprise me to the extent to which this has caught on internationally. I mean, and I think that international enthusiasm, whether in the form of donations, whether in the form of social media support has really given energy in moral comfort, I think, to this movement in particular that, you know, for, you know, Canada, let's face it, it's a little bit of a boring country. And I think these individuals in the convoy can see themselves at the forefront of a new kind of tactic to oppose government mandates or to perhaps express their anti government views.
So yes, I think the international dimension here is really interesting. It could actually potentially reshape certain aspects of Canada-US relations, particularly as it involves the funding of political movements as opposed to political parties in Canada.
CHURCH: We'll continue to watch the direction of all of this. Stephanie Calvin, many thanks for analysis. Appreciate it.
CARVIN: Thanks for having me on.
CHURCH: And still ahead, Russia says a diplomatic solution to the standoff with Ukraine is still possible even as tens of thousands of Russian troops remain masked along the border.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Welcome back, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes in Lviv in Ukraine with more on our top story this hour. Now, Moscow signals it is open to diplomacy even as tens of thousands of Russian troops remain masked along Ukraine's borders. New satellite images also show at least 60 Russian helicopters have arrived in Russian-held Crimea just in the last few days.
Now, a Kremlin spokesperson is telling CNN, Monday, that the Russian President Vladimir Putin is quite willing to negotiate, adding that Ukraine is just one part of Russia's security concerns. And yet, US intelligence officials still warning Russian forces are "clearly advancing their ability to invade."
On Monday, the US announced it is closing its embassy in Kyiv and moving remaining staff further west to Lviv where we are broadcasting from at the moment. Now, the diplomatic push continues. However, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will arrive in Moscow soon. And that's after meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
[02:35:03]
Mr. Scholz says questions over Ukraine joining NATO and not on the agenda, though Ukraine's ambitions remain the same.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translation): Regarding the future alliance, 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: OK. More now from CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance in Kyiv.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A first strike on Ukraine may start with a barrage of air and missile attacks. But according to US officials, it's grand troops like these, Russian Marines, no training in neighboring Belarus, that they eventually move across the Ukrainian frontier. These tensions mount these latest images released by the Russian Defense Ministry, a further jangling nerves. We may have the capability but in Moscow, a decision to attack does not yet appear to have been made. In fact, this carefully choreographed scene on Russian state television looks designed to show that diplomacy remains very much on the table, a very long table.
Is there a chance to reach agreement with our partners, President Putin asks his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, or is it just an attempt to drag us into endless negotiations. I must say there's always a chance, Lavrov response. It seems to me that's possibilities are far from exhausted. They should not be carrying on indefinitely. But at this stage, I would suggest they be continued and increase, he adds. It is an important sign. The Kremlin may still see negotiations bearing fruit.
Others haven't given up either. On Ukrainian capital, Germany's new chancellor was greeted warmly by the embattled Ukrainian leader, despite bitter disappointment that Germany hasn't done more to deter Russia. And amid the urgent and dire US assessments of a Russian attack, perhaps in days, the Ukrainian President remains determined to keep his country calm, even declaring, with irony, a national celebration when Russian forces are set to be rolling in.
ZELENSKY (through translation): We are told that February 16th will be the day of the attack. We will make it the day of unity. The relevant decree has already been signed. On this day, we will hoist national flags, put on blue and yellow ribbons and show the world our unity.
CHANCE: But Ukraine is also desperate to show the strength of its defenses, now conducting its own military drills and releasing dramatic videos like this one, sector music faced with an overwhelming Russian threat. Ukraine seems at once at ease and bracing for an attack.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, earlier I spoke with CNN's European Affairs commentator Dominic Thomas about what Mr. Putin's endgame might be, a broader regional security plan beyond just blocking NATO's Eastern encroachment, or is it something even bigger than that?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN'S EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: There's no doubt about it that that whole question of the geopolitics of the region, and in fact of global politics and integrator concern, needs to go through a process of recalibration. Certainly during the era of President Trump, we move towards a kind of breakdown of the multilateral order and towards the rise of kind of protectionist and nationalist examples.
And now, we've -- the things are changing. Putin is clearly concerned about the kind of geopolitics of the region, but there is also an inconsistency there. Many of the countries that used to be under the former Soviet sphere of influence are now EU members, many of them are NATO members, and the whole question of the red line around Ukraine joining NATO points to this inconsistency. The big question I would ask is, why on earth would Ukraine not want to join at this particular moment.
In 2014, Russia was a member of the Group of 8. They were suspended because they went into Crimea, because they've been supporting an insurgency on the east end of Ukraine, in the Donbass Region, and because of military buildup on their borders. So, of course, the insecurity is there. But the question one would ask is, what about the next step, what about when Ukraine returns to the negotiating table to join the European Union? Will that be another red line?
And so, I think that the way out of this is going to be through a recalibration, a sit down and a resetting of these former Cold War relationships, perhaps Cold War plus we might call it, relocating and re-situating all of these countries in a new order that is acceptable to all of them that protects democratic territorial integrity, while at the same time raising the security standards of these respective countries in the region.
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HOLMES: 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 Rosemary in Atlanta. Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right. Thanks so much, Michael. We'll see you at the top of the hour. Appreciate that.
Well, for the first time ever, an Israeli prime minister is on a state visit to Bahrain. Details on what's on the table for discussion between the leaders of the two countries, that is coming up next.
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CHURCH: For the first time ever, Bahrain is hosting an Israeli prime minister for an official visit. Naftali Bennett is scheduled to meet with Bahrain's Crowned Prince and Prime Minister in the coming hours. Israel has increased cooperation with the Gulf States amid shared concerns over Iran. And CNN's Hadas Gold is tracking the visit live from Bahrain's capital, Manama.
So, Hadas, how significant is this tripping what's expected to come out of the Israeli Prime Minister's state visit to Bahrain?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, I think most Israelis wouldn't have imagined just a few years ago that Israeli prime minister would be welcome to the capital of Bahrain with a full honor guard, with the Israeli flag flying alongside the Bahraini flag. But that's what's been happening now. This is the first visit by an Israeli prime minister since the two countries signed those normalization agreements in 2020.
It's a short trip, just about 24 hours long. And in just a few hours, he will meet with the Crowned Prince and Prime Minister, as well as with the king of Bahrain. But top find in these meetings will likely be Iran just 200 kilometers away from where we are standing, a shared security concern between the two countries.
Now, although Bahrain is small, it is a significant player. It hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, and soon will also host an Israeli military officer. This will be the first time that an Arab country will have an Israeli military officer posted.
Now, earlier this month, the Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz was here as well for his first visit, and he formalized security agreements between the two countries that paved the way for increased cooperation between their two militaries. But most importantly, could pave the way forward for Bahrain to potentially at one point purchase Israeli air defense systems like their Iron Dome, Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right. Hadas Gold reporting live for us there. Many things.
Well meantime, tension spilled over when a far right Israeli lawmakers set up a makeshift office in Jerusalem Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. CNN's Andrew Carey picks up the story.
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ANDREW CAREY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far right Jewish settler leader in that did last year to the Knesset called it his parliamentary office. A trestle table, a tent and some posters pitched in front of the Salem family home in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem.
Loudspeakers blared music and Ben-Gvir's young supporters danced and sang. The lawmaker said he was here to protest police inaction after a nearby Jewish home was set alight several days earlier. Members of the Salem family looked on.
Theirs is 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 11th strong family which includes four children have exhausted all legal avenues and could face expulsion within weeks. Tensions like this don't dissipate readily, and so it proved, with sporadic clashes throughout the day, involving Israeli nationalists, Palestinians and police.
More than 30 Palestinians were injured according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, including a child hit by a stun grenade. Police say they made 19 arrests for public disorder offenses, two officers were likely wounded along with several Israelis police. On several occasions, supporters of Ben-Gvir what caught on video shouting death to Arabs and death to terrorists.
Sheikh Jarrah 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. Weeks of unrest last spring were amongst several developments that led to an 11 day war over Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Many on all sides will hope tensions here can be tamped down quickly to avoid another serious escalation. Andrew Carey, CNN, Jerusalem.
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CHURCH: Turkey's president has traveled to Abu Dhabi for his first official visit to the UAE in nearly a decade. Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the Crowned Prince on Monday as the two countries looked to boost relations and economic cooperation. Turkish state media reports the two sides several agreements. After years of strained relations, the two countries are working to improve their relationship. Erdogan's last visit to the UAE was in 2013.
The United States says it's suspending avocado imports from Mexico. This after the US Department of Agriculture says one of its officers was threatened by phone during an inspection. This happened in an area that has been a hotbed for drug cartel violence. The USDA says the suspension will last as long as it takes to ensure the safety of its personnel. Mexico's president is slamming the decision.
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ANDREWS MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, PRESIDENT OF MEXICO (through translation): There are also many economic and political interests, there is competition. They do not want the Mexican avocado to enter the United States, or to prevail because of its quality.
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CHURCH: Even if the disruption to the supply chain is short, it could lead to higher avocado prices for Americans who are already seeing high inflation.
Still to come this hour, Turkey embraced its stray animals for years with many considering them part of the community. But now stray dogs are being rounded up and left to die. One filmmaker and others came to the rescue, that's next.
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CHURCH: Stray dogs are a common sight in Turkish cities. For many, the canines are beloved four legged members of the community. But late last year, the Turkish president asked city leaders to round up stray dogs for a child was bitten in one incident. Now, it's not clear whether that dog attack actually involved strays, but since then some places have begun capturing and removing the strays.
And I do want to warn you, the images you're about to see will be disturbing to some viewers. The biting incident set off a culture war with many dogs being captured, terrorized, left to die, even killed. And filmmaker, Elizabeth Lo, documented some of Turkey stray dogs surviving if not thriving on the streets of Istanbul just a few years ago. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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CHURCH: Now since the government crackdown low return to Istanbul to find and rescue one of the stars of her film. This charming pup Zeytin. Elizabeth Lowe joins me now live from Los Angeles. Thank you so much for being with us.
ELIZABETH LO, DIRECTOR, "STRAY": Thanks for having me.
CHURCH: So your film, and it is just glorious, tells the story of life for stray dogs in Turkey under a no kill no capture mandate that existed before President Erdogan's Christmas Day speech. So what is happening to these dogs right now?
LO: When President Erdogan ordered all cities to round up their stray dogs despite this being against Turkish law, countless dogs were taken and disappeared across the whole country. But there was a big public backlash against it. And according to Haytap Animal Rights Federation in Turkey, the rounding up of dogs has been paused for now but we don't know how long this will last.
CHURCH: Right. And in 2020, you released your film "Stray." We just saw a little portion of that, and a main character emerged in your film named Zeytin. His life continued until Erdogan's mandate. But you became so worried about him, didn't you? Did you went back to find him? How difficult was it to track him down and take him back home with you?
LO: I -- when I heard the news that President Erdogan had announced that he wanted to round up all stray dogs and realized that Zeytin's life, who was the star of my film "Stray" was under threat, that she could be languishing in a shelter or worse, even killed. I decided to take a flight to Istanbul because I felt I owed it to her, to try to find her.
And in the first week, we were unable to find her because it's a gigantic city. But thankfully, one day, on our very last day of searching for her, we stumbled across her, lying asleep in a cafe as she always did. And I decided rather than leave her on the streets to live her life, as she always did, because Istanbul has been a very hospitable place for stray animals, it's a bittersweet ending that I felt it would be more responsible to adopt her to a family outside Istanbul. A farmhouse by the name of Merk Acacho (ph) takes in many former street dogs. And so that she can age gracefully and have a good, have a safe future rather than be at risk right now as most stray dogs in Turkey are.
CHURCH: That is a delightful story. I'm so happy that you found her and found her a happy home. But, of course, so many other strays that's not how it's ending, unfortunately, for them. Talk to us about the outcome there and what can be done to help all the other stray dogs.
LO: I think it's up to the Turkish public to stay vigilant and to be vocal about their opposition to stray dogs being rounded up. From what I observed in my time there making this film, there's a deep love across all classes of society for these stray animals. They're fed communally and cared for and protected. And I hope that Turkish people take pride in their laws that protect the freedoms and lives of stray animals in a way that's much more progressive than most of the Western world.
[02:55:08]
And I hope they can continue to uphold these laws that they fought for and were implemented in 2004.
CHURCH: So how have the people in Turkey been reacting to this?
LO: There was a huge backlash against the rounding up of the stray dogs. And according to the animal rights activists I spoke to, because of this backlash, the president retracted that he had ever made given this order. But a lot of experts told me that the government seems to be very against these stray animals and that their days are numbered, whether it's months or years. But I hope that's not the case because, culturally, Turkey and Istanbul has always been such a welcoming home to stray animals unlike anywhere else in the world.
CHURCH: Well, it is an extraordinary film that you have put together there. And, of course, it's also shining a spotlight on what is happening now in Turkey. So thank you so much for talking with us. And hopefully, there'll be some more happy endings for some of these stray dogs. Appreciated, Elizabeth Lo.
LO: I hope so too.
CHURCH: Well finally this hour, in a battle between a tortoise and the king of the jungle, score one for the reptile. Forestry officials in Western India say not one but three lions tried and failed to eat this small tortoise. One big cat roll the tortoise over beat it with its paw and bit it, while the other two lions tried unsuccessfully to open the shell. But after several attempts, the triumphant tortoise returned to the water. Well done.
Thank you so much for joining us, I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be right back with more news from all around the world after this short break. Do stay with us. You're watching CNN.
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HOLMES: Hello, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes in Lviv, Ukraine where efforts to avoid a Russian invasion go on in earnest, despite the Pentagon warning that an attack could happen at any moment "with little to no warning."
CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church here in Atlanta. In the coming hours, a 15-year-old Russian figure skater takes to the ice in Beijing even though she tested positive for a banned substance. The fallout from this Olympic size doping scandal ahead on CNN.
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