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Biden Heads to Europe for High-Stakes Meeting with NATO, E.U. and G7 Allies; "Clear Evidence" Russia Targeting Civilian Infrastructure; Ukrainian Forces on Offensive, Reclaim Ground from Russia. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired March 23, 2022 - 09:00   ET

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

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POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Happening right now, you are looking at live pictures, President Biden headed to Brussels to meet with our NATO allies, hoping to rally the West at a pivotal moment for Ukraine.

Good morning, everyone. I'm glad you're with us. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman, reporting from Lviv in Western Ukraine.

This morning, Ukrainian forces making modest gains as they launch counterattacks against Russia.

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BERMAN (voice-over): Video capturing Ukrainian troops and Russian forces in a heated gun battle. This was near Kyiv. Some 40 miles west, regional police say Ukraine appears to have taken back control of the town of Makariv. Russian efforts to encircle the capital now threatened, as their supplies run scarce.

We're also getting a fresh look at the overwhelming damage and destruction in Mariupol. New video shows the damage from the unrelenting shelling, as officials say Russian forces have commandeered evacuation buses that were trying to get into the city to get people out.

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BERMAN: Right now, a temporary cease-fire in Luhansk. There is a temporary cease-fire in Luhansk as they try to evacuate that city.

And new concerns this morning from the U.S. and NATO. They say Belarus is taking steps to join Russia's war efforts. We want to begin this morning with CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen in Kyiv, where there has been shelling all morning long.

Fred, and I know some civilian areas hit. FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes,

you're absolutely right, John. In fact that shelling is continuing. What we heard just a couple of minutes ago, as you were sort of introducing me, is that there was a multiple rocket launcher that went off.

It is unclear whether or not that was incoming or outgoing. It was probably outgoing coming from the Ukrainian side, as the Ukrainians seem to be trying to press a counteroffensive.

The Ukrainians also saying indeed that some civilian areas were hit, sort of toward the northeast of the Ukrainian capital. The Ukrainians saying it was a mall that was hit, some residential buildings and also some high rise buildings as well.

Of course, some of those of course, some of those residential areas have some pretty high buildings in them. The latest we have from the authorities on the ground is that four people were wounded in that.

But of course, as you can see on the video, some cleanup crews are still there underway. They might have some updated information for us as to whether or not there might be some other casualties.

But that area also that you see there on your screen, that's very close to the area where a large bulk of that fighting has been taking place. We have been hearing booms coming out, we have been seeing plumes of smoke on the horizon, black plumes of smoke, indicating that something there was on fire.

And that's something there would have been hit. Again, it is unclear whether or not that's the Russians trying to press further toward the city or the Ukrainians really enforcing that counteroffensive.

I think one of the most interesting bits of information that we got on that was actually your interview with the adviser to President Zelenskyy. I want to listen to some of what he had to say.

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SERGII LESHCHENKO, SENIOR ADVISER TO VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: We really started to take control over one of the small towns around Kyiv, which was occupied almost three weeks ago.

I can confirm that we have progress around Kyiv to limit the presence of army of Russia in our suburbs of capital. But at the same time, there is huge army around still and we fight for our freedom every day and every night. Today, Kyiv was bombed again.

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PLEITGEN: So the reason why that is so interesting is because the Ukrainians have since come out -- and we have some information from the Ukrainian national police that they are back in a suburb called Irpin, which is also in that general area.

And they say that place is still being shelled. But they do have the Ukrainian authorities now back in there. And they say that they control about 80 percent of that district now, John.

BERMAN: Yes, retaking control, tenuous control. But it is very interesting to hear them say they can confirm progress. Frederik Pleitgen in Kyiv, thank you so much.

Still, ahead of President Biden's trip to Brussels, we saw him moments ago leaving the White House -- this may be him arriving at Joint Base Andrews, CNN has learned the Pentagon provided the White House with a series of options for potential additional U.S. troops in Eastern Europe.

These are live pictures, I should note, from Joint Base Andrews.

So the Pentagon providing the White House with options for additional troops in Eastern Europe. That is according to a U.S. official. The president could announce changes to the force posture after his meetings in Brussels on Thursday.

Let's pause for a moment as we watch the president arriving at Joint Base Andrews, making his way to Air Force One. He, of course, traveling during the day. It will take up most of his day to get to Brussels.

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BERMAN: He'll be met by the Belgian prime minister when he does arrive there. And then a jam-packed day of -- days ahead of meetings.

Just want to pause for a moment as we watch the president approach Air Force One. There are reporters off and under the wing and they'll shout questions. Let's just make sure -- no questions.

All right. As we watch the president now board Air Force One, get ready to depart, let's go to CNN's chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, live in Brussels.

Talk to us about this trip as we watch the president leave and wave. And talk to us about some of the military options that the Pentagon has provided.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. You're seeing President Biden climb the steps to Air Force One for what is likely going to be one of the biggest trips of his entire presidency, coming to Brussels here, to meet with allies, to talk -- have these urgent talks, which we should note, these kinds of summits, with this many world leaders, take months in advance to plan.

This is one that has been put together within just days. President Biden deciding to come here to Brussels. He's going to have a full day of meetings with allies tomorrow to talk about this invasion of Ukraine.

He didn't speak with reporters there but he did talk to reporters and answered a few questions as he was leaving the White House a few moments ago.

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JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm going to say that to their face. I'm going to say all I have to say. I'm going to say it when I get there. But I'll be happy to talk to you guys when I get back.

How many of you are coming?

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BIDEN: I know.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: How concerned are you about the threat of nuclear warfare, that Russia will use chemical weapons?

How high is that threat?

BIDEN: I think it is a real threat.

Thank you.

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COLLINS: John, there you saw President Biden telling our colleague, Jeremy Diamond, he did believe it is a real threat when it comes to the potential for chemical warfare. That is something, of course, that the White House has warned about, could be in Putin's arsenal, is in his arsenal, maybe something he chooses to use.

Because the way the president has been talking about it in recent days is he believes that, the more Putin is backed into a corner, the greater the severity of the tactics that he may use.

And they have been warning not only about maybe a chemical or biological weapons attack but also a cyberattack, after they were calling on private companies in the United States to make sure they were being vigilant about that.

But John, when it comes to when he's on the ground here, the first meeting is the meeting with NATO allies. Then he has a European Council meeting and a G7 meeting as well. There is a lot to talk about there. We expect President Biden to announce new sanctions at the end of his day here in Brussels.

That includes on hundreds of members of Russian parliament, that lower house of Russian parliament, while he's here. That's something that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has called for.

There also could be changes to the U.S. force posture and the NATO force posture overall. It remains to be seen what the president discusses, what outcome they come to, after meeting with allies while here.

We are told by my colleague, Barbara Starr, the Pentagon did provide the White House with a range of options before President Biden left to go on this trip. That is something that, of course, we know other NATO leaders have talked about, increasing that NATO posture.

The exact outcome remains to be seen. But this is a critical trip for President Biden as there are so many questions about what they can do to try to deter Putin, to stop him and, of course, as they have this entire effort to try to punish him for this invasion of Ukraine.

BERMAN: Kaitlan Collins for us this morning in Brussels, to be there, when the president arrives. Kaitlan, thank you so much -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Let's begin where Kaitlan just left off. Joining me now to talk about a lot of headlines, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price.

I appreciate you taking the time this morning.

NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: Good to see you, Poppy.

HARLOW: Good to see you. So far heavy Western sanctions have not stopped Vladimir Putin.

Can you tell the American people how this next round of sanctions, that are clearly coming, will be different and why the administration clearly believes they will have more of an impact on Putin?

PRICE: Well, clearly, Poppy, we have seen an impact of these measures. President Biden likes to say that big nations don't bluff. And Vladimir Putin now recognizes that we weren't bluffing. And our allies and partners weren't bluffing when we said we would impose unprecedented economic sanctions, other economic measures.

I think by almost any metric, you can take a look at the Russian economy, the Russian financial system and see the devastation that these measures have brought upon the Kremlin and Putin's economy, Putin's ability to wage war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian stock market is just opening up on a limited basis later this week.

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PRICE: Inflation is sky high. We have seen dozens of international companies fleeing by the day. And that will continue. That's just one element of our strategy.

There are two other elements of our strategy that I think you'll hear more about from the president in Brussels. The first is the fact that the president is going to find a NATO alliance when he lands, that is more united, more determined, more purposeful than at any time since the end of the Cold War. That's no accident.

That has been a specific element of our strategy, to reassure and to unite our NATO allies, just as we provide additional and unprecedented levels of security assistance to Ukraine.

So our goal is to weaken Russia's hand, tactically and strategically, and to strengthen Ukraine's hand on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. We know this conflict has to be resolved diplomatically if we're going to save lives.

HARLOW: So, Ned, I hear you. What I'm trying to get at here, though, is, despite all of that pressure being put on Putin in Russia, his tactics are just becoming more brutal, right?

And you have the president just saying that he believes the threat of chemical weapons used by Russia is a real threat.

When you talk about that international coordination on sanctions, I thought this was interesting, from Republican senator Pat Toomey in an op-ed this week in "The Wall Street Journal," who said to cut off Putin's oil and gas sales globally, the administration and Congress should impose secondary sanctions on the entirety of the Russian financial sector.

The penalties would effectively prohibit foreign banks anywhere in the world from making payments to Russian banks including for oil and gas.

As the president heads to Brussels, is that on the table?

PRICE: You know in recent weeks the president signed an executive order, banning the imports to the United States of Russian energy.

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HARLOW: That's very different than this. I'm asking specifically about this proposal, which would really cripple Russia.

PRICE: And specifically the United States is in a different position than most of our allies and partners around the world. We're an energy producer. We have energy infrastructure, energy production, in this country, that most other countries don't have.

So not all countries can do precisely what we did. Our goal, whether it is in Europe or elsewhere in the world, is to reduce reliance on Russian energy, to increase energy resilience around the world. And we have done that, we're going to continue to do that.

I think you will hear announcements, you'll hear words from the president, from our European allies this week, about additional steps we can take to make sure that Vladimir Putin doesn't continue to provide this lifeline to our European allies and countries around the world.

HARLOW: So Ned, let's talk about the human toll. We heard from national security adviser Jake Sullivan yesterday, saying, during this trip to meet with our NATO allies, European leaders, the president will focus on commitments from the United States to human rights, to respond to the growing flow of refugees out of Ukraine.

As we all know, Poland has taken more than 2 million of those refugees. The U.S., the latest numbers -- we don't have the March numbers yet -- up until the end of February, has taken 690 refugees from Ukraine.

Can you give us a sense of how many refugees from Ukraine the United States is willing to accept?

PRICE: Well, you're going to hear more on this from President Biden this week. Let me make a couple of points.

The United States has been a humanitarian leader for the people of Ukraine, those internally displaced inside Ukraine, the more than 6 million who have been forced to flee their homes and the more than 3.5 million forced to flee their country.

Since Russia's invasion began, we contributed more than $300 million to this humanitarian response. And thanks to the generosity of Congress, that recently passed more than $13 billion for our response to Ukraine, we will be able to do even more on that front.

When it comes to refugees, as you know, Poppy, this is a country that has consistently opened its arms, opened its borders to those in need. We will continue to do that. The 700 refugees that we welcomed so far have come through one specific program, the Lautenberg program.

You'll hear more from President Biden about what we're able to do on the refugee front ourselves.

HARLOW: And that program is very important. I think the question is, as our Priscilla Alvarez has done such good reporting on, it takes a long time and it's very hard to be admitted through the typical refugee process.

So I'm wondering how the U.S. is planning to -- I understand the president may give us a number, you can't -- but how the U.S. is planning to make it easier for Ukrainian refugee to come here.

For example, making a priority designation for them or offering humanitarian parole to Ukrainians, so they wouldn't count, even toward the refugee cap.

Are those on the table?

PRICE: All of those options are on the table. We're going to explore all options and speak to those options. That would make the most sense.

But one other point, Ukrainians are being forced to flee their country by the millions. The fact is, however, that many Ukrainians have family, have loved ones in neighboring countries. And many of these Ukrainians, if not most of them, want to return to a secure, stable Ukraine at the first opportunity.

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PRICE: Including because they have brothers, fathers, sons, who are there -- who remain there, fighting this Russian aggression. They want to be reunited with their family. That's our goal, too, to see them in a position so that they can return to their country just as soon as possible.

HARLOW: Ned, before you go, as of right now, U.S. basketball star and Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner remains under arrest in Russia on allegations of drug smuggling at a Moscow airport. Customs officers say they allegedly found vape cartridges with hash oil in her carry- on.

I should note Russia has a history of making false charges.

Have you been in contact with Russian officials on Griner's detention most recently?

Are there any updates you can share?

PRICE: Well, Poppy, as you know, our ambassador was summoned to the Russian ministry of foreign affairs on Monday, where, in response to Russia's message to him, he delivered a very clear and candid message that we expect consular access to detained Americans in line with Russia's international obligations under the Vienna Convention and our bilateral agreements on consular access to detained Americans, including to those Americans like Brittney Griner, who are in pretrial detention.

What I can tell you is that, within the past couple of hours, an official from our embassy has been granted consular access to Brittney Griner. We were able to check on her condition. We will continue to work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly.

That is a message that we will continue to convey in no uncertain terms to the Russian Federation.

HARLOW: So just an update for her family, if they're watching, or her wife, how is she?

What is her condition?

PRICE: There is only so much I can say but what I can say is that our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition and we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal.

HARLOW: We appreciate that. Ned Price, thank you for the news on that front. We appreciate your time this morning.

PRICE: Thank you, Poppy.

HARLOW: Next, new video shows the scale of the destruction in Mariupol, as Russians relentlessly bomb that area.

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HARLOW (voice-over): Look at this aerial footage -- and launched cruise missiles now from the sea. We'll break down the combat tactics with our military experts ahead and speak live to a member of the Ukrainian army ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HARLOW: Plus, the final round of questions for Supreme Court nominee judge Ketanji Brown Jackson began moments ago. See how she is defending her record against some of the attacks being thrown her way. Much more ahead.

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HARLOW: Russian forces are unleashing hell in the port city of Mariupol. The U.S. Defense officials say the Russians are firing on the city from ships now.

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HARLOW (voice-over): Look at that in the Sea of Azov. This is video showing cruise missiles being launched off the coast, John.

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BERMAN: And new drone video shows the devastating effects. U.S. Defense officials now say there is clear evidence Russia is intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and committing war crimes. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now.

What more can you tell us about that?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. picking its words very carefully, very deliberately, saying that they do see now clear evidence, deliberate and intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure, shelters, hospitals, where civilians are, all across Ukraine by Russian forces.

And the reason they're being so careful with this is they are trying to assemble the international case before any -- a future international court, where war crimes charges potentially could be brought. So they need to assemble all the evidence they can at this point. The Pentagon press secretary, John Kirby, explained a little bit more about this.

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ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: Clearly, there are civilian casualties. And clearly, they are mounting every day because of the indiscriminate attacks that the Russians are conducting. It wouldn't be appropriate for us at the department to get ahead of investigative processes that we don't own.

It's just we believe we should call it like we see it. And we believe that there are war crimes being conducted by the Russian armed forces.

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STARR: Make no mistake, the U.S. is looking at imagery, intelligence, social media that we all see but other things that they know about, to assemble that portfolio of evidence. All of that is going on right now.

As for Russian forces, well, the U.S. says they continue to suffer from shortages of food, fuel and some Russian troops now even suffering from frostbite in this cold weather, because they don't have the appropriate gear -- John, Poppy.

BERMAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you.

Want to bring in CNN military analyst and retired Army Major General James Spider Marks. He's currently head of geopolitical strategy at Academy Securities.

Great to see you this morning. We keep hearing reports of Ukrainian counteroffensives, especially around Kyiv. An aide to President Zelenskyy told me last hour, "I confirm that we are making progress."

I wonder what you think that means and the significance.

GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, it is hugely significant. When you look at the map, you can see where the advances by the Ukrainian forces to the north and west of Kyiv, as they push back that red area, which is where the Russian forces had previously been.

And they now have liberated the town of Makariv. And then you look to the east and you see there has been little advance in terms of that Russian push toward Kyiv and then trying to cross the -- to begin the siege of Kyiv.

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MARKS: There has been an intelligence report that just came out. I think it is a British intelligence report that says it look like the analysis is, I don't know what the source is but it says the analysis is it looks like the Russians are now going to double down in terms of beginning their assault on Kyiv.

I don't see it that way, frankly, because you don't, as a military, want to reinforce failure. You don't want to put good money after bad. I would see that what they're doing along the Black Sea coast in the vicinity of Mariupol and Kherson is where the Russians would want to try to gain some type of additional (INAUDIBLE).

HARLOW: You make a really important point in their attempt to basically build a land bridge or take a land bridge there.

If we could, talk about Mariupol and the destruction.

Let's show again, Control Room, if we could, just that heartbreaking, devastating footage. New aerial footage from the Azov battalion reveals the extent of

damage, you just saw it a moment ago, now you're looking at these -- there is the damage and then you saw the images of the shots being fired from the sea.

If Russia is unleashing an assault on this city from the Sea of Azov, what -- what more can be done to defend Mariupol?

MARKS: Well, looks like there is nothing to defend. I find this strategically illogical.

What is Putin trying to achieve?

If you want to achieve success, what is your end-state desire?

Look at this image. It is too level the thing and just burn everything out and it has no citizens.

What strategic value is that?

I cannot get my head around what they're trying to achieve, other than this is just war criminality. I would go to John Kirby and say take the gloves off, brother, and call it what it is. This is absolutely criminal, brutal behavior.

I understand we got to walk this, do this little dance with the international courts. I got it. I'm not a lawyer. But I'm looking at this and I see war -- let's call it what it is and let's get entirely behind the effort to call out the leadership, starting with Putin and walking through his organization, in terms of where those criminals reside.

And let's get them, let's get them indicted.

BERMAN: So Spider, U.S. and NATO officials tell CNN they see signs that Belarus is looking to join the war here and perhaps send their own troops over the border. I was speaking to Ukrainian officials before, who didn't frankly seem that worried about that.

What kind of difference would it make?

MARKS: Well, I don't know that it would really make a difference. First of all, I don't think Lukashenko has a vote in this issue, to commit his forces. He dances to the tune that is established by Putin.

But what is really important here is when you put additional forces in on other forces, that have not, as a matter of routine, been working together and training together very deeply -- now, clearly, about a 1.5 months ago they were doing exercises.

I don't know the range (ph) of their interaction up in Belarus but this could be negative value when you start bringing in new forces. You haven't established the battle space, you don't know what they're going to try to do. And all of a sudden you start to plug gaps -- and the Russians are already dealing with command and control issues. Now you've got this other gang of dudes, you have no clue what they're

their professionalism looks like. And you're throwing them into the fight. This could be an incredible mess for the Russians, beyond what they're already experiencing.

HARLOW: Major General Spider Marks, we really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

Also right now, a big news day, domestically as well. President Biden's Supreme Court nominee is back in Congress, defending her record in the final round of questioning. What we're learning from inside of the hearing room.

We're also moments away from the opening bell on Wall Street. Futures down this morning after markets ended higher yesterday. A rebound in tech stocks pushed those gains as well as strong earnings reports from companies, including Nike.

Investors still keeping a very close eye on Ukraine. All three indices on track to finish the month in the black. Stay with us.

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