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Brittney Griner Back Home from Prisoner Swap; Vladimir Putin Admits Attacking Ukraine's Infrastructure; Paul Whelan Still Left in Russian Prison; Far-right Group Arrested in Germany; Nigerian Military Denies Abortion Allegation; Nothing New in Duke and Duchess of Sussex Documentary Series; Fans Watch for Lionel Messi's Performance; Cristiano Ronaldo Don't Agree to Bench Him in the Finals. Aired 3- 3:45a ET

Aired December 09, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

Ahead on CNN Newsroom. After spending 10 months detained in Russia, Brittney Griner will be soon back on U.S. soil. Now questions are being raised about who was swapped for her freedom and who was left behind.

Plus, Vladimir Putin finally admits targeting Ukraine's infrastructure and vows to continue the strikes throughout the winter.

And Lionel Messi is looking for a win in Friday's quarter final match. But the Netherlands won't make it easy for his Argentinian team.

UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: American basketball star Brittney Griner is expected back on U.S. soil in the coming hours after nearly 10 months in Russian custody. Now she's due to arrive in San Antonio, Texas where she will head to an army medical Center for evaluation.

Russia agreed with the U.S. to swap Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. The two crossed paths briefly in Abu Dhabi. Garner had been serving a nine-year prison sentence after authorities found cannabis oil in her bag at a Moscow airport. Her attorney said it was prescribed by a doctor for severe chronic pain. Bout is already back in Moscow freed from a 25-year U.S. prison term for conspiring to kill Americans. He told reporters about how he found out about his release. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIKTOR BOUT, FREED IN PRISONER SWAP (through translator): In the middle of the night. They simply woke me up and said, get your things together, and that was it. There was no preliminary information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now CNN spoke earlier with Kathi Lynn Austin, the arms trafficking expert who spent 15 years investigating Victor Bout. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHI LYNN AUSTIN, TRACKED VICTOR BOUT FOR 15 YEARS: I do think, Viktor Bout is a security threat and we cannot minimize this issue, even though it's very important that Brittney Griner came home. We need to be very proactive here. Putin is going to be ready to deploy Viktor Bout. He comes with years of experience, years of contacts. He started in Ukraine and I think that's one of the areas we have to be concerned about right away. Viktor Bout will be a major asset for Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: More now on how this delicate prisoner swap unfolded from CNN's senior U.S. national security correspondent Alex Marquardt.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The dramatic moment of the high stakes prisoner swap. Brittney Griner in the red coat, walking towards the American plane. Coming towards them State Department official Roger Carstens accompanying Viktor Bout, who was hugged by a Russian official.

This new video from Russian state media shows Griner leaving Russian detention and boarding the plane in the snow. Her passport returned. Griner smiles knowing she's heading home.

UNKNOWN: Are you ready for flight?

UNKNOWN: Yes.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Congratulations again.

CHERELLE GRINER, BRITTNEY GRINER'S WIFE: Thank you.

MARQUARDT: Back in the U.S. Griner's wife Cherelle was invited to the White House.

C. GRINER: Today I'm just standing here. overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion that I have right now is just sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration.

MARQUARDT: The release was the culmination of many months of negotiations with Russia.

BIDEN: This work is not easy. Negotiations are always difficult. There are never any guarantee. But it's my job as President of the United States to make the hard calls and protect American citizens everywhere in the world.

MARQUARDT: The WNBA star who was caught with cannabis oil entering Russia spent 10 months in Russian detention, but now she's spared from a brutal nine-year sentence in a Russian penal colony. U.S. officials said that the trade for notorious Russian weapons smuggler Viktor Bout was finalized in the past 48 hours.

Griner was moved from her prison to Moscow before being flown to Abu Dhabi where the exchange took place on the tarmac of a small private airfield.

BIDEN: I'm glad to be able to say that Brittney is in good spirits. She, she's relieved to finally be heading home.

MARQUARDT: The U.S. wanted to trade Bout for both Griner and American Paul Whelan but Russia refused. In an exclusive interview from his penal colony Whelan told CNN he's surprised he wasn't included.

PAUL WHELAN, AMERICAN DETAINED IN RUSSIA: I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release. I'm happy that Brittney is going home today and that Trevor went home when he did, but I don't understand why I'm still sitting here. My bags are packed. I'm ready to go home.

[03:05:06]

MARQUARDT: Whelan told CNN that the Russians see him at a higher level than Griner. He's been charged with espionage and sentenced to 16 years.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This was not a choice of which American to bring home. The choice was one or none. I wholeheartedly wish that we could have brought Paul home today on the same plane as Brittney.

MARQUARDT: The big question now is how to get Paul Whelan home. Who will the Russians want in exchange and is the U.S. willing to do it? Whelan, clearly frustrated told CNN that Russia got the better of Thursday's deal. He said that Griner was traded for what he called a world class felon and that now Russia is dangling him. Paul Whelan over President Biden's head and will ask for something big.

Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Paul Whelan's sister Elizabeth tells CNN she doesn't think he knows the full extent of the U.S. efforts to free him. He says her family is always careful on what they say because Whelan always can assume that Russian authorities are listening. So, Whelan says he's disappointed. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHELAN: The president and his team are going to have to look at what they have that is valuable, that these people want, and hopefully give it to them. Or I'll be here for a long time, and to be quite honest in these conditions, who knows how I'll come back or if I'll come back. What I don't understand is why nothing has happened to this point and what the -- what the roadmap is for my release in the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Whelan's brother Paul says he thinks President Biden made the right call to take the deal that was on the table, but he wants his brother freed. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID WHELAN, PAUL WHELAN'S BROTHER: You can hear the despair and that's also the reality. He asks for a roadmap and there isn't one. Where we are going has not been plumbed because it changes with each wrongful detainee and, yes, I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And joining me now from London is Luke Harding, a foreign correspondent for The Guardian. He's also the author of the brand-new book "Invasion: The Inside Story of Russia's Bloody War and Ukraine's Fight for Survival."

Thanks so much for being here with us.

So, looking at this deal on its surface, it it's very uneven. We have a woman convicted of having a single gram of cannabis oil versus a man who's allegedly one of the most prolific arms dealers in recent history convicted of plotting to kill Americans. So, did Putin get the better part of the deal here?

LUKE HARDING, FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, THE GUARDIAN: I'm afraid he did. I mean, this is a big win for the Kremlin. They've wanted Viktor Bout to be released for some time, and as you say, we've got an innocent basketball star framed by the Federal Security Service. That's the Russian spy agency which Vladimir Putin used to head versus someone who ran a shadow empire delivering arms to the worst people across the world.

And I think there's quite a lot of rejoicing in Moscow that this has happened. And what you have to sort of, we have to bear in mind is the fact this really vindicates the sort of classic KGB strategy of hostage taking. You take a hostage, then you negotiate a deal. And it sort of validates Putin's rather cynical worldview that the west talks about human rights, but ultimately when it comes to it, you can sit across the table and you can get what you want.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Those Cold War era spy tactics, something Putin himself very familiar with obviously. So, the man Putin swapped Griner for Viktor Bout. Why does Russia, why did they want him back so badly?

HARDING: Well, I think -- I think for two reasons. First, you have to look at his background. Basically, he's very closely associated with the GRU, that's Russian military intelligence rival outfit to the KGB. And when you look at his biography, he was a military translator in places like Angola, he speaks several languages.

It's clear that he has very close links with Russian intelligence agencies and what you might call the secret state. And he knows a lot of secrets. And so far, as we know he hasn't told these secrets during his long years of imprisonment in the U.S. That's one reason.

The other reason I think is that, look, there's this big --

BRUNHUBER: I think we might have lost our guest there, but our thanks to Luke Harding for joining us there.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Ukraine has itself to blame for Moscow's strikes on its energy system. Russia has been pounding it in recent weeks, temporarily cutting power to millions of Ukrainians just as cold weather sitting in. But Putin still claims none of that is Russia's fault. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:09:56]

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Right now, there's been a lot of uproar about our attacks on the energy infrastructure of our neighboring country. Yes, we're doing it, but who started it? Who hit the Crimean bridge?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: More from our Salma Abdelaziz joins us now live from London. So, Salma, you know, plenty of eyebrows raised after Putin's comments there.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. These are very rare comments from President Putin speaking directly and admitting, of course, to these attacks on civilian infrastructure, on Ukraine's electrical grid, on its power systems. Really attacks that have left millions of Ukrainians at times without electricity and without running water.

Now the admission in and of itself is not that surprising. We've seen Russia's military statements in the past acknowledging these attacks, admitting they are behind these, this sustained campaign on civilian infrastructure again. But what's interesting here is that you hear President Putin talking about the motivations.

Oftentimes in the statements we see from Moscow there seems to be a strategic reason given for these attacks. But President Putin seems to be admitting this is simple revenge. It's a tit-for-tat. I want you to take a listen to a bit more of what he said with champagne glass in hand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PUTIN (through translator): Who isn't supplying water to Donetsk? Not supplying water to a city with more than a million people is an act of genocide. No one has ever said a word about that, total silence. But as soon as we move and do something in response, they scream and shout to the whole universe. This will not interfere with our combat mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now, Kim, these-off-the-cuff remarks were made in the Kremlin yesterday addressing soldiers during an award ceremony. And you hear President Putin there yet again listing his grievances. The Kerch Bridge, of course that attack that happened in October, a covert operation. That Ukraine has not admitted to, but that was a major strike on Russia. The one in only bridge that connects Russian occupied Crimea to mainland Russia.

He goes on to claim these eastern regions in Ukraine are being attacked again by Ukrainian forces. He believes those lands belong to Russia. He goes on to make these accusations against the West saying that they only care about Ukraine and not about Russia.

What do we take away from all of this? I think, first of all, just how personal this conflict is of course for President Putin. We're not talking about military strategy here in these comments, we're talking about personal offense in many ways. And you also get from this, Kim, that these attacks are going to continue.

Ukrainian officials, their allies say the attacks on infrastructure in Ukraine could amount to war crimes because of the civilian suffering. They caused high concern as the temperatures drop as winter really heads into the toughest months as to how Ukrainians continue to survive that sustained campaign. But President Putin is steadfast and quite frankly, almost honest and sneering with that champagne glass in hand about how he's going to continue to sustain this campaign. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much Salma Abdelaziz. I really appreciate it.

All right. I want to bring back our guest that we just had on there. Luke Harding, foreign correspondent for The Guardian, and the author of "Invasion: The Inside Story of Russia's Bloody War in Ukraine's Fight for Survival."

Thanks for coming back to us here.

So, we were just talking about the man Putin swapped for Brittney Griner, Viktor Bout. Pentagon officials have said sort of on one hand, they're concerned that he could go back to arms dealing, but at the same time, the Biden administration has told CNN that they conducted a security assessment ahead of the deal, and Bout wasn't a security threat to the U.S.

So, which is right. I mean, what kind of threat, if any, could he still pose to the world?

HARDING: Well, I mean, I think he's certainly a threat to Ukraine. And we were just hearing there about attacks on critical infrastructure. I've reported from Kyiv, and Russia has been burning through a huge number of missiles at Ukrainian infrastructure targets.

And obviously, Bout potentially plays a role in helping the Russians resupply. Now I think Ukraine is at the center of American strategic interests going forward. And yes, he may not be involved in directly attacking Americans, but he certainly is a believer.

What we hear he had a, allegedly, he had a picture of President Putin in his jail cell in Illinois. And it's clear if the state asked him to help, he will help.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Coons said the more that the U.S. makes these types of exchanges, the greater the risk of more Americans being detained down the road. So, is he right? Could it encourage Russia to imprison other Americans or, perhaps other foreign nationals to get back important assets?

HARDING: I'm afraid he's right. I mean, that is the situation. We've been in this hostage taking scenario for some time now, obviously Paul Whelan is still there, and I think Moscow is looking to Washington for concessions over Ukraine for Whelan's released.

[03:15:01]

But if I were an American living in Moscow now, or perhaps a British national. I mean, myself, I'm banned. I was thrown out of Russia a decade ago. I would be quite wary, because, actually at this point, anybody can fall into them inside. It doesn't matter whether you've done something or not done something.

If you are a useful asset for the Kremlin, if you can be bought and sold or traded, whether you're a businessman or a diplomat or a student that I'm afraid you we're not in a situation where you are potentially at risk.

BRUNHUBER: I want to ask you about Paul Whelan, the American who wasn't included in this deal. The State Department's message to him was, quote, "keep the faith, we are coming for you."

So, what's it going to take to get him back? Is the U.S. maybe holding any Russians who could -- who the Kremlin would want back in exchange for Whelan?

HARDING: I mean, the U.S. isn't, but the Germans are. I mean, there's a notorious case from a couple of years ago where a German assassin working, we think for Russian intelligence services, shot dead. A Chechen dissident in a park in the center of Berlin, the German capital. Now there's been clear evidence proving a link with Moscow that this was an authorized state hit. They would very much like this guy back.

So, they have a list of people -- of people they want. But as I was saying, I think the other thing of course is Ukraine. I mean, that is the big grand bargain from Putin's point of view, he would like nothing better than to sit down with Joe Biden at a summit in Switzerland or somewhere else and decide the fate of Europe. Almost like sort of two men with a map. You know, saying You have this, I have that.

And I think what he wants to do ultimately is for the Biden administration to blink on Ukraine and to stop or to dial down the shipments of arms to Kyiv from Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That's the very top of his wish list.

BRUNHUBER: So, then, what do you think it says that this exchange happened during the invasion of Ukraine while the U.S. is, you know, providing arms to Ukraine that are -- that are killing Russian soldiers. Is it encouraging on some level that at least they are able to talk and deal at a high level like this?

HARDING: Well, I mean, I think, I mean, I think it is on a practical level, of course, and you know, we have to recognize that for Brittney Grinder's family this is a wonderful momentous day. They've been waiting for 10 long months. And actually, you know, this is just the Russian method.

I mean, if we look again at Ukraine, despite the war, despite the terrible civilian costs that the ruin of Ukrainian cities, there has been a kind of back channel with between Kyiv for Moscow with Russian soldiers who've been taking prisoners swap for Ukrainian soldiers who are in captivity. So, they're good at this.

But of course, of course, of course, it reinforces their view. That's essentially, you know, anything can be bought, anything can be traded if the price is right. It's a very cynical view.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, good point. All right, we'll have to leave it there, but I really appreciate you having you. Luke Harding, thanks so much.

German authorities say they expect more raids and arrests to be made as they investigate a far-right plot to overthrow the government. Police on Thursday they've identified more than 50 suspects, and there could be more.

We got the latest on the investigation from CNN's senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen in Berlin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It could have been a January 6th style insurrection in Germany. Violent protestors trying to storm German parliament in August, 2020, one of the leading groups, the Reichsburger or Citizens of the Reich now accused of plotting a coup in Germany.

This is obviously one of the largest terrorist organizations that has existed in the right-wing sector in recent years, Bavaria's interior minister said, it certainly seems to be the worst we have seen so far in the spectrum of the Reichsburger and QAnon scenes.

German authorities say they believe there will be more arrests after massive raids on Wednesday. The number of suspects has already risen to more than 50 possible co-conspirators of the group, allegedly led by this man, 71-year-old Prince Heinrich the 13th of the House of Reuss. CNN efforts to reach him for comment have so far been unsuccessful.

Residents of Heinrich's hometowns say the suspicious activity was already well underway. His followers had even demanded citizens ditch their German passports. "We were told that we were not German because our passports were not German. We were then given the opportunity to apply for our German origin documents with the Reuss administration," the deputy mayor said.

Authorities say the Reichsburger wants to set up a monarchy in Germany and have scores of right-wing extremists in the ranks.

[03:19:59]

Among those arrested several former soldiers and a former member of German parliament from a far-right political party. German extremism experts warn like in the U.S. the number of extremists looking to undermine democracy is growing.

"It's a development which shows that right wing extremism is moving from the margins to the center, and that protagonists from the scene can imagine overthrowing the state order. It's a very dangerous development."

German criminal authorities say they are continuing to identify people possibly involved in the planned coup, and while that plan may have been thwarted this time, groups like Reichsburger pose an increasing threat to Germany's democratic.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: A dramatic change of leadership in Peru after the former president was removed from office and arrested. We'll explain why Pedro Castillo is expected to remain in police custody for now.

And so far, it seems the docu-series on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has failed to produce any jaw dropping moments, but Buckingham Palace can't rest easy just yet.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Peru's ousted leader is now considered a flight risk and will remain in police custody for at least a week. Pedro Castillo was impeached and arrested on charges of rebellion after attempting to disband the Congress on Wednesday. The Mexican government confirms receiving an asylum request from Castillo prior to his arrest.

The political turmoil set off clashes on Thursday between riot police and Castillo's supporters were demanding the former president be set free. Meanwhile, Castillo's successor was seen dancing on the outside of the presidential palace on Thursday, the new president said calls for early elections were, quote, "respectable," but she would first consult with other political leaders before making any decision. Nigeria's military is angrily denying media reports that forced thousands of Nigerian women and girls to have abortions after they were rescued from Boko Haram militants when Nigerian commander slammed the Reuters report as a fabrication. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHER MUSA, MAJOR GENERAL, NIGERIAN ARMY: It does never happen. It is not happening, and it will not happen. It is not in our character. We are highly professional. We're human beings, and these are Nigerians that I've been talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The denials Reuters news agency claims the secret military operation began at least a decade ago in the country's northeast where the militant group is most active. Amnesty International and others -- other rights groups have called for an investigation.

We get the latest from CNN's Nima Elbagir.

[03:24:52]

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: The details are absolutely horrifying. Reuters news agency in a new investigation says that they have evidence that at least 10,000 pregnancies were aborted. Pregnancies carried by women and girls who had been rescued from the Boko Haram militant terrorist organization and who were carrying the children of their captors, forced by Nigeria's own military to abort these pregnancies.

This is what one girl who spoke to Reuters had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: In the beginning, we were in our town. Boko Haram came and attacked. They grabbed us and took us away to the bush. After that, we were in the bush in their hands. Soldiers came and took us. After that, they took us to Maiduguri barracks. And they aborted our pregnancies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELBAGIR: This is not the first time that Nigerian authorities, that the Nigerian military has been accused of human rights violations. A CNN investigation into the incidents at Lekki toll gate two years ago found that the Nigerian army had fired live rounds into protesters who were protesting, who were demonstrating against police brutality.

This is not only an issue for Nigeria and the condemnation that they're receiving from the Nigerian public for these allegations of human rights violations. It's also an issue for the United States of America.

Over the last two decades, Nigeria has been the recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. military assistance, of U.S. training. Also, they have been approved for U.S. armed sales. Any allegations of human rights violations cause great concerns in the United States because it would place the U.S. administration itself in violation of U.S. law of the Leahy Act, which prohibits the United States to give military assistance to foreign governments accused of human rights violations.

A year ago, when the judicial panel investigating what happened at Lekki toll gate found that CNN's investigation had actually been true, that the Nigerian authorities, that the Nigerian army was guilty of firing live fire into demonstrators protesting police brutality.

We asked the U.S. State Department and they said that if this was true, that they would want the perpetrators held to account and that it would call into question U.S. military sport. Two years later, nothing has happened. The question remains whether these latest allegations of wrongdoing on the pass of the Nigeria military will have an impact on the U.S.' support.

Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.

BRUNHUBER: So far, the docu-series on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hasn't produced many jaw dropping moments, but Buckingham House can't breathe easy just yet.

Three more episodes stream next week. We're live from London after the break. Please stay with us.

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[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

The new Harry and Meghan documentary didn't deliver the explosive details many viewers were hoping for, but those first episodes that dropped on Thursday could be laying the groundwork for future fireworks. have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: As far as a lot of the family were concerned, everything that she was being put through, they had been put through as well. So, it was almost like a rite of passage. And some of the members of the family was like, right, but my wife had to go through that.

So why should your girlfriend be treated any differently? Why should you get special treatment? Why should she be protected? And I said, the difference here is the race element.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Anna Stewart is following this live from London. So Anna, plenty of high expectations here. What, if anything, did we learn?

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Probably nothing hugely new actually, Kim, if you think about it. In terms of the bombshells, we were expecting potentially more given the trailers we'd seen. Perhaps that comes in volume two, so perhaps those are to come next week.

We found out that Harry and Meghan take aim at the royal family again, a lot of the same things. I think the most damaging claim really being that there is unconscious bias when it comes to race within the royal institution. That is not something new. We knew that already.

They also have, of course, a deep contempt of the media, of the British media. And not just the tabloids, they really went to town on this one. They accused actually the royal rotor of journalists of being an extended PR arm of the royal family.

There was some unseen footage of the couple. There were some beautiful anecdotes, I think of the beginning of their relationship, how they met, their first date. We found out how they -- how the proposal went down. There were some beautiful shots of their kids as well. So some nice moments.

But within some of those anecdotes, some thinly veiled digs really at members of the royal family. Meghan at one stage talking about how she met the now Prince and Princess of Wales for the first time that she was barefoot wearing ripped jeans very informal, and she said she went for a hug and she didn't realize she says that this is really jarring for a lot of Brits, suggesting that hug wasn't welcome.

Also saying that the formality on the outside of the royal family very much carried on in the inside and that surprised her somewhat. Prince Harry also says, of the men in the royal family, I'll let you work out whether this is a dig at his father or his brother. But he says there can be a temptation or an urge to marry someone who would fit with the mold as opposed to somebody you are perhaps destined to be with. So, lots to get upset about, but no mega bombshells there.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. All right. So, you talked about the digs at the royal family. I mean, will there be any consequences of those attacks on the royal family in the royal institution? Could they be stripped of their titles as some are demanding now.

STEWART: They've already been stripped of their HRH titles. I think they won't get stripped of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. I think that is unlikely. Although you're right, some people are calling for that. More interesting, perhaps is why they want to use those titles given they have such high criticism for the institution of the royal family that those titles represent.

It has been interesting to see some of the reaction, particularly in terms of the newspaper. Daily Telegraph. So, I'm not just going for tabloids. Sussex's TV show claims are a direct hit on the Queen's legacy. A lot of criticism as to how the commonwealth was dealt with, which is of course one of the big legacies of the Queen. You can see it here in the Daily Mail as well. In terms of the public, I'm not sure that what was said in this

interview, or sorry in this documentary series as it's being called, will really change any minds. I think those that support team Sussex still will. I think those that didn't like team Sussex still don't. Take a listen to people in Windsor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I think it's a lot of it is down to the racism with her. Definitely. She thinks that's why people don't sort of like her because of that.

UNKNOWN: I think she needs to have a bit more respect for the royal family and understand what it's all about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: I think it's also fair to say that people are getting a little tired, perhaps of the same old, same old, three more episodes to go. Also, of course, Harry's book next year. Perhaps once the couple have finally told their full truth all this can be laid to rest. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: You think so? I don't know.

STEWART: I don't know.

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Anna Stewart in London. Thanks so much.

Well, today all eyes will be on Argentine superstar Lionel Messi who will be facing his toughest test yet in the World Cup. The only major competition he's never won. Stay with us.

[03:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: First two showdowns of the World Cup quarter finals get underway today. And, well, one of these teams is just three matches away from winning it all. First, we'll see 2018 runner up Croatia challenge the top ranked team in the world, Brazil, and then Argentina will face the Netherlands. Then for Argentine legend Lionel Messi it will likely be his last chance at the one major trophy that has eluded him.

CNN's Amanda Davies is in Doha with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: This is a tournament where emotions have been running high within this Argentinian squad, not only because of what it means for Lionel Messi and his chance of winning the World Cup, but also after that shock opening game defeat to Saudi Arabia.

As you can see, all look pretty relaxed at the moment. They've started to build some momentum after those victories against Mexico, Poland, and the last game against Australia. Just a couple of question marks in terms of fitness ahead of the Netherlands regarding Angel Di Maria and Rodrigo de Paul.

LIONEL SCALONI, ARGENTINA COACH (through translator): After a match, there's always players who train individually always, of which only do half a training because they played a lot of minutes or other reasons. And today, we will take the decision based on our game plan for tomorrow.

DAVIES: Despite the Dutch efforts to play down the focus on Lionel Messi, it's impossible given the stakes to build up to this match to talk about this team without a focus on the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

NATHAN AKE, NETHERLANDS DEFENDER: It's very difficult. Yes, as I said before, he's probably not the greatest player to play the game, so it will be tough. It will be also a good challenge I think for the team, not just for the defendants, but the whole team.

DAVIES: There's a whole lot of history between these two sides and sets of personnel. Lionel Scaloni helped Deportivo La Coruna to the title in Spain in 2000. Peeping Van Gaal's buzzer to the silverware. Angel di Maria called Van Gaal the worst manager he's ever had after their spell together at Manchester United. And it was eight years ago in the semi-final in Brazil that these two last met when Argentina went through on penalties.

The message from Louis van Gaal though is clear. His side have a score to settle.

Amanda Davies, CNN, Qatar.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: For more on this, let's bring in Henry Bushnell, who is in the Qatari capital. He's a soccer writer for Yahoo Sports. Thanks so much for being here with us.

So, Henry, let's start with the first match. Brazil and Croatia. And Croatia's coach called the Brazil team terrifying. He's not wrong, is he?

HENRY BUSHNELL, WRITER, YAHOO SPORTS: He's not wrong at all. You know, I was at their round of 16 games against Korea and I felt the exact same thing before Brazil had even scored one of their brilliant goals, just in that, you know, they give the ball to Vinicius Jr. on one side, and he's terrifying in his own right, and the defense has to shift over to him.

And then five seconds later, 10 seconds later, they have the ball at Raphinha's feet on the other side and he's terrifying. And then you've got Richarlison up front who's always lethal when he plays for Brazil. And I mean, we haven't even mentioned Neymar yet who is, who is incredible.

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So that just speaks to how multi-pronged a threat Brazil has here.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Neymar one goal away from equaling Pele's record of goals for Brazil. So, I want to pivot to the next match, Argentina, Netherlands. Lionel, he's won it all except the World Cup. And he's accused -- been accused wrongly, in my opinion, of not performing for Argentina on the world stage. So, can he do it this year?

BUSHNELL: Yes, he absolutely can. And I think, you know, I agree that he's been wrongly accused of that. And the question of whether he will win this World Cup, I think speaks to just almost how unfair it is that we judge a player so heavily on these singular games where, you know, randomness, you know, impacts them so much.

Because, you know, in all likelihood, Messi is going to have to get through the Netherlands tonight, and then probably Brazil in the semi- final and then either France or England, in the final to do this. And what are the odds of that? Probably 20 percent at best, maybe.

But again, he and Argentina are very capable, specifically because Messi has probably been better at this World Cup than he has at any of his previous four World Cups, and that's a remarkable statement given that he's 35 years old. But it's true.

And his Argentina teammates love playing for him. They're well structured around him. They feel inspired to fight for him at what is probably his last World Cup. The Argentine fan presence has been overwhelming here in a good way. So, Messi's last shot at a World Cup might just be his best.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, he is got so much support from his teammates and a team that's not all about him. So, it leads us nicely to Cristiano Ronaldo. So, Morocco, Portugal, Morocco, a huge, underdog facing a Portugal team that's evolved away from its huge start Cristiano Ronaldo, and now reaping the rewards of that.

BUSHNELL: Yes, exactly. The Ronaldo situation is fascinating. You know, I, and a lot of other people have been calling for Portugal to bench him since even before the tournament. It's just been pretty obvious that he's nowhere close to the player that he once was. He looks kind of like immobile and just like, doesn't really impact the game in a positive way that much.

And yet he is Cristiano Ronaldo, so it was a huge call to bench him for that round of 16 game. But the manager, Fernando Santos, he pulled the trigger and it absolutely worked out. And I'm assuming that we'll see Goncalo Ramos, this 21-year-old who scored a hat trick in Ronaldo's Place. We'll probably see him against Morocco in the quarter finals.

And Portugal are absolutely better without Ronaldo in the team right now. What I would say though, is that this upcoming match against Morocco is going to be a lot different than Portugal's last match against Switzerland was, and if it plays out anything like that Spain/ Morocco match did and with Portugal having a lot of possession and Morocco holding firm and kind of sitting back. I do think you could see Ronaldo make an impact off the bench here in a tight game if his, you know --

BRUNHUBER: All right.

BUSHNELL: -- if his ego hasn't impacted things and forced Fercando Santos to not play him at all.

BRUNHUBER: That's a big, yes. All right, so we have 30 seconds left, but I did want to talk about this match, the one I'm looking forward to, maybe the most England/France. How does England's top Kylian Mbappe, a player who's who shine perhaps brightest of all stars here at the World Cup?

BUSHNELL: I mean, if I knew the answer to that or if you knew, if anybody knew the answer to that, they'd probably be working for England right now. Right? And on Gareth Southgate's staff. I do think there's a question of whether England will change formation and put an extra defender on the field as they often do in big games, and maybe get two right fullbacks out there to try to deal with Mbappe.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll have to leave it there. Looking forward to it all. Henry Bushnell, thanks so much for being here with us.

And thank all of you for watching. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Marketplace Middle East is up next. And I'll be back in 15 minutes with more CNN Newsroom. Stay with us.

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