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E.U. Diplomat: Oil Ban Will Cut Into Funding For Russian War Machine; Investigators Ramping Up Probe Into Supreme Court Leak; "Top Gun" Sequel Breaks Records At Box Office. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired May 31, 2022 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:33:04]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: The European Union's top diplomat says the new ban on Russian oil imports will cut into Russia's ability to feed the war machine.

The E.U. says 90 percent of Russian oil imports will be stopped by the end of this year. That's a big deal. Because the E.U. is currently the biggest buyer of Russian oil. But will its effects be felt soon enough?

CNN's Anna Stewart is in London for us.

Anna, there are some key exceptions to this ban. So can it really have the impact on Russia that the E.U. is predicting?

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: When this was announced a month ago by the E.U. Commission, it was going to cover all of the Russian oil imported into the E.U. That has clearly been weakened. It's only 90 percent.

And they just couldn't really agree on this embargo because of some holdout countries who rely so much on Russian oil.

So the exemption will be a stretch of pipeline that delivers oil to Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and the other countries that needed to be appeased.

Overall, that is only 10 percent of the Russian oil that heads to the E.U.. It is still significant if we're looking at the finances from Russia's point of view.

Currently, the E.U. pays Russia around $10 billion a month just for oil. So by the end of this year, that will suddenly drop off to just $1 billion a month.

The problem, of course, is oil prices are tight. I know you were talking to Matt Egan about that in the last block. They're at a two- year high. They are incredibly high. The market is very tight.

So at this stage, Russia doesn't need to sell as much oil to make the same amount of money. Plus, there are lots of customers who will be looking for it, particularly in the likes of China and India. Customers that already use Russian oil are seeing it as cheaper. It is

trading as a discount right now. Russian oil currently at $34 a barrel cheaper than benchmark crude. You can see how attractive this is.

The E.U., meanwhile, has to find oil from elsewhere within this market. As China exits lockdowns, that market is going to get even tighter.

[13:35:03]

Will OPEC or the U.S. be able to ramp up enough oil to meet that? At this stage, it's looking unlikely. We're looking at high oil prices for some time to come -- Ana?

CABRERA: Anna Stewart, thank you for that update.

More Russian soldiers have been sentenced for committing war crimes in Ukraine. A Ukrainian court sentenced two Russian soldiers to 11.5 years prison for, quote, "violating the rules of war."

Both men were accused of firing rockets toward the city of Kharkiv, striking civilian homes. Both pleaded guilty. Last week, another Russian soldier was sentenced to life in prison for killing an unarmed man.

In Ukraine, the fierce battle over a key city in the east is intensifying. Ukraine's military says Russian forces are focusing on taking control of Severodonetsk, pounding the city with constant shelling.

Meantime, multiple officials tell CNN the U.S. is preparing to step up the kind of weaponry it is offering Ukraine by sending this, long- range rocket systems.

But there's a caveat. President Biden says the U.S. won't send the rockets themselves that are capable of hitting targets inside Russia.

CNN's Barbara Starr join us from the Pentagon.

Barbara, how exactly does this work if you have the system but not the rockets?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, they may get rockets, but those rockets under the president's view right now will not be capable of hitting inside Russia. There are shorter-range rockets.

Here's what we have, Ana. There's a system that Ukraine desperately wants to push the Russians back from eastern Ukraine. The U.S. willing it appears to give it to them under a $40 billion drawdown program that is currently being sourced in Congress and with the Pentagon.

So what we're talking about is some kind of multiple launch rocket system, but with rockets that are of a shorter range that could not land inside Russia. Maybe 40, 50 miles as opposed to the most long- range systems, which are about 185 miles. So right now, we are waiting to see what is finally decided by the

White House. The Pentagon could make an announcement about all of this as soon as tomorrow, we are told. So everyone is watching.

It's all part of that bigger package that the Congress has passed for another round of military aid to Ukraine.

But make no mistake, take a step back and look at the bigger picture in eastern Ukraine. Russia is making progress. Slow, clumsy, incremental, but it is progress.

They are cutting that wide swath through eastern Ukraine that they are now increasingly able to control parts of this.

And it will make it increasingly difficult, no matter what weapons the Ukrainian forces have, difficult for them to push back the Russian forces out of this area.

Not impossible. They are very strong fighters. But it is getting very tense on that eastern border region -- Ana?

CABRERA: All right, thank you so much, Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon for us.

In another part of the world, one Senator's surprise trip to Taiwan is adding tension to an already fraught relationship between the U.S. and China.

Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth arrived with a delegation on Monday reiterating America's support for Taiwan.

This comes on the heels of the recent comments by President Biden, saying the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade. Beijing sees Taiwan as a province.

In a statement, its embassy in Washington says it firmly opposes the visit.

Taiwan's foreign ministry says China flew dozens of war planes into the identification zone on Monday.

[13:38:47]

Who is behind the unprecedented Supreme Court leak? Investigators are digging deep, and they might even snag clerk's cell phones to try to find out.

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[13:43:50]

CABRERA: An unprecedented breach now an unprecedented investigation. CNN is learning exclusive details about what Supreme Court officials are doing in their search for the source of a leaked draft opinion.

We're talking about the opinion that, if it holds, would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, reversing decades of abortion rights.

CNN legal analyst and Supreme Court biographer, Joan Biskupic, joins us with more of her exclusive reporting.

Joan, what exactly are investigators doing?

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN LEGAL ANALYST & SUPREME COURT BIOGRAPHER: Good afternoon, Ana.

Yes, sources with knowledge of the court's new demands tell us they're stepping -- the officials at the court are stepping up their efforts to have clerks sign affidavits, and to retrieve some of their cell phone data.

We don't know the scope of that yet, if it involves calls and texts and images. But it's causing reverberations among the law clerks wondering should they obtain outside counsel? How should they react to the requests?

You know what's happened with the disclosure. It was unprecedented, as you said. But the chief justice four weeks ago had launched an investigation that apparently has not made sufficient progress, and now they're really escalating here.

[13:45:03]

This is one of the most important cases the court is deciding this term or maybe even for decades, given that it would roll back potentially a half century of abortion rights and privacy protections.

But it's -- this is an intrusion on law clerks. And one of the lawyers I talked to who is familiar with the demand said, in any other situation in a government investigation, similarly situated employees would hire a lawyer.

And he said it would be hypocritical for the Supreme Court to say don't go hire a lawyer. Now, I'm sure the justices wouldn't be saying that. But there might be a lot of pressure inside on the law clerks in terms of how they respond to these requests -- Ana?

CABRERA: And the clerks are not the only ones that might have been access to the draft opinion, as I understand it. Do we know if others are under this same scrutiny?

BISKUPIC: Well, let me tell you what happens with the draft opinion. The one "Politico" published from February 10th was a first draft. That's the way it was labeled.

It would have gone not just to the nine justices and the law clerks but almost twice as many other administrative people inside. Other people in the justice's chambers and some key administrative folks. Up to perhaps like 75 individuals would have had access.

And this is just inside. They're districted both electronically on a closed court system but also hand delivered by marshal's aides to the chambers. And you know how things are these days. People can take documents

home. There are all sorts of protocols at the court for what does leave the building.

But obviously, a copy of this did leave the building, and made its way to "Politico."

And I don't know if the law clerks are going to be the best targets for this search, but that's what the Supreme Court is focused on these days -- Ana?

CABRERA: OK. Joan Biskupic, we know you're going to stay on it. Thank you.

Actor Johnny Depp in the spotlight, playing guitar. And he's with long-time friend, Jeff Beck, at a concert in England. This was last night. He was rocking out in London ahead of the first full day of jury deliberations in the U.S. today.

That follows six weeks of testimony in a dramatic and emotional trial. Depp and ex-wife, Amber Heard, are suing each other for defamation over allegations of domestic abuse.

He is suing her for $50 million. She filed a countersuit for $100 million. We'll keep you updated on any developments as the jury continues with deliberations today.

San Diego bishop, Robert McElroy, says he is stunned and deeply surprised after Pope Francis named him as one of the newly selected cardinals of the Catholic Church. The only one from the U.S.

McElroy is one of 21 names Francis read off to a crowd during his remarks on Sunday. McElroy was one of a few bishops to sign a statement of support for LGBTQ youth and has called for U.S. church policy to better reflect Pope Francis' concerns over global poverty.

But just as interesting as those who were asked to take on cardinal positions were those who weren't. One being San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, who made headlines last week for his statement to ban House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion because of her stance on abortion rights.

McElroy has yet publicly to weigh in on the Supreme Court's upcoming decision on whether to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Proof we haven't lost that loving feeling for movie theaters. Americans really wanted to take the highway to the danger zone. Guess they really felt the need for speed.

[13:48:45]

OK, I'll stop. But you get what I'm talking about. "Top Gun Maverick" takes off at the box office.

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[13:53:20]

CABRERA: Welcome back. We have some video just in. You can see the president meeting with Fed Chair Jerome Powell at the White House moments ago. We are waiting on a readout from this meeting.

We know top of mind in the conversation is the high inflation the country is dealing with and that the Fed is in charge of tackling. Much more as soon as we learn how that meeting went.

"Top Gun Maverick" is flying high today.

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TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: (INAUDIBLE) -- in three, two one.

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CABRERA: In the highest-opening ever for a Memorial Day weekend, the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster starring Tom Cruise made $156 million.

And this is particularly significant because the film only opened in theaters, not on demand. And the box office, of course, has experienced a downturn over the past couple of years because of the pandemic.

Let's get right to CNN entertainment reporter, Chloe Melas, who is with us now.

So does that mean movie theaters are back or is it just that the movie is that good?

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Look, it's both. I went on a date night Friday night with my husband, some neighbors. We saw "Top Gun Maverick" in IMAX and it really far exceeded any expectations that I had.

I mean, if you're looking nostalgia from the original, you've got it. If you're looking for Tom Cruise doing all of his own stunts and giving you action-packed scene after scene, you're going to get it.

And you have Jennifer Connelly. You have Val Kilmer. You have so many amazing new actors. Miles Teller did an incredible job in this movie.

[13:54:58]

But let me explain to you guys a little bit. So this is the third day of the debut of movies in the -- or world of seeing movies in this pandemic era. So that's behind Marvel's "Dr. Strange," Warner Brother's "Batman." It surpassed all of these movies that you see on the screen.

And 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Ana. And people have so many things to say about this movie, including myself.

I think Tom Cruise won our hearts all over again.

(LAUGHTER)

CABRERA: And he's almost 40 years older, just saying. Interesting. I can't wait to see it.

MELAS: He looks the same. He literally looks the same.

CABRERA: He's timeless. That, and he probably has a good -- yes, I'll just stop. All right.

MELAS: Make-up artist.

CABRERA: Yes, exactly.

Chloe Melas, you can be my wingman, by the way, any time.

And that does it for us today. I'll see you back here tomorrow, same time, same place. Until then, you can find me on Twitter, @AnaCabrera. Have a great one.

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