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Israel Approves Deal to Release Hostages. Hamas to Release 150 Palestinian Prisoners; Israel's Cabinet Approves Hostage Deal; Ukrainian Counteroffensive Gains Ground; Ukraine Commemorates 10 Years Since Maidan Revolution. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired November 22, 2023 - 00:00   ET

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

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And we begin this hour with breaking news out of Israel, where the cabinet has approved a deal to release at least 50 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Now, the government overwhelmingly backed that deal after a six-hour-long cabinet meeting that one official said grew tense and at times was emotional. Now, the hostages to be freed are expected to be women and children. In exchange, Israel will pause its air and ground campaign against Hamas for 4 days.

Hamas says 150 Palestinian prisoners, also women and children, will be released from Israeli jails as part of the deal. Now, Qatar delivered the proposal following weeks of continuous negotiations and now says the humanitarian pause will be announced within the next 24 hours. Hamas says the deal involves the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying aid, medical supplies and fuel into Gaza. And earlier, the Israeli prime minister's office said the deal was set to include Red Cross visits to hospitals, and the Israeli government will be sent to the families of hostages who are now, as you can obviously imagine, anxiously waiting to find out if their loved ones will be among the dozens set to be released.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANAT MOSHE SHOSHANY, GRANDMOTHER TAKEN HOSTAGE: This gives me actually so much hope, I think, and believe that every soul that we can save from there is essential for us, because even if my grandmother won't be among those people, and I obviously hope she will be, but even if she's not, I just can't wait to see the picture of the children, of the innocent people going out from there after so many days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: You hear the relief in her voice, but obviously the agony. Qatar's lead negotiator says the deal. It helped negotiate, should push the international community to increase diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Qatar also says its priority now is to ensure the agreement is followed. That is obviously crucial while it works to secure a long-term ceasefire and lasting peace. More now on Qatar's role in the negotiations from CNN's Becky Anderson, who's been following these negotiations from Doha. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Some hours after it was confirmed that Israel's cabinet had approved, the hostage deal, Qatar announced the success of its joint mediation efforts with Egypt and the United States. The details of the deal, as we now understand them, are 50 women and children released from captivity with Hamas for the exchange of Palestinians, women and teenagers held in Israeli prisons. And the opening of the Rafah border for more fuel, including, for more aid, including fuel to be brought back across that border, crucial for humanitarian efforts, of course.

And in a statement from the lead negotiator in Qatar, Dr. Mohamed Al- Khulaifi, he said, and I quote here, Qatar's aim since the start of this escalation has been to find ways to adjust. Reduce tensions, stop the bloodshed, protect civilians and protect a regional spillover. The international community must now seize the brief window of opportunity to generate further momentum for the diplomatic track, recognising it as the only viable route to ending the conflict in both the short and long term.

Qatar's statement earlier suggests that the pause will start within around 24 hours from now, it is 6.30 in the morning here, local time. And this statement from the lead negotiator went on to say, Qatar's priority now is to ensure that the terms of the agreement are respected while redoubling our efforts to secure a long-term ceasefire. And this statement includes the term redoubling our efforts to secure a long-term ceasefire. End the conflict. End the war. And work towards lasting peace through a comprehensive political process. Perhaps not a surprise that Qatar would be seeking a long-term ceasefire in this statement. After all, that has been its position from the outset of this conflict. Becky Anderson, CNN, Doha.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Joining me now from Jerusalem is Yaakov Katz. He is senior columnist and editor at the Jerusalem Post. And it's good to have you. And I'm really curious to hear your reaction. To all of this, because it really has been a dramatic few hours there in Israel.

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YAAKOV KATZ, JERUSALEM POST SENIOR COLUMNIST AND EDITOR: It's dramatic, Paula. And I think that Israelis this morning and overnight are a bit torn, on the one hand, from a rational point of view, with the mind says we have to keep up this campaign against Hamas. Hamas has to be weakened. It has to be eliminated. It has to be destroyed as much as possible. And it has to be removed from power inside the Gaza Strip, so it can never carry out the massacres like it did on October 7th.

On the other hand, the heart is bleeding for these hostages. And the thought that 50 of them can come home now, that children, there's 30 under the age of 16, 17, that elderly, that mothers, that women, if at least just that, we can get those back to Israel. That is what the heart wants. And I think that this clash is going to be very, very difficult for Israelis in the days ahead, because they want to see Hamas continue to be weakened. But on the other hand, we want to see those hostages come home.

NEWTON: These are truly impossible choices that no one would wish on anyone. You know, the Israeli public, having been given this news, you just explained it, right? They're very conflicted. And yet it seemed that the Netanyahu war cabinet was saying for weeks that, look, the way we're going to bring our loved ones home, those hostages home, is to continue to put pressure on Hamas. Does that mean that they weren't right about this? Is there any indication that hitting Gaza so hard in the last few weeks is what led to this deal?

KATZ: No, I think that that was definitely the right approach, right? Hamas, and we know this from past, right? Hamas has been holding on to Israelis for over a decade now. There's four Israelis, at least two alive, two that we don't know who were taken in 2014. They held on to an Israeli soldier from 2006 to 2011. This can be years long. A decade, if not dealt with as soon as possible. And therefore, the military campaign on the ground put Hamas under pressure.

The fact and the threat against its continued survival in regime and leadership, and the threat against the leaders themselves who are hiding in some bunker somewhere underneath the Gaza Strip, they felt that pressure. And that's why they wanted to make this release in this deal, because now it gives them a reprieve. It gives them a break of just a few days for them to regroup, rearm, redeploy, re-entrench inside Gaza. And that's why they wanted to make this release. And that's why they wanted to make this release. And that's the concern here in Israel, because the mission's not completed, right?

Israel's been operating just in northern Gaza, not yet in southern Gaza. There's still thousands of Hamas fighters, three brigades. The Hamas leadership is still alive and intact in the south. And therefore, if Israel wants to continue with this mission of taking out Hamas, it's going to have to continue on the ground in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

NEWTON: Yeah, and that does lead me to my next question, though. Does this deal really weaken the IDF's hand? I mean, the Israeli government, does it weaken the government even? It's been a contentious opinion in recent weeks. But as you know, it continues to be amplified. And that's the very short statement that Hamas won. Hamas is winning. They got what they wanted. The Palestinian cause is back on the agenda. And they can claim primacy among militants.

KATZ: Paula, I think you're right to some extent. And Hamas has taken a win here for now with the ceasefire of just a few days. And who knows what this leads to, right? We could very, -- I could easily see how on day 4, Hamas says, 1 second, give us another day, we'll release a few more. Then give us another day, we'll release a few more. Israel will be stuck. And then what's stopping the Europeans and the Americans calling up the prime minister here in Israel and saying, listen, you've stopped already for 5, 6 7 days. What's the point in reengaging? Let's find another solution to this.

But I think that Israelis also understand is that while this is a break in the fighting, it's a lull, the overarching mission here of taking down Hamas still remains, right? What happened to Israel on October 7th is still shakes every Israeli to the core. And I think the world understands that these type of Hamas ISIS-like groups cannot remain surviving, cannot remain in power in Gaza. And therefore, I have to hope that we can get back as many hostages as possible. But at the same time, we will not stop with this over this larger mission of taking down Hamas inside the Gaza Strip.

NEWTON: Yeah, so, so much to think about in the coming hours and days for those families who it must be just excruciating just to think about whether or not their loved ones will be released or not. Yaakov Katz will continue to follow the story with you and really appreciate you being with us.

KATZ: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now, meantime, U.S. President Joe Biden, we have to tell you, issued a statement Tuesday night, just a little while ago. He's saying he welcomes a deal to secure the release of the hostages. U.S. officials say three Americans, three, could be released as part of this deal. Now, 10 Americans are still unaccounted for in Gaza, including 2 women and a 3-year-old girl who's supposed to be celebrating her birthday later this week, if you can imagine. CNN's Arlette Saenz is traveling with President Biden and filed this report from Massachusetts.

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ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House is welcoming this deal between Israel and Hamas to release about 50 hostages after weeks of painstaking negotiations from top administration officials, including conversations President Biden himself held with leaders involved in these talks. Now, the U.S. believes it's possible that three Americans could potentially fall into this category of the 50 women and children that could be released in the coming days. That could also potentially include 3-year-old Abigail Adan.

She is an American citizen whose parents were killed in that October 7th attack by Hamas. The U.S. says that they are working tirelessly to ensure the release of all American citizens who have been held hostage, and they are hopeful that after this initial release, that the U.S. will be able to release them. This can provide incentives for Hamas to release more hostages as well. But this all comes as the administration, the White House, has been in constant contact with leaders in the region as they have been working through these negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that President Biden himself had gotten involved and that he believed the president had improved these negotiations.

The president had spoken with the emir of Qatar twice last week. Qatar, of course, acted as a key mediator in these talks between Israel and Hamas. And now the U.S. will be closely watching to see how many Americans will be included in this initial release. Officials say it'll take about 24 hours to implement the deal before they can begin seeing these hostages released. But the White House certainly, welcoming this news as they are hoping to get some of these hostages back home to their families. Arlette Saenz, CNN, traveling with the president in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

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NEWTON: Now, as Arlette mentioned again there, of course, one of the youngest, known hostages taken by Hamas, just three years old. There are hopes, though, that Abigail Idan, who is an American citizen, will be one of the 50 people released as part of this deal. Abigail's great aunt spoke to CNN earlier, saying she has a cautious, very cautious sense of optimism. Listen.

(START VIDEO CLIP)

LIZ HIRSH NAFTALI, GREAT AUNT OF 3 YEAR OLD HOSTAGE: We have spent the last 7 weeks, 7 weeks, worrying, wondering, praying, hoping. Abigail has a sister who is 6, a brother who is 10. These 2 children saw their parents both be murdered. They spent 14 hours in a closet on the seventh of October, hiding. The 1 thing that we all hold on to is that hope now, that Abigail comes home. She comes home by Friday. Friday is her fourth birthday. And that's, -- there's nobody that's giving up hope. It's just that we actually need to see Abigail come out and then we will be able to be, -- to believe it.

END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: So much riding on that right now. And still to come for us, the other children in this war, the forever, those who have been forever scarred by it. We bring you the stories of those children in Gaza who lived through Israeli airstrikes at a great cost.

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NEWTON: New radar satellite data shows that up to half of the buildings in northern Gaza have been damaged since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7th. And that roughly accounts for as many as 23,000 buildings. Researchers obtained satellite radar imagery using the data from the satellite using a method similar to echolocation to map out the region. Across all of Gaza, they say at least 20% of buildings have been damaged since the start of the war.

Now, the destruction has displaced nearly 1.7 million people in Gaza. That's according to the UN's main relief agency. To be clear, that's the majority of all Gazans. About 930,000 of them are sheltering in overcrowded UN facilities, sharing one shower for every 700 people. That's on average. Some are just children trying to escape the danger with their families. Their lives now, of course, forever changed by this war. More now from CNN's Nada Bashir. And warning, her report contains images you may find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER (voice-over): Bandaged and sore, still healing from emergency surgery. For 11-year-old Asif Abu Hadi (ph), this wound is a constant reminder of the trauma he and his friends have faced. They had been playing outside, near his home in Gaza City when, they say, an airstrike hit.

I was walking with my friends, and then suddenly the missile fell, Asif says. I found myself on the ground, lying on my right side. I kept trying to stand up, but there was rubble on top of my leg. When they removed the rubble, I saw that my foot had been ripped off. A huge soccer fan, he played at the local academy and had dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. I've been watching and playing soccer since I was a little boy. It's still my favorite sport, Asif tells us. Now the Israeli occupation has destroyed my dreams.

Down the hall is 12-year-old Malik Al-Khafarna (ph). His family fled their home in Beit Hanon after receiving a warning from the Israeli military. They moved from city to city, searching for safety, followed each time by yet more airstrikes. I wanted to take photos, to become a photojournalist, Malik says. How can I hold a camera now with one arm? My whole life is ruined. All of my life, I haven't had a chance to live happily.

While some here are now slowly coming to terms with their new reality, more wounded children arrive at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital every day. It is now the main working hospital in Gaza. Others left in a state of complete collapse. Just Monday, more wounded were rushed to this hospital after a U.N.-run school used to shelter displaced Palestinians at the Boreij refugee camp was hit. The resulting death toll, still unknown.

[00:20:19]

It's unclear who was responsible for this specific attack. Hamas claims the Israeli military bombed the school, though CNN cannot independently verify this claim. The IDF yet to respond to CNN's request for comment. But as airstrikes and shelling intensify in the north, Gaza's children are, as is so often the case, paying the highest price. With thousands wounded or killed and hopes for the future lost. Nada Bashir, CNN, in Jerusalem.

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NEWTON: In the meantime, Israel's military says it's pushed further into a tunnel underneath the Al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza. Images released by the IDF show what they believe to be a blast door after it was breached, as well as a tunnel passage beyond the breached doorway that you just saw there, and what looks to be two further doorways off to the sides. Now, despite Israel and Hamas reaching a deal that we were just discussing on a 4-day truce and a swap of prisoners and hostages, an IDF spokesperson said the army would ensure its military achievements, in its words, will be maintained in Gaza.

Okay, just ahead for us, the deal for Hamas to release some of its hostages is welcome news to families. Right around the world, we will speak to one woman whose parents were kidnapped.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [00:25:19]

NEWTON: I'm Paula Newton in New York and we have breaking news this hour Israel's cabinet has approved a deal to secure the release of at least 50 hostages women and children whom Hamas is holding in Gaza now in exchange is Israel has agreed to a 4-day truce in its air and ground campaign against Hamas. And Hamas says Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners also women and children held in Israeli jails. In addition Hamas says the deal calls for hundreds of trucks to deliver aid to all parts of Gaza.

Now it's not clear at this hour when all this will start the Israeli government says an extra day could be added to the truce for every 10 additional hostages released. Israel also is making it clear it plans to resume its military campaign once the hostages -- hostage releases end. I want to go live now to Iris Liniado, she is in Singapore right now. Her parents Jith Weinstein and God Hagai were kidnapped by Hamas they were walking -- they were on their morning walk in Iraz a kibbutz just a few miles from the Gaza border when they heard rockets flying overhead. Iris again, I want to thank you for speaking to us.

You know, you and I have been in contact for several weeks. We were trying to kind of give you a little bit of space. We know so much of this has been difficult to process but now that we have this news, I mean, what are you and your family feeling this hour?

IRIS LINIADO, PARENTS KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS: You know, it's kind of like a psychological war. As you know, you know we've obviously been in kind of contact even if I'm afar from social media. You know the roller coaster I'm going through. There were so many deal rumours so I'm trying to stay very numb until I have something official. You know the deal -- I don't know maybe in the press it sounds very official but I haven't received anything official yet. And what I do hear is that the hostages that will be released are mothers and children.

And you know any release is a blessing. It's just crazy to me to today is day 48 and not only do we not have more hostages released but I don't even know if my mother is alive or not which is crazy to me. It's absolutely nuts. My mother was shot on that Saturday and since then you know, I don't know what could happen. Maybe a soldier found her and shot her maybe they took her. I do believe my dad was murdered that day and my dad's body is hostage at the moment. So you know I try to stay realistic but of course my heart is pumping and you know we are all hopeful, yeah.

NEWTON: Yeah. I hear you, Iris. We all hear you especially given the lack of information that you've had from the Israeli government. I mean you just described the excruciating situation that you have. Not really even knowing the health of your parents. You mentioned your father. You knew he was from -- what your mother had texted that he was really quite badly hurt. I mean have you -- how frustrating is it that the Israeli government has not been able to give you at least some information about what happened to your parents.

LINIADO: It's not only the Israeli government and also, I'm not the only one. There's a huge chunk from -- you know because my parents were the first civilians to encounter terrorists during this time -- we have a huge chunk of people and I'm appalled that I'm even saying chunk about my friends but all the people in the beginning that we don't know where they are. They are considered hostages but we have no information about them.

You know the terrorists didn't decide to use a GoPro that day -- that hour, sorry. So, all these people we really have a time slot that nobody really knows anything. So, I wouldn't blame the Israeli government it found a lot of other information about other people. unfortunately, there are more than 240 hostages involved in this.

And you know, Hamas is -- is you know, doing what it's doing best, I guess, at the moment, which is hiding the hostages, which is probably their best treasure right now, better than their own people.

[00:30:19]

So you know, I'm also in contact with the American government, with the Canadian government. So I think it's -- it's not so easy to get that information. Unfortunately. It is just a nightmare situation.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And given the nightmare, as you said, it is a blessing. Everyone is playing that this deal does go through, especially for the young children.

As I know, 100 percent your parents would want them to be released first. How do -- how will you react if your parents are not among those released?

LINIADO: As I said, I'm kind of numb to it. I'm not expecting my parents to be released. Of course, I'm hopeful. But you know what? Every person that comes out of that, I will be so happy and also, I'm seeing it as an opportunity to get information if my mom is even there or not.

I also heard a rumor that the Red Cross will be able to access the hostages, but I've also heard that Hamas doesn't even know where all the hostages are. So, that's an issue. So, yes.

I'm just -- honestly, I'm just thirsty for every piece of information. I will be happy and excited, of course, if my mom comes out of there, but any release is honestly a blessing at this point. We're almost 50 days in, and it's just ridiculous that the world is not even acknowledging how incredibly crazy the fact that they have children hostages, civilians, innocent civilians, who were mostly, you know, advocates for -- for peace and helped people from Gaza to come to Israel and use the facilities and the hospitals where they had access to cancer, special doctors and -- it's just crazy to me how, you know, not only we're fighting this crazy attack, crazy nightmare attacked on the -- on October 7th.

But we also have to fight the world that is just, like, celebrating this attack, which is absolutely disgusting to me. Innocent 10-month- old baby, you know, their posters are being shown in New York and in Chicago. And people are just not understanding this is not a fight against Palestinians, not at all, not a fight against Arabs. Arabs and Israelis live side-by-side in Israel.

This is a fight against terror and terror that, you know, is pretty much a threat to the whole world. Not only the world, but they do call for the elimination of Jews and Israelis. Yes. So, that's another battle.

NEWTON: Iris, obviously, we can hear the frustration, frustration that at this point in time is obviously warranted. We will continue to stay in touch with you. And of course, we're all hoping that many more hostages make it out in due course.

Iris Liniado for us.

LINIADO: Me, too.

NEWTON: Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

LINIADO: Thank you, Paula. Thank you so much.

Still ahead for us on NEWSROOM, Palestinian families waiting for word on the potential release of their loved ones held in Israeli jails. We will meet one mother who is hoping to see her imprisoned daughter at long last.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:37:57]

NEWTON: More now on our top story. Israel's cabinet has approved a deal for the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in exchange for a pause in fighting in Gaza.

Now, the agreement would see the release of at least 50 hostages, women and children, in exchange for a four-day truce.

There's also the potential for the deal to be extended with an extra day added for each additional ten hostages available for release. Hamas said in a statement, which they subsequently took down, that 150 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails would also be freed.

Hamas says those prisoners will be women and children. Israel is holding about 8,300 Palestinians in Israeli jails, including many who don't even know the charges against them. That's according to the non- governmental organization, the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

CNN's Nima Elbagir spoke with one mother who is hoping she may soon see her long-imprisoned daughter, once again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: For the past eight years, Soshan Bakir's (ph) daughter, Mara (ph), has been held in an Israeli prison. She was just 16 when she was arrested.

SOSHAN BAKIR, DAUGHTER HELD IN ISRAELI PRISON (through translator): Honestly, at the beginning, we thought it was a nightmare. Then it became necessary to stand strong on our feet, because we have other children besides Mara (ph). We have Moussa (ph), Nor (ph), and Hala (ph).

Of course, the most important one right now is Mara (ph). Because after all, she is a child, and she's so innocent.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): She says that since Hamas's deadly attack on October 7, Mara (ph) has been moved into solitary confinement and communication cut off.

BAKIR (through translator): We are really worried about Mara (ph). The situation of the women prisoners is really hard. They confiscated all the electrical devices and clothes.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): According to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, 83 Palestinian women and 380 teenagers under the age of 18 are being held in Israeli prisons, more than half of whom have been detained since October 7.

[00:40:09]

Night after night in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israeli forces have been arresting Palestinians in their homes. Some, the IDF say, are accused of being members of Hamas, but many others are detained without trial or stated cause.

MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER: Israel today is in the mode of revenge. And this mode of revenge also is combined with a mode of humiliation. This is very simple. Israel is preparing for an exchange of prisoners, and they are arresting as many people as they can, simply because they are preparing for such a deal.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): The Palestinian Prisoners Society says that, in the past six and a half weeks, several thousand Palestinians in total have been detained by the Israeli Defense Forces.

If there is to be a hostage deal, it's not yet clear how many people might be freed or who would be included. Even so, for Soshan Bakir (ph), it presents a small glimmer of hope that she may soon see her daughter again.

Nima Elbagir, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Still ahead for us, a somber day of remembrance in Ukraine as the country marks ten years since the revolution that would alter the lives of millions of people for years to come.

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NEWTON: A grim milestone in Ukraine, where the U.N. now says at least 10,000 civilians have been killed since Russia invaded in February last year. However, the true toll is likely much higher. And the fighting, meantime, grinds on, with so much of the world's

attention of the Middle East, so there have been fears the war in Ukraine is being forgotten.

European leaders are trying to ease those concerns. The European Council president and Germany's defense minister visited Kyiv Tuesday. Germany announced an additional $1.4 billion in aid, in a much-needed boost for Ukraine's military heading into winter.

Now, the support coming on the day Ukraine marks a national holiday. Ten years since the start of the Maidan revolution that foreshadowed the current conflict, and nearly 20 years since the Orange Revolution.

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NEWTON: Joining me now is Kateryna Stepanenko. She is a Russia analyst and deputy team lead at the Institute for the Study of War. And I thank you for joining us.

And just at the outset here, can you update us on the state of play right now on the battlefield? I mean, the word on everyone's lips is stalemate. But you disagree with that a bit, especially given that we've now turned to fall and winter. Why?

KATERYNA STEPANENKO, INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR: Of course. Yes, it is definitely not a stalemate. And what we're seeing on the battlefield. Both sides were still engaged in active convent.

However, their operations are slowed by weather conditions. We're seeing a lot of muddy situations on the ground, mostly in the Avdiivka area as well as threats of Vidisha Oblast, but it doesn't stop Russians or Ukrainians from continuing small-scale attacks throughout the frontline.

NEWTON: Does it change the situation, though, in terms of -- we had heard a lot about a counteroffensive on the part of Ukraine. The point is, when you look at the maps, they seem to be moving incrementally in terms of any games of they're making.

STEPANENKO: We saw what we consider to be positional warfare rather than a stalemate. Positional -- positional warfare essentially means that they -- neither side is making any grandiose maneuvers to advance. But it doesn't mean that the fighting has stopped.

What it does mean is that there's technical parity, meaning that neither side has the technological advances needed to overpower the other side.

So it is not a victory or a loss for neither of the sides at this point. And it doesn't mean that the conflict is frozen. But it does mean that Ukraine needs additional support in an effort to overpower Russia on the battlefield. NEWTON: And when we talk about, you know, that support, we've heard

for months from Ukraine that they need more military aid and capability, and they needed it, like, yesterday.

What's at stake if the West wavers, and you know there's been a lot of discussion about the West wavering, and not just in Europe, of course, but the United States, as well?

STEPANENKO: Yes, if the West waivers, then Russia will get the upper hand. Russia does benefit from a protracted war and will use that time to advance its own military, improve its defense industrial base, and overpower Ukrainian -- Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.

So the longer that the Western aid is delayed, or is not provided to Ukraine on the front lines, the more advantages we are seeing being given to Russians.

NEWTON: Yes, that's kind of quite a statement that condemns, in fact, Ukraine to the fate that they really didn't want. Zelenskyy has always said, what is catastrophic is a frozen conflict.

And yet, is that not the most likely scenario right now? What would be a game-changer in that way for Ukraine?

STEPANENKO: It is not a likely scenario at this point, especially given that we are seeing some positive things.

First, we have the provisions of Abrams tanks that have arrived in late September. We also have ATACMS the Ukrainians have been using to strike Russian rear areas. And then we have Ukrainian pilots training on F-16 planes.

There's still a chance for Ukrainians to get a technological advantage that they need. And especially for -- in time for next counteroffensives.

[00:50:05]

The counteroffensive of the summer might have not been as fierce as we wanted, but it doesn't mean that Ukrainians have to stop learning from their mistakes. And it absolutely doesn't mean that we have to stop supporting Ukraine. And it doesn't mean that Ukraine is going to stop fighting.

NEWTON: It certainly doesn't mean any of those things. But when you look at the kind of equipment that is needed right now, again, to be decisive, to be a game-changer, what do you think would be most decisive in the months to come?

STEPANENKO: I think Ukrainian signals for air superiority are very valuable. I think Ukraine absolutely needs F-16s to continue their operations, to support Ukrainian current maneuvers.

We also have seen the importance of minesweepers in the conduct of the counteroffensive. We know that Russians have heavily fortified Zaporizhzhia Oblast. We know that Russians are continuing to fortify other directions. So any type of equipment that will help Ukraine bypass minefields and also heavy fortifications are very significant.

And of course, the training, the adequate training of Ukrainian personnel abroad is also very important for future counteroffensive operations.

NEWTON: And that certainly does continue. Kateryna Stepanenko, thanks so much. Really appreciate your time.

STEPANENKO: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now, ten years ago, the pro-democracy Maidan protest made a revolution in Ukraine that would change the course of history. We were just saying that they commemorated ten years.

CNN's Anna Coren has more on that anniversary from Kyiv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Among the woods full of both maple and oak trees, now almost bare, is one of Kyiv's oldest cemeteries.

A soldier arrives, back from the battlefield, for only a day. He's here to visit his son and see the new monument that stands over his grave.

TARAS RATUSHNYY, FATHER OF KILLED UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: It's what my son wanted. It must be a cross, simple and ordinary and traditional.

COREN: His son was Roman Ratushnyy, one of Ukraine's most prominent activist. What ignited the fire in the then-16-year-old was the Maidan Revolution.

T. RATUSHNYY: I think that he was a person all this time. Maidan just helped him to conduct this transformation.

COREN (voice-over): On the 21st of November, 2013, a few hundred people gathered at Maidan, Independence Square, to protest against the government's decision not to sign an association agreement with the European Union.

Then-President Viktor Yanukovych had ditched closer ties with Europe and pivoted towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. Within weeks, the protests swelled as thousands of people took over Maidan.

Police violence intensified over the next three months, until riot police, using live rounds, opened fire, killing more than 100 protesters.

OLHA SALO, EUROMAIDAN PROTESTOR (through translator): The youngest of them was 17. The oldest was 82. There were people from all over Ukraine, from different professions, different education. I think this is a collective mission of Ukrainian heroes, and they all died of the same violence.

COREN (voice-over): In the following months, Putin would occupy Crimea and covertly back separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Maidan set in motion a series of events that would reshape Ukraine and alter the course of history.

COREN: What began here in Kyiv ten years ago was the start of Ukraine's fight to join the European Union. All that struggle continues to this day, but the stakes are so much higher, as this country fights for its mere existence.

COREN (voice-over): Next month, E.U. leaders will meet to decide whether Ukraine should be given membership, and so far, the signs are promising.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The future of Ukraine is in the European Union. The future that the Maidan fought for has finally just begun.

COREN (voice-over): When the Russians launched their full-scale invasion on Ukraine, on the 24th of February last year, a 24-year-old Roman immediately signed up for military.

ROMAN RATUSHNYY, ACTIVIST/SOLDIER: Thank you for support.

COREN (voice-over): First fighting in the defense of Kyiv, he then joined the 93rd Combat Brigade, stationed in the East.

His father and older brother also enlisted but were located elsewhere.

On the phone, Roman would tell his family all was fine, but they knew everything was far from OK. On the 8th of June last year, Roman was killed during a reconnaissance mission.

Two weeks before his death, he wrote his last will and testament on a sheet of A4 paper, stating what he wanted for his funeral. The ceremony, that music, the monument.

[00:55:11]

T. RATUSHNYY: My thoughts are always with him. I wish him to be respected (ph).

COREN (voice-over): Even in death, he continues to inspire young Ukrainians and remains a beacon of hope for a father full of sorrow.

COREN: He sounded like such an incredible young man, future leader of this country.

T. RATUSHNYY: Yes, exactly. And his time was very short.

COREN (voice-over): But in that short time, Roman always knew what he was fighting for.

R. RATUSHNYY: For me, all that was not in vain. I see a huge number of positive changes in this country, and they happened, only thanks to Maidan. COREN (voice-over): Anna Coren, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Thank you for watching. I'm Paula Newton. We'll be right back with more news after this quick break.

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