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Connect the World
Lavrov: Written Response coming from U.S. Next Week; Scores Reported Killed and Wounded in Yemen Airstrikes; Olympic Visitors Required to Download Health App; Examining Putin's Troop Buildup Around Ukraine; Unrest in World's #2 Crypto Miner Hurts Bitcoin Business; Tearful Adele Postpones her Las Vegas Show. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 21, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: I'm Larry Madowo at CNN Center in for Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to "Connect the World". After
today's big high stakes meeting both Russia and the USA they'll keep working to resolve the crisis over Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said they are on a clear path to understanding, although he again warned Russia against any aggressive
moves. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov again insisted his country has no plans to invade Ukraine. He says emotions should cool down. The U.S.
is expected to give a written response to Russia security demands next week. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We've been clear. If any Russian military forces move across Ukraine's border, that's a renewed invasion. It
will be met with Swift, severe, and a united response from the United States and our partners and allies.
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Antony Blinken repeated his position on the right to choose alliances. I asked how America is going to
fulfill its obligation, which was approved at the highest level in the framework of the OSCE.
Along with the right to choose alliances, the obligation does not strengthen anyone security at the expense of infringing on the security of
others.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: So today's meeting could be just the beginning. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen was in Geneva when those talks took place. And Kylie Atwood is at
the U.S. State Department here. Let's get let's get straight to them.
I want to start with Fred because you were in those meetings, you have a lot to tell us, but start with a practical matter. Why do they do separate
press conferences, Blinken on his own and Lavrov on his own and not together like we're used to seeing in these sorts of meetings?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that's something that needs to be agreed upon by both parties before such a
meeting takes place.
And it seemed as though both sides just felt more comfortable doing a separate press conferences, having each Minister go on their own and kind
of explain from their perspective how they felt the meeting went down.
And certainly that's what both sides did you at Secretary of State Blinken there. We just saw in his press conference after the meeting took place
saying that the U.S. remain steadfast saying that the U.S. was on the same page as its partners.
And saying that there would be that swift and severe response and united response if there was a further invasion of Ukraine by the Russian
Federation and its forces. Now the Russians, for their part, said that they once again we iterated the concerns that they have the demands that they
have the first and foremost being no more NATO enlargement.
And then also, of course, the stationing of weapons from NATO in Eastern European countries as well, some of which the U.S. has already said are
things that they just wouldn't be able to be part of, or to agree to.
The Russians also said that they want further talks, they believe that there are going to be further talks. And I did ask the Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov, whether they are not he believes that any sort of headway was made at the talks that happened today. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: How big do you think right now the threat of war is in Europe through some sort of miscalculation, with obviously such a large force, a
gathering around Ukraine?
LAVROV: I think that the State Department also needs to analyze how fair CNN is in presenting its information and the accuracy of the facts that are
represented. Antony Blinken repeated his position on the right to choose alliances,
I asked how America is going to fulfill its obligation, which was approved at the highest level in the framework of the OSCE. Along with the right to
choose alliances, the obligation does not strengthen anyone security at the expense of infringing on the security of others.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: So there's the Russian Foreign Minister also, of course, saying that this is not the end of dialogue, but they believe the beginning of
what could be a set of further meetings that that could take place.
So certainly, for the moment, at least both sides are agreeing that further talks will happen as of course, that dangerous situation remains there,
near the borders of Ukraine, with many Russian forces in place there.
And as we've learned today, Larry, the Russians also placing S-400 anti- aircraft missiles in Belarus as well as part of maneuvers that they say are going to start very soon, Larry.
MADOWO: So one of those farther meetings, they left the door open to a possible summit between President Biden and President Putin, Kiley. But
also the Americans did agree to provide written responses to the Russian proposals and also their position on some of these other issues. So what's
the feeling of the State Department about how today's meetings went?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That both of these leaders Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Lavrov agreed that they are going to
meet again is significant.
It's also noteworthy that the United States is now saying that they are going to provide as Russia has been demanding for weeks now, a written
response to Russia that will lay out U.S. concerns and U.S. ideas.
[11:05:00]
ATWOOD: We'll have to see if substantively that actually pushes these two parties any closer together, because right now, if you had the United
States write down their ideas and their concerns, they'd be completely at odds still with Russia's ideas and Russia's concern.
So I think there are questions about how effective that will be. But it is a step forward in the realm of diplomacy; there were questions about how
today would go if it would push things forward, or if it would just end at a dead end. And clearly, it's not at a dead end right now. And here's what
Secretary Blinken said about the tone of the meeting. And what he made very clear to Foreign Minister Lavrov.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLINKEN: This was not a negotiation, but a candid exchange of concerns and ideas. I made clear to Minister Lavrov that there are certain issues and
fundamental principles that the United States and our partners and allies are committed to defend.
That includes those that would impede the sovereign right of the Ukrainian people to write their own future. There is no trade space there, none.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ATWOOD: Now, Blinken also said that any Russian troops moving over the Ukrainian border would be an invasion. And that would be met with swift and
severe responses that come of course, after earlier this week. President Biden indicated that perhaps there would be less hard hitting consequences
for Russia, if it was a small scale, incursion, versus a full blown invasion.
The Secretary being very clear that there will be cost in either circumstance here and he said, basically, it's up to Russia, they can
choose the path of diplomacy and discussion or they can choose the path of consequences if they move forth with this invasion.
And these continued aggressions that we have seen, because the stakes are really high right now. We should recognize that even though diplomacy seems
to be moving forward, the Russians are still putting more troops along the border, moving more military equipment there and the United States is also
bolstering the Ukrainian capability to fight back if there's an invasion.
MADOWO: All right, Kylie Atwood at the State Department and Frederik Pleitgen in Geneva, thank you both. And little later in this program we
will speak also to our Nic Robertson who is in Moscow.
But before that, I want to get some more insight. Kori Schake was a U.S. State Department official in the George W. Bush Administration, and she is
currently with the American Enterprise Institute. Thank you so much, Dr. Schake for being here.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said his meeting today with the Russian Foreign Minister was not a negotiation, but a candid exchange of concerns
and ideas from where you sit, would you consider today's face to face with Lavrov a success?
KORI SCHAKE, DIRECTOR, FOREIGN & DEFENSE POLICY STUDIES, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: Yes, I would. Because as long as the Russians agree
to keep talking, it probably means they won't further invade Ukraine. And it's in America's interest to keep them talking to figure out what's going
on and to showcase the allied solidarity that the Biden Administration has done so well, to create.
MADOWO: And Lavrov repeated the same line we've heard again and again and again, that Russia is not planning to attack Ukraine, but Russia has in
fact, invaded Ukraine before and has 100,000 troops on the border. So can we believe him? Should we believe him?
SCHAKE: Well, no, of course, we shouldn't believe the Russians, but we should try and hold them accountable for what they say. And that's well
worth doing as a diplomatic objective.
MADOWO: What is the diplomatic objective here beyond trying to get Russia to turn back away from this escalation from aggression to de-escalate
because even though at least diplomatically, this meeting happened, and they did have this exchange of ideas, but no breakthrough came out of it?
SCHAKE: Yes, I think that's a good question for the United States and its allies. I think there are two objectives in addition to preventing Russia
from invading Ukraine. The first is to highlight just how unreasonable Russia's demands are.
And second, to showcase the solidarity of the NATO allies that we are not going to consent to a Russian sphere of influence that tramples on the
sovereignty and aspirations of Ukraine or other countries.
MADOWO: The specter of Blinken in speeches in Berlin yesterday, and today has made it clear that the sovereignty of Ukraine is not up for debate.
Russia seems to believe at least Vladimir Putin seems to believe that Ukraine has no right to exist.
This goes back to the Cold War era, is making clear that this is not going to be an issue of debate, a good way to go into this to any future meetings
the written responses that the Americans will be provided.
[11:10:00]
SCHAKE: Yes, I do think it's a good way. You know, America's adversaries are going to be tempted to test or resolve after the Biden Administration's
humiliating abandonment of the war in Afghanistan.
And so it's really important that the United States Marshal its allies together and demonstrate our common resolve. And I think the Biden
Administration is doing that well, on the Ukraine, on the threats Russia's making to Ukraine.
MADOWO: There's a possibility of another summit between maybe President Biden and Vladimir Putin, this is something that Russia has left the door
open for, what is the way to approach this? How should the Americans go into such a meeting?
SCHAKE: I think the United States should privately make clear to Vladimir Putin that we will use lots and lots of the tools available to free
societies, including the transparency on financial issues that seems to alarm Putin so much.
Sanction, there are lots of things we can do to make Vladimir Putin more accountable to the Russian people, which is something he appears to be
fearful of. Second thing we can and should do is showcase the principles of the international order that the United States and its allies created,
which is that people have inherent rights, they loaned them to governments for agreed purposes.
And that's not the international order, Russia is trying to propagate or that China is trying to propagate. And so we shouldn't miss an opportunity
to make clear that we have an international order that fosters human potential, and they are trying to crush that order.
MADOWO: I've been trying to figure this out, and a lot of people I guess, internationally as well, what does Vladimir Putin want out of this out of
this Kremlin manufactured crisis? What is the end goal for him?
SCHAKE: You know, I wish I had a good answer to that. I honestly don't know, I can think of a few objectives. First conquest of Ukraine, which I
hope Russia would be incapable of doing. Second, possibly the long term stationing of Russian forces in Belarus.
Third, possibly testing the resolve of the Biden administration, hoping that it would not do what the Biden Administration has done well, which is
stand our ground, uphold the principles of the international order, and keep our allies aligned with us.
A fourth possibility is attempting to pry Germany away from the Western consensus. So there are lots of things he might be playing for, but I just
don't know which.
MADOWO: You said he didn't have a good answer. But those are all good answers. Thank you, Dr. Kori Schake, I appreciate your time. All right.
Scores of people are believed that and many others wounded after a series of airstrikes in rebel held northern Yemen.
More than 60 people were killed in a single strike. Many of the victims are reported to be migrants and three were children. The Houthi rebels blame
the Saudi led coalition. It's just the latest suffering for the people of Yemen, who have endured a long devastating war. That war took another
bloody turn this week when the Houthis attacked the UAE.
CNN's Sam Kylie has been on the story for us. And he joins us live from Abu Dhabi. That's correct. It's been a really, really long bloody war and the
ordinary people of Yemen are the ones who are suffering. What more do we know about this latest Saudi led airstrike?
SAM KYLIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this latest series of airstrikes, I think the way to describe it, Larry has resulted according
to independent non-government organizations in Yemen, notably saved the Children Fund, which seems to be coming out with most of the statistics,
saying that some 60 plus people, the latest figure being 67 have been killed.
Some others injured, may or may not make it according to medical sources talking with those NGOs. Three of the dead children who reportedly killed
when they were hit in an airstrike targeting a telecoms facility in the southern port of her data, they were outside playing soccer and were killed
in the blast there.
So accidental deaths, but clearly, inevitable, inevitable accidental deaths when areas that have got concentrations of civilians are targeted now,
these airstrikes were widespread. They were intense.
They were the biggest airstrikes conducted by the Saudi led coalition for many, many months, possibly more than a year and they were in retaliation
for the first deaths on Emirati soil caused by a Houthi missile attack on two locations here.
In the Emirati capital, Larry at the south of the city, an oil installation and a petroleum distribution point was hit. Three fuel trucks at least
exploded in what was an attack either by a drone or ballistic missile or cruise missile both sides agree that those were the weapons used against
the Emirates fired by the Houthis.
[11:15:00]
KYLIE: Clearly very well targeted, a very deliberate targeting in the emirates of a location that was likely to do catastrophic infrastructural
damage, but also had the fireballs ignited more widely could have been a really devastating strike against the Emirates a very devastating strike in
this latest counter attack.
The hope on the Emirati side may be that they can draw a line under this now but with a heavy death toll coming out of northern Yemen, particularly
in the area of solder where most of the victims are reportedly migrants, migrants from outside of the Yemen traversing that war torn country in and
bid to get elsewhere.
The assumption would be probably either to work in Saudi Arabia or even further afield. And nonetheless, a catastrophic event, the Houthis Larry, I
think can be anticipated to be planning some kind of further retaliation, more escalation, in short, Larry.
MADOWO: More escalation, even in a week where this situation has already escalated quite significantly. It's an intractable conflict. Sam, is there
any end in sight? What would it take to de-escalate?
KYLIE: Well, diplomats have been working trying to solve exactly that riddle and failed miserably. Not for the ones who are trying have been all
kinds of efforts have been made from attempts to force the different sides into negotiations to try to restrict the amount of aid going in
particularly try and prevent the Houthis from manipulating aid to prosecute their war effort.
The Emiratis saw no really useful end in sight in this intractable conflict in which, alongside the Saudis and others, they had intervened to defend
the internationally recognized government.
And government that itself is completely moribund, living mostly in exile in Saudi Arabia, Saudi allies on the ground complaining about lack of
support and payment, and only Emirati allies on the ground, some kind of support coming from the Emiratis that seem to have recently provoked the
Houthi. So what we see is a quagmire and by their very nature, they're very difficult to get out of Larry.
MADOWO: Our Sam Kylie in Abu Dhabi tonight. Thank you. Beijing is now a well fortified city. See how it's going to great lengths to keep COVID out
and let athletes in from around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: Three new reports on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are emphasizing once again, how important it is to get COVID vaccinated and
boosted. The CDC finds that when boosters were pitted against Omicron they were only slightly less effective at preventing hospitalization than they
were with Delta.
Fully vaccinated and boosted adults still had the best protection. For more on this I'm joined by Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. We've
all become data nerds in this pandemic Elizabeth. So what's in these three new reports?
[11:20:00]
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Larry, these reports are so interesting because last fall, there was so much discussion to boosters
work, don't they work in the United States? Should we be suggesting them, should we not be suggesting them and for whom?
And this data really seems to go a long way to answering the questions boosters really work even against Omicron. And Larry, these studies weren't
put in a press released or published somewhere online. They are actually published in real medical journals.
So let's take a look at what they found when they put boosters to the test in the age of Omicron. So what they found when they looked at boosters and
how well they prevent hospitalizations, they looked at 88,000 hospitalizations in 10 U.S. states, they found that boosters were 90
percent effective, and the two shots were 57 percent effective.
Obviously, that's a huge difference right there. Also a huge data set 88,000 hospitalizations. Now let's look at booster effectiveness at
preventing urgent care visits and emergency room visits. They looked at 200,000 visits in 10 states boosters were 82 percent effective at keeping
people out of ERs and urgent care centers. But two shots were only 38 percent effective.
Now finally, let's look at booster effective visit preventing Omicron illness and others people just getting symptomatically ill with Omicron.
They looked at 13,000 cases, the odds of becoming ill were 66 percent lower for people who had a booster versus people who had just had two shots.
Now let's take a look at who in the United States is getting boosters and who is not. It's recommended in the United States, Larry that everyone ages
12 and up get a booster five months after their second shot.
But still less than half of those people who are eligible in the United States have actually gotten boosters and only a quarter of the U.S.
population is vaccinated. And boosted one does have to wonder if we had had more people boosted when Omicron arrived in December with this Omicron wave
has been easier in the United States. Larry?
MADOWO: You have touched on something I want to ask you because of all this new information coming in about how important boosters are. Is it possible
that the definition of fully vaccinated might change to include double vaccinated and boosted?
COHEN: I think it might, Larry. I think this data is very strongly point in that direction. And in that case, Larry, we won't call it like double
vaccinated or boosted we'll just say vaccinated. There are many shots many vaccinations that our children get that are three shots.
Parents don't always know this because you show up and you get whatever the doctor tells you to get. But there are many series that are at least three
shots. Polio would be an example. And so it'll just be you know what COVID vaccination is three shots, so not really talking about boosters not really
talking about primary vaccination so much, but just three shots that this vaccination takes three shots.
MADOWO: You have me convinced, I have a booster appointment tomorrow. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you, I appreciate it. Officials in Beijing are
reporting 12 new COVID cases in the Chinese capital.
That's Beijing's highest number of new infections in a day since the current outbreak began last week. Since then, a total of 23 COVID cases
involving the Delta and Omicron variants have been confirmed.
Beijing has tried to contain the spread of the virus to help keep the city COVID Free ahead of the Winter Olympics, which start in two weeks. But the
International Olympic Committee says COVID is already being detected among some of the people arriving for the games.
We're told the positivity rate is about 1.5 percent. But virtually zero infections have occurred within the so called closed loop, which includes
the Olympic village and venues. CNNs David Culver reports from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Traveling into Beijing may prove to be a tougher race than an Olympic competition. These winter games
taking place in a capital city that increasingly feels like a fortress, China determined to keep out any new cases of COVID 19 starting at the
airport.
CULVER (on camera): This is the terminal that's going to be used by athletes from the Olympic personnel and media arriving into Beijing that a
wall up that keeps the general population away from everyone who's part of the Olympic arrivals.
CULVER (voice over): Those coming in required to download this official app to monitor their health inputting their information starting 14 days before
arriving in Beijing. While health surveillance and strict contact tracing is part of life for everyone living in China, its making visitors uneasy.
Cybersecurity researchers warn the app has serious encryption flaws, potentially compromising personal health data. China dismisses concerns,
but Team USA and athlete from other countries are being advised to bring disposable burner phones instead of their personal ones.
[11:25:00]
CULVER (voice over): From the airport athletes and personnel will be taken into what organizers call the closed loop system, not one giant bubble so
much as multiple bubbles connected by dedicated shuttles. Within the capital city, there are several hotels and venues plus the Olympic village
that are only for credentialed participants.
CULVER (on camera): The dedicated transport buses will be bringing the athletes the personnel the media, through these gates, but for those of us
who are residents outside, this is as close as we can get.
CULVER (voice over): Then there are the mountain venues on the outskirts of Beijing connected by a high speed train and highways, all of them newly
built for the Winter Games so as to maintain the separation. Even the rail cars are divided, and the closed loop buses given specially marked lanes.
CULVER (on camera): It is so strict that officials have told residents if they see one of the vehicles that's part of the Olympic convoys get into a
crash to stay away. They've actually got a specialized unit of medics to respond to those incidents. It's all to keep the virus from potentially
spreading.
CULVER (voice over): It also helps keep visiting journalists from leaving the capital city to other regions like Xinjiang or Tibet to explore
controversial topics.
With the world's attention the Olympics allows China to showcase its perceived superiority and containing the virus, especially compared with
countries like the U.S. but this will in many ways also be a tale of two cities?
One curated for the Olympic arrivals and pre-selected groups of spectators. Another that is the real Beijing though some local Beijing residents are
now in a bubble of their own.
Communities locked down after recent cases surfaced in the city outside the Olympic boundaries, a mounting challenge for a country that's trying to
keep COVID out and yet still stage a global sporting spectacle to well the world. David Culver, CNN Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: Oh, wow, that seems hectic. I hope everybody has a good game. All right, ahead on "Connect the World" more on the high stakes talks in Geneva
to defuse the Ukraine Russia crisis, what the top U.S. and Russian diplomats say the other side will deliver when the two nations meet again.
And I'll talk to the author of a book on Vladimir Putin about what the Russian president's true intentions with Ukraine might be.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: Welcome back. I'm Larry Madowo at CNN Center and you're watching "Connect the World". A high stakes meeting aimed at diffusing the Russia
Ukraine crisis ended in Geneva today without any big breakthroughs, but with the promise of more talks.
[11:30:00]
MADOWO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the meeting useful and open and said the U.S. will deliver on a key demand put forth by
Moscow, a written response to Russian security proposals. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. will offer written ideas.
Blinken reiterated the U.S. support for Ukraine and vowed any Russian incursion will be met with what he calls a swift, severe and united
response. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is in Moscow and joins us now.
Was this Nic a triumph of diplomacy, even though we didn't see any major breakthroughs? Or did they just manage to kick the can down the road?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Secretary of State Antony Blinken when he went into there said that he this was a meeting
where he wanted to figure out if Russia was going to be genuinely engaged in continuing diplomacy.
And the short answer is, he got that, in fact, he got engaged to the U.S. has been under pressure from Russia to submit written response to Russia's
security proposals that go back to the middle of December.
So finally, the United States has agreed to do that it's going down a path of diplomacy or a style of diplomacy that Russia wants the written one. And
that will allow Russia the opportunity to take that written word, and to say, OK, we like this, we don't like that.
You know, we can have a conversation that that that's diplomacy. Well, Secretary Blinken also talked about there was that, you know, United States
wants to see Russia deescalate tensions by drawing down its troops close to Ukraine.
Russia's position has been as the same it was reiterated, again by Sergei Lavrov, that these are, you know, Russia can deploy its troops and its
territory where it once have training when it wants and that Russia has no intention of invading Ukraine.
So the difficulty for the United States now going down this track of diplomacy that they really want to go down is that there's this parallel
process that's going on of a continued military buildup Russian military buildup close to the borders of Ukraine.
And I suspect as we go further down this track, that's going to press more heavily on the U.S. side of negotiations that continue to pressure for a
de-escalation to test sincerity for a real diplomatic solution.
MADOWO: We talk a lot about what Vladimir Putin aims to do with this. We talk about the Kremlin and what they're thinking. But what does ordinary
Russian society think about this? What are commentators talking about this standoff with Ukraine, Nic?
ROBERTSON: Yes, it's not getting it's certainly not getting the huge amount of play on state media here. It's not being portrayed as an imminent
crisis. The talk certainly was covered, and there was an analysis on some stations that, you know, the fact that the talks were quite short show that
they weren't particularly successful.
But, you know, the narrative that we hear from the Kremlin, every day from the spokesman is, you know, the United States needs to put forward those
written proposals. It's unclear which way the Kremlin will go.
As we've heard Secretary of State Blinken say many times, really the decision the next decision point really is in the hands of, of President
Putin. But I think that sense of urgency that the United States feels and is portrayed around the world, it is not one that, you know, that people
watching Russian state media will be picking up on.
And certainly when we saw Secretary Blinken yesterday, tried to sort of appeal to the Russian population was maybe in a way to sort of try to bring
home to Russians. What's at stake, but they're not going to get that at the moment of this big, tough standoff if you will on state TV.
MADOWO: Alright, our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson in Moscow for us. Thank you. My next guest is a staff writer for The New
Yorker and an expert on Russian politics and Russian President.
Masha Gessen is an author of the book "The Man without a Face" the unlikely rise of Vladimir Putin. They also wrote, "The Future is History", how
totalitarianism reclaimed Russia. Masha Gessen joins me now via Skype from New York.
Thank you so much for being here. This has been sucking a lot of oxygen these past few weeks. And if there's anybody who can pass this for us, it's
you. So do we know for sure, let's pull back. Do we know what really Vladimir Putin wants from the situation?
MASHA GESSEN, STAFF WRITER, THE NEW YORKER: No, of course we don't. And we don't know anticipating your next question. We don't know what he's going
to do either. We do know a few things. We know that he, especially in recent years has fancied himself a historian.
And so it was telling that after the negotiations today Secretary of State Blinken said that they're leading disagreements regarding history which
could be referenced both to Putin's deep conviction that Russia had a promise from NATO that it would never accept Ukraine, and promise that, as
far as we know, was never given.
[11:35:00]
GESSEN: There's certainly no documentation that would point in that direction. And I think a broader idea of history that where Russia is an
empire, at this point, a truncated empire, and I think was an increasingly sees it as his duty to restore them parches former glory.
MADOWO: And that's something that Secretary Blinken has talked about these references to the Cold War, and the Soviet Union. You actually born in the
Soviet Union raised here in the U.S., but you spent a lot of time back immersed in Russia.
As a reporter, what do you think the rest of the world doesn't get about Putin, especially now that we've been covering him a lot this past few
weeks, but this standoff with Ukraine?
GESSEN: So a couple of things. And actually, I grew up in the Soviet Union as well. But I think that it's actually a mistake to talk about Putin's
imperial ambitions in terms of the Soviet Union, because I think he thinks of himself as a sort of a gatherer of Russian lands.
It's not necessarily the idea of restoring the Soviet Union. But it is the idea of restoring Russia's glory Russia's place in the world, restoring a
bipolar world, and taking lands that he feels are rightfully, historically, Russian.
And of those lands, Ukraine is probably the most important. So it's not exactly a Soviet mythology. It's more of a Russian Imperial mythology. And,
of course, you know, Russia, Kiev is the cradle of Russian civilization.
As for what the rest of the world doesn't get about Putin, I think, you know, there's a lot of habitual calculus that focuses on costs and benefits
as the west would see them, right. So people look at Putin and say, oh, you know, he would never invade Ukraine, because it's so expensive.
And what is he going to do with the country 44 million people who must have paid him, right, which is a perfectly reasonable question. But it fails to
see the world from Putin's point of view. And from Putin's point of view, a few things matter.
One is that he has seen his popularity rating dwindle in the last few years. And there was nothing there was no bet as successful for Putin as
his 2014 annexation of Crimea. As far as he is concerned, the benefits far outweigh the cost.
And in fact, there were no costs, right? The sanctions against Russia at the counter sanctions that Russia itself imposed actually stimulated
domestic production. They mobilized the population; They boosted his popularity for three years, right?
And so there isn't another Crimea, but what he really wants us to reprisal of Crimea. And I think that that's to think of himself of him thinking
rationally, we have to think that way.
MADOWO: Masha, your verdict on Putin, in your book, "The Man without a Face" is dark, but his talk has always been followed by action, right? I
want to play for you something he said back in December about this standoff, and then coming to the back of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: Our actions will depend not on the course of the negotiations, but on the unconditional and ensuring of
Russia's security today and in the future. In this regard, we have made it clear that NATO's further east wood movement is unacceptable.
Well, what's not clear here? Are we deploying missiles near the U.S. borders? No, we're not. It was the USA if you came with missiles to our
house, they are already at the doorstep of our house. Is this a redundant requirement? Not to install any more missile systems near our home?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: What do you make of those comments?
GESSEN: Well, they make me pessimistic about the outcome of the negotiations as wonderful as it may be that negotiations are continuing. We
know what Russia's position is.
And Russia's position is that unless it has an unconditional promise from the United States of NATO that NATO will never accept Ukraine or aid
Ukraine or place NATO troops or missiles in Ukraine then he's going to act on his threats.
Right and I think this is the moment to remember that we're actually talking about a country that once a closer affiliation with the West that
once a closer affiliation with NATO, because is under constant Russian threat, because Russia has bitten off a part of its territory.
It has caused unrest and de facto separation of part of its lands and has occupied another part of its - slide. Right, so this is a real threat from
for which Ukraine needs real protection.
[11:40:00]
GESSEN: And on all of this, in large part thanks to Vladimir Putin, we forget that we're not we're not talking about a standoff between the United
States and Russia, we're actually talking about an entire country that has its own people in their own world.
MADOWO: Such a fascinating insight, Masha Gessen, we really appreciate your time, right with the New Yorker and biographer of Vladimir Putin. And
coming up next on "Connect the World", the violent crackdown in Kazakhstan shock the world, but it also roiled the Cryptocurrency market. We'll tell
you why, then --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMINA MOHAMMED, U.N. DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL: We still have too many people who are living below the poverty line. Not enough children in
school, everyone should be in school.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: One of the U.N.'s top people, they're talking to CNN about its Sustainable Development Goals. That's a fancy way of making people's lives
better, more on how the U.N. is helping the re-world just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: It's another rocky day for crypto currencies. Bitcoin lost over 70 percent of its value just in the last 24 hours. That means that the world's
most valuable currency has tanked nearly 15 percent since the start of the year, fueled in part by the unrest in Kazakhstan.
According to Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance, Kazakhstan ranks number two in terms of Bitcoin mining power in the world. But the recent
bloody crackdown against protesters is threatening the country's ability to mind crypto.
More than 225 people were killed in antigovernment protests around the country earlier this month. The government also responded to protests by
cutting off the internet for days that caused Bitcoin global computing power to drop by as much as 13 percent.
My next guest says there is an ease of doing business in Kazakhstan that allows well capitalized projects to deploy much faster than would be
possible in the West. Those willing to establish operations in the region have a greater tolerance for geopolitical risk and are not put off by
fossil fuel based energy sources.
Mike Cohen, the CEO of Pow.re, he joins me now from Montreal. Thank you so much, Mike, for being here. Are you still bullish about Kazakhstan as a
Bitcoin sanctuary even after the internet shutdowns and everything else happening there?
MIKE COHEN, CEO, POW.RE: Thank you for having me Larry. I am, in a sense because what we've seen is actually activity going on as normal since the
interruption in telecommunications in Kazakhstan.
However, long term, I don't see Kazakhstan as an investable area given the geopolitical risk and civil unrest. It's you know as I said there is more
of a tolerance for those who have established operations there.
[11:45:00]
M. COHEN: But we've, even before the civil unrest occurred in January, the Kazakh regulators had imposed restrictions on new projects, capping the
amount of accessible power, and also imposing curtailment on existing operations. So business as usual for the time being, but I don't see much
growth in the region in the near future.
MADOWO: I want to take a quick tangent here, crypto currencies have had a terrible start to the year, as I was mentioning, and will probably keep
falling because governments are cracking down. For instance, Bitcoin down about 7 percent, just in the last 24 hours, Aetherium down 8 percent, and
is now down 20 percent since January, what's going on?
M. COHEN: Well, I mean, the price of the Cryptocurrency and the profitability of mining are not directly correlated. They're very closely
correlated. But we've seen the last year being one of the most profitable on record, in fact, more profitable than the past two, three years
combined, in 2021 alone.
So yes, the price has been affected. But volatility in our industry is commonplace. And I don't think that a short blip will waver the investment
thesis of anyone really.
MADOWO: They're true believer, you've been involved in - Mike, and you've been involved in digital asset mining since 2013. So how did you settle on
Kazakhstan as opposed to any of the much more established locations anywhere in the world?
M. COHEN: Well, to be clear, we've never established operations in Kazakhstan. However, we considered it in December 2019; our CEO had
traveled to the region and looked at different projects, because energy costs were very competitive.
The size of the projects that were being presented were just enormous. They were hundreds of megawatts of accessible power, mostly backed by coal fired
power plants.
MADOWO: Then a lot of criticism of that, right. A lot of climate activists don't realize that Bitcoin mining Cryptocurrency mining is just such a
power sucker.
M. COHEN: Well, I mean, there's a big difference to between the energy consumption and the source of the energy production. The energy consumption
itself is not inherently wrong, or at least I don't believe it's inherently wrong, especially when it's from underutilized resources, stranded power.
But where that energy is produced from if there is a carbon footprint certainly is something that influenced our decision to stay away from
Kazakhstan.
MADOWO: All right, Mike Cohen, we're going to leave it there. Thank you so much, Sir. I appreciate your time.
M. COHEN: Thank you.
MADOWO: The countdown is on. On the eight years to go. The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals are ambitious. And the Deputy Secretary General has been
telling my colleague Becky Anderson; about the making them happen by 2030. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOHAMMED: At the United Nations, we know that we have the right policies. But we need the political will and the bold leadership to transform our
world by 2030.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals a series of global ambitions laid out for the world to
achieve by 2030. Each chair world leaders gather at U.N. headquarters to discuss how we can all make promises towards these goals during the global
goals week.
But for the first time, this year's conversations are taking place far from the shores of the East River in New York City, and lighting up minds at
Expo in Dubai. And the woman leading the charge for the U.N. is Amina Muhammad.
MOHAMMED: Bringing it here has been quite amazing to see the different lenses people are put on it, whether it's climate action, or we're talking
about women's rights, or education, technology. And this has been the place where it has happened for us.
So bring it outside of the U.N. into the real world, I think connects us to the reality of the challenges that we have ahead.
ANDERSON (voice over): Dubai Expo 2020 is positioning itself to be the most sustainable world expo in history, and it hopes that it can turn this expo
site into a global stage for the STGs.
MOHAMMED: For us to have the global goals week here is the reflection of the can do. It's a huge momentum where young people where technology where
the future is really clear in its aspirations, but also that the pathway itself is there within the 2030 agenda and the sustainable development
goals.
ANDERSON (voice over): And her priorities as the newly reinstated U.N. Deputy Secretary General urging the world to keep those STGs as a guide,
front and center.
[11:50:00]
MOHAMMED: How do we get the world with the finances that are available, there are resources? How do we make sure that we can channel those? Look at
the financial architecture and channel those to the programs and projects that need to be done at scale. And we already have a blueprint, so we don't
need to reinvent the wheel.
ANDERSON (voice over): Being on track to achieving the 2030 target has had its fair share of setbacks. And the arrival of a crippling worldwide
pandemic has certainly magnified many of these global issues.
MOHAMMED: So what I would say in terms of a stock take is that we still have too many people who are living below the poverty line. Not enough
children in school, everyone should be in school, but we need to reimagine what kind of education that we need for everyone.
And that we are looking at the STGs with the possibility in the next nine years of attaining them. But it's a huge lift. It's the lift that is needed
by individual efforts and collective efforts of leaders and countries around the world to make it happen. We know what to do and we have the
policies, we got the tools, so let's just let it let's get it done.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: Ahead on "Connect the World" the death of Grammy winning singer Meat Loaf, a look at the impact he had on 1970s music. Plus, on the hours
before her opening night in Las Vegas, Adele gave fans some bad news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: Listen; let's get you up to speed on some of the entertainment stories that are on our radar right now. Alec Baldwin is being sued for $25
million by the family of a U.S. Marine killed in Afghanistan.
They allege the actor mislabeled the marine sister as a participant in the Capitol Hill riot, and they say he exposed them to flood of social media
hatred. Grammy winning singer Meat Loaf has died at age 74.
Born Marvin Lee Aday, Meat Loaf's career spanned six decades, but his best known for his 1970s hits like "Paradise By the Dashboard Light". His album
"Bat Out of Hell" remains one of the top 10 selling albums of all time.
A tearful Adele is saying I'm sorry instead of hello to her fans and she postponed her Las Vegas shows at the last minute. The Grammy Award winning
singer says half her team has COVID.
Tickets for their concerts at Caesar's Palace were made available in December with the record breaking sales. Adele says the dates will be
rescheduled. CNN's Entertainment Reporter Chloe Melas joins us now from New York.
Let's start with this Adele story. Just hours before the concert was supposed to begin, she releases this tearful video says I'm sorry that she
was not ready. People are mad.
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: People are mad because she's giving such short notice but you can't help but watch the video and feel
really sorry for Adele as well. She says she and her team were up for over 30 hours preparing for the show and trying to find a way to make it work.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADELE, 15-TIME GRAMMY WINNER: I'm so sorry. But - we've tried absolutely everything that we can to put it together in time and for it to be good
enough for you. But we've been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and COVID.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:55:00]
MELAS: Look, some fans are taking to Twitter to say wait, but I took off work, and I can't get those vacation days back, I paid all this money for
COVID testing. I traveled halfway around the globe, hotel reservations and all of these other expenses outside of just perhaps maybe ticket
reimbursements, and the rescheduled dates.
So fans are really upset, understandably so about the last minute notice of this. But look, it's been really difficult for musicians to perform again
live all over the world, especially here in the United States, even in the midst of you know, the COVID-19 pandemic still going on.
Performers have found ways to participate in music festivals and small concerts, you know, so I, myself have gone to see a few concerts in the
last few months, but it's a difficult situation.
So I think that everybody is just standing by to hear more from Adele and her team as to exactly what went wrong, and why she couldn't just get up on
stage with perhaps a piano and a microphone solo by herself.
MADOWO: People would feel watch that. One of my colleagues was just saying if she sang acapella, just her people would still watch that. But she's
saying listen, go easy on me and then Chloe, the death of Meat Loaf, a cultural musical icon, what a devastating loss.
MELAS: I know. And there are still no details on the cause of death. But tributes are pouring in from share. Boy, George, he had so many iconic
songs over the course of his career. It's a shock to so many individuals.
He grew up in Dallas, Texas. He was born Marvin later changed his name to Michael later in life. But he was you know, in movies like "The Rocky
Horror Picture Show" he was in Fight Club. And this comes as a big shock.
You know, it's the beginning of 2022. And we've already lost Betty White. We've lost Bob Saget, so many icons both on screen, screen and in music. So
this is another one sadly.
MADOWO: Too many legends lost. Chloe Melas, thank you, I appreciate your time. And that is going to do it for us here. Thank you for watching. I am
Larry Madowo in Atlanta. "One World" with Hala Gorani is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
