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January 6 Committee Issues Subpoenas for Trump Attorney Cleta Mitchell, Others Involved in Attempt to Overturn Election; Diplomats Walk Out in Support of Ukraine as Russian Foreign Minister Addresses U.N.; Ukraine Asks to Urgently Join the European Union; Biden to Give State of the Union Address as War Rages in Ukraine; U.S. Oil Closes Above $100 a Barrel for First Time Since 2014. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired March 01, 2022 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OLENA GNES, UKRAINIAN CIVILIAN IN KYIV BOMB SHELTER: So today we have about 100 people in this bomb shelter. And you call it the bomb shelter, but in fact, most of the places where people hide, they are not really bomb shelters, they just the basements of the building. So, they're not very well prepared for any kind of bomb shelling.
So, if the missile hits directly this building it will not stand. And it will be a trap. But at least it will protect from some tiny explosions. If there is a safe place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR ANDERSON COOPER 360: While she was speaking, she was nursing her 3-month-old child. Her two other kids were in another room and she'd gone out in the hallway to speak to us so she didn't wake them and the others who were sheltering in there.
You know, Victor and Alisyn, when Ukrainian soldiers, the official greeting among Ukrainian soldiers is they say glory to Ukraine and the response is glory to the heroes. And listing to a woman like Olena who is taking care of her three kids in the worst of circumstances, you have to put her and so many of the mothers here in the pantheon of the heroes who deserve glory and are showing glory.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Yes, these stories are just incredible. And I take her point, that bomb shelter sounds as though --
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: That you're safe. CAMEROTA: -- you're in some sort of fortified -- you're safe -- you're in a fortified structure. It's your basement. Anderson, thank you very much. We'll be back with you very shortly.
So, there's this incredible split screen moment today. On the left is the European Union Parliament giving a standing ovation to you Ukrainian President Zelensky.
BLACKWELL: On the right, diplomats stage a walkout before an address from Russian's foreign minister. We're going to discuss all of this, next.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: We've got some breaking news on the Capitol insurrection investigation. The January 6 Select Committee is issuing another round of subpoenas. The biggest name this time around is probably Trump attorney, Cleta Mitchell.
CAMEROTA: CNN's Ryan Nobles is covering these developments for us. Ryan, what have you learned?
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Victor I'd agree with you. Cleta Mitchell no doubt the biggest name on this list of six individuals that have been subpoenaed by the January 6th Select Committee. And what these six individuals all have in common is that they played some role in attempting to push some sort of scheme or questionable legal theory that would either lead to the delay or the outright desertification of the 2020 election result.
Mitchell of course the most prominent in this group. She was a conservative lawyer that worked directly with the Trump campaign. She was actually on that phone call with the former president when he tried to pressure the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to go find enough votes to allow Trump to be declared the victor in Georgia.
But Cleta Mitchell is not the only name on the list. Kenneth Chesebro, also another conservative lawyer who pushed questionable legal theories about seizing election machines in different parts of the state. Katherine Friess, Kurt Olsen, Philip Kline and Christina Bobb. Olsen and Klein are both interesting names. These are two individuals that the committee say were in contact with the former president on January 6th.
In fact, Kline in particular was part of a phone call that President Trump participated in with 300 different legislators that led to a letter that many of them sent to Vice President Pence encouraging him to stand in the way of the certification of the election results. So, what this shows us, Victor and Alisyn, is the committee really honing in on the efforts to try to get in the way of election being certified.
CAMEROTA: OK, Ryan Nobles, thank you for the breaking news. CAMEROTA: Ambassadors and diplomats walked out of a session of the
United Nations Human Rights Council when Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov began to speak. They left to show support for Ukraine as Russia continues its attack on that country.
Joining me now is the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and current William Peary Research fellow at Stanford University, Steven Pifer. He spent more than 25 years with the State Department focus on U.S. relations with the former Soviet Union and Europe, as well as arms- control and security issues. Ambassador Pifer, welcome back.
Let me start here with the reporting from Russian state television that the second round of talks between Russians and Ukrainians that's going to happen tomorrow. The expectation that there will be some cease-fire brokered that is very low. But do you see there's a possibility for any progress, anything can come out of this meeting?
STEVEN PIFER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: Well first of all, I think it's good that there are discussions going on. But what I'm concerned about is when you look at the Russian position, Vladimir Putin has said he's sending his army into Ukraine to demilitarize and de-nazify Ukraine. They are getting ready to lay siege to Kyiv. I mean, this is the 21st century, it's Europe and a city of 3 million is under attack. So, I would much rather see some real efforts by the Russians to de-escalate the military situation. Because right now, while it's good to be talking, I'm not sure we're seeing indications out of Moscow that there's going to be a serious approach.
BLACKWELL: So, let's talk about potential military implications of a request that's coming from President Zelensky wanting to join the European Union. He spoke today to the European Parliament and said, essentially don't just tell me you love me. Show me you love me. Show me you love the Ukrainian people. Here's what he said.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): So, do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us down. Do prove that you indeed are Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness. Glory be to Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: That was a standing ovation you see there. Short of admission to the EU -- and we'll talk about that in a minute. What should other countries there be doing?
PIFER: Well, remember, the European Union is usually popular in Ukraine. It was the decision by then President Yanukovych not sign an association agreement with the European Union back in 2013 that triggered the Maidan Revolution. So, it's very popular.
But as much as I think Ukraine would like to get in the European Union, there's so many issues you have to do in terms of adapting internal regulations and laws to meet EU norms. Ukraine probably still has way to go. But what the European Union can do is send a definite signal now to Ukraine saying that once you meet the criteria, you will be welcomed as a member. For a variety of reasons, the EU has not sent that message to Ukraine in the past.
BLACKWELL: Now we know that one of the red lines for Vladimir Putin is admission or membership in NATO. Of course, any advancement of the West to his border is a threat. Is that signal that once you check these boxes, you could be considered for membership in the EU, is that as threatening and what would the expected response from Putin be if they make that overture?
PIFER: Victor, that's a really good question. Up until about 2010, Russian officials -- very senior Russian officials -- were saying that Ukraine could go as far as it wanted with the European Union, even including membership.
But in 2013 at the time Ukraine's president, then Mr. Yanukovych, of course he fled after the Maidan Revolution but he was clear he did not want to bring Ukraine into NATO but he wanted to sign an association agreement with the European Union. And it was Russian pressure in the second half of 2013 on Yanukovych not to sign that basically he succumb to that pressure and that triggered the Maidan Revolution.
So, although the Russians don't talk about the EU so much, my guess is in the Kremlin, you know, they also don't want to see Ukraine getting closer to the European Union. It may not be quite as bad as NATO from their perspective but they still don't want to see that additional linkage between Ukraine and the West.
BLACKWELL: We talked about this split screen that we saw today. On one side of the screen the standing ovation for President Zelensky. On the other side those diplomats walking out as Sergey Lavrov. There it is on screen -- speaking at the U.N. Human Rights Consul. And Secretary Blinken suggested expulsion of Russia from the UNHCR. Expel Russia but keep China, keep Afghanistan. I mean, is that of any real consequence or significance? And if you expel Russia what about the other human rights abusers?
PIFER: Well, I think there is value in the Human Rights Commission because you can have discussions. You can highlight issues. And as secretary Blinken did today, I mean, he was able the highlight the human rights abuses that Russia is committing right now in Ukraine.
But I would also think that given what Russia is doing and it's not only just the abuses that the Russian military is committing in terms of the shelling of cities such as Kharkiv but it's also the human rights abuses back home in Russia where they've basically constricted the political space so that there really is no room for independent media, independent non-governmental organizations. Alexey Navalny, who would have been the major opposition figure, you know, he sitting in jail and they're trying him for additional crimes. So, there really are some very real human rights problems both in Russia's conduct of this war against Ukraine but also with Russia at home.
BLACKWELL: Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer, thank you. CAMEROTA: So, President Biden is set to deliver his first State of the
Union address tonight. And White House officials know that Russia might use this moment to ratchet up more attacks on Ukraine. New details on that, next.
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BLACKWELL: Tonight, President Biden will deliver his State of the Union Address. And the White House is prepared for a split screen moment if Ukraine's capital key of is under siege.
CAMEROTA: The president's speech will be very different from the one he expected to give just a few weeks ago. It will now have to focus on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But it will also address ongoing domestic issues such as the economy and COVID. CNN's Kaitlin Collins is at the White House. So, Kaitlin, what specifically does the president plan to say tonight?
KAITLIN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Victor and Alisyn, there is no doubt that this speech is going to be very different than if President Biden had delivered it a month ago when those State of the Union Addresses are typically made. But now with this Russian invasion of Ukraine looming over it, it has certainly changed, at least the beginning of what the speech is going to sound like.
When President Biden, we were told, will address this directly, will talk about what is happening and how the world order is being disrupted of course and what he plans to do going forward. And so, I expect tonight you will see President Biden when he comes out during the State of the Union Address. He is going to talk about not only the assistance that they had delivered to Ukraine and helping them in this surprising fierce resistance that you've seen the Ukrainians put up so far as Russia has invaded and try to take the cities like the capital of Kyiv.
He's also going talk about the sanctions that they have done in tandem with European allies. You've seen those rolled out progressively over the last several days. That is something that President Biden is expected to highlight tonight, because a State of the Union Address is a speech like no other. And this is a primetime address for a president who doesn't often give primetime addresses and often you have a bigger audience than a president typically enjoys. And so, what he says is obviously critically important but also making sure that everyone is up to date on what has been happening in the last few days as the developments have been happening by the minute, by the hour on the ground.
And I think it's also no secret that of course around the time President Biden is going to be speaking is often when national security aides here at the White House are watching the closest to see what is happening in Ukraine. That is when we have seen a lot of the activity. White House officials have said they will not be surprised if you see some of that tonight. And I also think you can try to have -- you'll see President Biden try
to bring this issue at home for American who are watching.
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He has talked about the fact that there could be an impact on energy prices, energy prices, gas prices that are already high. You may see more of that. And I think he will talk about that tonight. And one other thing, Victor and Alisyn, that we should note is the guest box when it comes to first lady who often invite a slate of guests. The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States will be sitting in that guest box with First Lady Jill Biden tonight.
OK, Kaitlan Collins, thank you very much for the preview. And be sure to keep it on CNN for President Biden's first State of the Union Address. Our special live coverage starts tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. We'll be right back.
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CAMEROTA: We are following some breaking news out of Ukraine where a series of explosions have been heard near Kyiv. According to our teams in the area, this happened around 10:40 local time Tuesday night. We will continue to follow obviously, what is happening in Kyiv and in all of Ukraine. More as it comes in. All right. Now back here, the price of oil, of a barrel of U.S. oil just closed higher than $100 for the first time in nearly eight years.
BLACKWELL: You can blame that on growing fears that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could create supply shortages.
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Now, to lessen the impact, the U.S. and its allies today agreed to release up to 60 million barrels of crude oil from their reserves. CNN's Matt Egan joins us now. So, a lot of moving parts here. This was a sugar high the last time it happened. What's the expectation now?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, you know, the good news is that world leaders, they're trying to come to the rescue of consumers who are dealing with really high energy prices. They're releasing 60 million barrels of oil. 30 million just from the United States. And it makes a lot of sense. This crisis is really raising concerns about supply disruptions. Either because of sanctions or because Vladimir Putin is intentionally withholding supplies, essentially, weaponizing oil. And Russia is the number two oil producer in the world.
I think the bad news is that the message from the market is that this is not enough. 60 million barrels. It's a lot of oil. But not so much in a world that consumes 100 million barrels every single day. And so, it was so startling today to see oil prices shoot up even after this news became official. At one point U.S. oil was above $106 a barrel. First time since June 2014. It was up 11 percent at one point. And again, this is after the emergency release. I mean, they're trying to put out this fire and it keeps getting hotter. Obviously, this is going to drive up prices at the pump. It's going to
raise some concerns about inflation and the economy and we're seeing the stock market down on this as well today. So, there is a lot going on. It's having a real impact on the economy.
CAMEROTA: OK, Matt Egan thank you very much. We'll see if all this comes up at the state of the union tonight.
BLACKWELL: All right, "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts after a quick break.
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