Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Zelenskyy to Address Congress; Biden will Announce Military Aid Package; Zelenskyy Addresses Congress; Zelenskyy Calls for No-Fly Zone. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired March 16, 2022 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: NATO to impose a no-fly zone over the whole of the Ukrainian skies. Something that's already been rejected frequently by President Biden as a recipe for World War III. But, nonetheless, I think also perhaps coming with something of a shopping list, whether he uses that in his speech or simply provides that to the authorities inside -- to the administration, rather, in Washington of equipment that would sort of deliver that without the NATO compromise. In other words, very much more surface-to-air missiles, very much more anti-missile missile technology, perhaps asking for help to buy something like missiles like the iron dome system from Israel, which could be arguably used to protect cities such as Kyiv and Kharkiv, highly effectively, and yet more of that armor killing capability.

Now, this all coming at a time when the pressure on the capital city has been increasing. There has been a very significant increase in the amount of combat on the west, and on the east of the city.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Sam Kiley there in Kyiv, please stay with us.

I do want to turn to our chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, on Capitol Hill.

Manu, as you know, foreign leaders have addressed the Congress before, Churchill, Mandela, Rabin. This is the first time one has done so virtually.

What message can we expect to hear from Zelenskyy today?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A call for more help, no doubt about it. And expect a very receptive audience. Something that will actually lead to more pressure on Congress to act, lead to more pressure on the Biden administration to act. Expect a call for more armed drones, for mobile air defense systems, an act for Congress to move forward.

Just 14 -- just yesterday, the president signed into law roughly $14 billion in aid that will go to Ukraine. There is also other legislative efforts underway, revoking Russia's trade status with the United States, imposing a ban on oil and imports from Russia. But President Zelenskyy's expected to call for much more action, even going as far as imposing a no-fly zone, something that it does not have much support on Capitol Hill, even from Republicans. But he is going to hear from Republicans who are supportive, and Democrats too who do support the idea of transferring those aircraft, those Soviet era aircraft over to Ukraine. Something the administration has resisted. And after this speech was roughly expected to be 10 to 15 minutes long, something that has never happened in a virtual setting, a foreign leader addressing members of Congress, expect members to call for more action. We'll see if legislation happens and we'll see if the administration moves off its opposition to some of the things that the -- that the Ukrainian president wants to do. But no doubt about it, bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. We'll hear a lot of that as they emerge from this speech.

Jim.

SCIUTTO: Manu Raju. And we are looking at live pictures there of where the address will take place.

And we should note, we did learn this morning, Erica, that additional surface-to-air missile systems are on their way to Ukraine. This is something that Ukraine has asked for as well, giving them further protection, if not perhaps the level of protection we may hear from Zelenskyy a few moments from now.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, certainly an important development there.

Also, as Manu mentioned, this $13.6 billion in new aid, that is set to go to Ukraine after President Biden signed that massive spending bill into law yesterday. Eight hundred million of that is expected to be in the form of security assistance.

CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins joining us with more now on that angle. So, Kaitlan, we're waiting for that announcement later this morning from President Biden. What do we know about specifics in terms of the military aid in that package?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is definitely by design that President Biden will be speaking just hours after President Zelenskyy makes these appeals to Congress, where we know he's going to thank the United States for the support that they provided so far, but he's also going to ask for more. More from the west, that is something that he has echoed in other speeches that he has given in recent days. It's something he's expected to ask for today. And so, in just a few hours, President Biden will be seen as essentially a response to President Zelenskyy and the request that he is making for more assistance.

And so what we do know President Biden will say is that he is providing this $800 million in new security assistance from the United States to Ukraine. That's on top of the $200 million that he authorized a few days ago. So, in the last week, that puts the total of what the United States in security assistance is giving to Ukraine at about a billion dollars.

Of course, President Biden is expected to get specific in what he is going to be providing to Ukraine. That's what we were told by sources last night, though. It remains to be seen what those specifics are. Does this include armed drones or more of those surface-to-air missile systems, the defense systems that they have asked for repeatedly now and, of course, that the United States has provided at times in the past, as Jim was just noting.

But we do know President Biden is not expected to grant Zelenskyy two of his biggest requests, one for a no-fly zone and one for more fighter jets for the Ukrainian air force. He has said that doing the first one would potentially get the United States into World War III. He says the second one is too risky. But he will be responding to President Zelenskyy here in just a few hours.

[09:05:03]

HILL: And we'll be watching for that response.

Let's listen in.

SCIUTTO: Stand by.

Let's listen in. This is, I believe, Nancy Pelosi, about to introduce the Ukrainian president.

Stand by.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: (INAUDIBLE). Thank you.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): Good morning.

Good morning, Mr. President.

Good morning, madam ambassador, who is with us this morning. Madam ambassador. Ambassador Makarova.

Mr. President, it is my honor to present to you, the Congress of the United States, which has great respect and admiration and appreciation for your courageous leadership.

Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (Speaking in foreign language).

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Glory to heroes.

PELOSI: My colleagues, (speaking in foreign language).

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Glory to heroes.

Thank you very much. Madam Speaker, members of the Congress, ladies and gentlemen, Americans, friends, I'm proud to greet you from Ukraine, from our capital city of Kyiv. A city that is under missile and air strikes from Russian troops every day. But it doesn't give up. And we have not even thought about it for a second, just like many other cities and communities in our beautiful country, which found themselves in the worst war since World War II.

I have the honor to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian people, brave, and freedom-loving people, who for eight years have been resisting the Russian aggression. Those who give their best sons and daughters to stop this full-scale Russian invasion.

Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided. The destiny of our people where the Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy. Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities, it went on a brutal offensive against our values, basic human values. It threw tanks and planes against our freedom, against our right to live freely in our own country, choosing our own future.

Against our desire for happiness, against our national dream, just like the same dreams you have, you, Americans. Just like anyone else in the United States. I remember your national memorial in Rushmore, the faces of your prominent presidents, those who laid the foundation of the United States of America as it is today, democracy, independence, freedom, and care for everyone, for every person, for everyone who works diligently, who lives honestly, who respects the law. We, in Ukraine, want the same for our people, all that is normal part of your own life.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, Americans, in your great history you have pages that would allow you to understand Ukrainians, understand us now when you need it right now -- when we need you right now. Remember Pearl Harbor.

[09:10:02]

Terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Just remember it. Remember September the 11th, a terrible day in 2001 when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories, in battlefields. When innocent people were attacked -- attacked from air, yes. Just like nobody else expected it. You could not stop it. Our country experienced the same every day.

Right now, at this moment, every night, for three weeks now, various Ukrainian cities, Odessa and Kharkiv (ph) and (INAUDIBLE), Mariupol and (INAUDIBLE), Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people.

Russian troops have already fired nearly 1,000 missiles at Ukraine, countless bombs. They use drones to kill us with precision. This is a terror that Europe has not seen, has not seen for 80 years, and we are asking for our life, for an answer to this terror from the whole world. Is this a lot to ask for, to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine, to save people? Is this too much to ask? Humanitarian, no-fly zone. Something that Ukraine -- that Russia would not be able to terrorize our free cities.

If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative. You know what kind of defense systems we need, as 300 and other similar systems. You know how much depends on the battlefield, on the ability to use aircraft. Powerful, strong aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land. Aircraft that can help Ukraine, help Europe, and, you know that they exist, and you have them. But they are on earth, not in Ukraine -- in the Ukrainian sky. They do not defend our people.

I have a dream, these words are known to each of you. Today I can say. I have a need. I need to protect our sky. I need your decision, your help, which means exactly the same, the same you feel when you hear the words, I have a dream.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its overwhelming support, for everything that your government and your people have done for us, for weapons, and ammunition, for training, for finances, for leadership in the free world, which helps us to pressure the aggressor economically. I am grateful to President Biden for his personal involvement, for his sincere commitment to the defense of Ukraine and democracy all over the world. I am grateful to you for the resolution which recognizes all those who commit crimes against Ukraine, against the Ukrainian people as war criminals.

However, now, it is true in the darkest time for our country, for the whole Europe, I call on you to do more. New packages of sanctions are needed, constantly, every week until the Russian military machine stops. Restrictions are needed for everyone on whom this unjust regime is based. We've proposed that the United States sanctions all politicians in the Russian Federation who remain in their offices and do not cut ties with those who are responsible for the aggression against Ukraine. From state duma members, to the last official who has lack of morale to break the state terror. All Americans companies must leave Russia from their market, leave their market immediately because it is flooded with our blood.

Ladies and gentlemen, members of Congress, please take the lead. If you have companies in your districts, who finance the Russian military machine leaving business in Russia, you should put pressure. I'm asking to make sure that the Russians do not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine.

[09:15:04]

The destruction of our country, the destruction of Europe, all American ports should be closed for Russian goods. We are -- peace is more important than income and we have to defend this principle in the whole world. We already became part of the anti-war coalition, big anti-war coalition that unites many countries, dozens of countries, those who reacted to -- in principle to President Putin's decision to invade our country. But we need to move on and do more. We need to create new tools to respond quickly. And stop the war, the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24th. And it would be fair if it ended in a day in 24 hours that evil would be punished immediately. Today, the world does not have such tools. The war of the past have

prompted our predecessors to create institution that should protect us from war. But they, unfortunately, don't work. We see it. You see it. So we need new ones. New institutions, new alliances, and we offer them. We propose to create an association, U24 (ph), United for Peace, a union of responsible countries that have the strength and consciousness to stop conflicts immediately, provide all the necessary assistance in 24 hours, if necessary even weapons, if necessary sanctions, humanitarian support, political support, finances, everything you need to keep the peace and quickly save the world, to save lives.

In addition, such association, such union would provide assistance to those who are experiencing natural disasters, manmade disasters, who felt victims to humanitarian crisis or epidemic. Remember how difficult it was for the world to do the simplest things just to give vaccines, vaccines against Covid to save lives, to prevent new strains. The world spent months, years doing things like that much faster to make sure there are no human losses, no victims.

Ladies and gentlemen, Americans, if such alliance would exist today, that is U24, we would be able to save thousands of lives in our country. In many countries of the world, those who need peace, those who suffer inhumane destruction. I ask you to watch one video, video of what the Russian troops did in our country, in our land. We have to stop it. We must prevent it. Prevent (INAUDIBLE) will destroy every single aggressor who seeks to subjugate other nations.

Please watch the video.

(VIDEO CLIP)

[09:20:56]

ZELENSKYY: And, in the end, to sum it up, today, today it's not enough to be the leader of the nation. Today it takes to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace. Peace in your country doesn't depend anymore only on you and your people. It depends on those next to you, on those who are strong.

Strong doesn't mean weak. Strong is brave and ready to fight for the life of his citizens and citizens of the world. For human rights, for freedom, for the right to live (INAUDIBLE), and to die when your time comes and not when it's wanted by someone else. By your neighbor.

Today, the Ukrainian people are defending not only Ukraine, we are fighting for the values of Europe and the world, sacrificing our lives in the name of the future. That's why today the American people are helping not just Ukraine, but Europe, and the world to keep the planet alive, to keep justice in history.

Now, I'm almost 45 years old. Today my age stopped when the heart of more than 100 children are beating. I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the deaths. And this is my main issue as the leader of my people, great Ukrainians. And as the leader of my nation, I'm addressing the President Biden, you are the leader of the nation, of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

Thank you.

(Speaking in foreign language).

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Glory to Ukraine.

ZELENSKYY: Thank you for your support.

SCIUTTO: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

A standing, bipartisan ovation for the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy there, following his rare address, the first virtual address to the U.S. Congress. An impassioned speech in which he addressed the U.S., the Congress, and the American president directly, in English, notably at the end, with these words, to be the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace. He said, in no uncertain terms, that right now the destiny of our country is being decided by this war, but he expanded beyond that, saying that this is not just a war about Ukraine, it is about Europe and the world. Tears, it seemed, welling in his eyes following what was a moving, even a graphic video there of what this war has turned Ukraine into in just these three weeks since it began.

My panel is back with me now.

[09:25:00]

I do want to begin with CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash.

And what's been notable, not just about this speech, but his speeches so far to the Canadian parliament, the U.S. parliament, is he deliberately customizes his message to the audience. In this case, recalling Pearl Harbor, recalling 9/11, when he said America was attacked by the skies and now we are being attacked from the skies.

Tell us the significance of that and how do you think Congress takes that message?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you saw it. He came into an audience, the United States Congress, and more broadly America and really the world, that was already predisposed to wanting to help. You see people who walk these hallways every day wanting to help, trying to find ways to help.

And what the goal of President Zelenskyy's speech was, was to make it impossible for them not to help.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

BASH: And you're exactly right, talking about values, talking about the fact that this is -- if America, particularly President Biden, is going to be the leader, he needs to be the leader of the world, which means the leader of peace. But on 9/11 that he referenced, on Pearl Harbor that he referenced,

not only were those indelible, are those indelible in American history, and in our psyche, what were they? They were attacks from the sky. They were attacks from the sky. And what he's trying to do is to bring it home. Imagine if we knew that those were coming in ways that we could stop it. He wants a no-fly zone.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

BASH: He wants to close the sky, as you were telling me, that is all over Ukraine in English.

SCIUTTO: It is.

BASH: That is what he wants them to do. And --

SCIUTTO: We just saw that message on billboards all over the country. And, again, deliberately in English. This is a country where there are not billboards in English often, but close the sky is what they're pleading for, really.

BASH: Yes. And he referenced Martin Luther King. I mean he understands an audience, only like somebody who has been in front of an audience outside of politics can, as an entertainer, which is what he was, but the way that he communicates.

Also, the fact that he spoke largely -- almost entirely in Ukrainian until he played that video, which just the imagery again understanding an audience, at the beginning, showing the way Ukraine was before the war, people very happy in big cities, looking a lot like people look here in America in big cities and then getting attacked. And then after the video, speaking in English, directly in English without a translator. Intentionally so.

SCIUTTO: Again, deliberate.

And we talked a lot in the leadup to this about a lot of ways that Russia seemed to have the upper hand, one being military might, which Ukraine, at great cost and sacrifice, has pushed back to date, but also in the information space. People talk about Putin and Russia's information capabilities. But in this war, I think one can argue convincingly that Zelenskyy has owned the information space.

And, by the way, as you watch that video, at times, in graphic terms, that was a difficult -- and folks at home, we're sorry we weren't able to give you a warning prior because we did not know what was going to be in the video, but Ukrainians have not been reluctant to show the real effects, the brutal effects of war on the ground, which we witnessed there for weeks and our teams are still covering.

We're joined by Kaitlan Collins from the White House.

You heard, Kaitlan Collins, that direct appeal, really his final words were an appeal to President Biden himself. And while he was grateful for U.S. support so far, a continuing theme has been, Ukraine wants more, needs more. Tell us how the administration is going to respond to that.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And that last -- that last line was so compelling from President Zelenskyy, speaking directly to President Biden, making clear to switch to English for those final remarks that he was making to Congress and calling on him in this broader sense of what this means, trying to personalize this, as Dana was noting, to what's happened in the United States, to make it relatable to Americans here, past events, past wars in the United States. But also making these direct appeals to President Biden.

But they weren't just broad. He had several specific requests in that speech that he just delivered to Congress. One, he said he wants the United States to sanction all politicians that are still in the Russian Federation. He called on all American companies to leave Russia. He even hinted that members of Congress should be pressuring companies that are maybe in their districts to go after them, to tell them to leave Russia, saying that they should not make any profits off of this.

And, of course, he also made one of his biggest appeals, one that he has been making for weeks now, which is to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine. And that was the message after those graphic images played in that video, even though just yesterday Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said it is still their position that they are not going to do that because President Biden has said he believes that would get the United States into World War III.

[09:30:04]