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Austrian Chancellor to Meet Putin in Moscow; Putin Appoints New War General with History of Brutality; Macron & Le Pen Set for Rematch of 2017 in Second Round; Shanghai Struggling to Contain COVID-19 Outbreak; Ukrainian President to Address South Korean Parliament; Lawmakers Look to Choose New PM after Ousting Khan. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired April 11, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[00:00:26]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world, I'm John Vause, live in Lviv, Ukraine. Russia's war on Ukraine expected to escalate as Vladimir Putin puts in place a new general.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And I'm Paula Newton, live at CNN headquarters in Atlanta.

Coming up here for us, the voters in France have spoken, narrowing down their presidential candidates between the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron, and far-right rival, Marine Le Pen.

VAUSE: We begin now with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expected to address South Korea lawmakers in the coming hours. This comes as satellite images taken Friday show a military convoy, eight miles long, East of Kharkiv, that appears to be moving South.

Ukraine's president says victory on the battlefield will not be possible without increased international support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We think this will be a new wave of this war. We don't know how much Russian weaponry there will be, but, we understand there will be many times more than there is now.

It all depends on how fast we will be helped by the United States. To be honest, whether we will be able to survive depends on this. I have 100 percent confidence in our people and in our armed forces, but unfortunately, I don't have the confidence that we will be receiving everything we need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Meantime, Ukrainians trying to escape this conflict are increasingly at risk. As we saw with the Russian strike on train station in Kramatorsk, Ukrainian officials say, the death toll there has now risen to 57. Almost 100 have been hurt.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan says the attack was criminal, but he stopped short of accusing Russia of genocide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Look, in my opinion, the label is less important than the fact that these acts are cruel, and criminal, and wrong, and evil, and need to be responded to decisively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN correspondents have spread out across the world, covering this conflict from every angle. We have Paula Hancocks in Seoul, South Korea.

Brianna Keilar is in Lviv, Ukraine. But first, here's CNN's Ed Lavandera, reporting in from the port city of Odessa.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On Monday, we expect to see a significant meeting between the chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer, and Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The Austrian chancellor announcing this visit on Sunday, and he also says that, as the country remains militarily neutral, that they -- that the chancellor is calling for a cease-fire and a full investigation of war crimes. So, that is a significant meeting.

And this comes on a day where they see continued and sustained attacks in various parts of Ukraine. First, we heard about the military strikes at the airport in the city of Dnipro, which is close to the front lines in Eastern Ukraine.

Regional officials there in Dnipro say that the airport has essentially been decimated. The airstrip was struck by a missile strike several weeks ago, but the strikes today, apparently making it a total loss in that area.

And we're also hearing of some significant attacks and explosions and bombings in the city of Mykolaiv, which is just about 85 miles East of where we are here along the coast of the Black Sea, in the city of Odessa.

And all of this really comes at a really significant time in this war in Ukraine, where we are seeing Russian forces regrouping, re- mobilizing, as they begin what is expected to be a serious assault into Ukraine from the East, in the Donbas region.

And also, one other significant development today. We've learned that the Russian military has called on General Alexander Dvornikov, who was known as the Butcher of Syria, who led a ruthless campaign of attacking civilians and bombings of civilian neighborhoods in that war in Syria. He's expected to continue leading the forces, Russian forces, into Ukraine.

And by all accounts, the concern here is that this -- we will see a dramatic escalation of targeting civilians here in this country. And that is why you're seeing so many Ukrainian officials urging civilians to evacuate some of these areas in Eastern Ukraine where the worst of the fighting is expected to take place in the weeks ahead.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Odessa, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Well, as much of this country now braces for that major assault, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeatedly calling on world leaders to come and support his country.

[00:05:04]

The U.S. has provided money, as well as military aid and other critical resources. But some top lawmakers on Capitol Hill remain divided on whether that's enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): We've got to be moving much faster, much more quickly, recognizing that -- that the Ukrainians now, given what they've been able to do, and how long they've been able to fight, and what they've been able to inflict upon the Russian forces, they need advanced weaponry.

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): There's more than -- well over a billion and a half dollars of military equipment, and that's flowing in day- by-day. All of the Stingers, the Javelins, and now the air defense systems, all of that's happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: We're joined now by CNN military analyst and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton. He is with us this hour in Washington.

Colonel, thank you for being with us again. We appreciate your time.

I want to look at this new field commander, General Alexander Dvornikov, his track record in particular, dropping barrel bombs in Syria, often filled with chlorine, on civilians. Along with his reputation for specializing in a scorched-earth policy.

It seems clear that Putin has appointed a war criminal to take command of this war now, here in Ukraine. And an already brutal conflict is about to get a lot worse.

How does his appointment now play into that May 9 deadline for Russia to claim some kind of victory?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, John, good to be with you again. This is a clear -- going for broke at this point. What they need to do is to meet that May 9 deadline. They are appointing one of their most effective commanders --

effective, of course, does not mean nice. It means somebody who has truly committed acts that many would consider war crimes, as you mentioned.

And Alexander Dvornikov is somebody who's grown up in the tank business. He is a career army officer, is about 60 years old. And he spent time not only in Syria but also in Chechnya. And both of those areas are, of course, marked by a very brutal response to local conditions, to local military in the situations.

And it's very clear that General Dvornikov has no compunctions when it comes to exercising a -- the power of our might. And that is, I think, what we're going to see. We're going to see a very brutal campaign. And he's going to not stop at anything until he's directed by the higher authority to do so.

VAUSE: Word of Dvornikov's appointment as field commander came shortly after around the same time as that missile strike on the train station in Kramatorsk.

Is it possible to know if he ordered that attack on defenseless civilians, or at the very least, is there now expectations there will be a lot more attacks similar to that one?

LEIGHTON: I think the expectation is that there will be similar attacks to the one in Kramatorsk that we saw.

But John, it's possible that he ordered it already, because he is, actually, the commander of the Southern military district in Russia. And that is the military district that borders on the Ukrainian border.

So, it's possible that he was already in the chain of command for this strike on the train station. But if he wasn't, he certainly would have approved of it.

VAUSE: So just as a reminder, innocent men, women, and children, waiting for a train to leave the -- you know, the worst of the fighting, cut down and murdered.

The Russian attacks on the city of Dnipro intensified Sunday. The airport there, one of the biggest in Ukraine, has been destroyed. How does that now play into the overall Russian strategy of focusing their firepower in this area, from Kharkiv in the North to Kherson in the South?

LEIGHTON: So Dnipro is kind of in the middle of between Kherson and Kharkiv in the North and Northeast. So I always thought that Dnipro was a goal of the Russians when they started this invasion, and now it seems pretty clear that that is the case, in fact.

What they're trying to do here, John, is they're trying to soften up the target. And one of the things that Dnipro was known for in military circles was as a logistical staging area for Ukrainian forces in the East. And the very fact that they went after the airport means that they're going after as much of a logistical infrastructure in Dnipro as they possibly can.

What that also means is that they are setting their sights on that city, as a possible junction for people to just come in from the South, as well as from the North.

If they do that, if they meet in Dnipro, and then they would, in essence, cut the country in half right at that point, and that may very well be the Russian war game at this particular point in time.

VAUSE: At least 16 Russian commanders, four lieutenant colonels, five colonels, seven generals, have been killed in this war, according to -- according to Ukrainian sources. Is that an unusually high number? And what does it say?

[00:10:07]

LEIGHTON: Well, for a Western military, it would be an unusually high number. And I also think it's high for the Russian military.

Now, the Russian military has a bit of a different philosophy when it comes to putting their -- their troops and their officers out front, especially their commanding officers.

They tend to lead from the front, not that others don't, but they end up doing things a little bit differently and to protect our troops and especially our commanders, I think, more than they do.

What is unusual about this is the fact that this loss of commanders seems very -- considering the period of time that we're dealing with, it's only been since February 24 that we already have a very high degree of loss in the lieutenant colonel and above ranks.

And that very fact shows that the Russian military believes that it needs these kinds of officers to lead their troops at a tactical level. It shows a lack of planning on their part, and it also shows an inability to use and trust their subordinate commanders. And that very fact makes it, I think, very difficult for them to continue these kinds of assaults. They'll do it. They'll continue to move forward, but at extremely high cost to their major -- to their main officers that they have, especially battalion commanders and higher.

And that very fact will hurt their leadership abilities, and it will also hurt their ability to maneuver in their field. They'll be able to move, but they will be doing that at a great cost to themselves.

VAUSE: Colonel, thank you so much. We appreciate you being with us.

LEIGHTON: You bet, John. Good to see you.

VAUSE: Let's head up now to Paula -- Always a pleasure, sir. Thank you. Let's head right now to Paula Newton in Atlanta -- Paula.

NEWTON: John, thanks for that. I'll pick it up from here.

French voters have narrowed down their presidential candidates, and the finalists are incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and his far- right rival, Marine Le Pen.

Now France's interior ministry reports the current president won about 27 percent of Sunday's first round of voting, putting him in first place in what was a crowded field of about a dozen candidates.

Now, Le Pen is in second with around 23 percent.

The second round of voting in two weeks is set to be a rematch of the 2017 election. After the polls close, the centrist Macron made his pitch, while the far-right Le Pen made appeals to the mainstream.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): I want a France which inscribes itself in a strong Europe, which continues to form alliances with great democracies to defend itself. Not a France that exited from Europe but have for its only allies the international populists and xenophobes. That's not us.

MARINE LE PEN, FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): People have spoken and given me the honor to be qualified in the second round against the incumbent president, Emmanuel Macron. Let me express to the millions of voters who expressed their trust in me, my sincerest gratitude. I acknowledge, with humility, all the responsibility that comes with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: So a repeat contest in France. Earlier, I spoke with Dominic Thomas. He is the CNN European affairs commentator and professor at UCLA. He says both President Macron and Le Pen will need to overcome a few hurdles to win over the majority of the French public.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: You have, to the right of Macron, to the left of Macron, over 30 percent of the vote. So the big question is where does Emmanuel Macron turn, and where does Marine Le Pen turn?

We already know that Emmanuel Macron has been endorsed by every candidate with a relative number of votes, except for Jean-Luc Melenchon, and I'll mention him in a moment, and Eric Zemmour, the extreme right candidate, who's already endorsed Marine Le Pen.

So when it Jean-Luc Melenchon, that's the great uncertainty, along with a number of absentee voters. He got over 20 percent of the vote. And what's so extraordinary about this is that, if you just put together one of the left-wing candidates alongside him, you make up that million-vote shortfall.

And so in theory, he should have really made it to the second round. And the conversation would have been very different.

So, the question moving ahead is who does Emmanuel Macron appeal to? Jean-Luc Melenchon has already told his followers not a single vote for Le Pen. So, there's an upward struggle from Le Pen there, trying to make those up.

But the question will be, for the incumbent, after five years in office, how deep can he go? And who is going to transfer his vote to him? And because those questions are being asked this time around, there is much more uncertainty over the outcome of this runoff stage.

NEWTON: And you know, it's unclear how much this will feature into the election in terms of what's going on between Ukraine and Russia right now.

But I am reminded that during the last election, Le Pen lobbied for Putin's support. She got it, along with a loan from Russian financiers. They bankrolled a good portion of her campaign. How do you think this will feature in a vote right now, if at all?

[00:15:10]

THOMAS: It's the two sides of the coin. What we hope is that there will be a debate between Macron and between Le Pen. There was no vote debate between them in the -- in the first round stage.

Now, Emmanuel Macron is exceptionally strong on foreign policy. France is currently heading the European Union. He's played a leadership role in the conflict around Ukraine. And -- and on other issues that have to do with Europe.

Whereas, Marine Le Pen is lukewarm on Europe, is absolutely determined to withdraw from NATO, which seems absolutely extraordinary, and as you said, seriously tainted by her long-standing relationships with Russia, especially around Russian finance and her refusal to back, for example, a Russian energy embargo.

It's on domestic issues that she can do very well, even though she does not have a reputation as being a great debater. And that is where Emmanuel Macron has to now stand with the Yellow Jackets' grievances, the gross mishandling, as far as public opinion goes, of the COVID pandemic, his desire to increase a retirement age, cut back on social services, and so on and so forth.

That's where he is exposed, and he is going to have to turn things around and convince the electorate that somehow or another, over the next five years, he's the person to trust.

Now, there's one other issue, of course, on foreign policy. It's deeply ironic that at this very moment in Europe, that we have this horrendous conflict playing out, with discussions over democracy and autocracy, no matter what Marine Le Pen has tried to do to clear up her image, the fact, nevertheless, remains that this is a far-right, xenophobic candidate. You vote for her, you get Brexit. You vote for her, you get Trump-like policies. This is not what Europe needs now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Dominic Thomas there, setting the table for the upcoming second round of the French election. Now, he said the big question is whether voters who sat out this first

round of voting will show up for the second. Sunday's elections are significant abstentions, with voter participation falling to a two- decade low for a first-round vote.

It may be a sign of the French public's widespread dissatisfaction, in general, with the current state of politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON (voice-over): Sunday in Paris. For many French people, it was a laissez-faire kind of day, to lounge by the Seine or enjoy a drink at a cafe.

But there was one activity many people around the country decided to skip: voting in the first round of the country's presidential elections.

The candidates voted. Twelve were in the running, but turnout for the rest of the country was less impressive. A French polling group estimates less than 75 percent of voters cast their ballots, which would be the lowest turnout for a first round vote in 20 years.

Some voters say they just couldn't relate to any of the candidate, or their policies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No one who represents me. I think they are disconnected, and I think France is tired of this.

NEWTON: And for those who did vote, some say it boiled down to a choice between consistency and change. This woman says she voted for incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I'm relatively satisfied with what he's done up till now. We're never 100 percent happy, but I think he's done a lot of good things.

NEWTON: Macron's high-profile role as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine was a plus for some of his supporters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really need to have somebody who is well -- well-positioned in the international landscape and the international discussions.

NEWTON: But this woman says she wasn't satisfied with how the government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It is very important for me to vote, because we want change. I want change, because it has been two very difficult years.

NEWTON: Other issues, like immigration and identity were major platforms for far-right candidates like Marine Le Pen and hit home with some voters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): With all these immigrants who come, France is now no longer us. It's them.

NEWTON: Others say it wasn't so much the issues that brought them out, as much as it was their duty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Because there's too much people that fought for us to have the right to vote. So what does it take to wake up a little earlier, to vote on time, and express one's opinion?

NEWTON: Exit polls show Macron and Le Pen will head to the second round of voting in two weeks. To have a shot at victory, both will need to convince the people who didn't show up Sunday to not only vote on April 24, but to vote for them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Shanghai officials say more COVID testing is needed to help slow a surging outbreak, but residents there are clearly growing frustrated with the government lockdowns. And now, a food shortage, as well. A live report when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:23:41]

VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. Twenty-three minutes past the hour.

And the exodus of Ukrainians fleeing this country is showing no letup. According to the United Nations, more than 4.5 million refugees have now crossed into neighboring countries since the fighting began.

Nearly 700,000 have fled to Romania, most of them women and children, all of them welcomed by volunteers.

And those who remain in Eastern Ukraine, in some of the areas where the worst of the fighting has happened there, described horrific scenes of Russian aggression.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The shelling went through our house. My husband, children, and my daughter-in-law were all in the basement. We all ran out of the basement and started running in different directions to the road. All the while, they were shooting at the neighbor's houses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: And if you would like to help the people of Ukraine who are in need of shelter, food, water, medical supplies, pretty much everything right now, please go to CNN.com/impact. And there, you will find ways to safely and securely give a donation and be guaranteed that it will reach the people who need it the most.

NEWTON: New York Mayor Eric Adams has tested positive for COVID-19. A spokesperson says Adams has no major symptoms and is now isolating. Now it's unclear where he contracted the virus, but he's attended

several public events recently, including the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington on April 2.

[00:25:07]

Now, more than 60 people who were at that dinner have now tested positive for the virus, and that includes key officials like the U.S. attorney general and the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

Meantime in China, officials say the best way to fight surging COVID infections is, in their words, to stay the course with the strict zero-COVID policy.

Now so far, that's meant multiple rounds of testing and restrictions on movement of the entire city of Shanghai, as well as mandatory quarantine in government centers for anyone testing positive.

Well, residents aren't happy with the measures, with reports of protests and food shortages around the city. Despite this, officials are ordering additional COVID testing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUN XIAODONG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SHANGHAI MUNICIPAL CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (through translator): Because of the severity in Shanghai's COVID outbreak, we've already conducted several rounds of mass testing at this stage. Now it's necessary to improve our strategy. We have a general overview of the situation, but we cannot say it is crystal-clear. So further testing is needed until the situation gains more clarity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: I want to bring in CNN's Anna Coren, who's been following the story from Hong Kong.

And Anna, you always remind us so well, and to underscore the fact that there's a lot at stake here, as much as this lockdown is really a burden on the residents, what is at stake if these cases continue to rise?

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: At the end of the day, Paula, there would be countless deaths. I mean, some experts say there would be millions of deaths if COVID was to rip through mainland China the way that it has done in the West.

The reason for that is because people either haven't been vaccinated, or there is an immunity in the community. And really, it comes to the fact that the health system just would not be able to cope.

And mainland China is looking to what happened here in Hong Kong just over the last month or so, where Omicron arrived. Authorities were unprepared, and it did just rip through the community. It reached 57,000 at its peak, daily peak. And the number of deaths that Hong Kong has seen, a first-world, you

know, city with world-class medical facilities, you know, the deaths we've seen in this fifth wave has been almost, you know, eight and a half thousand deaths.

So that is something that China does not want to translate on the mainland.

Politically, for Xi Jinping, the leader of China, it would be catastrophic. You know, he needs to maintain control. He does not want a crisis, a COVID crisis undermining his authority.

Of course, remember, he is seeking reelection, a third term at the -- in the next couple of months, towards the end of the year.

This is unprecedented. He does not want this to be overshadowed. He does not want social or political instability in his country.

So let me read to you some of the commentary coming out of the state- run news media this morning, which really is a mouthpiece for the government.

Xinhua says, "China's medical system would risk collapse, leading to enormous loss to life if it gives up on epidemic prevention and control."

And then we have "The Global Times," quoting a leading expert in Shanghai who's managing the COVID crisis. She says that "China should stick to dynamic zero-COVID policy rather than 'lie flat.' The situation in Hong Kong also serves as a reminder to the mainland that is to be more cautious of Omicron."

So there is so much at stake, Paula. Yes, obviously the health system, but also politically for China's Xi Jinping.

NEWTON: Anna Coren, thanks again for that sobering update as we continue to see the situation evolve in Shanghai and elsewhere in China. Appreciate it.

We have this just into CNN. Elon Musk will no longer join Twitter's board of directors. That's according to a tweet from the company's CEO.

Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, sparked a deluge of headlines after disclosing he had,, in fact become Twitter's largest shareholder.

After that announcement, Twitter said it would add him to its board of directors for a two-year term, but those plans have now appeared to change.

OK, desperate Ukrainians are being warned to flee, backed by the -- ominous sign of a major Russian offensive in the works. The latest developments just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [00:33:30]

VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. I'm John Vause, live in Lviv, Ukraine.

Well, Ukraine bracing for a major assault, urging civilians in the East to flee. The latest satellite images show a nearly eight-mile- long Russian military convoy East of Kharkiv.

According to Ukraine's defense intelligence chief, Russian troops are regrouping for a renewed assault on Ukraine's second largest city.

In his nightly address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored the urgent need for more international help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Ukraine does not have time to wait, freedom does not have time to wait. When tyranny launches aggression against everything that keeps peace in Europe, action must be taken immediately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: A regional military governor says even after a Russian strike destroyed the airport in the city of Dnipro, the area continues to be the target of Russian firepower. No word on casualties as of yet.

And the Austrian chancellor set to meet with the Russian president in Moscow in the coming hours. He'll be the first European leader to meet face to face with Volodymyr Putin since the invasion began.

The chancellor met with President Zelenskyy and visited Bucha on Saturday, where dozens of bodies of Ukrainian civilians have been discovered after the withdrawal of Russian troops.

President Zelenskyy is expected to addressed the South Korean parliament just a few hours so now. This will be his 24th legislative body has addressed since march 8th. You seeking more international support and military aid, as well as tougher sanctions on Russia.

CNN's Paula Hancocks live this hour from Seoul for more on what Zelenskyy is expected to say.

Zelenskyy has been very effective in the speak is, convincing lawmakers to get on board and get their support. How is he expected to use his abilities here as a speech maker, if you like, to win over the South Koreans?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, what we're expecting is for President Zelenskyy to ask for weapons, something that we know South Korea has already said no to.

They have sent or pledged some $10 million in humanitarian aid. They have also sent some $800,000 of non-lethal military aid, so the likes of helmets, tents, blankets, and ready-made food, MREs, and also medical supplies. But we do know that the South Korean government at this point is very

reticent to actually pledge military aid. We know from the South Korean defense minister on Friday, when he had a conversation with the Ukrainian defense minister to set this up, to set up the address that will happen in a few hours, that he did ask for anti-aircraft weapons.

But the defense minister here in South Korea said that that simply wasn't possible, saying for reasons of national security, saying for reasons of readiness that they wouldn't be able to do that. So, certainly, we are expecting that to come up later on.

Now there has been condemnation from the South Korean side as to what Russia is doing the invasion, but it did come fairly slowly at the beginning. South Korea did come under international criticism for not joining the sanctions as quickly as many other countries around the world. But they have since caught up. And they have also sanctioned Russian banks, for example, and condemned what is happening.

So it will be interesting to see exactly what is called for from President Zelenskyy this afternoon, given the fact that the South Koreans have already rebuffed a request for weapons themselves.

Now also, we know that the president-elect, Yoon Suk-yeol, who will be taking control on May 10, he has also spoken to President Zelenskyy. He said once the war is over, he wants to meet and say that he can offer practical cooperation.

Of course, South Korea being in a unique position as having been invaded, as well, back in 1950 by North Korea during the Korean War.

South Korea also in a unique position in the fact it did have to rebuild almost from scratch following that war, following the devastation. Much of the country was -- was laid to dust after that war. So they have experience, as well, of accepting international cooperation and trying to rebuild a country.

So potentially, that could be an area of cooperation. But of course, that is for after the war, and that nobody knows at this point when that is -- John.

VAUSE: I guess because of that shared history, if you like, of the country being invaded. I mean, Korea, South Korea, has been invaded by Japan, too. For a very long period of time, it was occupied by the Japanese.

You have the North Korean invasion as well. There does seem to be the shared background, if you like. And is that something which Zelenskyy can play to, as he's done, in other countries, with their, you know, histories?

HANCOCKS: It's a good question. And you certainly would expect him to. The fact that, back in 1950, South Korea had that surprise invasion from North Korea. There were many countries who actually came to the physical help and support of South Korea, getting involved, directly, with -- with the war and had boots on the ground. The United States, for example. So in that respect, there is a difference. The fact that many

countries from around the world physically intervened to try and help South Korea.

Now, clearly, in Ukraine, there is a lot of intervention. There is a lot of help and support, but it is not boots on the ground, the way you saw here. So, in that respect, it is quite different.

But they do have this similarity, and they have been invaded, and they have managed to come through the other side.

VAUSE: Yes. And it may have been in the 50s, but those memories are still very, very fresh there for so many people in Seoul and in South Korea.

And Paula, we know you'll be on the story for the rest of the day. We appreciate you being with us. Thank you.

Well, Pakistan could be hours away from a new prime minister. But the old one just isn't giving up the job just yet. Live to Islamabad for the very latest on Imran Khan's ouster, in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:43:10]

NEWTON: Pakistani lawmakers are moving ahead with plans to choose a new prime minister after ousting Imran Khan on Sunday in a vote of no confidence.

Now, Khan is vowing to fight on and is calling on his supporters to take to the streets in protest. The famed cricketer has blamed the United States, saying Washington wanted him booted from office.

But the Biden administration denies any involvement.

Khan is accused of mishandling the economy and foreign policy. Crucially, though, he's also lost the backing of the country's powerful military.

Since independence in 1947, Pakistan has yet to have any prime minister complete a full, five-year term.

For more on this, we are joined by CNN's Sophia Saifi. She is live for us in Islamabad.

You know, Khan continues to call for his supporters to hit the streets. What impact will this kind of defiance have, if any, in the days to come there?

SOPHIA SAIFI, CNN PRODUCER: Paula, there are many who were saying that Khan has weaponized this whole idea for foreign conspiracy. There have been a vote of confidence which, inevitably ousted him.

But that vote of confidence was delayed and blocked on the ground. So there was this foreign conspiracy which has now become kind of the de facto, haunting what Khan said is going to come back and haunt the opposition, which has sent in the nomination papers for Shehbaz Sharif, and the leader of the opposition to be voted in as the P.M. today.

There have been massive protests across the country in all of the major cities. Khan has called for a show of street power, to show the powers that, whether it be the opposition, whether it be the foreign nation that calls the intervention for him to be removed from office, to show him, who -- you know, how much backing Khan actually has.

[00:45:06]

Now, there's been a lot of criticism of this. Because, previously, Khan's government really clamped down on protests of journalists, of the media, protesting against the media itself. And they have been a hybrid kind of collaboration between the Khan, the PKR (ph) government, and the military.

And in the days leading up to Khan's ousting, it was fairly obvious that that relationship had gone sour -- Paula.

NEWTON: Sophia, thanks for that. I know you'll stay on this story throughout the day and give us any political developments as they happen. Appreciate it.

Coming up here for us, he was the owner of a soccer club in Lviv. Now, he's traded his dream for a sniper rifle. We'll have that incredible story when we return.

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NEWTON: Pope Francis is calling for an Easter truce in Ukraine. In his Palm Sunday service in St. Peter's Square, condemning the war, the pope appealed for a cease-fire. This address came during the Vatican's first open-air mass since the COVID pandemic began.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:50:09]

POPE FRANCIS, LEADER OF CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): Put down the weapons. Start an Easter truce. But not then picking up the weapons again and resuming fighting. No, a truce. To reach peace, for real negotiations. Open to any sacrifice for the good of the people. In fact, what kind of victory will be the one that plants a flag on top of a pile of rubble.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, as we've shown you time and again, the journey out of war-torn Ukraine is often a very long one. It can take days, for many, just to reach the Polish border.

CNN's Jake Tapper takes us to a soccer club in Lviv that's opened its doors to refugees, internally -- those who are internally displaced, rather -- giving them a place to rest in their search for safety. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Under the watchful eye of this lion, a local soccer team mascot, 3-year-old Yana (ph), exhausted, finally sleeps.

Yana (ph) has fled Donetsk, with her mother and big sister, her aunt and cousins. It is no longer safe for her there.

But here in Lviv, residents like Ukrainians across the country, are opening their homes, and businesses, to fellow citizens.

(on camera): Vulnerable families, fleeing their homes, seeking refuge wherever they can find it, including for this 3-year-old girl and this 4-year-old girl, at this soccer club in Lviv.

(voice-over): The Gallitzin lions are a minor league soccer club. Their fierce fighting spirit so far more successful off the field, than on. Team executives say their officers, emblazoned with lion logos, has offered a resting place for hundreds of refugee families such as this one, stopping in on their way to the border into Poland.

(on camera): It must be very difficult, difficult to be a mother and protect your children at a time like this, when there are horrible things happening.

ANASTASIA, FLED TO LVIV WITH FAMILY (through translator): Yes, it is both physically, and psychologically difficult.

TAPPER (voice-over): Anastasia tells us she was a pharmacist's assistant before the war. Her sister-in-law, Katia, an accountant. Their husbands remain back East as their journeys likely continue soon, out of the country.

Now, they say, they are open to any job and any safe way of life for their family.

KATIA, FLED LVIV WITH FAMILY (through translator): I was also a bookkeeper, worked at a company. I'm also ready to take any job.

We left because of our children. We left our town, because we were afraid of their psychological state. We had a war there, and we were very scared.

TAPPER: Their oldest children, 11-year-old Yegor and 9-year-old Valaria (ph), seem sad and confused.

(on camera): How is the journey?

YEGOR, FLED WITH FAMILY TO LVIV (through translator): It was very long, but I am very happy now that we are in a safe place.

TAPPER: What do you miss the most?

YEGOR (through translator): I miss my grandmother, and I would like to be back in my town, because here everything looks very unfamiliar to me. Unknown.

TAPPER: It must be tough being a kid and having to go through all this.

VALARIA (PH), FLED TO LVIV WITH FAMILY (through translator): A bit.

TAPPER (voice-over): They are, after all, only 11 and 9. But they find themselves having to comfort their much younger siblings.

(on camera): Yegor, what do you tell your little sister in the other room when she gets worried?

YEGOR: I tell her everything is going to be fine and that it will end soon.

TAPPER (voice-over): Relatively, these children are lucky. Thousands of Ukrainians, including the nation's youngest, have been killed in Putin's brutal war. Innocent civilians murdered in their hometowns, in their homes. Many more in danger of being next. And that is what motivates soccer club owner Oleg Smaliychuk.

OLEG SMALIYCHUK, SOCCER CLUB OWNER (through translator): I want to change my profession. I bought a rifle. I want to become a sniper. I believe, after what we have seen, what happened in Bucha, the number has increased tenfold of people like me who want to join.

TAPPER: He wants to join the Ukrainian military, he says, and go to the front lines.

SMALIYCHUK (through translator): I definitely want to go where I can avenge our children.

TAPPER: Upstairs, he began to show me the sniper rifle and ammunition he purchased. And, as if we needed any more evidence of the threat the people of Ukraine find themselves under constantly, the air raid siren went off while we were speaking.

Oleg did not stop and instead, continued loading the bullets, ready to go to war for the children under the Ukrainian flag and under the watchful eye of the Gallitzin Lions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Our Jake Tapper there, and we thank him for that report.

Now, the hottest player in golf has his first major victory and his first ever green jacket.

[00:55:08]

American Scottie Scheffler won the Masters on Sunday, and the 25-year- old world No. 1 did so in a dominant fashion. He shot ten under par for the tournament, winning by three strokes.

Afterwards, Scheffler said his victory at Augusta was, in fact, a dream come true. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER, MASTERS WINNER: I didn't get to press room in my dreams, so you guys are going to have to ask me some questions.

I think the only thing I imagined was probably that walk up 18. I've seen some guys do that. This is such a fun golf course. It's such a fun piece of property. I mean, it's -- it's Augusta National. It's as cool as it gets. It's so fun to play.

You know, I just can't -- can't believe that I can come back for a lifetime and get to enjoy -- enjoy this golf course.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, this part shocked me. Scheffler actually said, he admitted, that he cried like a baby before the final round, feeling just overwhelmed about being in contention at the Masters. You wouldn't have known it, to see him play today.

I'm Paula Newton. We will be back with more CNN NEWSROOM and those latest developments, right on the ground there, live from Ukraine with John Vause. Be back after a quick break.

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