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CNN International: Government Shutdown Looms Amid GOP Dysfunction; U.S. Republicans Divided on More Aid for Ukraine; Russia Take Aim at Ukraine's Energy Facilities; Poland, Ukraine Dialing Down Tensions in Grain Dispute; Lachlan Murdoch to Take Over Fox and News Corp; Growing Diplomatic Rift Between Canada and India. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired September 22, 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]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster in London. Bianca is off for this day. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM though.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't keep spending the amount of money that we're spending. This country is going broke.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're dysfunctional.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just that simple. That's simple. We are that we are so dysfunctional.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a whole new concept of individuals that just want. To burn the whole place down.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: But American investment in Ukrainian security and global protection of freedom is working 100 percent. Every cent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no end insight. We were told this could literally go on for years. It's another forever war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here abandoned. We're on the border. We're asking for help. This is unacceptable. Please just enforce the laws that are on the books.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

FOSTER: Well, it is Friday, September the 22nd, 9:00 a.m. here in London and 4:00 a.m. in Washington, DC, where many will be heading to work this morning. But most lawmakers who work in the U.S. Capitol are not. And that's because House Speaker Kevin McCarthy sent them home after members of his own party didn't have the votes to pass a short- term funding bill to avoid a looming government shutdown. Hardliners also tanked to vote to advance funding for the Defense Department, usually one of the easiest packages to pass.

Despite their dysfunction beneath the Capitol Dome, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was able to meet with Congressional leaders in his continuing quest for more military aid. The Ukrainian leader and his wife are now in Canada to meet with the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau and speak to the Canadian Parliament as well.

U.S. lawmakers have until the end of next week to avert another government shutdown, but few expect Congress to act in time. CNN's Melanie Zanona has the latest from Capitol Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Well, House Republicans are heading home without finding a solution to fund the government. Kevin McCarthy decided to cancel votes for the rest of the week after a tumultuous few days here in the House of Representatives. Initially the GOP was planning to put a short-term funding bill on the floor on Saturday. They had loaded it up with a number of conservative priorities trying to win over hardline conservative critics, but that was not enough. They did not have the votes to be able to pass that bill.

And a further sign of this dysfunction. The GOP wasn't even able to pass a procedural vote on a defense bill. Speaker Kevin McCarthy was visibly frustrated after that vote went down. Let's take a listen.

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA) U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: It's frustrating in the sense that I don't understand why anybody votes against bringing the idea and having the debate. This is a whole new concept of individuals that just want to burn the whole space down.

ZANONA: Now the new plan that has emerged is that House Republicans are going to start focusing on individual long-term spending bills instead of that short-term funding bill that didn't have the votes. But that means that they would need to pass 11 bills within the next nine days. And they've only been able to pass one of those spending bills this entire year. So it's a very tricky feat for them to accomplish. And not to mention, those bills will be dead on arrival in the Senate. So it's looking increasingly likely that we are headed towards a government shut down.

Melanie Zanona, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The past government shutdowns have been messy affairs with steep political costs. Earlier in the week, we heard from Republicans complaining about the hardliners in their party who are blocking key votes to keep the government running.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): We're dysfunctional. It's just that simple. That's simple. We are that we are so dysfunctional. You know, we've got -- we've got nobody at the head, you know, I've said this. This train left the station.

REP. DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX): It's frustrating because you're going to hurt our defense. And they don't have a rational explanation. This is absurd.

REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): I am not going to be partied to a shutdown. It does not serve a purpose -- by the way, you save no money, you're going to end up costing the American people more money with the shutdown. So it's really illogical. At the end of the day, any final bill is going to be bipartisan. And if somebody doesn't realize that they're truly clueless.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has wrapped up his U.S. visit with a heartfelt thank you.

[04:05:00]

He spoke late on Thursday at the National Archives in Washington after meeting with President Joe Biden and Congressional leaders. The U.S. is sending an additional $325 million in military aid to Kyiv, and Mr. Zelenskyy says that's exactly what Ukraine soldiers need.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: But American investment in Ukrainian security and global protection of freedom is working 100 percent. Every cent. Instead of dictating towards America, Europe and the whole free world, Putin is forced to humiliate himself by personally entertaining a delegation from Pyongyang.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: That of course, a reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong- un's visit to Russia earlier this month, and speculation about Pyongyang providing weapons to Moscow.

President Biden reaffirmed his support for Ukraine, promising to help Kyiv defend against Russian aggression for as long as it takes. CNN's Kayla Tausche reports from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrapping up a critical visit to Washington, including a stop at the White House, to sustain the marathon of war. Funding is set to dry up in weeks. The Biden administration is sending more weaponry, HIMARS systems, anti-armor capabilities, artillery and cluster munitions from money already green-lit by Congress.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Mr. President, it's an honor to welcome back to the White House and the Oval Office.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): Zelenskyy, in his trademark fatigues, sharing his battlefield perspective with the White House cabinet.

ZELENSKYY: I thank the United States of America and Mr. President for the new defense package for Ukraine, a very powerful package. Thank you so much. And it has exactly what our soldiers need.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): And his plans to rebuild with the former commerce secretary. But first he needs tens of billions of dollars to fight. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill still skeptical.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wish Ukraine well, and I also wish our European allies to do their part.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): House Speaker Kevin McCarthy refusing to commit to a vote on new funding.

MCCARTHY: Look, we've got to get our first our fiscal House taken care of here in America.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): The White House says the weapons are working.

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We are providing our help Ukraine not only to make forward progress, but also critically defend the territory that they continue to hold against Russian efforts to overrun it and occupy it. Because Putin has not given up on his fundamental goal, which is to subjugate the country of Ukraine. And we will not permit that to happen and the Ukrainian people will not permit that to happen.

TAUSCHE: President Biden and President Zelenskyy were asked by reporters how confident they were that the U.S. Congress would support that additional aid for Ukraine. President Biden answering on behalf of both leaders, said that he was relying on the good judgment of Congress and in his words said, there is no alternative.

Kayla Tausche, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: President Zelenskyy got a less than enthusiastic reception from Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He wouldn't allow official photographers access to his meeting with the Ukrainian President. A source shared this photo though with CNN. McCarthy also said lawmakers were too busy for Zelenskyy to address a joint meeting of Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCARTHY: I have questions for him. Where is the accountability and the money we already spent? What is the plan for victory? I think that's what the American public wants to know. Look what Russia has done, invade is wrong. It's an atrocity. We want to make sure that ends. I also, I have always said from the beginning, no matter what the Issue is, I want accountability for whatever the hard-working taxpayers spend their money on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, just hours before those meetings in Washington, Russia struck Ukraine's energy facilities for the first time in months. The attacks came as the country gears up for cold weather, when they'll need more power for heating. As Fred Pleitgen reports, Ukrainians believe this was just an opening salvo, with more attacks likely to come.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Vladimir Putin unleashing massive aerial attacks across Ukraine just as Ukraine's president visits Capitol Hill and the White House.

Firefighters rushing the wounded out of the burning ruins of this hotel in the town of Cherkasy.

The sound I heard was boom, and I saw all the windows were gone in the kitchen and bedroom, this woman says. And she adds, at around 6:00 in the morning, there was an explosion, a strong one. We came here, saw the windows that shattered in the shop.

Kyiv says the Russians launched 43 cruise missiles in the early morning hours, and while Ukraine's air defenses were able to shoot down most of them, some did come through.

[04:10:00]

Also hitting energy infrastructure, Kyiv saying the power grid hear hasn't been attacked on this scale in half a year. The Ukrainians are certain more strikes will follow as temperatures begin to fall.

We can make certain assumptions that the fuel and energy sector facilities will be further targeted by the enemy, the air force spokesman says.

Zelenskyy urging the U.S. and its allies to provide more modern air defense systems, but Ukraine also fighting back. The satellite company Planet Labs releasing these images after the Ukrainians say they struck Russian targets in occupied Crimea, including a military air field.

On the frontlines, the Ukrainians say they're making gains.

Cover me, I'll get closer to them, the soldier says. This video released by a unit operating on the eastern front.

While in the south, Kyiv says its counteroffensive there is also gaining steam, even though the going remains tough.

Despite mining and engineering equipment, as well as strong resistance from the occupiers, our units had a partial success, advanced into the depths of the enemy's defense and along the front, he says.

But the Russians may already be gearing up for yet another large-scale aerial campaign against Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Zaporizhia, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: In the next hour, Poland's president is set to address a forum on the reconstruction of Ukraine. He'll speak two days after his Prime Minister put future Polish weapons deliveries into question. The Prime Minister said Warsaw would pull the plug on sending new weapons to Kyiv amid a bitter dispute over Poland's ban on Ukrainian grain imports. But on Thursday, Poland's president walked back on the Prime Minister's statement, suggesting it was misunderstood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDRZEJ DUDA, POLISH PRESIDENT (through translator): The Prime Minister talked about this weapons and the context of the new weapons we are buying for our army. Yes, that was the statement. In my opinion, the Prime Minister said, we will not transfer to Ukraine new weapons that we are currently purchasing as a part of the modernization of our army.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Lithuania stepped into the dispute on Thursday, offering to mediate in this social media post here. Katie Polglase has been monitoring all of this. I mean, they have stepped back slightly. If you look at the president's words. But I was in Poland earlier in the year and it's amazing how much support there was for Ukraine. It's so surprising to think that they might be pulling back from that.

KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Exactly. And there is an indication here that maybe Ukraine underestimated quite how seriously Poland was going to get upset about all of this dispute. Hence why we saw such extreme language really in terms of how dissatisfied Ukraine was with the Polish response to banning Ukrainian grain.

And now clearly, they are recognizing how upset Poland has got and now this declaration about potentially not giving new weapons to Ukraine as well. Clearly there is now a climb down from the Ukrainian side talking about that this is not a crisis. They can talk about it. Various different members of the Ukrainian leadership, the agrarian minister, the Foreign Minister of Poland, Zelenskyy himself, all of them now saying that there are ways to get around this.

And it's also worth mentioning as well, that this is because that Poland and Ukraine have similar security concerns at the end of the day. And so, have a listen to what Ukraine's ambassador to Poland said just yesterday about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VASYL ZVARYCH, UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO POLAND (voice-over): I believe that this cooperation will continue. Because I believe that military support for Ukraine is in the interest of the Republic of Poland. Because it's not charity or philanthropy. It's also an investment in their own security. We must do everything to stop this enemy in Ukraine so that the Russian boot does not trample on Polish soil.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POLGLASE: Now clearly there he is talking about the concern for Russian aggression to a variety of countries in Eastern Europe, not just Ukraine. But it is, of course, a serious issue -- this grain dispute, and it didn't come from nowhere. Clearly a compromise needs to be had. Poland will not just back down. And if you look at what the agreement was just made with Slovakia, another country that also banned Ukrainian grain recently. There has been a compromise. Just yesterday we heard from Ukraine and Slovakia saying that they'd made a grain trade agreement which basically involved issuing and controlling licenses for Ukrainian grain. Perhaps that's something that they could work out.

And we've just heard in the last hour from the President as well from Poland, Duda saying as well that he is happy to have a face-to-face meeting with Zelenskyy to talk about this as friends. So clearly, he's happy to talk. He understands that it's important their relationship continues in a friendly manner. But also there needs to be some kind of compromise to resolve this.

FOSTER: Would you just explain why this ban came into place? Basically so much Ukrainian grain going into those nations that the price has collapsed and that's been a real problem for Polish and Slovakian farmers.

POLGLASE: Absolutely. There are national concerns here. Every country here has to think about their own domestic interests.

[04:15:00]

And for Polish farmers, these brit prices for Ukrainian grain was massively undercutting, and so as a result was quite damaging for them economically. This is why it builds. And clearly this did not come from nowhere. This concern has been brewing for a while. They imposed the ban. The EU just last week tried to suspend that ban. Poland said it would defy that ban. So clearly some very strong feelings about how this cheaper grain is impacting them. They feel clearly that Ukraine has not taken this issue seriously enough. And then this very critical language coming quite publicly at the UN from Zelenskyy himself, that escalated to a point. Clearly it should not have got to. Now they are starting to deescalate the situation. And clearly for both of their interests, security in Ukraine against Russian aggression is of paramount importance.

FOSTER: Quick thought on, you know, we're hearing from the Washington correspondents view of the Zelenskyy meetings. What's the rest of the world thinking when they see Zelenskyy really struggling to convince some Republicans? But he needs more weapons.

POLGLASE: It's not looking good. I mean, if you look at the Republican standpoint here, they are very clearly saying they are not promising that there will continue to be military funding for Ukraine. And with regards to Europe in particular, that security is very, very important. U.S. military aid to Ukraine has protected Europe as a whole from this Russian aggression, not just Ukraine.

And so Poland and various other neighboring countries to Ukraine will be looking at these conversations in the United States. These conversations between Republican and Democratic lawmakers and worried about the future of European security if they can't continue to progress -- protect against Russian aggression.

FOSTER: OK, Katie, thank you so much.

Media baron Rupert Murdoch is stepping down from his business empire. The 90-year-old chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp is transitioning away from the leadership role and handing control to his eldest son, Lachlan. Rupert Murdoch will take the new role of chairman emeritus, with the company stressing he intends to remain fully involved -- so he's not quite stepping down. But what that involvement will be remains unclear. In a memo to employees, he wrote, quote:

For my entire professional life, I've been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change. But the time is right for me to take on different roles, knowing that we have truly talented teams.

Murdoch built a vast newspaper and magazine empire across the globe, which includes the "Wall Street Journal," Britain's "Times" and and Sky News in Australia, where News Corp is also the owner of various newspapers. The 1990s saw the emergence of the Fox Television network in the U.S. as a major competitor, but he will always be known for his ratings powerhouse Fox News, with its reputation for right-wing propaganda and conspiracy theories.

Now earlier former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke to CNN about the political leanings of the new head of Fox and News Corp, who is Lachlan Murdoch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALCOLM TURNBULL, FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Lachlan, Lachlan have been my experience and most people who know him would agree with this I think, is more ideological. He's more consistently right-wing, you know, in that sense. And so, you know, Fox News, he's not like James Murdoch, who you know, was appalled by what his father's media empire is doing and you know, as you know, resigned from the board.

You know, Lachlan is all in. He's got a formula that does enormous damage to the countries in which it operates. But it is also one that is enormously profitable. And so I'm sure that Lachlan will continue with it. And you know, I also have no doubt that the America's chairman, Rupert Murdoch, will be very closely involved for a very long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, still ahead, new polling for U.S. Republican presidential candidates ahead of their second debate. It's a heated race for second place. Details on who is gaining champion and who's falling behind.

Plus, accusations of flying between India and Canada sending diplomatic relations into an absolute tailspin.

[04:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The diplomatic dispute between India and Canada is escalating. India has now suspended visa services for Canadian citizens and the Indian Foreign Ministry has again accused Canada of harboring terrorists. That's after the Canadian Prime Minister suggested the Indian government may have played a role in the assassination of a Sikh activists on Canadian soil. CNN's Vedika Sud is tracking this live from New Delhi. I mean, it doesn't seem to be making much progress this row. Are there any movements behind the scenes to try to resolve it?

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Well, after what the Minister of External Affairs said yesterday, Max, and that was a very strong worded statement. I'll get to that in a moment from now. Resetting ties is nowhere on the horizon, really, because you had the spokesperson of the Foreign Minister here in India say -- I'm going to quote him here.

If you're talking about reputational damage, if there's a country that needs to look at this, I think it's Canada and its growing reputation as a place as a safe haven for terrorists, for extremists and for organized crime. I think that's a country that needs to worry about its international reputation.

This was in response to a question asked by journalists on how India should be, or if it is concern over its reputation globally. After that strong allegation made by Justin Trudeau on the floor of the House in Canada Monday.

Now these are very strong words to use against another country, Max, and it's quite clear from this and also the developments on Thursday where India had announced that it will be suspending temporarily the visas of Canadian nationals not only in Canada but those who are residing in other countries as well.

We also heard from the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi and they have said they would be downsizing their diplomatic presence here in India.

Responding to that, the Indian government said that, well, it's only fair that there is parity -- parity in ranks since they say that the Canadian officials have a larger presence in India than India has in Canada.

[04:25:00]

So that's what's been happening over the last 24 hours.

But the biggest development in the last few hours has also been the reaction from the White House. You've had the national security advisor of America reacting to questions from the media where they asked him what the U.S. has to say and what their stand is on this controversy. Sullivan has said that he is not going to divulge whether Joe Biden has already spoken to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this controversy or if he will. Let's listen in to what Sullivan had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: I'm not going to get into private diplomatic conversations that have either already happened or are going to happen on this topic, only to say that we have been and will be in contact with the Indians at high levels on this issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUD: The White House has repeatedly called on India and the Indian government to cooperate in the investigations with Canada. But Max, India says they haven't heard from Canada on these investigations ever since that very strong allegation was made by Trudeau. But the big question is -- and this is not only a question that Indians are asking here back home, but also the opposition leaders in Canada -- where is the proof, Mr. Trudeau? Why aren't you coming out with it yet? Back to you.

FOSTER: Vedika Sud in the Indian capital. Thank you so much for bringing us the latest on that.

Now Azerbaijani officials say they expect to grant amnesty to ethnic Armenian fighters in Nagorno-Karabakh who have surrendered. Two days after Azerbaijani forces seized control of the ethnic Armenian enclave, representatives from both sides sat down to discuss how to integrate the enclave into Azerbaijan proper. It's been disputed territory beyond Azerbaijan's control for decades, but that came to a decisive end on Tuesday with an overwhelming military strike against Armenians separatists. Killing at least 200 people. Six Russian peacekeepers were also killed or reportedly killed, and Armenia's Prime Minister explained in a video address why Armenia didn't interfere.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKOL PASHINYAN, ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Many believe that in this tense regional environment, in the face of occasional military conflicts, it is not adequate to talk about peace. This path is not easy, but we must go through it for the sake of independence, for the sake of statehood, for the sake of the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh has been deteriorating for months after Azerbaijan blocked shipments of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

There's a dramatic new surge of migrants crossing the Mexican border illegally into the U.S. each day, and it's causing tension between federal and state authorities in border towns. A report from Texas coming up for you.