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CNN INTERNATIONAL: EU to Ban Most Russian Oil Imports; Airlines Overwhelmed As Demand for Travel Surges; Canada Takes Action On Gun Control Reforms; U.S. Delegation Visits Taiwan, Angering China; Biden Rejects Sending Kyiv Rockets That Can Reach Russia; Resident Captures Audio Of What Appears To Be Child Victim; Bipartisan U.S. Senate Group Meets To Discuss Guns; PM Justin Trudeau Introduces Bill Strengthen Gun Control; Death Toll From Heavy Rain In Brazil Rises To At Least 100. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired May 31, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

LYNDA KINKADE, HOST, CNN NEWSROOM: Hello everyone, I'm Lynda Kinkade, you're watching CNN Newsroom live from Atlanta. Tonight, the EU agrees to stop 90 percent of Russian oil imports by the end of the year. But Hungary breaks ranks with its European partners skipping the ban. I will be speaking to a Hungarian government spokesperson for reaction.

Then travel chaos for thousands of passengers as airlines struggle to recover from the pandemic. And later, with no movement in the U.S. on gun control, neighboring Canada is taking action. We'll have more on Justin Trudeau's proposed reforms.

Well, Ukrainian forces are battling to keep Russia from completely taking over a key province in the eastern Donbas region. And while some defenses in Luhansk are still holding, the situation appears increasingly dire. Ukraine says Russia has now seized most of Severodonetsk. This video shows Russian troops on the move inside the city, officials say some 15,000 civilians who were trapped there fear being massacred by Russian forces.

Ukraine says it doesn't believe Russia can encircle that city, but it has acknowledged that Ukrainian troops may have to retreat to nearby Lysychansk, another city that's desperately trying to fight off Russia's attacks. One official says almost all rural areas around Severodonetsk have now fallen.

Well, the European Union is taking a major step to dry out funding for Russia's war machine. Today, it agreed to immediately ban two-thirds of Russia's oil imports to the EU, increasing that amount to 90 percent by the end of the year. The ban does not include deliveries of Russian oil by pipeline, meaning that Hungary and two other nations are exempt. The EU's foreign policy chief praised the compromise.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEP BORRELL, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: Certainly, we cannot prevent Russia to sell their oil to someone else. We're not so powerful, but we are the most important client for Russia. They will have to look for another one, and certainly, they will have to decrease the price. The purpose is for the Russians to get less resources, less financial resources to feed in the war machine. And this certainly will happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: So, I want to get more now from CNN's Anna Stewart who joins us now from London. Good to see you, Anna. So Europe pays about $22 billion a month to Russia for oil, now Europe has agreed to ban most of those imports. Take us through this deal.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: So, this deal was actually, well, hopefully, announced a month ago by the EU Commission. There's going to be a big oil embargo, and then it got really dragged down in 4 weeks of intense negotiation and bartering. And the deal that they have reached in the sixth round of sanctions does include an oil embargo, but not for 100 percent of the oil that the EU currently gets from Russia.

So, there's a big concession as you mentioned for a stretch of pipeline that delivers oil from Russia to Slovakia, to Czech Republic, and to Hungary. And for them, it was just going to be too expensive and too difficult even in terms of infrastructure, to get oil from elsewhere. This will be punishing for Russia. This is their biggest oil customer. They get a lot of money, as you said, each month, for their oil. And this will reduce it by the end of the year by 90 percent.

Now, the issue here is, can Russia find customers elsewhere? Yes, probably. Not least because Russian oil isn't particularly popular right now for tankers, for shipping insurers, so it's trading at a big discount, it's actually about $34 a barrel cheaper than benchmark crude. But they probably can find customers, and at the high prices we're seeing and a new high today, I have to say, for Brent crude, they don't need to sell that much to make a lot of money, Lynda?

KINKADE: And so, Anna, of course, there has been a push to move towards renewables. But in the short-term, where is Europe going to source that oil from?

STEWART: Well, this is a huge question, and you're right about the renewable push. The EU is going to spend $220 billion on all sorts of investments for renewables. But right now, of course, that's not what they need. Right now, they need oil. And they are looking at getting oil from elsewhere, and as Russian oil perhaps goes to other markets, that could be more available. But this is a tight market, as you can see from oil prices.

And as China exits some of those lockdowns, we'll see demand for oil actually grow. There is spare capacity potentially in the market. From the U.S., you could get maybe over 1.2 I think million barrels a day. And the biggest capacity is with those big OPEC members.

[14:05:00] Saudi Arabia and the UAE, from them, you could get 3 million barrels a day additional, that's more than the EU currently gets from Russia. But the problem is, OPEC members like this high price for oil that we're seeing on the market. They have no plans at this stage, it would appear to ramp up production. So, I think we're going to have to get used to oil prices at this level, and the EU is probably going to have to pay a hefty price for the sixth round of sanctions, Lynda?

KINKADE: Yes, certainly seems that way. Anna Stewart for us in London, thank you. Well, Hungary's prime minister says a ban on Russian oil imports would have been unbearable for his country's economy. We're joined now by Zoltan Kovacs; Hungary's Secretary of State for International Communications. Thanks for joining us.

ZOLTAN KOVACS, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS, HUNGARY: Hello.

KINKADE: So, each day, European nations have been buying Russian energy, pumping $850 million into the war chest of President Vladimir Putin. And that's every single day. Most of Europe has now agreed to ban Russian oil. Hungary, one of the few countries unwilling to do so. Why not?

KOVACS: For the very simple reason that there is no physical and secure alternative. Not only until the end of the year, but for the foreseeable future. So, it's not only Hungary, as you rightly stated. Landlocked countries, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, to a certain extent, Austria. But also, if you take a look at the map, Bulgaria is very heavily dependent on Russian energy for historical reasons. So, it's not the matter of choice, not the politics of the past couple of years, it's a historical -- it's a historical inheritance actually for the past 30 years, we were trying to cope with.

As a matter of fact, we did a lot actually for the past 12 years, to ease one-sided independents, but we are very far from being able to establish secure lines, pipelines, and alternative routes of energy supplies from different other parts of Europe and the world.

KINKADE: Germany's economy minister issued a pretty scathing attack, questioning Hungary's values, saying there must be confusion between the short term focus and some sort of long-term globally enshrined principle. I just want to play a little bit of sound from his interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT HABECK, ECONOMY MINISTER, GERMANY (through translator): I am irritated, and that's a polite way of saying it. How this confusion could take such deep hold in the case of Viktor Orban, that one poker ruthlessly for just their own interest. My assessment of the Ukrainian crisis or of the attack of Russia on Ukraine is still that Putin won't stop if he doesn't lose in Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: What is your response to that criticism of Hungary's refusal to even reduce its reliance on Russian oil?

KOVACS: Well, with all due respect, if there is a country in Europe who exactly knows the Hungarian stance, what -- the reasons actually, for the very simple reason of the German investments in Hungarian, their very many companies who are employing over 200,000 people in Hungary, it is the Germans. So they exactly know the situation in Hungary.

And with all due respect, I don't believe they can ask Hungary to sacrifice more than can be one on the other side, and that is sanctioning Russia. We all know that immediate sanctions on oil from the perspective of these landlocked countries, as I mentioned before is impossible. We haven't seen assurances and guarantees on behalf of the European Commission and member states actually that energy supplies to these countries, including Hungary, would be uninterrupted and would be secure.

And these are the securities we are all looking for. As the prime minister put it, the immediate introduction of any oil embargo would mean the effects of an atomic bomb on the Hungarian economy, not to talk about the Hungarian households. Nobody, no responsible politician can accept such a step. But I believe, in that respect, the result, and that is the compromise at the summit, was the victory of common sense.

So, common sense prevailed, and we very much welcome that. Hungary is ready for that. As you probably already know, our foreign minister was in Croatia today, concluded successful talks about extending the capacities of the pipelines that are connecting Croatia and Hungary in central Europe. So, we do our best actually to step up our efforts to ease the almost one-sided dependence on Russian oil --

KINKADE: I'm not sure if we've lost that connection. If you can still hear me, I just want to get a little bit more context from you on what you have been doing. You said in recent years, you've been looking at other options to reduce your reliance on Russian oil.

[14:10:00]

Give us a bit more information on exactly what Hungary is doing to move away from reliance on Russian oil?

KOVACS: As you recall, it's a historical inheritance actually we have for the past 30 years. The one-sided dependence, almost one-sided. And it was this government as a matter of fact for the past 12 years, which did the most for the past 30 years to ease the dependence.

We came down from 95 percent dependence on Russian oil to 85 percent, 84 percent by now. We continue that effort as I just mentioned to you, we had successful talks today in Croatia, our foreign minister was in Croatia cutting a deal on extending and growing the capacities of the available pipelines coming from Croatia.

And that is connecting Hungary to the sea. So, we are ready for it, it's going to cost a lot of money, and very obviously, it's not only Hungary's interest, but the European Union's interest. The decision at the European summit has guaranteed for Hungary that pipelines are going to be unaffected.

And at the same time, I hope -- I believe efforts are going to go on to provide a secure, and that is a guaranteed solution for Hungary and the landlocked countries energy and security for the future.

KINKADE: And just finally, quickly, what do you say to the criticism that your leader, Viktor Orban is just too friendly with Vladimir Putin?

KOVACS: Look, that narrative is being pushed on us, against us, for -- I don't know -- apart from being laughable --

KINKADE: I just we just lost that --

KOVACS: You can take a look at the economic and the -- economic and the political connections of vessel European countries with Russia before the war, it cannot be compared to what we had in Hungary. So, don't point us -- don't point your fingers on Hungary when there are quarrels and there are debates about sanctions and the possibility of introducing new sanctions when it's about physical capabilities.

Hungary is very -- playing very clear about its position for the past couple of months, even before the war, we were clear about energy. I believe in that respect, the summit behind us was the victory of common sense and the recognition that Hungary was right.

KINKADE: Well, good to get the perspective from Hungary. Zoltan Kovacs, thanks so much for your time today.

KOVACS: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, back in Ukraine, if Severodonetsk falls, it would allow Moscow to seize almost full control of Luhansk region. But that battle is not over yet. Melissa Bell joins us now from Zaporizhzhia. Good to have you with us Melissa. So, obviously, Russians are moving deeper into Severodonetsk, but there are still thousands of Ukrainian civilians trapped there.

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Some 15,000, that's what we understand the essence. I mean, this was a city of some 100,000 people before the Russian invasion began on February 24th, Lynda. What we understand is that there are still some 15,000 trapped there or there were until the last few days of fighting. What we've seen is Ukrainian efforts to try and get some of those civilians out.

They've now been suspended. So intense has the fighting become. We've also seen efforts to get humanitarian aid in also suspended because of the intensity of that fighting. But what it looks like, Lynda, is that Severodonetsk, that has been the scene on the frontline there for so many weeks of so much fighting with Russian forces really struggling to push their advantage ahead. They've been concentrating their firepower, they've been concentrating their manpower, and what looks to be happening now is that Severodonetsk is finally falling into their hands and will continue to do so over the next few days.

And that matters because it finds itself on the very northern point of that line that now divides Russian-controlled Ukraine from the part of Ukraine that I'm standing here in Zaporizhzhia, about 30 miles from the closest village to be in Russian hands. The line runs all the way to Kherson, where we're seeing tonight, Lynda, is the communication, so the internet, the telephone lines between that part of Ukraine that is held by Russia and this part of Ukraine that I'm speaking to you from tonight, entirely cut off.

We've been hearing it from Ukrainian officials saying that Russians -- the Russian forces have now cut off those communications. And we've been hearing it from some of the civilians that we've been talking to here, many of them just trying to get back to the houses they fled because of the fighting in cities like Kherson and Mariupol, who are no longer either to get through that line or to reach many of their loved ones tonight. So, an extremely worrying situation.

The fighting continues to intensify. The line continues to push forward. But we've also been hearing these last couple of days from Sergey Lavrov; the Russian Foreign Minister, we've been trying to figure out these last few weeks what would happen, what form any plan or possible annexation of these territories by Russia would take.

[14:15:00]

He was asked by a French broadcaster whether that annexation would take place. He said, there's no need. We're talking about the will of the people.

And understand that what is happening on the other side of that line tonight is also a massive campaign of propaganda, disinformation that is essentially confirming that, that line that I'm talking about, which is a military line, but also a line of communication, a political line, a line that is very difficult to -- increasingly difficult to cross, is practically a de facto line that is drawing itself even now. That is what Ukrainians, and Kyiv in particular, are extremely concerned about.

KINKADE: All right, Melissa Bell for us in Zaporizhzhia, good to have you there for us, thank you. Well, if Russian forces succeed in taking Luhansk, they will be left with a region in ruins. During the weekend, Nick Paton Walsh was close to Severodonetsk in Lysychansk, which is just across the river. And he saw some of the utter devastation there firsthand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voice-over): This is the last road into Lysychansk, Putin's forces have moved with rare focus here and may soon encircle the pockets of two cities on a river we're driving into. The Ukrainian forces we saw here mobile tents, at times edgy, and this is why? Across the river here, the besieged city of Severodonetsk Increasingly more in Russian hands, whoever you ask.

We can hear the crackle of gunfire down towards the river below.

(on camera): Well, we were told the Russians have tried already to get into town, and it looks like we might be witnessing another attempt over there.

(voice-over): That smoke near one of the remaining bridges enter the city. Our police escorts shout 'drone', often used to direct artillery attacks. We are on high ground, exposed, and scatter. It is a tale of two desperations here. That which makes people stay, and that which makes them finally flee.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WALSH: Leanerd(ph) is the latter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WALSH: Some who stay are increasingly angry at what's left of the Ukrainian state here. A young woman was killed here a day earlier by a shell. And locals told us not to film, saying cameras attracted shelling. Russia's bloody persistence and unbridled firepower is bringing the kind of a victory in the ruins they seem to cherish. This cinema was a bomb shelter local officials set, it's unclear if -- when a huge airstrike hit the Russian military was aware it had been emptied days earlier.

(on camera): Just startling how whole chunks of this cinema have been thrown into the crater there. This is the ferocity of the airstrikes we're seeing here, designed simply to get people out of this town.

(voice-over): Those who stay among the shards of glass feel abandoned already.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Many people, but there is no gas or water, or power, or anything. We ask the aid workers today when it will all come back. And they said there are only prostitutes, junkies and alcoholics left. That means that aid workers have left here.

WALSH: Lydia(ph) is carefully picking up the pieces of the airstrike, which she felt the full force of in her apartment eight floors up. "There's an old lady on the first floor, and me with my disabled son", she says. "He doesn't really understand the war is happening." Retreat lingers in the empty air, if Putin takes here, he may claim he's achieved some of his reduced goals in this invasion. It's now the unenviable choice of Ukraine's leaders, if this is the hill its men and women will die on. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Lysychansk, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, an exhibition of some Russian weaponry being used in the war has gone displaying in Kyiv. It gives people there a chance to see up close some of the machinery that's being used to tear the country apart. But as Matthew Chance reports, it also offers a surprising message of hope.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): But this looks like the aftermath of a ferocious battle, but it's in fact, an exhibition that's been assembled here in the center of the Ukrainian capital, using real Russian military hardware that has been destroyed on the outskirts of the city -- obviously, this is a T-72 Russian tank, absolutely devastated of course by some kind of anti-tank weapon.

[14:20:00]

You walk across here, there are some missiles on the floor, the casings have been put on show. An anti-aircraft gun here, with its -- with its turret that people can come and look at, it's all here for the benefit of people of Kyiv to show them the weaponry that has been essentially threatening their lives over the course of the fourth -- of the last four months.

I spoke to one visitor here, and you can see, there are lots of people here taking photographs and showing their children, you know, what the Russians have been throwing at them over the course of the past several months.

One guy told me, he said, look, it's the first time we've actually seen this stuff up close. Because even though it's been very -- you know, on every television screens, it's not everybody who's had the chance to come this close to this kind of Russian armor. And he says it's important because seeing this Russian weaponry destroyed in this way, makes us believe that we can win.

And I thought that was a really poignant, you know, remark by just one of the visitors we spoke to here, looking at this destroyed armor in the center of the Ukrainian capital. Matthew Chance, CNN, in Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, coming up, a little later in the CNN Newsroom, we have obtained new audio from the Texas school shooting which raises more questions about why police waited to confront the gunman inside a classroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade, thanks for being with us. Well, the extended holiday weekend here in the U.S. and the U.K. was supposed to signal a return to normal in a post-COVID world. And instead, it has turned into a travel nightmare as thousands of flights across the U.S. and Europe were canceled or delayed. And airlines that have not yet ramped up staffing that were cut back during the pandemic were overwhelmed.

And there are few people, as experienced in travel. CNN business editor-at-large Richard Quest, he joins us now from London. So, Richard, with the worst of the pandemic behind us, travelers want to take back to the air, but instead, they've been faced with delays, cancellations. And you, more than anyone know what's going on. You've been traveling a lot recently, Dublin, Paris, Davos, now in London. What have you been seeing?

[14:25:00] RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Well, even just today,

coming back from Paris on the Eurostar, there were very long lines at the British border force because three of the machines were broken. And there were only two or three of the booths opened. So, there was a good 45-minute wait just to get through that. And there are other stories of Eurostar trains, people missing their trains and lines well out of some puncta stations.

It's the same story, Lynda, which is basically, there are not enough staff. A lot of people change jobs, they left, they moved, they decided they didn't want those jobs in hospitality, in retail and in things like customer facing, checking and the like for airlines and trains. And now the numbers are back up on the airlines, the airports, the security. They simply don't have the people to ramp up fast enough.

And it's five British ministers to say get your act together. But remember, just a couple of weeks ago, KLM in Amsterdam were told by the authorities, stop canceling flights over Easter because we cannot cope with the number of people coming through security. So, GAMA(ph) blames airlines, airlines blames government, security hasn't got enough people. It's a mess.

KINKADE: And it's not just in the U.K. and Europe, we're seeing the same issues here. I mean, Memorial Day weekend, it just happened, a long weekend here, typically, a very busy weekend of travel at the best of times. But on top of that, you've got thousands of flights canceled. Is it the same reasons, not enough staff?

QUEST: Yes, there was also some very bad weather in the northeast. And some storms which seriously delayed the flights over the weekend, out of the northeast of the U.S. And that had huge knock-on implications. But sure enough, go further, deeper down into the architecture of travel, and you found people have changed, people have moved jobs, people have resigned, they haven't been heard, people haven't -- look, the airlines have done as best job that they could to staff up again.

These planes were on the ground for a year -- for months, they had to lay off people, bring them back. So, the airlines have done as best job as they could. But the TSA with security, there is different other bits of ground handling.

The travel -- the cogs of the wheel that make travel possible and seamless were pulled apart and are simply not the number of people available to put it back together that quickly. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

KINKADE: Well, I don't want to hear that. I'm going to Europe later this week. I was planning --

QUEST: Where are you going?

KINKADE: To get to the airport -- I'm going to Italy --

QUEST: Where are you going? KINKADE: I'm going to a wedding that has been canceled twice

previously because of the pandemic. So, this is their time, lucky --

(CROSSTALK)

QUEST: Here is the free advice for you. Number one, check in early. Don't take a risk, none of this nonsense, Lynda, about getting there 10 minutes before the flight, check in seriously early.

KINKADE: It's three hours enough?

QUEST: Number two, have a good book with you. You could find easily delays, you could find when you get to the other side, depending on what passport you're using, whether you can use the biometric machines or not, have a good book and get a -- be patient. Simple.

KINKADE: Be patient, exactly, as long as that flight takes off, I'll be happy.

QUEST: Yes --

KINKADE: Richard Quest, thanks so much. Good to have you with us. Well, still to come tonight, Washington's effort to ease tensions with Moscow over weapons that are at the top of Ukraine's wish-list. We'll have that story and a live report when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:31:46]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Lynda Kinkade. What China says it's not happy about a U.S. congressional delegation visiting Taiwan. The trip led by Senator Tammy Duckworth is aimed at boosting relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Kristie Lu Stout reports.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Tammy Duckworth is in Taiwan for an unannounced three- day visit. They stress the importance of U.S. and Taiwan partnership on security, as well as economic collaboration on President Tsai Ing- wen when she think Senator Duckworth for America's donation of COVID- 19 vaccines, as well as U.S. support on the security front.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TSAI ING-WEN, TAIWAN PRESIDENT (through translation): We look forward to deeper and closer U.S.-Taiwan relations in matters of regional security. At the same time, to address the challenges of the post- pandemic era. Taiwan and the U.S. have reviewed and assessed the many facets of our trade cooperation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: China slammed the visit with its embassy in Washington saying it firmly opposes it. And in his statement, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. says, "We urge the U.S. side to earnestly abide by the One-China principle and the three Sino- U.S. Joint Communiques handle Taiwan-related issues in a cautious and proper way, stop all forms of official interactions with Taiwan and avoid sending wrong signals to the Taiwan independence separatist forces."

The visit comes right after the U.S. President's visit to the region and his assertion that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China tries to take Taiwan by force, a comment that he has made before and which was quickly downplayed again by the White House. But tension is rising in the region.

On Monday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said 30 Chinese warplanes made incursions into its Air Defense Identification Zone, the highest daily figure in more than four months. A Taiwan Member of Parliament Wang Ting-Yu calls it, quote, a very worrying trend tweeting this, "The more China does this, the sooner we become used to it, and it will become increasingly difficult to determine if China is just doing their routine exercises or are they preparing to launch an attack on Taiwan. This is a very worrying trend."

And Taiwan's President has vowed to maintain peace while adding that she will defend Taiwan if attacked. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and hasn't ruled out taking it by force if necessary.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

KINKADE: We're now a powerplay in the Pacific. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is urging the region not to be, quote, too anxious, as China seeks a sweeping security deal with numerous Pacific island nations. So far, a meeting between China and 10 regional countries has produced no agreement with summit questioning China's motives. Wang Yi is midway through a 10-day tour of the region.

The U.S., Australia, Japan and New Zealand are watching closely fairing Beijing is trying to expand its influence across the South Pacific.

Well, President Joe Biden now says the U.S. won't give Ukraine rockets capable of reaching Russian territory. CNN reported last week that the White House was planning to send Kyiv advanced long-range rocket systems. But soon after, Russia said this would be crossing a red line. Mr Biden's new comments suggest the U.S. might send long-range systems without the long-range rockets.

[14:35:08]

The U.S. Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood is standing by for us and joins us now. Kylie, Ukraine has been pleading for these long-range rocket systems. What is the U.S. willing to offer and where is it drawing the line?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That is a very good question. And we haven't received a definitive answer from the Biden administration on that, because it appears that their willingness to share weapons, to send weapons to Ukraine that could be seen by Russia, as provocative has grown over the last few months, right? There were certain things that they weren't willing to give Ukraine at the beginning and then they did end up giving Ukraine later on as this war has continued. And it appears that they are continuing to lead down that path of being a little bit more risk tolerant with these weapons that they are giving Ukraine or considering giving Ukraine.

Now, it is significant that President Biden said that the United States wouldn't give Ukraine these rockets that could reach Russia. But what the Biden administration can still do is bolster the weaponry that they have given Ukraine by giving them these multiple launch rocket systems, but not giving them rockets that go on those systems that go hundreds of miles, because there are different distances that those rockets could travel. So they do have the ability to give them these systems with rockets that don't go too, too, too far.

Now, we don't know exactly what mileage is that red line that Russia views or that the Biden administration thinks Russia has laid down here, but it is clear that they are leaning in this direction of providing more and providing more heavy weaponry to help Ukraine in this fight. Lynda?

KINKADE: All right, Kylie Atwood for us in Washington, D.C. Good to have you with us. Thank you.

Well, still to come tonight as Texas begins funeral services for the victims of the school massacre. U.S. lawmakers begin discussing how to prevent future firearms tragedies. But are meaningful reforms politically feasible?

And Canada plans to get tough on guns moving to freeze hand gun ownership right across the country. We'll have that story ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:40:00]

KINKADE: In Texas today, a grieving community will start laying to rest some of the victims from last week's massacre. Among them, Amerie Jo Garza and Maite Rodriguez, two girls who were just 10 years old when they were gunned down. Their funerals today will be the first since last week's massacre. And over the next few weeks, we're also expecting more memorial services for the other victims.

CNN has obtained audio of what appears to be a child saying they've been shot during the massacre. And it was recorded by a resident who says the audio came from a radio of a law enforcement vehicle outside the school. And it comes as authorities are facing criticism for waiting too long to enter the classroom where the gunman was located.

CNN's Nick Valencia has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my god.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chilling new video captured an apparent radio call outside Robb Elementary School where a gunman had opened fire inside classrooms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you injured?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where? Where?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not (INAUDIBLE).

VALENCIA (voice-over): In the video, what sounds like a student says they've been shot. The man who recorded the video who did not want to be identified, tell CNN the audio came from the radio of a Customs and Border Protection vehicle outside the school in Uvalde, Texas. He said an officer turned off the radio once officers realized he could hear.

This as new dispatch audio obtained by ABC News indicates dispatchers relayed that at least one student was alive in the classroom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Advise we do have a child on the line. Child is advising he is in the room full of victims. Full of victims at this moment.

VALENCIA (voice-over): CNN has not been able to independently verify the audio or at what point during the shooting this occurred. Law enforcement's timeline shows that the gunman remained in the classrooms for more than an hour while at least eight 911 calls were made by at least two students begging for help.

Officers had arrived within two minutes, but the commander on the scene decided to wait before confronting the gunman.

COL. STEVEN MCCRAW, DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: For the benefit of hindsight where I'm sitting now, of course, it was not the right decision, it was a wrong decision, period. There's no no excuse for that.

VALENCIA (voice-over): The massacre is one of a string of mass shootings that have left the nation on edge. School districts nationwide are intensifying security protocols, fearing copycat attacks. Like in Buffalo, where a gunman opened fire at a top supermarket, killing 10 earlier this month.

New safety protocols include all doors remaining locked during the school day, and any person who wishes to enter must call ahead for approval.

COLIN ALLRED, U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRAT: Americans are on edge and they're on edge because they don't know if it's going to be their place of worship, a mall, a concert, their children's school.

VALENCIA (voice-over): In Uvalde, the community plans for two weeks of funeral services to late arrest the 21 victims. Uvalde's mayor has decided to postpone a city council meeting in which several new members were to be sworn in, including School Police Chief Pedro Pete Arredondo. He was elected to the City Council earlier this month and reportedly was the official who made the decision not to breach the classrooms while the shooter was locked inside. Arredondo has not spoken to the media since the day of the shooting.

The mayor says Arredondo's role in the shooting response will not impact his ability to serve on the council. Arredondo's decision has angered victims parents like Amerie Joe Garza's father

ALFRED GARZA, FATHER OF SHOOTING VICTIM AMERIE JO GARZA: They needed to act immediately. You know, there's kids involved. You know, there's a gun involved. There's an active shooter wanting to do harm.

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KINKADE: Well, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators is meeting today to discuss gun legislation. And it comes as a House committee is expected to vote this week on a gun reform package, which faces an uphill battle in the Senate.

CNN's Jessica Dean joins us now from Washington with more. Jessica, often when you listen to the argument by the NRA, the National Rifle Association, they say a good guy with a gun will stop a bad guy with a gun. But we had 19 armed officers at that school, inside that classroom was an 18-year-old with an AR-15. And those officers didn't stop him. What are lawmakers doing at this meeting today about gun regulation? What are they considering?

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, they're actually on recess right now. So this has happened as -- happening as a virtual meeting. But we know that they are talking today. Senator John Cornyn, one of Texas's senators has been deputized by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to engage in these bipartisan talks also being led by Democrat Senator Chris Murphy from the state of Connecticut where Sandy Hook happened some 10 years ago.

And they are trying to find some middle ground here. Murphy has been honest and candid, saying, look, he's not going to get everything he wants, but he doesn't want perfect to be the enemy of good. So what they're talking about are strengthening and expanding background checks if not possible universal background checks.

[14:45:05]

They're talking about safe storage, they're talking about mental health resources, and also adding resources to school safety across the country. These are things that they hope could make a difference. But those conversations going on right now.

And just to make sure everyone understands kind of the lay of the land here in the U.S. Senate, they're up against the filibuster where you need 60 votes to move any legislation forward. And, of course, we've got this 50-50 split in the U.S. Senate right now on the Democrats and the Senate -- and the Republicans side. So we -- they need 10 Republicans to join them.

And so far, there has been legislation, Lynda, that's come up from the House just in the last year that has just sat there that would be universal background checks and closing some loopholes. That legislation has simply languished because there are not 10 Republicans that will join Democrats and getting that over the finish line. So the hope here from both sides right now that are engaging, and again, that is just the Republicans that are engaging in these talks, because remember, there are still Senate Republicans who believe no action should be taken in this form. But the ones that are engaging are hopeful that they can push something through.

And again, the fact that they're in recess right now, that means that the momentum could fade. You know, last week, they were getting phone call after phone call after phone call from enraged constituents demanding they do something. And if that drops off, Lynda, Republicans know that they won't have to answer to constituents. That is some of the fear on the Democratic side that the pressure will be released if they don't move quickly enough. Lynda?

KINKADE: This is often the problem, isn't it? There's a lot of seeming leap, some sort of attempt for action after a massacre and then it just fades away until the next one.

Jessica Dean for us in Washington, thank you.

Well, President Joe Biden has met with New Zealand's Prime Minister at the White House to discuss gun violence and online extremism. Two issues that New Zealand has cracked down on harder than the U.S. Mr. Biden told Jacinda Ardern he wants to work with New Zealanders on those efforts, and find out what their conversations were like. The country has passed tougher gun laws after the Christchurch massacre which of course happened in 2019 and has taken action against online radicalization.

U.S. senators discussed, and as U.S. Senators discuss possible gun reform, neighboring Canada is taking a tougher stance. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announcing a bill that would freeze handgun ownership. If approved, Canadians would no longer be able to buy, sell or transfer or import handguns. Canada is also moving to ban hundreds of types of military style rifles and force owners to sell ones they already have back to the government.

Joining us now to discuss is CNN Correspondent Alexandra Field. And Alexandra, less than a week after the massacre in Texas, Canada's Prime Minister has proposed stricter gun regulation, saying Canadians don't have to wait for a massacre to act. Is he sending a message to U.S. lawmakers?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, you could certainly take it that way because it does come on the heels of Uvalde does come on the heels of Buffalo and so many other crises we've seen here in the United States. But ultimately, if you look back, this is something that has been part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's platform for a long time, it is something that he has campaigned on. And he has taken steps to improve gun safety and to work toward gun control in the past, but this is sweeping.

Two years ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on 1,500 styles of assault weapons, he is now saying there will be a buyback for affected businesses and gun owners. And beyond that, he's really going after the handguns with this bill that will stop the buying and selling, stop the trafficking or the importing that will also raise fines for smugglers. And he's taking additional steps like limiting the number of rounds on long guns to five. That's it.

That means the modification of existing guns and the change in the manufacture of guns that can be sold in Canada in the future. So you're talking about wide ranging reforms. He does, however, not of course, to the crisis in the U.S. He tells Canadians that they need only look south of the border to see that the problem only gets worse if the government does not take action.

KINKADE: Exactly. So I'm wondering, Alexandra, how much support there is for this tougher gun regulation in Canada? Is this proposal likely to pass?

FIELD: It is likely to pass. It seems to have widespread support. It is likely to pass in the fall. He is saying at the same time that the majority of gun owners in Canada do act responsibly. But again, he's telling the public in Canada and the world at large that the problem of gun violence is increasing in Canada and that these steps are now necessary.

KINKADE: All right, Alexandra Field for us in New York, thanks very much.

[14:50:00]

Still to come tonight, entire neighborhoods underwater. A look at the terrible toll from floods and landslides in northern Brazil.

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KINKADE: We're now to Eastern Brazil, which is bracing for more deadly floods and landslides. The official death toll is now reached 100, but dozens more remain missing after torrential rains. Nearly 4,000 people have fled their home since last week. President Jair Bolsonaro flew over the affected region on Monday to see the damage.

CNN's Brasil's Anthony Wells has the latest from the ground.

ANTHONY WELLS, CNN BRASIL: Floods and landslides in Brazil's northeastern states of Pernambuco continue to claim lives as the search continues for the residents who are still missing. Several cities in the area have declared a state of emergency while nearby states mobilize firefighters, first responders and rescue teams to assist in the search efforts.

Residents of high risk areas are being urged to seek shelter elsewhere. Schools and the state capitol of Recife, for example, have opened for displaced families. Some affected areas have seen more rain in a 24-hour period than in the entire month of May, and they could see over 100 millimetres of rain in the coming days.

President Jair Bolsonaro has traveled to the state to assess the situation. The federal and states of Pernambuco governments have promised funds and resources to assist the municipalities affected. The weekend downpour marked the fourth major flooding event in five months in Brazil highlighting the lack of proper urban planning, especially in low-income neighborhoods.

Reporting from Sao Paulo, Anthony Wells, CNN Brasil.

KINKADE: Well, highways along Mexico southern coast are now blocked by mudslides after a record breaking storm. Agatha made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane Monday and has now weakened to a tropical depression. That heavy rain flash flooding and mudslides is still possible.

Oaxaca, for instance, is expected to get 50 centimeters of rain. Agatha's forecast to dissipate soon, but the remnants could move into the southern Gulf of Mexico later this week and that could lead to a new storm.

[14:55:04]

The jury in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial has sent a note to the judge asking about the headline of the op-ed at the center of the case. The jurors have been deliberating now for about seven hours. At issue is a 2018 Washington Post op-ed written by Heard, in which she caught herself an abuse survivor. Depp, her former husband is suing her for $50 million for defamation. She is countersuing for $100 million.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has unveiled a treasure trove of recently discovered ancient artifacts. That collection includes 250 sarcophagi stone coffins containing mummies and 150 bronze statues of Egyptian gods such as Anubis and Isis. The items are found in an ancient cemetery located near the Giza Pyramids. They're believed to date back to 500 B.C.

And much of the find, we're going to stay at the Grand Egyptian Museum which is due to open later this year.

Incredible find. Thanks so much for watching tonight. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Stay with CNN Richard Quest with Quest Means Business is up next.

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