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CNN International: Biden in London, to Meet with British Prime Minister Today; Russia's War on Ukraine Loom Over NATO Summit; Widespread Flooding Hits Southeastern New York; Deadly Assault at Kindergarten in China; House and Senate Back in Session this Week; Florida GOP Will Require 2024 Candidates to Sign Loyalty Pledge to Qualify for Primary Ballot. Aired 4:00-4:30a ET

Aired July 10, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world, I'm Bianca Nobilo live from London. Our Max Foster is out on assignment, just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The president is hoping that the NATO alliance can once more demonstrate their unity in support of Ukraine.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's up to my knees!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a 1 in 1,000-year rainfall for that spot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Spending is a top priority for Congress when they return this week.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER: Hopefully, we can have a bipartisan agreement that avoids a shutdown.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo.

NOBILO: It is Monday, July the 10th. 4:00 a.m. in Washington, 9:00 a.m. here in London where U.S. President Joe Biden is expected today at 10 Downing Street to meet with the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The visit coming ahead of a stakes summit with NATO leaders that kicks off in Lithuania tomorrow.

Biden and Sunak are expected to discuss a range of issues, including Russia's war on Ukraine, of course, when the to sit down for talks. Just days ago, the U.S. president's decision to send controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine prompted a rare public disagreement from Sunak, though the White House is downplaying any fracture with the allies. Ahead of his arrival in the U.K., Mr. Biden spoke by phone with Turkey's president and discussed bids from Sweden and Ukraine to join the NATO alliance. Following this is CNN's Nic Robertson, who is joining us from Downing Street in London. Nic, great to see you as always. Tell us more about what we can expect from this meeting between President Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. How important does this alliance remain after Brexit and other strains?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, I think there's some sense that Rishi Sunak brings some stability to the British government after Brexit, after Boris Johnson, after Liz Truss. So, there is the sense that the pair get on well and have a good working relationship. And look, they've met now six times over the past six months. Interestingly though, across all that time, this will be the first time that President Biden steps into number 10 Downing Street as president.

Likely on the agenda, as you mentioned, the run up to the NATO summit, where the countries align and don't align perhaps, on the issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO. How that should happen, the methodology, the language that could be used in the communique in Vilnius over the next couple of days.

But they're also they're expected to talk about China. These are big joint issues that they faced about climate, big joint issues they face about artificial intelligence and a potential threat therein and the need for controls there, on green technologies, both countries really want to be on the forefront of that. There is a lot of areas where the countries work together. Ukraine is perhaps one of these sort of biggest, as defense partners there, very, very important on the China front as well.

So these will be the issues we're expecting them to discuss. Not sure if they'll discuss the cluster munitions. Certainly, as you said, Rishi Sunak saying over the weekend the U.K. is a signature to the agreement that bans the use of cluster munitions, not produce, not to use, and also to discourage other people from using them. So, will that slip into the conversation, not clear.

NOBILO: Nic, President Biden and Erdogan had a conversation on the phone where Sweden's bid for NATO membership was discussed, as well as Turkey's desire to modernize its F-16s. Is there a link between those two things, and any movement with Turkey with the U.S. support of Sweden's membership?

ROBERTSON: I don't think anybody's talking about a direct link. But when President Biden's national security adviser brings them both up in the same sentence back-to-back, the F-16s and Sweden's membership of NATO, you know, I think you can conclude that in President Biden's mind, there is a need to keep NATO strong. And there are many ways to do that. And that, of course, involves supporting Turkey in its aspirations for a stronger, more updated air force.

[04:05:00] But it also has to balance Greece's desire for the same sort of military equipment, F-16s, and the same sort of upgrades, because there needs to be a balance between Turkey and Greece as well. All of this, of course, ultimately strengthens NATO.

But in the idea of the pitch to President Erdogan, Sweden has done everything that you've asked it to do. It meets your requirements. You, President Erdogan, have been through elections, you have won. Now is the time to allow Sweden to move forward. Precisely how that can be connected to the F-16s, what's the language that's used on the phone, not clear. Interesting though, President Erdogan and President Biden expected to have a bilateral meeting in Vilnius. And the final language about Sweden's expected membership of NATO, the final language on that for the communique, that's not clear either. That could be subject to that meeting in Vilnius between Erdogan and Biden.

NOBILO: Finally, Nic, as we just have a little more time, can we return to that point you made about cluster munitions? So, this is the first time in the war of Ukraine, in Russia's invasion, that the U.S. has provided this. There has been concerns raised from allies whether is the U.K., Canada, or New Zealand on balance, is this wide strategic support from the U.S. that we impactful on the battlefield, or is it potentially incendiary and likely to escalate things with Russia?

ROBERTSON: It doesn't seem to be something that will escalate at the moment. Certainly, when you listen to the statements coming from Russian officials, they are keen to highlight the United States providing these cluster munitions in a negative way. They are keen to -- would be keen to exploit any differences that emerged from NATO partners. What we've heard from the national security adviser to President Biden, Jake Sullivan, he has said, look, you know, we work together with our NATO allies. We're all working to support Ukraine, all working in different ways. He said we're not hearing any specific criticism on those cluster munitions -- or the United States decision to give the cluster munitions. We're not hearing specific concern on that.

And I think one of the sort of underlying parts of the narrative coming from the United States as well, he said there's a lack of overall ammunition that's needed for Ukraine. Ukraine is burning through it at a really massive rate. Every commander you talk to on the front line in Ukraine says we don't have enough ammunition. And this, the United States is saying, is another way to get more ammunition in the hands of the Ukrainians.

But it is an area where there will be differences, and perhaps that's why the United States is saying this is time limited. Rishi Sunak, having that statement on Saturday, I think was interesting, if you will, to try to get ahead of what was obviously going to be subject to scrutiny for President Biden and his discussion in a couple of hours.

NOBILO: Nic Robertson, live from 10 Downing Street, thank you.

Ukraine's president is hoping to join NATO, but he knows realistically that it's unlikely to happen during the war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for immediate security guarantees from NATO, arguing that Ukraine is already suffering in a proxy war between Moscow in the West. Ukraine is hoping that NATO can help prevent more bloodshed and Russian war crimes. And right now, the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian officials say that Russia has just committed one more of those. A bomb landed on a school being used as a humanitarian aid center, killing at least four people and wounding several more.

Amid all of this, we're seeing the first images of Russia's top army general since the mutiny by the Wagner chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin. And Clare Sebastian joins me to sort of unpicked all of those threats. So, Clare, so in an interview on CNN yesterday, Biden said that now wasn't the time for Ukraine to join NATO. Clearly, there's an act of conflict going on. But Zelenskyy continues to push for guarantees for NATO. Why is he doing that?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, the problem for Ukraine is that they have been in what is sort of been known as the permanent NATO waiting room essentially for past 15 years. It was in 2008, and April 2008 at the Bucharest NATO Summit, that the alliance sort of welcomed the aspirations, as they put it, of Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO. This has resolutely not worked as a deterrent against Russia. Georgia was invaded by Russia for months after that summit, and now of course, we've seen what's happened with Ukraine.

So Ukraine, while understanding that given Article Five, they cannot join the alliance during this conflict, otherwise we would be in an all-out war with Russia. They need something in the middle, right, they need some kind of language, the proper language, is how Zelenskyy put it, to address the fact of the current status is not served as a deterrent. And also the fact that given this war, he doesn't want to go to this summit and come home empty-handed for his people. I think to some extent, that would be humiliating, it would leave a very bitter taste in the mouths of Ukrainians.

Take a listen to part an interview Zelenskyy gave to ABC. It was pre- recorded but aired on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:10:00]

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It would be an important message to say that NATO is not afraid of Russia. Ukraine should get clear security guarantees while it is not in NATO. And that is a very important point. Only under these conditions our meeting would be meaningful. Otherwise, it's just another politics. I don't want to go to Vilnius for fun if the decision has been made beforehand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Right, so, you know, he's been invited to the summit, but he's not guaranteeing that he's gone to go yet. And he has been on sort of this tour of Europe over the past week, trying to do some network ahead of the time. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, he met with the Polish president on Sunday in western Ukraine. Some positive noises coming out of these allies, but he really needs something concrete, something written down, something that Ukraine could bank, as it continues to fight against Russia and wait, essentially for the conflict to end, to get a real clear path into NATO. I think weapons supplies and the summit will also prove really crucial to Ukraine, especially those F-16s.

NOBILO: Question marks continue, and machinations behind the scenes to do with this insurrection of the Wagner rebellion. Frankly, we still don't really understand a lot of what went on there. What's the latest in terms of the key actors involved?

SEBASTIAN: Yes, so, we're seeing from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the first came in this morning of General Gerasimov, who's not only head of the armed forces in Russia's, but the head -- on paper at least -- of the operation in Ukraine.

He hasn't been seen since the mutiny. He appeared is video published by the ministry of defense. We can't obviously verify the date. They say this is a meeting that happen on Sunday, where he's getting a report from the chief of staff of the aerospace forces, a man called Viktor Afzalov, about the Russian air defenses having thwarted several missile attacks by Ukraine. One of them on the Crimean bridge, on the Kerch Bridge. We had actually got video that emerged on Telegram on Sunday of a missile being shot down over that bridge. Russian-backed officials said that that did happen. So this appears to be one of the incidents he's talked about. Also, several attempted Russian -- Ukrainian missile attacks inside Russia.

But notable I think because of rumors have been intensifying around the status of Gerasimov. Also I think worth pointing out, but not conclusive in itself, is that the man, Viktor Afzalov giving this report, is the second in command to Sergey Surovikin, who is head of the Airspace Forces. Another general who has not been seen since this mutiny.

So, clearly Russia trying to say, look, Gerasimov is here, he's in charge. But I think there are still questions hanging over the Russian military.

NOBILO: Fascinating and of course, the Kerch bridge being this strategic bridge that links Crimea to the Russian motherland. Clare Sebastian, thank you so much.

Right now, New York City is under flood watch until daybreak, because of potential downpours. People in basements apartments are cautioned to move to higher ground. Meantime, in Orange County, at least one person has died from flooding, according to officials who say storms dumped several centimeters of rain on Sunday.

Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in Orange County, and that's where the West Point Academy appeared to reach a one in a 1000 zero rainfall on Sunday. And Stony Point, New York, people have been posting videos of flooded parking lots -- like you're looking at here. In Highland Falls, me, more gushing floodwaters. And in Rockland and Orange Counties, a number of people got stranded in their cars and then had a swim to safety. Parts of New England are also hard hit by major flooding, including

route four in Killington, Vermont, where a highway has been washed out. The state's governor has declared a state of emergency, as forecasters expect more severe weather to impact millions on Monday.

Over 30 million Americans are bracing for more record-breaking high temperatures this week and there's no relief in sight unfortunately. Dangerous heat alerts are in effect for the Southwest, Texas and Florida. And forecast show the heat alerts will extend through the end of next weekend in the Southwest him with triple digit temperatures.

In Phoenix, Arizona, temperatures have reached at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit --that's 43 degrees Celsius -- for nine consecutive days.

More now in that developing story out of China. Police say that six people are dead and one injured in an attack in a kindergarten just a few hours ago. "Global Times" is reporting that three children are among the dead in China's southern Guangdong Province. Kristie Lu Stout joins us from Hong Kong live with the details. Kristie, this just sounds horrific. What are you learning about this attack?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bianca, we are following reports of a deadly mass stabbing at a school in China, and children are among the dead. It happened earlier today, six people were killed and one wounded from a knife attack that took place outside the kindergarten in Lianjiang County, which is located in China's southern Guangdong Province.

[04:15:00]

And according to state run media, three children, one teacher, two parents, were killed. The identities of the victims have not released. Police are calling this attack intentional, and the suspect has been detained. A 25-year-old man with the surname Wu, who is from the area, who was from Lianjiang County, and he is now in police custody. An investigation is underway.

Now this is video of the aftermath of the attack and it is disturbing. Let's bring up the video for you. This was filmed just outside the kindergarten. You see -- and we have blurred them, the lifeless bodies lying on the street. This, outside the school, where there's a sign that partially reveals the name of the kindergarten. Also, in this video you see, police and emergency responders on site with the area cordoned off. And this video was distributed by Reuters. It's been shared on Chinese social media, where we've been monitoring reaction. And one Chinese man called the attacker hateful, shameless, and despicable. And sadly, this is not the first time that school age children in China have been targeted and hurt by knife wielding attackers.

In recent years, there have been a number of such attacks, mass stabbings targeting schools. In fact, in August of last year, three people were killed and six wounded at a stabbing in a kindergarten in Jiangxi Province -- that's in the south of China.

In April of 2021, two children were killed, 16 wounded in a stabbing attack in a kindergarten in Guangxi province. And June of 2020, 37 children and two adults were wounded in a knife attack at it elementary school in southern China.

And the latest mass stabbing taking place earlier today in Guangdong Province is deeply troubling. China does have low rates of violent crime compared to the West. But with guns strictly controlled and out of reach for most people in China, knives has become the most common weapon used in mass assault, including the latest one at a kindergarten in southern China. Back to you -- Bianca.

NOBILO: Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong. Do stay close by, we'll be coming back to you as soon as you get any more updates. Thank you.

U.S. lawmakers head back to Capitol Hill this week with a host of competing priorities to juggle. We'll tell you what topped that list, after the break.

And new economic data is set to hit the U.S. this week. But will bring relief for consumers or greater fears of inflation?

Plus this -- deadly flooding sweeps northern India, as heroic efforts are made to save lives. Some parts of the country are receiving their heaviest rainfall in generations.

[04:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: The U.S. Congress will be back in session this week after the Independence Day holiday. The Senate gavels in later today, the House on Tuesday. Legislatures have a long list of priorities, and right at the top, hammering out a spinning agreement ahead of the December deadline. CNN's Alayna Treene has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Spending is a top priority for Congress when they return this week. The House and the Senate are careening toward a major spending standoff that will likely consume Congress this fall. It also raises the threat of a potential government shutdown.

Now as of now, the two parties are far apart on what a budget deal should look like. Far-right members in the House specifically are pushing to cut spending at levels that most members in Congress are uncomfortable with. And this will once again be a major task for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's ability to keep his narrow Republican majority behind him.

We heard from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. He referenced this during a press conference Sunday morning. Let's listen to what he had to say.

SCHUMER: The good news is in the Senate, Democrats and Republicans are working together on the Appropriations Committee to fund the government. They've come to agreement on a whole bunch of the different subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee, and hopefully we can have a bipartisan agreement that avoids a shutdown.

TREENE: So Congress has until September 30th to pass the budget for the next year, but they're only scheduled to be in session for three weeks until they break yet again for all of August. And so these next few weeks will be critical for these negotiations.

A lot of tension will also be on the House investigations, as well as potential impeachment efforts against top Biden officials like Attorney General Merrick Garland, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and even President Biden himself.

Before Congress broke ahead of the July 4th recess, a series of Republicans began threatening to impeach Garland over allegations from IRS whistleblowers that the Justice Department improperly interfered in the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.

And even McCarthy, who has so far taken a pretty measured approach to impeachment efforts, has signaled that he is open to impeaching Garland if these allegations prove to be true. But the big picture here on these investigations is that we're closing in on a period when all of the oxygen in Washington will soon be focused on the 2024 presidential elections. And Republicans want to use this period to thrust what they argue is widespread politicization of the government into the spotlight and damage Democrats as much as possible as we head into election season.

Alayna Treene, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: Later this, week the latest U.S. Consumer Price Index report is set to be released, giving Americans an idea of how inflation is faring. Economists expect just over a 3 percent increase in prices compared to last year. That will be a cool down from May's 4 percent annual increase, according to data from Affinitiv. And on Thursday, the Producer Price Index for June will give us a better idea of how much things are causing retailers and manufacturers.

Now here's a look at U.S. futures with just a few hours left until the opening bell in New York. Not looking too promising right now, all indices in the red.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrapped up a four-day visit to China on Sunday, aimed at repairing strained relations with Beijing. Before leaving, Yellen told reporters she had productive talks with China's new economic leadership.

[04:25:00]

In a statement Sunday, China's deputy finance minister said the two sides held long and candid meetings and would stay in communication in the future.

China's free trade status with the United States would be on the chopping block of Republican U.S. presidential candidate Ron DeSantis wins the race for the White House next year. Listen to what the Florida governor said about China in an interview on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DESANTIS, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would recognize that China's a threat. This idea of the happy talk to you here, oh, we're just -- you know, it's a healthy competition. No, they're the number one geopolitical threat this country faces. And what we're going to do, is we're going to have a new commitment to hard power in the Indo-Pacific. The end of the day, what China respects is strength. And if you're showing strength and we have hard power to back it up, they're going to be much less aggressive. And my fear is that under Biden, it's his weakness is really inviting China to do more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: DeSantis may need to do a lot more to get his bid for the presidential nomination on the fast-track. He's currently trailing the front-runner, twice impeached and twice indicted, former president Donald Trump. One recent poll shows DeSantis more than 30 points behind Trump, and here's how he responded to that factor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DESANTIS: Maria, these are narratives. The media does not want me to be the nominee. I think that's very, very clear. Why? Because they know I'll beat Biden. But even more importantly, they know I will actually deliver on all these things. This is not something that, you know, I am expected to just snap fingers and all of a sudden, you know, you win seven months before anyone happens. You've got to earn it, and you've got to work, and it requires a lot of toil and tears and sweat. And we're going to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: DeSantis and other presidential candidates will now be required by Florida Republicans to sign a loyalty pledge to support the party's eventual nominee, in order to qualify for the primary ballot. It's a move that some candidates aren't happy about. But what do voters think? CNN's Randi Kaye takes a look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENTIN HERNANDEZ, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN VOTER: It's a complete must.

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You agree with it?

V. HERNANDEZ: 100 percent.

KAYE (voice-over): Republican voter Valentin Hernandez is 100 percent in favor of Florida's Republican Party requiring 2024 presidential candidates to sign a loyalty pledge to support the party's eventual nominee. And if they won't sign the pledge, they won't appear on the ballot.

V. HERNANDEZ: If you don't do that, you are disorganized party, and you're going to lose the elections. You know, you and have your difference first, you settle them, and then you can vote as a party. We don't want any prima donnas here.

KAYE (voice-over): Florida's GOP didn't insist on a loyalty pledge last cycle. Now that three Floridians could be on the ballot, Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, it could get interesting. Former election lawyer Ben Ginsberg.

BEB GINSBERG, FORMER ELECTION LAWYER: This is Ron DeSantis' own state party, who is giving this huge technical advantage to Donald Trump. So, what it means is that Ron DeSantis really has to temper and moderate his criticism of Donald Trump, or he'll find Donald Trump saying, oh, Ron DeSanctimonious doesn't really mean this. He already said he's going to support me for president. So, don't take his criticism seriously.

KAYE (voice-over): Yaz Hernandez, who voted for Trump twice, along like her husband, likes DeSantis too. She says the party must unite behind the eventual nominee, no matter who it is.

YAZ HERNANDEZ, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN VOTER: Donald Trump need to support DeSantis, if DeSantis is the front-runner, that's how I feel.

KAYE: And you want to vote for someone who get inside the loyalty pledge.

Y. HERNANDEZ: No, I wouldn't.

KAYE (voice-over): Ginsberg said the loyalty pledge isn't illegal or necessarily unethical.

GINSBERG: When it comes to party politics, there are few ethical rules. I think this is more a moral gut check issue for party leaders about whether you want to try and tilt a presidential primary for a front-runner.

KAYE (voice-over): The loyalty pledge gives the states Republican Party the power to decide who they'll allow on the ballot, which Ginsberg says could hurt some voters by limiting the number of options they have.

KAYE: What if your candidate, who you like, refused to sign the loyalty pledge? That person couldn't be on the ballot, would that be OK with you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it wouldn't.

KAYE (voice-over): Christian Ziegler, the chairman of the Florida GOP, told CNN via email, the loyalty pledge is an effort to ensure maximum unity heading into the 2024 general election.

But not every Republican voter we spoke with is in favor of it.

NICOLE BURNS, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN VOTER: I do think it takes away our individual freedom. I think it just does. I don't know if it's necessary.

KAYE (voice-over): And this independent voter, who voted for Trump in 2016, says Florida's Republican Party is playing with fire.

CIRO MENDOZA, FLORIDA INDEPENDENT VOTER: I think they put themselves in a position to be criticized. If they didn't ask for a loyalty pledge, the majority of the public would not perceive that there's actually a problem.

KAYE: Former Texas Rep Will Hurd has said he will not sign the Florida pledge, not because he won't support a Republican nominee, but because he won't support Donald Trump if he becomes the nominee. Chris Christie has said that this Florida pledge is useless.

Also as far as Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis go, neither has said if they will sign the pledge, and neither of them have said that they will support the other if that person becomes the nominee. They've been sidestepping those questions.

It's also worth noting that the Florida GOP seems to be taking its clues from the Republican National Committee who was also asked for a loyalty pledge for the primary debate. In fact, the Florida GOP told Politico that it's pledged basically mirrors language adopted by the Republican National Committee for that first debate.

Randi Kaye, CNN, Palm Beach County, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

END