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Stoltenberg Suggests NATO won't Invoke Article Five in Response to a Potential Incident at Zaporizhzhia; Buckingham Palace: Queen's Doctors are Concerned for her Health; Queen Elizabeth's Family Rushes to her Side; Doctor's Concerned; British PM Liz Truss: "Whole Country" Deeply Concerned about Reports of Queen's Health. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired September 08, 2022 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So this is all about 60 days to the day referencing the mid-term elections clearly trying to make the case that this was politically motivated prosecution. We will hear from the Manhattan District Attorney and the New York Attorney General at a 1 pm press conference.

They are expected to lay out the charges and the allegations. This is this conduct as we've been discussing is all related to a fundraising effort to raise money for the construction of a wall along the Southern U.S. border.

Bannon has previously denied any wrongdoing. His attorney tells me that he will plead not guilty today when he is arraigned around 2 pm Eastern this afternoon, then we will get a full look at what these charges are and exactly what Bannon is facing in terms of the severity of the charges.

But we - and then after the arraignment, Bannon is expected to leave and he is expected to address the media so we will likely hear more from him this afternoon Jim and Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN HOST: Kara thank you very much live outside the courthouse in New York.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Right now U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is speaking to reporters in Germany detailing a new $675 million U.S. security package for Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony blanket made an unannounced trip to the Ukrainian Capital Kyiv today. He met with Ukrainian President also that puppy there, patrolling known as the bomb sniffing hero of Ukraine. It's his third visit to the country since the start of Russia's invasion.

Blinken will meet with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels NATO Headquarters tomorrow. I spoke with the Secretary General earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO (on camera): It's the U.S. view that Ukraine's counter offensive in the south of the country, has resulted in some gains so far. And I wonder do you believe that Ukraine can retake significant amount - significant amounts of Russian held territory and hold that territory in the coming weeks and months?

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY: So wars are by nature always unpredictable. But what we have seen is a change of the face of this war because so the Russian offensive in Donbas has stalled, stopped by the Ukrainians. And Ukrainians are making progress actually able to strike back and also retake some territory in the South.

This just makes it even more important than NATO allies and partners provide support to Ukraine and therefore also welcome the announcement today of additional U.S. support to Ukraine.

SCIUTTO (on camera): Do you believe the momentum in this war has fundamentally changed to Ukraine's favor?

STOLTENBERG: It is a pivotal time for this war because after some Russia advances in Donbas, they are not able to make any more significant advances, gains on any significant more territory in Donbas and then we see that Ukrainians are actually able to take back some territory in the South.

Fundamentally, President Putin of Russia made a big mistake because their plan was to take Kyiv within a couple of weeks or days and then the whole western, sorry the eastern part of Ukraine within a few weeks. They failed to do that. And then they change to the focus on Donbas and even in Donbas, they are now struggling to make the progress they plan to do.

SCIUTTO (on camera): As you know, UN International Inspectors IAEA Inspectors visited the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant this week, the IAEA report, following that visit does not assign blame for the shelling around that plant. And I wonder do you hold one side of the other responsible for the current threat to the plant? Or is it in your view of shared responsibility?

STOLTENBERG: There is no doubt that the responsibility is Russia's, because Russia has invaded Ukraine. Russia has occupied parts of Ukraine they occupied the land where this power plant is situated, the biggest Nuclear Power Plant in Europe.

So therefore is also of course, Russia's responsibility to take actions so that remedy this very dangerous situation for not only Ukraine, but also for the whole of Europe a potential accident or incident around or at this nuclear power plant will affect the whole of Europe.

So the best thing would of course, do to end the occupation of Ukraine to withdraw all its forces. But at least the first step should be to demilitarize to remove all Russian troops from the nuclear power plant.

SCIUTTO (on camera): Is a threat to that plant a threat to the NATO alliance?

STOLTENBERG: The NATO Article Five is about an armed attack on a NATO territory and incidents and accidents in Ukraine is a different thing. But it will - but it is dangerous for the whole of Europe and that's the reason why the message to Russia and to the Russian forces occupying the plant is so clear.

They should remove their forces and work with the international inspectors from the International Atomic Energy to ensure the safety and security of the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe.

[10:35:00]

SCIUTTO (on camera): Are there any circumstances under which NATO would send military forces to secure that plant if the threat to the plant is not removed?

STOLTENBERG: Our focus and our responsibility is to provide support to Ukraine. NATO forces are not part of the conflict. The NATO allies are not part of the conflict. But we support provide unprecedented support to Ukraine to help them uphold the right for self-defense, right, which is enshrined in the UN Charter.

Winter is coming, the winter will be hard. And our focus now is both in providing more lethal support from NATO allies, but also to provide tens of thousands of winter uniforms, generators, tents, so Ukrainians can manage the cold climate that we know will come within few weeks.

SCIUTTO (on camera): As you say winter is coming and you just wrote a piece for the Financial Times, urging Ukraine's reporters, supporters rather to stand tall.

You say we face a difficult six months with the threat of energy cuts, disruptions, perhaps even civil unrest, but we must stay the course and stand up to tyranny for Ukraine's sake and for ours. Are you concerned that this coming energy crisis could break Europe's resolve to stand with Ukraine?

STOLTENBERG: President Putin is trying to divide us. What we've seen so far is NATO allies being more united than ever. He also wanted less NATO on his border. He's getting more NATO on its borders, both with more deployments in eastern part of the alliance, but also with Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

But of course, higher energy prices, increased cost of living that means that also European allies, people all over NATO will have to pay a higher price. But we need to understand that this is the price we should pay, because the alternative is to pay much higher price if we accept that President Putin gets his way in Ukraine by using brutal military force invading our neighbor.

SCIUTTO (on camera): NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, we know you have a great deal on your plate. So thanks so much for taking the time this morning.

STOLTENBERG: Thanks so much for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HARLOW: Fascinating interview at a pivotal time as he said. Well, coming up, we will go back to the United Kingdom. We'll continue our breaking coverage of Queen Elizabeth's health, her son and Heir Prince Charles by her side, other members of the Royal Family, all making their way there to Balmoral Castle in Scotland. We'll have reactions from political leaders next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:40:00]

SCIUTTO: This morning the somber news we continue to follow out of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth's doctors now recommending she remain under medical supervision amid growing concerns for her health.

HARLOW: The Queen's Son Prince Charles already by her side as we speak at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, her other three children on their way to be with the Queen. Our Matthew Chance is in London with more political reaction from leaders around the world, Matthew?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, it's important to remember that the Queen, Queen Elizabeth is not just Queen of Britain, she's Queen of I think 15 countries. And so this is a huge international story as well as an enormous and very moving British one as well.

There have been plans, of course, in the pipeline for years about what to do in the event of the death of Queen Elizabeth. It's called "Operation London Bridge". But it seems that you know the news of her sharply deteriorating health it seems to have come as a surprise to the politicians in this country.

There was some quite dramatic scenes in Parliament earlier on today when Liz Truss, who's the new British Prime Minister who's only sworn in a couple of days ago by Queen Elizabeth in Balmoral her summer estate in in Scotland, where Liz Truss was approached by one of her political aides, the aide whispered in her ear.

The Prime Minister looked very sort of ashen faced and stood up and left the parliamentary chamber. She later gave a statement on social media saying the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace.

My thoughts and the thoughts of people across the United Kingdom are with Her Majesty the Queen and her family at this time. Leader of the Opposition, Kier Starmer, has also issued a statement along the same lines, saying he's deeply worried about the news in Buckingham Palace and the Scottish First Minister.

Of course, it's in Scotland, where Queen Elizabeth is currently located at her Balmoral Estate. She said all of us are feeling profoundly concerned at the reports of Her Majesty's health. So there are these expressions of political concern and it's very serious because not just that we've seen top politicians in this country make these statements which they wouldn't do unless the matter they've been advised was very serious indeed. But we're also seeing senior Royals, the children the grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth, either already at Balmoral presumably at her bedside or making their way there right now. That's already happening. Another thing is happening is for instance British broadcasters like the British Broadcasting Corporation have gone to rolling coverage.

[10:45:00]

CHANCE: Satellite trucks have been deployed in force at Buckingham Palace and other key areas. And so it seems that the plans are being made to receive the next step, the next, any news about Queen Elizabeth's health.

SCIUTTO: Matthew, no, it strikes me as you were reading some of those reactions from leaders in the UK that many of them, most of them perhaps haven't been alive for as long as she served as the monarch. So some seven years more than seven years celebrating the Jubilee earlier this year.

You describe preparations you also describe the sort of sharing of this information in a different way than the Palace has dealt with information about her health in recent months and years when there have been other concerns and sometimes overblown concerns about her health.

To your knowledge and reporting is the public face of this statement and the confirmation of family members traveling to be by her side, is that part of a plan in place to let people know how serious this is right, perhaps prepare the ground?

CHANCE: I think that, you know, I mean, normally I don't cover it that closely. But, you know, I think the Palace doesn't usually give, you know, a close up running commentary on the status of the Queen's health. And so the fact that they have said she's being supervised by doctors is in itself, you know, a sign that this is serious.

This is not just a little blip in the health. Remember, she's 96- years-old, and what a figure of continuity she has been. I mean, I was reading an article about this just a few minutes ago. And the first Prime Minister that worked beneath her was Winston Churchill, who was born 101 years before the current Prime Minister, Liz Truss fifth - her fifteenth Prime Minister who swore in just on Tuesday. So this has been a figure Queen Elizabeth is a figure of remarkable continuity in this country Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

HARLOW: As constant as a Northern Star, that is what one of her Secretaries Simon Lewis once said about her and it just keeps sticking with me as we continue to cover her health and watch this very closely. Matthew Chance thank you for all of that and we will have much more on Queen Elizabeth's health live from Windsor Castle ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00] SCIUTTO: Back to our breaking news the somber news out of the UK the country the world watching closely perhaps with their hearts and their throats as we've learned Queen Elizabeth family is by her side traveling to her side some her doctors recommending she remained under medical supervision.

HARLOW: Our Scott McLean joins us live from Windsor Castle; our Max Foster joins us from Buckingham Palace. Scott, let me begin with you from Windsor as the nation obviously the United Kingdom hanging on every word possible from the Palace about her condition. What can you tell us this morning?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Jim and Poppy. Yes, the weather seems to really be a good indicator of the nation's mood right now pretty somber at this point. What's interesting is we just arrived here in Windsor and we've had a chance to speak with people very briefly.

And this is normally the Queen's residence. It's obviously a major tourist attraction as well. And so all kinds of people had been coming out of the castle grounds after having toured it and to be honest, many people hadn't heard anything about the Queens' potential health issues that we were hearing about.

I was at Clarence House earlier on today as well near Buckingham Palace, which is the official residence of Prince Charles and similarly it was kind of an odd scene because no one had heard anything. And, you know, North American tourists were kind of looking and wondering why all of this press was suddenly assembling along the Mall there and outside Buckingham Palace as well as.

If something was happening but they didn't know what and that is simply the same situation across the country as people are hearing about what's happening. But we really don't have a lot of information at this stage.

SCIUTTO: Max legacy in terms of length of time, seven decades, but also triumphs and challenges overcome.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, incredibly credible legacy, arguably the greatest monarch that's ever lived. If you speak to some historians, they would argue that because of the tumultuous period and modern history that she oversaw, and ended up being more popular at the end of her reign, or the twilight of her reign as we are now than she was right at the beginning.

So an extraordinary reign and a truly global figure; we haven't had an update for an hour or so. I think the next update we'll have is when all of the members of the Royal Family have arrived at Balmoral. At that point they will have a time to regroup and share news together and then there'll be ready to tell the wider world.

Initially the Prime Minister, Ambassadors around the world also Governors General around the world so there's a process to go through to give an update on the Queen's health. It is obviously a serious update. We don't know what that is. We will find out when the public finds out. But I think we need all of the members of the Royal Family to be within the castle for that to happen. They're currently in transit. I understand that some of them have arrived at Aberdeen Airport and that's about an hour away from Balmoral.

[10:55:00]

FOSTER: So we're expecting some sort of update in the next couple of hours.

HARLOW: Well, thank you very much; Scott McLean and Max Foster really, for helping guide us through all of this news of such importance to the world. Thanks to all of you for joining us today. We will see you right back here tomorrow morning. I'm Poppy Harlow.

SCIUTTO: And I'm Jim Sciutto. Anderson Cooper will pick up our special coverage right after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:00:00]