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Putin Critic Navalny Dies in Prison; Kamala Harris Speaks at Munich Security Conference Aired 8:30-8:50a ET

Aired February 16, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:30:03]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: We continue to follow the breaking news. The Russian prison service reporting this morning opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in prison.

We are also waiting at any moment for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is set to speak at the Munich Security Conference.

As we await those remarks, I'm going to bring back in Clarissa Ward, Matthew Chance. Also joining us is Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute.

It's good to have all of you with us.

And, of course, Evelyn, you also served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. I believe it was 2012 to 2015.

When you are seeing what is playing out this morning, not just the reaction that were seeing internationally and the questions that are being raised, but the fact that Alexei Navalny died in this penal colony near the Arctic Circle. We know how difficult the conditions were, what his health was.

Evelyn, what are your questions this morning? What concerns you?

EVELYN FARKAS, DIRECTOR, THE MCCAIN INSTITUTE: I mean, Erica, I think my question is, you know, how weak is Vladimir Putin that he did this now. Because, let's remember, March 17th are the Russian elections. Very recently, you know, the Russians, they control their elections, but they do kind of create a sense of competition. They have opposition figures who are allowed to run. So they are government sanctioned opposition leaders.

One of them actually adopted an anti-war platform. He got 200,000 people to sign his petition to run. There were people lining up all over different parts of Russia. So, all of a sudden you had someone who was not sanctioned anymore by the government giving an anti-war message, which, of course, would have caused great consternation in the Kremlin. They would only need to think about Lukashenko and Belarus who had an uprising, also just several years ago on the - on the heels of an - or as part of an election. So, I think that Putin was feeling really weak.

The other thing is, this is the first day of the Munich Security Conference, and Putin declared about ten years ago that this organization, that people who come here, the western countries, and that's Europe, Japan, you know, all of our allies, the United States, that he viewed us as adversaries, that we were not allowing him to reestablish his sphere of influence throughout the former Soviet space. So, that's another part of it.

And then, finally, Vladimir Kara-Murza just wrote an op-ed in "The Washington Post." He published it. He's another political prisoner who's in jail in Siberia. And he has been poisoned twice. We need to get him out as soon as possible. He's clearly in danger as well.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Now, look, what are awaiting, at any moment, to hear from the U.S. vice president, Kamala Harris, at that Munich Security Conference.

And, Clarissa, one of the things that we had been looking at was back in 2021, President Biden said if Navalny died in Russian custody, the consequences would be devastating. We don't know that Navalny was intentionally killed at this point, but he did die in a Russian prison. What are the stakes of Vice President Kamala Harris' remarks here on the global scale in this moment?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly feels like a very pivotal moment. And everybody is aware of the background and the context. When you look at what's going on with U.S. politics, with Ukraine aid being held up, with the presumptive Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, continuing to disparage NATO, there is a sense that this is a very important moment.

At the same time, I think people are quite sanguine about the fact that Vice President Kamala Harris will be limited in terms of the types of promises that she can make when we are now just eight months ahead of the U.S. election. And when there is so much political disagreement within the U.S. about what the role of the U.S. and the world should be and whether promoting democracy should be a priority for the U.S.

At the same time, I think, of course, you can expect to hear some very strong comments. I'm sure the White House are furiously thinking about the messaging around this, about how they respond when people ask about the fact that President Biden had previously said this with regards to the potential death of Alexei Navalny.

And I just want to draw your attention as well to something that my colleague just flagged to me, which is, in the documentary "Navalny," which is this extraordinary Oscar-winning documentary about his poisoning with Novichok and the subsequent investigation that CNN and Bellingcat were involved with, he says, at the end of it, quote, "if they kill me, it means we are incredibly strong." And he ends with a sort of haunting and prescient message to the Russian people, "you are not allowed to give up."

And I think, fundamentally, this underscores really that whatever Vice President Kamala Harris says, and whatever the leaders of the -- who are present in Munich today say, it really will come from within Russia. It really will depend on the Russian people themselves as to whether this turns into a pivotal moment or whether this this is indeed the death blow for any semblance of any opposition in Russia.

[08:35:13]

HILL: And eyes will be trained so tightly right on the country, on those reactions to see.

Also want to bring in Alex Marquardt, who is in Munich at the security conference, again, as we're waiting for remarks from Vice President Kamala Harris, who we knew was going to do her best to reassure NATO members of the U.S.' commitment to that organization. The stakes have certainly changed, as Omar was pointing out, for these remarks that we're waiting on. How has the conversation change just in the last couple of hours there, Alex, on the ground, since news of Navalny's death broke?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, no doubt, Erica, this is going to dominate the conversation over the next few days. This Munich Security Conference just getting underway. I mean there is no bigger stage perhaps in the world when it comes to discussions about global security. And really the conversation was intended to focus on what is going on in Ukraine, the west support for Ukraine and what it would mean if essentially a Putin were to have his way in Ukraine. And here we have the foremost critic of Vladimir Putin dead in a penal colony.

Now, certainly the U.S. is trying to figure out what happened here. We are awaiting comments -- or a speech, rather, by Vice President Kamala Harris. That is to be followed by a question and answer session in just a few moments' time. It is unclear right now whether she plans to address it, but it's hard to imagine, Erica and Omar, that she doesn't. This is certainly huge news here in Munich. It is dominating the conversations in the hallways, in this hotel behind me where all the meetings are taking place.

We did hear from Secretary Antony Blinken just moments ago. He's been having a series of meetings with various world leaders that will continue throughout the course of the day. He doesn't have a public event until tomorrow.

But I want to read a little bit of what he said. He is still calling these reports -- so there isn't a - an official confirmation from the U.S. government. But he said that, "for more than a decade the Russian government has prosecuted, poisoned and imprisoned Alexei Navalny," and that "his death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built."

Now, Harris and Blinken are here to essentially reaffirm American leadership in the world, talk about America's leadership in NATO and the importance of that, and essentially paint a picture of what could happen if President Trump were to come back into power. An America that is more isolationist. An America that is perhaps more authoritarian. An America that -- or a world, rather, that would be perhaps more susceptible to the likes of Vladimir Putin. So, that is all being brought into a much starker focus now with the death of Putin's principal critic, Alexei Navalny.

Guys.

JIMENEZ: And, look, again, we are waiting, as you see some live images there from the Munich Security Conference, to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris. Some of what we saw on that screen there may be a preview of what we are going to hear. The U.S., in the world, what does the future for the support of Ukraine look like? How does the U.S. handle challenges to its democratic system.

I want to bring in Matthew Chance now.

Matthew, you as well have -- have spoken with Navalny in the past here. Can you just provide a little bit of context for (INAUDIBLE) opposition leader in terms of Russia, but a leader in terms of the global scale of really what his influence was and will likely continue to be even in death.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, it's a - that's a good question because, I mean, look, one of the reasons that Alexei Navalny was so dangerous to the Kremlin is that he really managed to put his finger on the pulse of grievances inside Russia itself amongst ordinary Russian people. His opposition organization focused on exposing corruption. And corruption for anybody who knows Russia and certainly for Russians living there is a sort of daily part of life in that country. And it's something that really angers people.

JIMENEZ: Matthew, I'm so sorry. I just want to interrupt really quickly.

CHANCE: Sure.

JIMENEZ: Vice President Kamala Harris is stepping up to the podium right now. Let's listen in.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Christoph (ph). Thank you. Thank you for your leadership.

Before I begin today, we've all just received reports that Alexei Navalny has died in Russia. This is, of course, terrible news which we are working to confirm. My prayers are with his family, including his wife, Yulia, who is with us today. And if confirmed, this would be a further sign of Putin's brutality. Whatever story they tell, let us be clear, Russia is responsible, and we will have more to say on this later.

[08:40:08]

As Christoph said, this is my third time here. And I'm honored to be with so many friends. This year we gather amid an increased instability and conflict in the

Middle East, we gather amid Russia's ongoing aggression and Ukraine, China's efforts to reshape the international order, transformative technological change, and, of course, the existential threat of the climate crisis. In this context, I know that there are questions here in Europe and around the world about the future of America's role of global leadership. These are questions the American people must also ask ourselves. Whether it is in America's interest to continue to engage with the world, or to turn inward. Whether it is in our interest to defend longstanding rules and norms that have provided for unprecedented peace and prosperity, or to allow them to be trampled. Whether it is in Americas interest to fight for democracy, or to accept the rise of dictators. And whether it is in Americas interest to continue to work in lockstep with our allies and partners, or go it alone. Today I will explain how President Biden and I answer these questions with full knowledge that how America responds will affect the American people, the people of Europe, and people around the world.

I believe it is in the fundamental interests -

HILL: The vice president - you've been listening to Vice President Kamala Harris there speaking at the Munich Security Conference, coming out, and in her opening remarks expressing her condolences to the family of Alexei Navalny, calling it terrible news. Again, learning this morning from the Russian prison service. We have not been able to confirm this, that Alexei Navalny died.

The vice president going on to say, and I'm quoting her here, "if confirmed it would be further sign of Putin's brutality. And whatever story they tell us, let me be clear," she said, "Russia is responsible." She went on to then say that they would have more to say. But very, very strong words out of the gate there.

I want to bring in now anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper, as well as our chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour.

Jake, we were, obviously, anticipating that she would address the news of Navalny's death. Those words, very strong out of the gate. It will be interesting to see, as she said there would be more, what they are followed by, Jake.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCOR AND CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And I think Matthew Chance made this point a few minutes ago, and I just want to underscore it. Remember, Alexei Navalny first came to prominence in Russia battling corruption. He didn't first come to prominence trying to run for office, trying to challenge Putin on the political sphere. He was trying to point out how corrupt the oligarchy in Russia was. And he got in trouble. He had some legal problems because of that. Trumped up bogus legal problems.

And then he was poisoned, likely by Russia, likely by Putin, in August 2020. And then from then we saw his jailing on the unjust circumstances. A few weeks ago he disappeared. People didn't know where he was as he was being transferred to this Arctic penal colony. And now, of course, today, the tragic news of his death. And all of this, I think, really underscores what the world is dealing

with when it comes to Vladimir Putin. This is no different than the kind of thuggery we saw by Joseph Stalin, you know, decades ago. That's the kind of man we're dealing with. And even while there are efforts in the United States to legitimize Putin, to make it seem as though Moscow is somehow preferable to parts of the United States where even though there are no freedoms in Moscow, it's very important for the citizens of this country and the world -- around the world to realize what we are dealing with here in a very clear-eyed fashion. Vladimir Putin does not believe in democracy. He does not believe in any sort of freedoms for his people. And here you have the leader of the opposition, who, you know, made his name battling corruption in Russia, dead after being put in prison on these trumped up charges.

[08:45:04]

And essentially, I think it's important just for people to understand, Vladimir Putin is not a western 21st century leader. He is a 20th century Soviet thug.

JIMENEZ: Christiane, I want to bring you into this conversation because you spoke to Alexei Navalny in December of 2020, just before Navalny returned to Russia. And part of what he told you is, he says, "I have to go back. I don't think that I can have such a privilege of being safe in Russia, but I have to go back because I don't want this group of killers to exist in Russia. I don't want Putin ruling Russia."

Did you get a sense of why he was so determined to go back, knowing that this was always a potential risk?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Because he wanted to change things. He really did think that being there, being, you know, a voice from inside, not stuck outside as an exile, could make a difference. I, obviously, was concerned enough to ask him why he was putting himself and his mission at risk by going back. But that, as you say, was the answer he gave at the time. That is almost three years ago. And now here we are.

Until it's absolutely confirmed independently, all we have is the Russian service, the Russian penitentiary service, who have said that he collapsed after going out for a walk. They brought the ambulances, they tried to revive him but they could not. And the Russians are saying that investigations are underway into the cause of death.

But the very important thing a former, in fact, national security official told us earlier this morning after this news broke, that this is horrible and it's a sign for everybody at the Munich Security Conference right now. It is a sign. And what's happening right now is, for the first time in many years, the delegates here, whether they are U.S. officials, whether they're European officials, the alliance is increasingly nervous because you're seeing what's happening on the battlefield in Ukraine, you're seeing that Ukraine is suffering without a fresh injection of American military and other economic help. They are running out of what they need to hold Russian forces off. This is a major issue right now affecting all the NATO leaders are here. And also you heard Kamala Harris, the vice president, say that she is delivering a message to the Munich Security Conference, to Putin and to the world that the United States continues to remain strong as the leader of this alliance.

However, because of what Donald Trump has been saying questioning that over the last several weeks, and, of course, it goes back to when he started his quest for the presidency back in 2015, that he is questioning the U.S. commitment to NATO, to Article Five as a collective defense, and also that comment he made inviting and encouraging, as he put it, Putin to attack any NATO nation that he deemed delinquent.

All of this is causing a huge amount of anxiety amongst all the allied leaders and they're very afraid that if this continues like this, it well give succor, it will be of great value and benefit to adversaries, like Putin, and those who are watching from further afield.

JIMENEZ: Christiane Amanpour, thank you, as always, for the perspective. Stay close as we continue some of our breaking news coverage.

HILL: And we'll continue to follow this, obviously, throughout the day, these developments that we're following in the death of Alexei Navalny.

We are also closely monitoring what is about to happen in just a few moments from now. That is when the courtroom will reopen in Georgia, essentially. Fulton County DA Fani Willis set to resume testifying in the misconduct hearing that could, of course, impact the election subversion case that Donald Trump is facing in Georgia.

As we wait for that, Jake, you're still with us. You also have a new series this weekend that is launching about political scandals and corruption called "UNITED STATES OF SCANDAL." I mean talk about all things aligning really at this moment as we lead into your special this weekend. What prompted you to put all of this together in this one big special?

TAPPER: Well, one of the things that -- that was fun for me as a journalist was to go back and re-examine these scandals with the perspective of, a, the history we now have, you know, we have some distance from it. You know, when the folks like you, me and Omar, when we cover scandals, we cover them as the first draft, you know, day to day happenings. This is an idea -- this is an opportunity to take a longer view and tell the entire story.

And also, you know, I think accountability is something that is very important in the United States system of justice, as opposed to, for instance, the Russian system of justice. And taking a look at the accountability, or lack thereof, with several of these individuals was fun to do.

We went back and we talked to the actual players involved. Whether Rod Blagojevich, the governor of Illinois, or Jim McGreevey, the governor of New Jersey, or Valerie Plame or Rielle Hunter, who was John Edwards' girlfriend.

[08:50:08]

We go back, take a look at these and hopefully people will find them journalistic, interesting, probing, but also a lot of fun. And that debuts Sunday at 9:00 on CNN.

JIMENEZ: Only you could find a way to make political scandal fun, Jake. I can't wait to watch. Really appreciate the time.

Be sure to tune in, everyone, the all-new CNN original series "UNITED STATES OF SCANDAL WITH JAKE TAPPER" premieres with back-to-back episodes Sunday at 09:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.

HILL: And be sure to stay tuned right here. CNN's live special coverage of the hearing over whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should it be disqualified from that election subversion case against Donald Trump starts right now.