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Ukrainians Await Results As Offensive Moves Ahead; African Leaders Promoting Peace Initiative; Chinese Media: Xi Jinping Meets With Bill Gates; Pope Francis to be Released from Hospital after his successful operation and recovery; Greek Authorities Told that the Migrants Boat is in International Waters and Refused Help From Some Borders; Ukraine Touts Counteroffensive Vs. Russia Slow but Steady. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired June 16, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): This is CNN Breaking News.

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: We're getting word that Pope Francis is about to be released from Gemelli Hospital in Rome. The pontiff had surgery last week to repair a hernia and since then the Vatican has said he's recovering well. Pope Francis has had a series of health issues and physical problems in the last years. The pope has been planning to visit Portugal and Mongolia in August.

Alright, let's get more now from CNN contributor Barbie Nadeau in Rome. So, Barbie, first, what is the latest on the pontiff's situation?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, were waiting any minute the pope is supposed to be wheeled out to his white car, white Fiat waiting here at the -- at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. He's been here since last Wednesday when he underwent a three-hour surgery and I think people are really excited to see that he's getting out of here.

A lot of people were very concerned, 86-year old man undergoing such an extensive surgery, he's been riddled with health problems. But this is a moment we've got lots of people here waiting to see him trying to get a glimpse of them. Many of the patients in the hospital, people who are coming here for visits and procedures and getting out of the hospital today. There's a lot of media here.

You know, this is a man who has worldwide appeal. Everybody wants him to be okay. And we're gonna see him momentarily wheeled out here into his little white car and taken back to the Vatican, where we're expecting to see him rest for another couple of days before these important, important journeys he's got in August.

But this, at this moment here, to see Pope Francis after this extensive surgery and after this 10-day stay in the hospital, coming out is obviously a moment of celebration for many people. Kim? BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely, and I want to get to -- I mean, he

doesn't have a lot of time to recovery. He has that busy travel schedule, as you say. Is that actually realistic, do you think?

NADEAU: Well, I mean, this is the Pope, Pope Francis. He has surprised many people many times with his energy level, with his endurance level, with everything he's been able to accomplish in his 10 years as Pope.

You know, he's sometimes in a wheelchair. He often uses a cane. He's had two surgeries in the last two years. He was in the hospital in March with an infectious bronchitis. And so, you know, he keeps bouncing back. This is a man of utter endurance. And he's also an inspiration to so many Catholics who are also suffering. You know, the fact that he suffers in public is seen as an inspiration.

You know, we're expecting him to be, you know, rolled out of here any minute now. And, you know, as I said, this is a moment of great celebration and great inspiration, Kim, to see a man this age, you know, recover from this surgery to be okay, you know, really. And he visited the cancer ward, the pediatric cancer ward here yesterday.

There were some images that came out of that right after he came into the hospital, little children in the pediatric wardroom, pictures of him. You know, t's been a very inspiring moment for a lot of people. And, you know, we've seen last Sunday he did not deliver his Angelus prayer in public, he did it privately.

And so, everyone now is, of course, wondering if he'll be able to deliver his Angelus in some manner, in some fashion in -- this coming Sunday. You know, we were expecting -- we're expecting, you know, him to come out in a few minutes here, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, that's right. Tell me a bit about -- I mean, we were talking just last weekend about just the amount of worry and the reaction from people actually in Rome as they were sort of waiting for word about his condition. Talk to me about the relief that you must be seeing from the people behind you that are waiting to see him.

NADEAU: Oh, absolutely. There is a sense of relief and also somewhat of a sense of disbelief that he is out of the hospital. So, you know, if you think if you have an elderly parent or an elderly grandparent that undergoes a surgery like this, they're out of the hospital in maybe 10 days or something like that, you know, it is entirely on some level, you know, slightly unexpected. But this pope has surprised people so many times in the last 10 years.

You know, he's one who is not going to be held down. You know, you can almost envision the argument he's having with his doctors that he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, you know, and he's fully well taken care of at Santa Marta and inside the walls of the Vatican. There are facilities there that he's going to be able to continue to convalesce, that he's going to be able to continue on his resting road to recovery.

You know, his appointments were all canceled until the 18th of June this week. And we're yet to see if he's got to -- usually in July, let's say, he doesn't have Wednesday audiences out in the public square.

[02:05:07]

And so it's not -- it's to be seen whether or not this coming Wednesday and the last Wednesday of June he'll do those, or if they'll maybe give him a little bit of a break. Because as we were saying, these trips in August are so important for this pope to go to World Youth Day in Portugal. It will be a grueling schedule. He needs to be rested. And then this trip to Mongolia at the end of August, you know, these things are -- you know, a lot of people are expecting the Pope to be there. He is an inspiration, and he will continue to inspire.

And these people behind me, all here waiting, you know, the media is on one side, but the people, the Catholics, the people who love this Pope, who've come here for this moment or who happen to be here, are just trying to get a glimpse. And we've seen so many people, you know, hoping that he'll, just his presence will provide some sort of a blessing or a certainly feeling of peace for him. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, on the other side though, I mean the pope has said that he doesn't want to continue on, if he can't fully just discharge his duties. You talked about how many surgeries he's had, all of these medical problems. Is there any thought perhaps that, you know, this might be a catalyst for him to maybe reconsider?

NADEAU: Well, you know, we do know that he signed a letter of resignation that should he become incapacitated in some way that he would resign and that resignation would kick in essentially.

You know, we don't think he's probably going to resign after this. The fact that he's pulled through this surgery, that he's going home just 10 days after it, that he is still planning those trips are on the schedule. He's actually got two audiences scheduled for next week with leaders. The Cuban officials will be in Rome. None of those have been canceled.

You know, we're fully expecting to see him in some form or fashion, you know, on Sunday, delivering his Angelus in some way. It looks like, you know, preparations here are getting closer any minute now. We're expecting to see the Pope. He'll come down this little alleyway which has been cleared for him. His little white Fiat 500 here at the end of the row right next to us here is ready and waiting. They've got the door, you know, basically open.

And so again, you know, the people, I can't describe the feeling of joy here, the feeling of hope and inspiration that so many people are feeling about seeing this pope. You know, it's hard to describe, you know, living in a city like Rome. A glimpse of the pope, you'd think that that's a common thing. It's not common. People want to see the pope. Anything they can do to see the Holy Father. And you know, we're seeing that right now.

People love to get a glimpse of him. Love to get a glimpse of him. And they'll stop traffic for him to have an easy way. No one wants to get stuck in Roman traffic when you're getting out of the hospital. So they'll clear a way for him to get back to the Vatican and to go to Santa Marta where he'll be welcomed with open arms with the staff there.

You know, this is a very beloved man, not just by Catholics around the world, but by the people who work every day with him, by the people who live in Santa Marta where he lives, by the cooks and cleaners and nuns and all those people who take care of him. And he appreciates them. And we've seen so many times this pope, you know, really giving an example of what it's, you know, humanity, basic, common humanity and kindness.

And you know, I think that's why you've got so many people really happy to see him, happy that he recovered, happy that he is on the road to recovery. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely, and as we just look at those doors open waiting for the Pope to emerge as you say here he has a busy travel schedule ahead of him. Talk to me briefly about some of the issues that he'll be grappling with in the next days and weeks.

NADEAU: Well, you know, obviously, you know, he's got -- the Catholic Church is a very, very complicated, you know, business of sorts to run. There are always, you know, there are ongoing trials in the Vatican right now. There are always issues with, you know, dealing with the clerical sex abuse issues and things like that. You know, this pope is more than just a preacher on many levels. He runs a small country. He runs a very important organization. And so, all of those things are in the daily business of the pope.

But we understand -- looks like he's on his way in a second here. We understand though that he's been working since he's come out of this surgery, you know, interspersed rest and prayer. You know, we understand that he has, you know, very much been, has kept his eye on the ball as it were, as he's convalescing.

And you know, his doctors constantly urging him to take it easy, you know, that he doesn't have to get right back, you know, on his feet right away. And so, you know, he hasn't left the job, let's say, those three hours of surgery. We were told that he was working even at that night after he came out of the anesthesia.

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And so we expect him to continue to work. We expect him to continue to be. -- We expect him to continue -- Oh, excuse me. We expect him -- to continue to do his job. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, we just saw some doctors come through the door. It looks like he might be coming through any minute now. We see the security there in detail in front of the doors. Just for our viewers, as we wait for the Pope to emerge, we're just seeing the doors in our picture here, but give us a sense of where exactly this is, where the Pope will go, and so on. Give us the layout.

NADEAU: We're at the Gemelli hospital, which is the Papal Hospital, which is a hospital that popes have gone to for years and years and years. John Paul the Second spent, you know, a lot of time here before his death.

And we saw yesterday, the day before, for the first time, actually, the Vatican flag flying over this hospital. This is very much an important place. He's got a whole suite. He's got a whole suite of rooms, you know, up on the 10th floor of this building.

And the last time he was in this hospital, he actually looked out of the balcony and gave his Angelus from the balcony. This time, of course, he didn't. Doctor said, don't get on your feet. He had abdominal surgery with a fairly important incision. And so, they didn't want him, you know, to risk further rupture, risk further, you know injury to that.

But you know, the Gemelli Hospital is an important part. It's a Vatican hospital and he'll be taken and it's about, I suppose, a half an hour drive down into the Vatican. Obviously, he'll have traffic cleared for him, which is, you know, will make it a lot faster than normal everyday Romans who have to traverse that.

And you know, he'll go inside Vatican City, and he, you know, has, like I said, doctors and people to care for him there. So it's not like he's just going home like a regular person would. He'll still be under doctor care there, constantly monitored. They've got good facilities within that, within the Santa Marta, within the Vatican, within Vatican City where he's very protected. We're seeing a lot of movement here right now where it looks like he could be any minute, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, as we wait for that, take us through some of the things that he has been doing while he's been in hospital. You spoke of still working. He was actually visiting children in hospital. Is that right?

NADEAU: Yeah, no, he visited the -- we're just going to move out of the way here so we can get a good -- so we can get a good glimpse of him. You know, he visited the pediatric oncology department. He visited with other patients.

We saw lots of pictures of him as he was making his way to the other wards of the hospital. We saw this as well when he was here two years ago, when he was here even in March of this year for his infectious bronchitis where he visited little children in the cancer ward of this hospital. You know, a lot of people really look to this man for inspiration.

BRUNHUBER: Absolutely, and we're just waiting for Pope Francis to emerge from Gemelli Hospital in Rome. So give us a sense there of exactly who are waiting outside. Are these just regular, you know, Italians who want to see the Pope? How big is the crowd and what is the mood there?

NADEAU: Yeah, the mood is one of joy and hope and, you know, inspiration more than anything. Of course, a lot of people came here knowing that he would be released. The Vatican press office said yesterday that he would be released from the hospital today. Then we heard later that it would be early. No one knew exactly what early meant. Early in Rome can mean many different things. It's about just after 8.00 a.m. local time here. So it's a little bit earlier than I think a lot of people were expecting.

But we've seen the crowds gathering here. But a lot of people are here for just everyday medical health, medical or visiting patients. This is a major hospital in Rome and it's one in which you've got any number of different wards and you know, surgeries and things like that.

It looks like we're getting ready. But the crowd is slowly gathering here, you know. But we're also expected to see people waiting for him, you know, in St. Peter's as well. We're expecting him, crowds to be waiting there. It's not going to be a situation where people are lining the streets or anything like that. But, you know, people are highly-anticipating a glimpse of Pope Francis. A glimpse of any pope is a big deal and, you know, to be this close.

We've got a lot of world media here, global media interest in this obviously as well. And you know, there's also security concerns. You know, there are a lot of people here, but there's a lot of security here as well too. This is a head of state obviously. And so, you know, you've got Secret Service, you've got the Vatican, Swiss Guard contingent here working to keep the areas secure and to keep the area safe.

[02:15:05]

But most of the people here are here to see the Pope or are here because they had medical issues and they just decided, oh, this is a great opportunity to see this very important figure, not just for the Roman Catholic Church, but for Rome. You know, the Pope is always an important figure for Romans, for people who live in this city, who share the city with the Vatican, who share the space with the leader of the Catholic Church.

But a lot of the people, we're seeing lots and lots of children here now. It's a lot of little kids lined up with their parents and things like that, you know. We can understand or we can certainly assume that he had a lovely farewell up on his floor as well. We usually get pictures of that when he leaves you know, thanking the staff, thanking his doctors, thanking the medical personnel who have helped him.

And you know, we've heard reports that he, in the evening, is praying and dining with the medical staffs that are helping him and the caretakers up there on the 10th floor and really spending a lot of time. This is a very gracious man. This is a man who always appreciates, you know, on every level anyone who offers kindness to him.

But you know, those pictures we saw yesterday that came out, these are the first pictures we saw since his surgery on Wednesday, of him visiting with, you know, pediatric cancer patients. If you can imagine the inspiration he gives not to those kids as much as to those parents.

You know, this is the job of the pope. This is really the job, I think, he has so often said it's his mission, you know, the mission to be a preacher, to be among the people. And you know, when you see someone as sick as he must have felt or as in pain as he would be after surgery, you know, making the trip into the pediatric oncology ward, which would be emotional under any circumstance, to just bless those kids and to bless those families and to be there with them. That is, of course, you know, Pope Francis in a nutshell. He's a humanist, I think, before anything else.

Now, we're still waiting, you know. Everything obviously will take its time. He's probably visiting with people on the way out, as far as we might know. But, in looking at the crowd here, there are people carrying rosaries. There are people, you know, who are hoping, I suppose, for even a blessing by, you know, by -- just by his passing.

And his white car here at the end of the little alleyway, he'll be -- you know, we can assume that he'll be, you know, in a wheelchair. It seems very unlikely that he would be walking out of the hospital. He's often in a wheelchair, so that wouldn't be anything different.

But there's, you know, his white Fiat, and he'll be getting into that. This is the car that he, you know, uses in Rome, or he's driven around, obviously he doesn't drive himself. So the car is ready and waiting. The Pope is making his way out, as we understand it, and he'll be going home after this very, very important surgery, after this very inspirational hospital stay and this, you know, almost miraculous recovery.

This is an 86-year-old man who's had so many health problems. I think a lot of people were really, really worried about him this time. And you know, it looks like any minute we're going to see proof positive that he's pulled through this just fine. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right, and we will bring you that moment when it arrives as we still wait for Pope Francis to emerge from Gemelli Hospital in Rome. I really appreciate your analysis, Barbie Nadeau. We will come back when the Pope emerges from hospital. Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

Greek authorities say they have arrested nine crew members of the migrant boat that sank early Wednesday off the coast of Greece. They're being held on suspicion of smuggling the hundreds of people who were on board the fishing vessel when it capsized. They were apparently identified among the rescued survivors.

The NGO Alarm Phone is accusing the Greek government of not launching a rescue mission until it was too late, even though the boat was clearly overloaded and in distress.

The Greek Coast Guard says it did check on the migrants and provided this photo, but they claimed there wasn't much they could do because the vessel was in international waters and had refused assistance. Now, two days later there's little hope of finding additional survivors. Many women and children were believed to be trapped below deck.

As one official noted the boat went down in very deep waters. The survivors are currently being cared for in a dockside warehouse. The leader of the Greek opposition blamed Europe's immigration policies for causing so much needless heartache. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXIS TSIPARAS, GREEK OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): I want to say that unfortunately in this Europe where great ideas and great values of enlightenment were born, human life does not have the same worth for everyone. I want to say there are huge political responsibilities with the migration policy that Europe has been following for years, a migration policy that turns Mediterranean, our seas, into watery graves. And I think that it is time to speak the truth because this policy has to change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:20:05]

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Melissa Bell is in the Greek port city of Kalamara and has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the biggest rescue operation they have ever undertaken, say Greek authorities. But far too little, far too late, say several of the NGOs who patrol the Mediterranean Sea, now the deadliest migrant crossing in the world.

The boat here, hours before it sank, the Greek Coast Guard says, refused help. Greek authorities say it took just 10 to 15 minutes for it to sink. Only 104 people survived.

UNKNOWN (through translator): All women died, all children died, because women stay all in one room. So impossible they would survive, impossible, so difficult. All women and their children died.

BELL (voice-over): Those who did make it out alive say the boat may have carried up to 750 people. Only 78 bodies so far have been found.

Among the missing, the young wife and brother-in-law of Qassam Abouzid, a Syrian who's lived in Germany for seven years.

His friend says they paid $5,000 per person to be smuggled to Europe.

UNKNOWN: $5,000 for a quick death.

BELL (voice-over): At least 40 children were on the vessel, the U.N. says. And as the search for bodies continues, there are questions about how long it took to send help.

The boat started out from Libya heading towards Italy and called for assistance Tuesday afternoon, one charity said. It claims the authorities had hours to reach the vessel, but a rescue operation was, quote, "not launched until it was too late."

GIORGIA LINARDI, SPOKESPERSON, SEA-WATCH ITALY: This intervention did not result in a rescue. And this is the point. Even if authorities. went to check on the vessel. As a matter of fact, a rescue operation was not carried out. And this is a clear duty of search and rescue authorities under international laws.

BELL (voice-over): Countries like Greece and Italy have long been calling for harder borders. Last week, the E.U. took another step towards a long elusive compromise that goes in their direction.

But so far the signals that Europe's borders are closing have done nothing to dissuade those willing to risk death in the name of life.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Kalamata in Greece.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And for more on this, I'm joined by Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou, who's a volunteer with the Hellenic Red Cross and joins us from Patras, Greece. Thank you so much for being here with us.

So first of all, the folks that you're dealing with, what condition are the survivors in?

GIORGOS CHATZIGEORGIOU, HELLENIC RED CROSS VOLUNTEER: The general condition of the survivors is good. And we had some people checked on site and we referred them to the hospitals for further investigations as they suffered some minor injuries or some medical conditions that required further investigation. But the main problem right now, I would say, is the psychological condition of the survivors.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, tell me more about that.

CHATZIGEORGIOU: We were there yesterday. People were concerned about friends and family that were also on board and were not anywhere to be found. And we think that they are now realizing what happened.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, it must be absolutely traumatic as they face the possibility of losing loved ones. We heard there that was a very dim hope of finding any more survivors. Is that what you believe as well?

CHATZIGEORGIOU: I'm not an expert on this. We are not a part of the search and rescue operation, just part of the medical team. But statistics say that as the time is passing by, the possibilities are also recusing.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, it's just so tragic. I mean, many fingers are being pointed here as we heard from that reporting at Greek authorities. What more do you think they could have done to prevent this?

CHATZIGEORGIOU: Unfortunately, it's not something I can -- I can have an opinion on because as I said I'm not an expert and this is just a matter of the Hellenic Coast Guard or the Hellenic Navy that are dealing with the search and rescue operations so I'm not able to answer this. BRUNHUBERl But certainly it's something that we are unfortunately

seeing more and more often it is becoming this particular crossing is becoming increasingly deadly.

CHATZIGEORGIOU: Yes, the numbers, it's a situation that is evolving rapidly.

[02:25:02]

It's in the next hours that the search and rescue operation is ongoing. I think we will have also bigger numbers.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Well, listen, we really appreciate everything you're doing for the survivors there. Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou with the Red Cross in Greece, thank you so much.

CHATZIGEORGIOU: You're welcome.

BRUNHUBER: Ukraine says its military offensive is showing results, but the pace of that progress is open to interpretation. We'll have the latest from the front lines and we'll talk to your Ukrainian lawmaker about how average people feel about the progress so far. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Ukraine says it's making slow and steady progress in its offensive against Russia.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

He says Russia is sending reinforcements to Bakhmut after Ukrainian troops advanced three kilometers over the past 10 days.

Ukraine also says it's liberated more than 100 square kilometers in the Zaporizhzhya region in recent days, but Russia claims it repelled all Ukrainian attacks there.

Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy is urging Swiss lawmakers to allow countries that bought Swiss weapons to re-export them to Ukraine. That would run against the traditional Swiss policy of neutrality, but Zelenskyy says there's a reason to make an exception. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Ukraine has never been a source of any wars of aggression. And even now, although it sounds somewhat contradictory, the Ukrainian land is a territory of peace because the source of this war, the source and cause of aggression is outside our borders.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog paid a visit to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant Thursday. Rafael Grossi says the plant can operate safely if water levels at a nearby reservoir stay the same. The reservoir lost some water, which is needed to cool nuclear power reactors after the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka Dam earlier this month.

But we now want to show you one side of the war that's usually kept under wraps and often fought in pitch black. CNN has gained exclusive access to a Ukrainian elite drone unit as it attacked a Russian position along the southern front lines.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen saw those drone warriors in action.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A 3D printed stabilizer fin, some plumbing tubing, lots of glue and the bomb is ready.

Then it's night-vision goggles on, lights off, and full speed ahead to the front line.

We're with an elite drone unit of Ukraine's security service, the SBU and the patrol police, looking to take out a key Russian anti-tank position with a precision strike.

We found this target only recently, a team leader says. It was discovered literally today, and today it will be destroyed.

(on-camera): So we're going to the drone launch site right now. It's obviously extremely dangerous, and we have to watch out that the Russians don't see us.

[02:30:00]

(voice-over): Speed and precision are essential, the drone a Quadrocopter on steroids able to carry a massive payload up to 45 pounds. In this case a mortar shell that Ukrainian say they got from retreating Russian forces elsewhere and are now using to hit Putin's army.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, we finished our we prepare.

PLEITGEN: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bomb was ready and we ready to go.

PLEITGEN: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready steady.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): It's big, it's loud, and it's heading straight to the Russian position. We need to hide out here, the hunters quickly become the hunted. So, for the Russians, the drone crews are also a high value targets obviously the Russians want nothing more than to kill these guys. Unfazed by the shelling around as the pilot flies straight to the target and releases the bomb.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This moment we call from Ukraine is love.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): So, you just dropped the bomb. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): This is what the blast looks like from the drone's camera pitch black the strike fully automated. It's not until daytime that a reconnaissance flight proves they've hit and destroyed the target. Not clear how many Russians were killed and wounded here. This will allow the Defense Forces of Ukraine to move forward and continue the offensive he says with minimal losses will inflict maximum losses on the enemy for the victory of Ukraine. But it's not over as the UAV flies back intercepted text messages so the Russians have heard the drone and are targeting. Enemy bird spotted, a Russian text, understood another answer. They launched flares to spot the drone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now you can see.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): Oh, yes, back there. Are they shooting was up to see the drone or why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because they can see as the drone, but they shoot for the sound.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): Finally, the drone makes it back. They need to get out of here fast. And we follow you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, let's go home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, come on, come on, come on.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): After what they say was a successful mission. The drone warriors leave exactly the way they came. Fred Pleitgen, CNN in Southeastern Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Kira, I want to talk now about how ordinary Ukrainians feel about the new military offensive. So, for that, we're joined by Kira Rudik, a Ukrainian Parliament Member and she's speaking to us from Kyiv. Thanks so much for being here with us. So, before I get to your constituents, how do you assess the Ukrainian defensive so far?

KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Hello, Kim, thank you so much for having me. Well, we are moving forward, slowly, steadily and it is critically important. There is a huge difference of how Russia can conduct their operations and how we can do that. They can use people as a battlefield meet. This is not what we do. This is not how we act. And, you know, in authoritarian regime, humans, life is the cheapest currency.

In democracy, it is the most expensive one. And this is why as of right now, when almost every Ukrainian family has somebody fighting at the front, what we are hoping that is happening that our military commanders are indeed, making sure that we have minimal losses. And we know that they are, and we know that it is their goal too to win, but make sure that we preserve as many humans as possible. And you have seen it in your previous episode with the drones, which actually made me burst with a fright. Because we use drones instead of sending people there, instead of -- instead of putting their lives in jeopardy. And this is how we act, and this is why this process is slower than expected.

BRUNHUBER: Will getting at that, I mean, you say this has been going slower than perhaps expected. I mean, are some Ukrainians disappointed that there hasn't been a huge push or quick, real quick recapturing of territory as we saw it last year, for example, in the Kharkiv even in the Kherson regions?

RUDIK: No, we are not disappointed at all. Because you see, last year, there was a long time of preparation before there was this straightforward to liberate Kherson and to liberate Kharkiv region. It happened in autumn, and during the summer, the war preparations and again, slow but steady pushes forward. So, the difference is that right now the whole world is watching very closely about how counter offensive goes and resists huge pressure on the speed on the conducting operations and et cetera. But we know, we are sure in our military, we trust our military commanders, because they have proven themselves to be absolutely brilliant, effective and efficient. And this is why we know that we will win the war. We obviously, we want it to happen sooner rather than later. But we also want to have our fighters to come back from this war.

[02:35:21]

BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. Listen, I want to turn to some political issues before we go. Some African leaders are in Kyiv today and then -- and then they're heading to Russia, to present a peace initiative. I mean, there aren't a lot of details of what's in that plan. Do you know what's in it? And do you have any hope that it might be at least a step towards peace?

RUDIK: Well, our goal as for Ukraine, with African countries and African country leaders, is to show them the truth. Because there is lots of Russian propaganda going on in on African continent, where they are claiming them not to be an aggressor. We want to show what is going on. And we want to make sure that African countries know that most of the grains they're receiving, they're not receiving from Russia, they're receiving from Ukraine. And that we are also suffering from an aggressor, same as many of them are, and we're.

So, we do not have high hopes that there would be a diplomatic way to stop the war. We know that Russia would not stop unless they are stopped. We have seen that we have proof of that, and we have fact that are supporting the cease. This is why we are using this opportunity to get better relationships with African country leaders. We appreciate their attempts. We want to show them what is really happening in Ukraine. But I do not think somebody in the world can persuade Putin to stop the war as well as somebody in the world can take vouch that Putin will keep his part of the bargain if there is any peace negotiation.

BRUNHUBER: Well, great to speak with you Kira Rudik. Thank you so much for being here with us. RUDIK: Thank you and Glory to Ukraine.

BRUHUNBER: All right. CNN NEWSROOM continues after breaks. Stay with us.

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BRUHUNBER: All right, we're following a developing story at Beijing where Chinese State media report President Xi Jinping has met with Microsoft founder Bill Gates. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is live in Hong Kong. So, how did Gates secure this meeting? And what did he discuss with Xi, do you know?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kim, Bill Gates met with a Chinese leader Xi Jinping today in Beijing. This according to Chinese state media. And this mark, Xi is very first one on one meeting with the Western business figure in recent years. Now, Gates is in China to discuss global health issues with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. On Thursday, the foundation renewed its collaboration with the Beijing government and Tsinghua University to develop innovative therapies for infectious diseases around the world. Now, it was on Wednesday, when Gates announced on Twitter that he arrived in Beijing for the first time in five years.

He said this quote, "Solving problems like climate change, health inequity food insecurity requires innovation. From developing Malaria drugs to investing in climate adaptation. China has a lot of experience in that. We need to unlock that kind of progress for more people around the world." In 2020, Gates stepped down from the Microsoft board to focus on Global Philanthropy. The last reported meeting he had with Xi Jinping was in 2015, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum in Hainan. And in early 2020, Xi wrote a letter thanking Gates for his and his foundation support for China's fight against COVID-19.

This visit comes as several western business leaders have been visiting China ever since it reopened after years of zero-COVID measures. You know, you had Elon Musk of Tesla, Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan, Tim Cook of Apple. And while Beijing has been rolling out the red carpet for these western corporate figures, that diplomatic rift has been deepening between the U.S. and China. America's top diplomat Antony Blinken is set to visit China this weekend as he looks to reset relations. But it is an open question whether Blinken will meet with Xi. Back to you.

BRUHUNBER: All right, thanks so much Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Appreciate that.

LU STOUT: Thank you.

BRUHUNBER: And thank you for joining us. I'm Kim Bruhunber, "WORLD SPORT" is next.

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