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Interview with Halyna Yanchenko, Ukrainian Parliament member, Says Ukraine Needs Help with Heavy Weapons and Ammunitions; Academy Begins Formal Review of Will Smith Assault on Chris Rock; Russian Oil Tankers Vanishing Amid Sanctions. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired March 30, 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]

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR, DON LEMON TONIGHT: So, take a look at this medal ceremony honoring a Ukrainian soldier. You have probably heard his voice before. He's the one who famously told Russian warship to go f*** yourself. When he was serving Snake Island near Odessa on the first day of the Russian invasion -- of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when a Russian warship ordered soldiers to lay down their weapons. His respond over the radio became a rallying cry. He was just released as part of a prisoner swap.

Well, today on Capitol Hill a group of Senators met with Ukrainian lawmakers. GOP Senator Rob Portman called the meeting very powerful. Saying Ukrainian officials asked for specific military assistance, including MiG-29 fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles and weapon systems.

So, with me now, Ukrainian member of Parliament Halyna Yanchenko. Hello to you, we appreciate you joining us, Halyna. Senator Portman says our colleagues told him that Ukraine is doing well on the ground but can't survive theses bombardments. So just keep in mind we have a delay, so it's shorter answers and I can get more questions. What are you seeing happening?

HALYNA YANCHENKO, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Well, hello. Indeed, our army is doing really great. So, it is from the bravest probably man who can fight back the second largest army in the world. However, we do need much more military support from U.S. and this support of two kinds. First, we know for sure that U.S. has enough of weapons, I mean, heavy weapon and ammunition that Ukraine desperately needs now.

And secondly, there are a number of countries which are ready to provide Ukraine with their own weapons. They are dependent on U.S. agreement and U.S. actually let them to do that -- to pass this weapon because him this weapon originally came from U.S. This is why we need U.S. to really move on a military support and military aid. I should tell you more that according to our information the military support that the U.S. provides -- U.S. left in Iraq. I don't know, like dozen times or even hundred times more than what they provided to Ukraine.

Personally, I am sure that if the U.S. have been provided enough of ammunition and enough of heavy weapon during the very first week of Russian invasion in Ukraine, the war would already be done. Ukraine would already win. However, we see that --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Halyna, Ukraine is looking at what might be called protecting neutrality.

[15:35:00]

Excuse me, so Ukraine is looking at what is called protecting neutrality where an exchange for security guarantees, Ukraine would be a non-nuclear state that would not enter into a military political alliance, including NATO. I mean, this has been at the heart of Putin's demands. Is that acceptable to you?

YANCHENKO: Well, Ukraine is non-nuclear state. And we are not a NATO member unfortunately. But nevertheless, this is acceptable but the thing is that the negotiations that are taking place, they are not being followed by Russian parties. We see that Putin behaves himself as pathological liar. He lies to everyone. He lies to his own people. He lies to world media. Two days ago, Russians said that they are withdrawing their troops from Kyiv and to the (INAUDIBLE) region.

But my friends who spent this night in Kyiv, they said that it was like they heard explosions every 20 minutes. So, it doesn't sound like, you know, like Russia is withdrawing their troops. So, one thing that you should like keep in mind, you should never believe Russians. Because they are liars. And they don't follow their agreement. They don't follow what they, you know, said during the negotiations. And now their language that Russia understands is language of corpse. This is why we are pleading for more military support from U.S. and from other countries --

LEMON: I understand.

YANCHENKO: -- which are (INAUDIBLE) on U.S. in terms of military aid to Ukraine.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: I understand, Halyna. Again, sorry, we have a delay. And I want to get more questions in. Thank you. OK. So, satellite images show that a red cross warehouse in Mariupol was bombed. Several rounds of negotiations about potential cease-fires and humanitarian evacuation quarters have failed. What do you think it's going to take to reach a cease-fire agreement that can be trusted?

YANCHENKO: The only way is to, I'm sorry, but to fight Russian back severely. Basically, to kick their asses. This is the only thing that they understand. But we really need -- we Ukrainians really need to do this. Because you don't even imagine what Russian soldiers doing in their cities that they temporarily occupy.

Just today I read a report. It was interception of telephone conversation of Russian soldier with his relatives. And the soldier was traveling with his relative Sofia. The facts that his friends were raping children -- raping children in the occupied village. This is not acceptable. And I think that people of America don't even want to image that something like that is happening now for days, right now in world.

So, like if you share this concerns, if you this emotions and same thing as I have now, I really beg all American people to take their phones, to take their laptops and send a text, send a letter, send -- I don't know -- give a call to they're Senators and demand that U.S. provides Ukraine with heavy weapons right now. As soon as it's only possible. But we need much. Just we need air defense and we need tanks.

LEMON: Halyna, thank you.

YANCHENKO: Because as long as --

LEMON: We appreciate you joining us and we understand your passion about the U.S. supplying weapons. We appreciate it, we understand that. And that has been what you've been saying in your terror interview. And I've seen you do other interviews and I appreciate that. Yes, the Ukrainian people want NATO and U.S. to send more weapons. We understand that has been the message. We appreciate you joining us. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Alisyn, and also the reporting about the raping of children is not CNN reporting. We don't have that particular reporting but as you can understand, in a war zone, you know, so much goes on. We'll check into that certainly. But that again, it's not our reporting. And we do understand her passion about what is needed here in the Ukraine.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Well, I mean, Halyna is right, we don't want to imagine what she is describing. It's unimaginable. And so of course, we have people on the ground and we'll be investigating all of that. Don, we'll check back where you.

Back here there's a story that is also important. Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting because of a new and troubling health condition that he has just revealed. And we have the details about it, next.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: The Academy's Board of Governors is meeting this hour to discuss Will Smith's Oscar night slap of Chris Rock. Smith has publicly apologized to Rock but the comedian has been silent thus far. That will likely change tonight when Rock makes his first public appearance since Sunday to kick off his comedy world tour.

Now Oscar hosts Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer are speaking out about the incident. Amy Schumer posted on her Instagram, quote, still triggered and traumatized. I love my friend Chris Rock and believe he handles like a pro.

And here's Wanda Sykes on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WANDA SYKES, OSCAR'S CO-HOST: I'm still a little traumatized by it.

ELLEN DEGENERES, ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW: Me too, me too.

SYKES: For them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like how gross is this. This is just the wrong message.

[15:45:00]

You know, like you assault somebody, you get escorted out the building and that's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Well, CNN entertainment reporter Chloe Melas is in Boston where Rock will be performing tonight. So, Chloe, I assume regardless of how traumatizing this was for so many people, Chris Rock will find way to turn it into comedy gold somehow tonight. Do we know if it's now part of his routine?

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Alisyn, we don't know for certain. But you're right. In just a few hours Chris Rock is going to take the stage at the Wilbur Theatre, right here behind me, where he could break his silence for first time. We haven't heard anything and especially since Will Smith made that public apology. To which Chris Rock's brother Tony said on social media, Alisyn, that, no. He responded to a Twitter user that no, he doesn't except will Smith's apology. So, perhaps that's some insight into how Chris Rock feels.

You know, you've got to think about it, Chris gave a podcast back in January where he talked about experiencing humiliation and bullying growing up. So, perhaps he's not going to be funny about this tonight. I would assume he's probably going to get a standing ovation. It's a sold-out crowd here. Ticket prices are skyrocketing. And I would imagine that this is going to do really well for his tour for all the wrong reasons. And as for whether or not he'll make a joke out of it, we'll see. I'll be going to both shows tonight.

CAMEROTA: I can't wait to hear about it. Meanwhile, The Academy Board of Governors is meeting this hour. And you have a letter that was sent to members. So, what are they saying?

MELAS: Yes, so this letter went out to Academy members last night, Alisyn. I'll read you a little bit of it now.

It says: We are upset and outraged that those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior onstage by a nominee -- meaning Will Smith. Going on to say: As outlined in our bylaws the Academy's Board of Governors will not make a decision on appropriate action.

Alisyn, they say that it could take weeks. And like you said, this very moment now, 54 Board of Governor members are meeting. They hold a postmortem meeting after the Oscars annually. So, that's nothing new. But their main priority, a source tells me, is discussing what are the repercussions for Will Smith. What could that be? Could it be that they will suspend him from the academy? Could it mean, Alisyn, that he won't be allowed to present at next year's show? It'll be interesting to see what they decide and if any information comes out in next hour or so following this meeting.

CAMEROTA: So, Chloe, you also have terrible news really about another actor, Bruce Willis. So, what's happening with his health?

MELAS: Yes, so, Bruce Willis, you know, great actor in Hollywood. His daughter Rumer taking to social media today to post a message from the family, from her sisters and all of them saying the father is taking a step back from acting. That he is retiring essentially, because he suffering from a medical condition called aphasia.

Where basically it impacts his cognitive ability. It affects his ability with short term memory. It affects his ability to speak, to hear and it's been a really difficult time for their family. And they thanked everybody for their support and they asked for prayers. Alisyn, it's a very sad day for Bruce Willis's fans. We reached out to his family for further comment and to Demi Moore and we haven't heard back yet.

CAMEROTA: That sounds really hard. OK, Chloe Melas we'll be watching, obviously, as you attend these Chris Rock shows. Thanks so much for the reporting.

OK, so Russian oil tankers have gone off the grid since the war in Ukraine started. What experts fear is happening in the shadows, next.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Russian oil tankers are vanishing from global tracking systems. Experts say this so-called dark activity means when transponders are turned off for hours and it has spiked 600 percent among Russian affiliated oil tankers. CNN's Matt Egan is here to explain. Matt why are these Russian tankers going dark?

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Alisyn, and why do they call it dark activity. It sounds like the title of a not-so-great spy thriller. But anyway, what we're seeing is, you know, tankers are supposed to keep their transponders on. The exception would be if they're going through pirate infested waters or something like that. But there's been this uptick of tankers, Russian affiliated tankers, that have actually turned them off their transponders for eight hours at a stretch. You can see it on the chart right there. There's been this increase in recent weeks. These are Russian affiliated tankers that are carrying crude oil, petroleum products.

Now in the past, U.S. officials have called this kind of activity out as a deceptive shipping practice. Something that can be used to get around sanctions. We've seen both Venezuela and Iran do that in the past. The twist here though is that Russian energy actually is not directly sanctioned. The United States can't import it, but other countries actually can.

Now what's actually happened though is there's been this sort of effective de facto embargo on Russian energy.

[15:55:00]

A lot of countries, banks, shipping companies, trading companies, they don't want to do business with Russia raised now. So, they've all taken a step back, at least publicly. Analysts have told me that they think there's been this uptick in dark activity because places that are doing business with Russia, they don't want to get outed for doing so.

CAMEROTA: I see, so it's not an official sanction --

EGAN: Exactly.

CAMEROTA: -- it's sort of reputational saving.

EGAN: Right. They don't want the PR nightmare that would come after this. The Treasury Department told us in a statement, they're aware of these reports. They also use a variety of methods to track vessels. We'll keep a watch on -- will keep an eye on this.

CAMEROTA: OK, Matt Egan thanks for explaining all of that.

And "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END