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John Bolton, Former National Security Adviser, Discusses Russia's War In Ukraine After One Year & China "Peace Plan"; Historic Winter Storm Hitting Southern California; Study: Insomnia May Be Linked To Higher Risk Of Heart Attack. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired February 24, 2023 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00]
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But that certainly seems to be a big problem for the Russian forces is getting weapons to their actual troops.
We're hearing that they mobilized 300,000 soldiers but they can't actually get them the arms that they need.
And if you look at the front lines right now in Ukraine, the Russians really haven't been very much in the way of progress, over the past couple of months even -- Abby?
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: Fred Pleitgen, thank you very much for all of that.
And joining us now is former Trump national security advisor, John Bolton. He also served as U.N. ambassador as well.
Ambassador Bolton, let's start with China here. China is really again the elephant in the room in this conflict.
But today offered what they're calling a 12-point peace plan, trying to position Beijing as a more neutral actor here when the United States is actually saying that they are considering doing even more to help arm Russia in this conflict.
What do you make of the so-called peace plan?
JOHN BOLTON, FORMER TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Well, I don't think that it is even handed at all, although that is what the Chinese are trying to say.
I think that people need to recognize, and the administration may be recognizing it to an extent, that China here is engaged in a kind of partnership with Russia.
And one might call it very much the senior partner. A reverse of the Cold War days when the Soviet Union was the senior partner.
And the assistance that China has given Russia in this conflict, politically, economically and perhaps militarily, I think is already significant. So what China is trying to do here is bolster Russia's position. Their
offer has been rejected by Ukraine, by the West as a whole, which I think makes sense.
Let's not kid ourselves. This is not simply a Russia/Ukraine war. This is a global conflict at this point. And I think it's a measure of what lies ahead. May not be in Ukraine next time. Maybe it will be in Taiwan.
PHILLIP: And it raises the question that I think a lot of people are asking and even some of the United States' allies have been pressing Ukraine about this issue of what a peace deal would look like.
Where do you think talks stand today?
BOLTON: I don't think that there will be any talks in the near future. I think that Zelenskyy has no incentive to talk with the Russians while the Russians still control 20 percent of his country.
And just to be blunt about it, I think it is "happy talk" to say that Russia has lost this war. They have paid a huge price in terms of casualties. But they have doubled the amount of Ukrainian territory under their control.
They have a different calculus than we do on the value of human life. And the war, to them, is still very much on.
And so looking at the likely scenario, let's say, for the next six months or so, I think that it is almost certain to be more extensive conflict.
PHILLIP: And to that end, the Biden administration is making it clear they're going to continue to arm the Ukrainian. But really, they also make it clear they're arming them based on what they believe their needs are today.
What is behind that? Are they still concerned that if they go too far, that they might be seen by Russia or China or whoever as being even more of a party to this conflict?
Are they worried about that or is there some other rationale for it?
BOLTON: Well, I -- no, I think you're right. I think that the administration is very worried about that.
I think the United States, having failed to deter Russia one year ago today, having failed to prevent the war by showing strength, unfortunately, has been intimidated by Russia for much of the past year.
It was Ukraine that was invaded. It was Ukraine that has been suffering that grinding conflict for a year.
To say we'll help Ukraine now make a more effective defense of their country against this invasion, to say that is escalation of the war I think is nonsensical. And the fear -- and I do think the administration fears a Russian
conventional response.
I'd just like to ask, where is the hidden Russian army that will conduct this escalation? And if it is such a good army, why is it not in Ukraine now?
I think that Putin has been able to head-fake us in many respects that have allowed his really very poorly performing military to hold the ground that they've got.
PHILLIP: All right, Ambassador Bolton, thank you for joining us today on all of that.
BOLTON: Glad to be with you.
[13:34:43]
PHILLIP: And coming up next for us, snow on the Hollywood sign and a first ever blizzard warning just east of Los Angeles. The historic storm hitting southern California. We'll have the details next.
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PHILLIP: Some weather history is being made. Parts of southern California are experiencing their first ever blizzard warning as a powerful storm leaves tens of millions of people on alert for heavy rain and snow.
And just how heavy are we talking about? The mountains near L.A. could get eight feet of snow throughout the weekend.
And of course, any real snowflakes near the Hollywood sign are incredibly rare. That is incredible to see.
[13:40:04]
CNN's Camila Bernal is out in weather right now for us.
Camia, I can hardly see you. Tell us where about where you are? Wherever it is, it is extremely snowy.
CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, can you believe I'm in southern California? We're right at the border of L.A. County. And look at what we're seeing. It is completely white. I mean, we have seen the snow steady the entire day.
We're right along Interstate 5, this is essentially between San Francisco and Los Angeles. A major highway between the two cities. And it is shutdown. And even the side roads are closed at the moment.
And so everybody in this area is stuck here. It's very inconvenient for a lot of the semi drivers. Look here. All of these trucks are parked because they are stuck. As long as the highway is closed, they will have to stay here.
We actually had to come last night because we knew that this was a possibility.
And authorities are saying that they're trying to do everything they can to reopen the highway, but, as of now, it has been impossible.
You're seeing snow, rain in many areas. It is windy. It is foggy. Visibility is very low.
We've heard reports of cars spinning out of control. And so they're telling people, look, it is safer to stay home. We have not seen a lot of people in this area.
We've seen some trucks try to clear the snow here behind me. But they clear it up and, five minutes later, it is completely covered in snow again.
So it is very dangerous and it's something that we're not used to seeing here in southern California.
Weather forecasters and scientists saying that could be historic. And as you're seeing, we'll likely continue to have more snow throughout the day -- Abby?
PHILLIP: And I can tell you there are probably some really happy kids in southern California seeing some snow where they didn't expect it.
But thanks to you, Camila, and your team for braving the weather for us.
Coming up, we'll take you live to Ukraine for an incredible story of resilience as the world reflects on Russia's brutal invasion on year after it began.
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[13:46:48]
PHILLIP: We are back now with more of CNN's coverage in Ukraine. And we have CNN's Clarissa Ward live in Kyiv with us.
But first, I want to show you a clip from her very special documentary airing tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Back in April, our team witnessed some of the terror of Kharkiv firsthand.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on. Come on, Maria. Let's go. Come on, Maria. Go, go.
WARD (on camera): So we were just in an apartment building. They were looking for an injured man. A bunch of rounds came in and hit the next door building so now we are getting out as fast as we can.
(voice-over): The incoming fire continued. Paramedics kept searching for the injured man. And soon they found him
just in time to save his life.
On our return to Kharkiv eight months later, I knew our first stop --
(on camera): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(voice-over): -- had to be here.
(on camera): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) Oh, my god.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
WARD: How are you? Alive? Healthy?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're alive, exactly.
WARD (voice-over): Thankfully, miraculously the pair is alive and well. And though the skies are much quieter, they are still saving lives.
(on camera): I heard that you are now doctors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like resident.
WARD: A resident?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, in America --
(CROSSTALK)
WARD: That's amazing.
(CROSSTALK)
WARD: I don't know anyone, who in the middle of a war, also manages to finish medical school. This is like not normal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is Ukraine.
(LAUGHTER)
WARD: Yes, Ukraine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ukraine, you know.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIP: And, Clarissa, great to have you here.
Amazing to see the smiles and that laughter after a year of the conflict. You have seen so much on the ground. Tell us about the documentary that will be airing Sunday night.
WARD: Well, this is really looking at how on earth Ukraine has come this far, how they have defied the odds.
A year ago, people were saying, intelligence services were saying that Kyiv would fall in a few days, Kharkiv would fall in a few days. We were there in the metro as people were taking cover, hunkered down, heavy bombardment all around them.
And here we are a year later, and Kyiv is still standing and Kharkiv is still standing. And life is hard and there will be many grim battles ahead.
But this was really a unique opportunity for us to kind of showcase and put a spotlight on some of the extraordinary Ukrainians who have really made this all possible -- Abby?
PHILLIP: And really a story of incredible fortitude and resilience in the face of incredible devastation.
Clarissa Ward, thank you so much for all that you have been doing on the ground in Ukraine, as always.
[13:50:05]
And join Clarissa as she takes an in-depth look at Ukraine one year after the war began. You can watch the CNN special report "THE WILL TO WIN, UKRAINE AT WAR," Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.
And we all know getting enough sleep is very important. But a new study highlights just how vital sleep is for your heart. That's next.
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[13:55:11]
PHILLIP: A concerning new study says insomnia may cost you a lot more than a good night's sleep.
CNN's senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, is here with all the details.
So, Elizabeth, this study found a big link between insomnia and cardiovascular disease. Tell us about it.
DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Abby, it did. The power of the study is just how huge it was. Researchers looked at more than a million people in the U.S., U.K., and several other studies.
Let's look at what they found. They found that during the course of the study 1.6 percent of the people who suffered from insomnia either had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
And 1.6 percent of them had heart attacks. But the people who did not have insomnia, only 1.2 percent.
You might look at that and say, gosh, that is such a tiny difference. It is not that tiny of difference when you figure this is over more than a million people.
It really shows that there could be come link there. We know that there is a link between insomnia and all sorts of other diseases.
So the bottom line is try to get a good night's sleep. Do the best that you can -- Abby?
PHILLIP: All right, Elizabeth, I'll tell that to my 18-month-old at home right now keeping me up.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIP: But that does it for me. Thank you for joining us.
Don't go anywhere just yet. There is much more news still ahead, right here on CNN.
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