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Turkey Agrees To Back Sweden's NATO Bid; Biden Will Meet With Zelenskyy At NATO Summit; World Leaders Gather In Lithuania For NATO Summit; Biden Visits London, Meets With British Prime Minister Sunak. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 11, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

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LAILA HARRAK, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to all of our viewers watching from around the world. I'm Laila Harrak. Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM. The two-day NATO Summit kicks off this hour with major developments as Turkey agrees to admit Sweden. And the Ukrainian President set to meet with Joe Biden as Kyiv also pushes to join the Alliance.

Israel prepares for a day of disruption in what's expected to be the largest protests yet. After right-wing lawmakers move forward with controversial judicial reform laws.

Plus, Ukraine's artistic resistance. A young movie star making a difference by providing military clothing to his nation's army.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Laila Harrak.

HARRAK: High stakes talks are kicking off soon in Lithuania's capital where world leaders are gathering for a critical NATO Summit. U.S. President Joe Biden and key allies have been arriving for a meeting expected to be dominated by Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and Kyiv's push to join the military alliance. While an official says Mr. Biden will meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.

Well, on the eve of the summit, a rapid reversal by Turkey on Sweden's bid to join NATO. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Turkey has now dropped objections to Sweden becoming a member. After standing in the way for more than a year. Well, Stockholm in turn appears to be supporting Turkish membership in the European Union according to Turkey's state-run news agency.

While Sweden's defense minister says Turkey's decision to endorse the country will strengthen the security of both Sweden and NATO as similar sentiments echoed by the head of the military alliance.

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JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Completing Sweden's accession to NATO is an historic step that benefits the security of all NATO allies at this critical time. It makes us all stronger and safer.

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HARRAK: CNN correspondents are tracking all the developments for you. Clare Sebastian is standing by live for us in London. And Melissa Bell is in Vilnius, Lithuania. A good day to you both. And Melissa, I want to start with you. A surprising move by Turkey on the eve of the summit. Tell us a little bit more about the significance of Sweden joining the military alliance.

MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: Well, bear in mind that it was last year both Finland and Sweden, these long-standing countries that have observed this neutrality over many decades had decided that they would join Finland, was able to enter fairly quickly. It's been a year, in fact, it was here at this summit that Sweden was meant to officially be taken in as the 32nd member of the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization.

And yet those objections from Turkey right up until the last minute, it was wrangling that went on even as Joe Biden was coming over to Europe. They were talking with each other and no breakthrough seems possible. It was that meeting last night, where from which a very happy Swedish Prime Minister emerged the brought the breakthrough.

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ULF KRISTERSSON, PRIME MINISTER OF SWEDEN (through translator): You're a very long, I'm very happy that three of us the president of Turkey and the Secretary General of NATO and myself have shaken hands over this joint statement. We are thus taking a very big step towards the formal ratification of Sweden's membership in NATO. It has been a good day for Sweden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: The question now, Laila, whether today and tomorrow become good days for Ukraine with those divisions out of the way and they had been substantial, and they had threatened to overshadow this summit, which was meant to be all about unity. Here we are 20 miles from the beta Russian border. A year and a half into the war with Ukraine that has proven such a galvanizing force for the alliance.

And yet this crucial summit looks set to be overshadowed with that out of the way. The focus will now very much be first of all on the reform on the defense and deterrence of NATO, the future spending of its members. These fundamental questions for the alliance and how it functions and how it goes forward.

[02:05:04]

But of course, more fundamentally the question of Ukraine. Not just how the alliance moves on with pursuing the war in Ukraine, but of course, then how Ukraine's accession to the alliance looks when it happens, what form it takes. President Zelenskyy has said over the weekend that he would not be making the trip to Vilnius for fun. The fact that he's coming and we're hearing from American officials that that will be the case tomorrow of their very strong photograph and message of unity does suggest that he's had enough assurances that the messaging by the end of this will be enough to suggest that there's a clear path for accession, even if it cannot happen as President Biden said a couple of days ago, while the hostilities continued, Laila.

HARRAK: All right, Melissa. Let's ask Clare. Clare, Zelenskyy is expected to make an appearance at the summit. A full NATO membership at the moment doesn't seem to be on the cards right now. So, do we know or do we think they will have reached alternative arrangements ahead of the summit?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Laila. I think it's fair to say that a lot of the work will have been done ahead of this actual meeting in Vilnius, Ukraine. It has said it needs a signal that political agreement on membership would be considered a win. And as Melissa said, Zelenskyy has been leveraging his own appearance at the summit, not really saying publicly, that he'll go, though, of course, the U.S. training that meeting with Biden very unlikely to happen, if they think there's a risk of being stood up.

There has been some tangible progress over the last 24 hours. The Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba saying on Twitter that Ukraine has been granted permission to bypass what's called the Membership Action Plan, which is a process under which countries are sort of guided through reforms that they need to undertake to start accession -- the accession process to NATO. This is something that some other countries have bypassed Finland and Sweden for example, but suppose you don't have to (INAUDIBLE) in the moment.

And it seems likely that without this war, Ukraine, a country that's a young democracy, whose military has at least before the war not had clear interoperability with the NATO alliance, would have been put through. So, that I think is fairly significant for Ukraine. But Zelenskyy also stepping up his rhetoric ahead of the summit making it clear that he believes that in fighting of Russia, Ukraine is de facto already part of the NATO security architecture. Take a listen.

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VOLODYMR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): The security reality here on NATO's eastern flank depends on Ukraine. When we apply to join NATO, we were frank, Ukraine is de facto already in the alliance. Our weapons are the weapons of the alliance. Our values are what the alliance believes in. Our defense is the very elements of the formula of Europe that makes it united, free and peaceful. Vilnius must confirm all of this.

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SEBASTIAN: But I think Ukraine wants to make it clear that in NATO, it would be a security provider, not just a security consumer. But of course, there is the central dilemma that the alliance members will have to grapple with, which is how to provide Ukraine with a post war perhaps accelerated path to membership without providing Russia with a perverse incentive to try to drag out this war to avoid that.

That is why and Zelenskyy has been saying this, the wording, the language that is used around any kind of signal, these guarantees that Ukraine once will be absolutely crucial. Laila?

HARRAK: Clare Sebastian and Melissa Bell, thank you both. And joining me now from Istanbul is Yevgeniya Gaber, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in Turkey. So good to have you with us. A very good morning. You are coming to us from Turkey, a country with a complex position when it comes to Ukraine and Russia. We find ourselves in a very interesting moment where Ankara is believed to have angered Moscow by wholeheartedly endorsing Ukraine's bid to join NATO.

Making matters worse, it's released a Ukrainian prisoners of war earlier this week. Talk to us a little bit about -- is Turkey pivoting now away from Russia. What is your understanding in terms of Turkey's objectives at the moment?

YEVGENIYA GABER, NONRESIDENT SENIOR FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL IN TURKEY: Good morning, and thank you for having me. Regarding Turkey, Turkey has always been supporting Ukraine's membership in NATO as well as Georgia's by the way. At the same time cooperating economically and in the energy sphere with Russia. So, I don't really see here a U-turn in Turkeys policies. However, it really is important that President Erdogan actually voiced that Ukraine definitely and for sure deserve to be a NATO member because security in Europe and here in the Black Sea depends on Ukraine security and on -- and in this war and fight against Russian aggression as soon as possible.

HARRAK: Russia has qualified or described these recent actions by Turkey as unfriendly.

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Do you foresee a rift growing between Moscow and Ankara?

GABER: Well, I think this is also part of this geopolitical tit for tat. And from the Russian side, there have been several cases when -- actually a lot of cases when Russia has not implemented its commitments. And one actually, the grain deal, for example, which was brokered by Turkey, is now under threat because Russia said it doesn't want to extend it anymore. So, before the NATO summit, but also before the next round of negotiations for the grain deal, I think it's important for Turkey to send very strong message to Russia, that it has to abide by its commitments because Turkey also has leverages against Russia. And it can step up its cooperation with Ukraine even more.

HARRAK: Let's turn our attention now to Ukraine which is top of mind at this summit. The expectations are that Kyiv will not be asked to join the military lines at this summit. The U.S., Ukraine's strongest supporter in this war already ruled out. Kyiv's bid to join NATO, at least not yet, because the war is still ongoing. What would be the next best option for Kyiv? What would send the right signal? GABER: Well, I think that the right signal would have been to extended invitation to Ukraine of this wellness summit because this is how we make sure that this consensus decision making and unanimity of voting in NATO does not include Russia which is an aggressor state. And there is no need to be afraid of the escalation by the Russian side, because actually Russia escalate when there is no deterrence and there is no response and not otherwise.

But the second-best option, I think, would be, of course, upgrading and increasing the level of political dialogue. Zelenskyy -- President Zelenskyy will take part in the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. And of course, security guarantees of the Coalition of the willing and increase in military cooperation.

HARRAK: Now, if Ukraine does not get the type of security guarantees from NATO members that it believes it needs, what would that mean?

GABER: Well, that means that Ukraine will carry on to fight against this brutal Russian aggression because there is no other option for Ukraine. But this also means that we may have probably will have an extended and protracted conflict in the middle of Europe, just on the Eastern Front of NATO. So dependent on how much support we get from the western allies, it just means that we will have to pay less host for this war of aggression in Ukraine.

HARRAK: Yevgeniya Gaber talking to us from Istanbul, Turkey. Thank you so much.

GABER: Thank you.

HARRAK: Well, meanwhile, Ukraine says it's repelled a Russian aerial assault on the capital Kyiv. In the past few hours, the early morning attack involved Iranian-made drones, all of which were shot down by air defenses, according to Ukrainian officials. It's the second Russian attack on the city this month. And search operations have ended in Orikhiv. A city in the Zaporizhzhia region. The day after a Russian attack killed at least seven people.

Ukrainian says Russian missiles struck a school where civilians were receiving humanitarian aid on Monday. Ukrainian officials call it a war crime.

It's been just over two weeks since the armed rebellion in Russia led by Wagner paramilitary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. And Prigozhin's situation now is more murky and confusing than ever. He met with Vladimir Putin. The man whose presidency he threatened to overthrow just days after the failed mutiny. Well, that's raising a lot of questions as CNN's Fred Pleitgen explains.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Not seen in public since his mutiny threatened Russia's leadership and labeled a traitor by the Kremlin. Yevgeny Prigozhin seen down and out bound for exile or worse. But now Moscow acknowledging Vladimir Putin himself hosted Prigogine and other Wagner commanders inside the Kremlin just five days after the uprising.

The President listened to the explanations given by the commanders and offered them options for further employment and further military service, the Kremlin spokesman said. This after Kremlin-controlled media spent weeks trashing Prigozhin like in this segment on a popular show.

Reporter saying Prigozhin is not the Robin Hood he tried to pass himself off as he was a businessman with a criminal past. After the mutiny, the Kremlin had said Prigozhin would essentially be exiled to Belarus. Now a different tome towards Prigozhin and his fighters.

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They stress the fact that they are loyal supporters and soldiers of the Head of State and the commander, the spokesman says. They said they were ready to carry on fighting for their motherland. It's not clear what prompted Putin to meet Prigozhin but the Russians currently need all the manpower they can get. The Ukrainian say they're making important but slow gains in the South and East. Kyiv though hampered by a major lack of ammo, especially for their artillery guns.

That prompted the Biden administration to give the Ukrainians controversial cluster munitions to make up for the shortages in conventional artillery ammo.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a war relating to munitions. And they're running out of those -- that ammunition and we're low on it.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): I spoke to the CEO of Rheinmetall, one of Europe's largest arms manufacturers. Rheinmetall does not produce cluster munitions, but he told me his company is ready to vastly expand its conventional ammo production.

ARMIN PAPPERGER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RHEINMETALL: On the artillery ammunition, we produce hundreds, thousands of rounds and the capacity of next year will be 600,000. So if you see that the need is one million, Rheinmetall could deliver -- if we deliver only the Ukrainian 60 percent of the need.

PLEITGEN (voiceover): And the company says it wants to go a step further servicing and even producing vehicles inside Ukraine starting with these armored personnel carriers called Fox.

PAPPERGER: If they always have to wait that Europeans or Americans help them over the next 10 or 20 years. I think that's not possible.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

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HARRAK: Israel's the legislature takes a big step toward enacting the government's controversial judicial reforms. Well now, the country is bracing for a day of disruption. We'll have details for you from Jerusalem. Plus, Antarctic Sea ice levels reach record lows and experts warn these types of extreme climate events only getting worse.

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HARRAK: There's fire in Iceland. This volcano outside the capital Reykjavik is erupting, sending up fountains of lava. Volcanologists are calling it a minor eruption along a fissure about 200 meters long. That's also spewing toxic gases but they say the location is uninhabited and right now there's no danger to any populated area.

A dangerous situation in the northeastern United States after days of intense rain and flash flood emergencies. The U.S. president has just approved a state of emergency declaration for Vermont. More than 50 swift water rescues were carried out there as of Monday night, local time. And more than nine million people are under flood alerts across the region.

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In New York, state troopers helped rescue stranded drivers trapped by heavy flooding on Sunday. They guided them to safety as a group holding hands after they were plucked from their submerged cars. This was in Orange County, New York where the governor declared a state of emergency.

Well, a record rainfall has also caused heavy flooding in parts of Japan. Officials said Monday at least four people have died, 18 have been injured and a half dozen are now missing. The rain began at the start of the month. It has triggered landslides and caused rivers to overflow the water level.

In a major river in Delhi, India has passed the danger zone topping 205 meters as of Monday evening, according to India's Central Water Commission. But one official said Delhi systems are not designed to handle the unprecedented rain that's fallen in recent days. Authorities say 41,000 people across six districts are in danger of heavy rainfall this battered Northern India has left at least 22 people dead.

Well Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, they're dealing with the effects of a surprise snowfall. While the city does get chilly during its winter months, snow days are rare. Forecasters say it's been more than a decade since there was a dusting like this. Well, weather services warned a dangerously cold temperatures and possible road closures. Still, some residents were making the most of it.

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OLGA COELHO, JOHANNESBURG RESIDENT: An amazing day in South Africa. Just lovely to see the snow go. Although we freezing our butts.

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HARRAK: Well, the weather is expected to warm up some as the week goes on. Sea ice levels in the Antarctic have hit a record low for the month of June. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the levels were 17 percent below average this year. Breaking the previous June record by a large margin. And while those numbers went down global sea surface temperatures went up.

Reaching record highs for the periods of May and June this year. Experts say these are worrying trends caused by climate change.

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MICHAEL SPARROW, HEAD, WORLD CLIMATE RESEARCH PROGRAMME: The really is completely unprecedented the word this kind of reduction in sea ice that we've seen around the Antarctic. The Antarctic region is normally thought of being relatively stable. It's much colder than the Arctic. We're used to seeing, you know, these big reductions in sea ice in the -- in the Arctic but not in the Antarctic.

It's around about five standard deviations for the mathematicians around here. Below what we would expect and we have seen in the past. And this is a massive decrease.

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HARRAK: While scientists are warning of even more marine heat waves with the return of El Nino. A weather pattern that warms surface ocean temperatures. Nearly 62,000 people died from heat-related causes in Europe last year during its hottest summer on record. That's according to a new study. Italy had the most deaths. Around 18,000 followed by Spain and Germany. Researchers also found the extreme heat who harmed women and the elderly more than others.

Turn our attention now to Israel where the legislature there gave its first vote of approval Monday to a key element of the right-wing governments judicial reforms. But not without a fight. Security officers hauled protesters out of the Knesset before the vote. Every member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition voted for the measure. And every other member voted against it.

And we're hearing protests -- protesters are now back in the streets with police attempting to arrest some blocking a major road into Jerusalem. CNN's Hadas Gold has more now from Jerusalem.

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Israeli protesters planning a day of disruption on Tuesday as the Israeli government is now bringing the judicial overhaul plan back on the table. After months where this judicial overhaul was frozen in place essentially, months ago after these massive general strike and protests that froze Israel into place. The defense minister even coming out against his own government's plan.

Now Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are starting to bring it back. It looks a little bit different. It's a little bit watered down and it's being done in a very slow piecemeal fashion. But the legislation that was brought to its first vote on Monday night would strip the Israeli Supreme Court's ability of being able to declare a government action as being unreasonable. They have rather broad powers right now to say that even if a government action didn't necessarily break any laws, it is unreasonable and cannot stand. And this legislation would attempt to strip that away. Now, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has watered down other aspects of this judicial overhaul namely, the ability of the Israeli parliament to overturn and Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority.

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Those have been taken off the table. But the other elements are still there. And the protesters and the opposition essentially are overturn Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority. Those have been taken off the table. But the other elements are still there. And the protesters and the opposition essentially are saying, we don't believe when the government says that this will be a softer version of this judicial overhaul and they are still taking to the streets.

They've actually never got off the streets. Even while there were compromise negotiations trying to take place at the Israeli president's residence. Even while this legislation was technically frozen in place, Israeli protesters were still taking to the street on a regular basis. And on a Monday evening, they were on the floor of the Israeli parliament, trying to stay some sort of sit in, they were forcibly removed by Parliament security.

And then on Tuesday is this day of disruption being planned from the morning until the evening, Israeli protesters saying they're going to essentially try to disrupt daily life in Israel, including at the airport, at Ben Gurion Airport, just outside of Tel Aviv, as well as at important embassy buildings throughout the country from different countries. And along the -- really, the heart of Tel Aviv, downtown Tel Aviv and the main highway there.

We've seen these types of massive protests in the past. And the goal of these protesters is to try to once again encourage important figures such as the defense minister, such as other ministers who may be supporting their efforts to come out once again against this judicial overall, even this piecemeal legislation, the slow pace that they plan to take it and to come out against it because for these protesters, the only way that they will really come off the streets is if this judicial overhaul is completely off the table.

Hadas Gold, CNN, Jerusalem.

HARRAK: Disgraced to former Olympic physician Larry Nassar is recovering from a prison stabbing. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons says Nassar was attacked Sunday at a federal prison in Florida. The head of the Local Correction Officers Union says Nassar was stabbed 10 times, but is said to be in stable condition. Nassar is serving decades behind bars for child pornography and assaulting hundreds of gymnasts during his time as Team USA doctor.

Still to come. U.S. President Joe Biden joins NATO leaders for a crucial summit after wrapping up a visit to London. Details ahead.

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HARRAK: Welcome back to all of our viewers around the world. I'm Laila Harrak and you're watching CNN NEWSROOM. NATO's Secretary General is expected to make remarks soon in Lithuania's capital as leaders begin to arrive for a crucial two-day Summit. And we've got a live look for you I believe, yes, ahead of that actually. Earlier, Jens Stoltenberg announced that Turkey has dropped objections to Sweden becoming a member.

After standing in the way for more than a year for Stockholm in turn appears to be supporting Turkish membership in the European Union. According to Turkey's state run news agency. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expected to attend the NATO summit in person and there, he will meet face to face with U.S. President Joe Biden.

That's according to an official familiar with the meeting. It's another public affirmation of the leader's unity and the U.S. support for Ukraine. Even though, Mr. Biden has questioned whether Ukraine can join NATO during the war. And the U.S. leader's diplomacy efforts began on Monday in the United Kingdom, where he met with both British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles. CNN's. Max Foster has the details.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): President Biden kicking off his summer European tour with a quick stop in London, aimed at bolstering the special U.S.-U.K. relationship. And it's a visit full of high stakes diplomacy.

RISHI SUNAK, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Great to have you here. Thanks very much.

FOSTER (voiceover): First, it was tea in the garden at Downing Street with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The pair who've met five times in the past five months, keen to show they're in lockstep on key issues such as the war in Ukraine.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our relationship is Rock Solid.

FOSTER (voiceover): On the agenda, strengthening Economic Security and the NATO alliance.

SUNAK: We had from here to NATO and Vilnius, where we stand as to the firmest allies in that alliance, and I know we want to do everything we can to strengthen Euro Atlantic Security. But it's great pleasure to have you here.

FOSTER (voiceover): The meeting comes after the U.S. announced it'll send controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine, for the first time.

JAKE SULLIVAN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR OF UNITED STATES: Ukraine has been requesting cluster munitions in order to defend its own sovereign territory.

FOSTER (voiceover): A rare topic of disagreement between the two allies. The British Prime Minister addressing those concerns on Sunday.

SUNAK: The U.K. is a signatory to a convention which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use. We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion.

FOSTER (voiceover): Then, it was on to Windsor Castle, marking Biden's first meeting with Charles since his coronation as King. He was greeted with all the pomp and pageantry of an arrival ceremony and an Honor Guard inspection. Ahead of their meeting, the palace released details of what the Monarch would be discussing something which is late mother, Queen Elizabeth the second, never allowed.

The topic, climate change an important subject for both the President and the King, coming after four days of record-breaking heat last week. The pair convening a discussion with high profile private sector stakeholders, along with Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, he warned the world is in uncharted territory.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE: There's a -- there's a lot of capital in the world. But some of it's been sitting on the sidelines. And what we need to do now is accelerate the development of new technologies and also the deployment of existing technology solar wind, nuclear, so forth.

FOSTER (voiceover): Kerry thanked Charles for holding the event and his leadership on the issue. From London, President Biden travelled to Lithuania, where NATO leaders will gather for a major Summit amid Ukraine's offensive and last month's failed coup attempt in Russia. A series of critical meetings, at a critical juncture in European and global security. Max Foster, CNN, Windsor Castle, England.

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HARRAK: Still to come, Ukrainian actor took up a new cause after the start of Russia's invasion. Well, now he supports the war effort by making and donating clothing to soldiers. Stay tuned for his interview after the break.

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HARRAK: Life changed overnight for every Ukrainian in February 2022. When Russia launched its invasion while many are sacrificing their dreams and some their lives to help defend their country. The challenge for everyday citizens is how they can use their skills to help others. One man who asked himself that very question is Ukrainian T.V. and film actor Oleg Zagorodnii. He traded in movie sets and scripts to become a community organizer and eventually designed and provide uniforms for Ukraine's army using his own savings. Well, now after travelling the globe to fundraise for those uniforms, its team offers anyone the opportunity to buy a piece of clothing that directly supports Ukraine's military. And I'd like to welcome now Oleg Zagorodnii, he joins me from Kyiv. Oleg, good to have you with us, good morning. War, of course, has been a life changing event for millions of Ukrainians. Tell us how it has affected you.

OLEG ZAGORODNII, UKRAINIAN ACTOR: Good morning, Laila. It was terrible 24 on February 2022, like, we just wake up and understand that its enemy comes on our territory. And its enemies too big and our lives is pretty change, completely change. For example, I have -- I have like a premier trial of my film Firebird, but Russia destroy all my plans.

And then, I make a decision, I asked myself what I can do for our -- what I can do in this moment for my country. So, I make a decision to organize a small production and collect some money around the world and produce uniforms for the Ukrainian army and deliver it on the front line. So, it's help us rich as well.

HARRAK: Tell us a little bit more about the military uniforms that you design and how you went about launching your military clothing project.

ZAGORODNII: I'm -- this idea comes from the -- your very famous photographer, Bruce Weber. Because he saw what I did, and he asked me why don't you make it like a brand and don't sale it around the world. And collect this money and use this money for their military clothes production. So, it was like his idea. And then, I organize something like I do some (INAUDIBLE) some clothes like with the military context.

But for sure, I original military clothes which I delivered to army. It wasn't my idea, I copied like, from your guy's military clothes. I buy original NATO clothes, and just copy it. I buy fabrics, I buy accessories maybe do some innovation because we now in active war, so soldiers share with me their experience. And they say, you should move (INAUDIBLE) it's a little bit higher, because it's going to be more comfortable to use.

[02:40:08]

So, we just -- we just use your technology and maybe create something new. So, the (INAUDIBLE) how it's worked. So, people buy clothes, or make directly donation. And we can -- we can produce more and more. For today, we already deal sold 7,000 items for the army, this more than one year and 7,000. Yes, this is how it -- how it works.

HARRAK: And Oleg, President Zelenskyy, also a former actor himself, he had to answer the call of destiny. And you had to do that as well. Do you feel that by pursuing your passion outside your original past passionate for acting by giving back to your country? Is that your way of making a difference of resisting?

ZAGORODNII: I think, it first -- if I right, understand you, that it first we should win this war. Because if -- I don't think about my acting career or something, I believe that it's going to back to me in the future. But today, I understand that if Ukraine lose -- if Ukraine lose this. The West is losers because Ukraine choose, you know, this is not only war of Ukraine and Russia.

It's today, totally -- like dictatorships relations countries, fight with democracy, democracy world. And understand that I know what is U.S. And I know as well, what is Russia. And we, Ukrainian, we make our choice. So, we want to be the part of democracy world. So, this is what we fighting for. We fight for our freedom, and we fight for our democratic future.

So, we want to be with the West, we make our choice. So, for me, I don't think today about -- my what I lost my career or something. Only I can think about today is this worst situation because I saw -- I saw what Russia did to my country. I know what they want. They want to change the rule in the world. They want to build like this totalitarianism regime around the world. They don't want to give to people freedom. So, yes, this is most important thing for me today.

HARRAK: You're making a big difference to your country with your contributions. Oleg Zagorodnii, thank you so much for speaking to us.

ZAGORODNII: Thank you.

HARRAK: And thanks so much for joining us. I'm Laila Harrak, "WORLD SPORT" is up next. And I'll be back in 15 minutes with more CNN NEWSROOM. See you.

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