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Oil Prices Ease Slightly from Seven-Year High; Israeli Leader Visits Bahrain to Deepen new Ties; U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Issued the Stark Warning on CNN; U.S.: Russia Could Invade Ukraine "Any day now"; Rapper Eminem Takes a Knee During Halftime Performance. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 14, 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)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: A very warm welcome back for those of you are just joining us. This is the second hour of "Connect the
World" and you are looking at live pictures of the White House. And there are more diplomatic moves in recent hours at the start of a tense week in
the Russia Ukraine standoff.
The bigger picture is all about those weekend crunch talks that we have been reporting on that. So diplomacy, frankly failed to deter the Russian
President. We had a stark warning from the U.S. National Security Adviser saying a Russian invasion of Ukraine could happen "Any day now" while the
UK Foreign Secretary today is saying in her words, any moment now.
Well, we've also been hearing more about high stakes phone calls between U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts in Russia and in Ukraine. Mr.
Biden telling both of U.S. would respond decisively to any Russian escalation.
U.S. President set to talk with the British prime minister in the next hour. Diplomatic developments are moving fast folks. Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov told state run television a short time ago that he sees what he calls a chance for diplomacy and the Ukrainian president
telling a German Chancellor in Kyiv like it that the Kyiv likes the look of NATO. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: The Ukrainian Russian border is an unprecedented challenge to Europe and globally. That's why we aim to
strengthen our defense capabilities, which is the guarantee of security in Europe. I always reiterated that without Ukraine, it isn't possible to
shape security in Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: CNN's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is in Moscow for us and our U.S. Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood is that the State
Department. Apologies there for the slight technical hitch on the sound from President Ukraine there.
Let me start with you, Kylie. President Biden spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President over the weekend with no reported major
breakthroughs. Where is Washington at, at this point?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well listen, Becky Washington is in a place where they are repeating some of the same things
that we have heard from them about wanting diplomacy to push forward, but not actually seeing a whole lot of movement there.
After that phone call conversation between the two presidents over the weekend, the National Security Council officials came out and said, look,
President Biden encouraged diplomacy but it is still possible that Russia invades Ukraine, not showing that there was a whole lot of movement there.
And then on the flip side, one interesting thing that we have seen is that the Biden Administration continues to share to declassify some of its
intelligence. And there are a number of reasons that they are doing this.
It's sort of an interesting strategy. First, they are seeking to get the Russians a little bit caught off guard to see if they can get them to
question if they have a mole to question if they can even carry out this potential invasion, to really show them how much the United States and its
European allies know about what they are possibly planning.
And then the second part of it is to try and actually create less of an air of surprise when or if this does happen, because you'll remember that back
in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, there was a lot of surprise surrounding it for a lot of officials.
And they are now saying, look, let's not allow that to happen again, let's tell the world let's tell our allies what we're seeing so that we can all
sort of be on the same page when it comes to this expectations game.
And here's what National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said over the weekend, when he compared intelligence sharing that's going on now with
what has been done in the past by the Biden Administration listen.
[11:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We're not putting forward this intelligence to start a war which has happened in the past Jake we are
putting forward this intelligence to stop a war. And I think that fundamentally gives it at the outset a different level of credibility.
But we're not going to give Russia the opportunity to conduct a surprise here to spring something on Ukraine or the world, we are going to make sure
that we are laying out for the world what we see as transparently and plainly as we possibly can and share that information as widely as we can.
That's what we've done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ATWOOD: And a U.S. official was telling our colleague, that Ukraine is still preparing for this possible invasion. Russia continues this military
buildup and could carry out this military activity as soon as this week.
ANDERSON: Well, let me bring in Nic, who is in Moscow. The Russian Foreign Minister, reportedly urging President Putin to pursue a diplomatic solution
to all of this, how should what Sergey Lavrov has said, be taken at this point?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, I think let's just throw out the context there that it was almost three weeks ago that at
Russia's demand, NATO and the United States sent back their written replies to Russia's original security demands that it was all done with a great
sense of urgency that Russia had to have these things.
And for three weeks, almost now, there's been no word from President Putin, what his responses to the fact that his demands over Ukraine and NATO and
NATO rolling back to 1997 positions. Putin has not given his response to that. So there's been that there's been - over the weekend, particularly
with President Emmanuel Macron talking to President Putin with a Secretary of State Antony Blinken, talking to Sergey Lavrov over the weekend.
Both saying, if you want to get into diplomacy, you need to de-escalate your forces and the military forces still being they're still in position
today, this morning, still doing what everyone's seen them building up and doing and getting close to the border of Ukraine.
So today on state television, and this is the big clue here, right? Because, you know, Sergey Lavrov can have a conversation with President
Putin in a back office somewhere or the president's office or anywhere they choose. They don't have to have this play out in a great formalized way on
state television.
Sergey Lavrov sitting down one end of a long table, he gives a big monologue about all the diplomatic steps that are happening. And then Putin
says, and is there a chance that diplomacy can work? And Sergey Lavrov says, yes, there is you have had these conversations, this is his exact
language.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: If you are ready to listen to some counter proposals, it seems to me that our possibilities are far from being
exhausted. Of course, they should not continue indefinitely. But at this stage, I would suggest that they be continued and increased.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So this is a message. It's a message for Russians. It's a message for the international community. But where does Putin intend to
take it? Where will he go with it? Is he buying more time to continue his military exercises?
We know that he's speaking with the President of Belarus Lukashenko sometime this week. They're expected to talk about the military drills that
are going on there. President Putin spoke with his Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu today who gave President Putin a big rundown of the military
exercises so far.
Is Putin countenancing saying that there's diplomacy as possible, we'll keep these military exercises going? It isn't clear where this runs. But I
think what is clear is this is the first time significantly, that we've heard from the president saying to one of his top foreign policy people,
the foreign minister. OK, we'll give this diplomacy a little further time.
ANDERSON: I want to bring Sam Kiley in. You're on the ground Sam, just describe where you are? And is there any evidence where you are that war is
imminent at this point?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, I'm in Kharkiv City of a million and a half people 30 miles from the Russian border 55 -
50 miles from the next big or medium sized Russian town just the other side of the border where an entire Russian tank army is believed to be.
We have evidence for this being built up or conducting exercises depending on which side of the interpretation you fall, clearly a clear and present
danger to this predominantly Russian speaking city. 75 percent of the population here speaks Russian.
Now nobody here looks like they're preparing for war. At weekends there are relatively small numbers of civilians who are out training or getting a bit
of tactical training at the lowest level some small arms training. I've been seeing them do that.
[11:10:00]
KILEY: I've just been up to the border there's no military preparations. There are trucks continuing to go north into Russia a relatively small
amount of traffic coming out of Russia. But that's purely anecdotal, and a city that is continuing with life as normal.
And this has been a patent for some time, possibly echoing the desires of President Zelensky that there isn't a visible panic. But I think they also
have a very different interpretation. And what Nic was talking about there, they were looking very, very closely at the body language, the Russian
being spoken by the President Putin in his meeting there with his foreign minister, and indeed, with Shoygu, the Defense Minister trying to interpret
whether or not there really is an opportunity for diplomacy.
And part of that might lie, Becky, in this whole issue about the NATO and Ukraine joining that international organization. NATO wants to in the long
term, it can't, as long as there are Russian forces and Russian back forces inside the country, it can't well, the Crimea remains annexed unless it
gives up its claim to that territory.
So in that context, there might be some wriggle room for perhaps not a written agreement, which is what the Russians have demanded that Ukraine
can never join NATO, but perhaps an acknowledgement that it looking fairly unlikely in the medium to long term Becky.
ANDERSON: Sam is in Kharkiv, Nic is in Moscow and Kylie Atwood is at the State Department for us thank you. Well, the escalating situation at the
Russia Ukraine border is also sending shockwaves through the global economy.
Earlier today, the G7 finance ministers pledged to act and I quote them here swiftly and decisively to support Ukraine and again promised a
forceful response if Russia were to invade. Well, that is not using investors' fears global markets dropped on Monday.
Europe is seeing fairly significant losses with German and French shares down as you can see there. Here's a look at where things stand? At present
U.S. stocks remaining mostly unchanged as part of the U.S. stock market so that our viewers can see those when I say mostly unchanged, up and down
there.
Let's bring in Matt Egan from New York and perhaps not as significant drop as we might have expected. How do you read what's going on? And what are
our sources who you have spoken to telling you at this point?
MATT EGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Becky, this is clearly a very tense situation. And it is one that has some perhaps significant implications for
the world economy. And so in that backdrop, it does make sense why investors are taking some chips off the table?
We did see those heavy losses in Europe, and some selling in Asia. And this follows what happened on Friday, when U.S. markets fell pretty sharply as
headlines came out about an escalating situation between Russia and Ukraine.
Markets did bounce off some of their worst levels on those comments from the Russian Foreign Minister, offering us some signs of hope about
diplomacy, although the fact that the markets are reacting at all, I think, shows how closely they're watching the situation.
And obviously, this is a foreign policy crisis. This is a potential humanitarian disaster and tragedy. But there's also the potential that this
really impacts the world economy, namely, by making inflation worse. And inflation is already the number one problem in the U.S. economy and in some
other large economies.
Just this morning, we heard from the St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, who said, listen, people are not happy about high inflation. And he said
the feds' credibility is on the line here. And this situation with Ukraine could actually make energy prices go higher. So there's a lot Becky for
investors to decipher here.
ANDERSON: We've seen oil prices climbing ever since the global economy, of course, started to recover from COVID 19. But we also have seen a spike in
prices since the U.S. warn that Russia could imminently invade Ukraine. We are continuing to see those prices pushing higher. What are the
expectations at this point?
EGAN: Well Becky, there's clearly a lot of nervousness in the energy market here because, as you mentioned, we've already seen prices rebound due to
the fact that supplies have been relatively short. And there is this risk here that a full blown conflict between Russia and Ukraine would actually
impact supplies even more.
[11:15:00]
EGAN: And that's because we have to remember Russia is an energy behemoth. It's the world's second largest producer of oil, second only to the United
States more than 9 million barrels per day produced last year by Russia. It makes more oil produces more oil every single day, then Canada and a rock
combined. So you know, whether or not flows from Russia get impacted is what investors want to know.
Because we know that Ukraine is a key energy transit hub, there's the risk that you could have energy infrastructure get damaged in an actual war.
There's also the threat that Western powers try to levy sanctions on Russia or that Vladimir Putin retaliates to sanctions by weaponizing, the
country's energy exports. So, in that backdrop, investors right now are buying first and asking questions later.
ANDERSON: Matt Egan's on the story for you. Thank you. Well, next are, fears of an invasion of Ukraine --. We speak to a key player in Washington
strategy, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, who recently met Ukraine's President as part of a delegation to the country.
We will speak to Chris Murphy a little later this hour. And two regional rivals mend fences. Turkey's president arrives here in Abu Dhabi for his
first official trip in nearly a decade, a live report on the significance of that visit.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, the favorite to win the women's skating gold medal at the Olympics will now be allowed to compete despite testing positive for a
banned drug. 15 year old Russian skater Kamila Valieva has a positive drug test back in December.
But the Court of Arbitration for Sport has said that she is protected as a minor and was not given enough time to prepare a defense. So for now, at
least they aren't letting her compete. So, I'll get more from Selina Wang who is in Beijing for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A reprieve for a young Russian figure skater under immense pressure, Kamila Valieva had favorite to take
individual gold at the Olympics, allow that champs despite her testing positive for a banned drug.
MATTHIEU REEB, DIRECTOR GENERAL, COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT: First, the athletes are under 16 and are a protected person under the world anti-
doping code preventing the athlete to compete at the Olympic Games would cause her irreparable harm.
WANG (voice over): The timeline here is crucial. Valieva took the test on Christmas Day, but it was only last week that the sample came back positive
for the drug trimetazidine. And she and her teammates had already won gold here.
The Court of Arbitration for sports said Monday that the minor has not had enough time to defend herself, so the issue is kicked on down the road.
Valieva will still compete here while a full investigation is done. The team could still be stripped of her medals in the coming months. In the
meantime, the IOC says it would not be appropriate to award her any medals.
[11:20:00]
WANG (on camera): All eyes are on Kamila Valieva here in Beijing, but she's only 15 years old. The world anti-doping agency says it will investigate
her entourage, the adults around her that may have pressured her into taking the banned substance.
WANG (voice over): A glimpse behind the glimmering surface into the murky world of Russian sports, which has been accused of state sponsored doping
and extreme pressure on very young athletes, team USA not holding back in a statement.
This appears to be another chapter in the systematic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia. The Russian figure skating Federation
President is labeling the decision common sense and justice, while the IOC condemned any use of performance enhancing drugs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How should clean athletes feel about the decision that is made?
MARK ADAMS, IOC SPOKESMAN: The system I'm afraid is slow justice. I'm afraid the wheels of justice do run slowly, we would like them to run
faster. So there'll be clarity for everybody involved for all of the athletes.
WANG (voice over): Inescapable as the fact that clean athletes will line up Tuesday against a competition favorite who tested positive once. At an
Olympics dogged by politics and China's rights record, this doping scandal is tainting the sport here as well. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, two longtime rivals are trying to revive ties and boost cooperation. Turkey's president is visiting the United Arab Emirates for
the first time in nearly a decade. Now - was welcome, you can see here by the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed helped to break
tensions after he visited Ankara in November. Turkey and the UAE have been on opposite sides of almost every regional conflict for the past 10 years.
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh is following the visit for us here in Abu Dhabi. You've written an analysis piece for digital about what is this tense
relationship today? Tell us why this trip then is so significant and why this speaks to the biggest story here and around the region, Jomana?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Becky, when you're looking at those pictures today of President Erdogan getting the royal welcome here
in Abu Dhabi, this would have really been unthinkable just six months ago.
While we are seeing this wave of reconciliation and - sweeping across this region with different countries trying to mend ties with foes and
neighbors. These two major powerhouses, Turkey and the UAE this was seen as probably the least likely so no one really saw this reconciliation coming.
And as you mentioned, I mean, they have always been at odds especially for the most part of the last 10 years on opposite sides of the ideological
spectrum. Their interests diverged almost everywhere across this region and beyond.
And we saw that playing out in conflicts and crises from the eastern Mediterranean to East Africa. And we saw that dangerously play out in
Libya's proxy war. You know, Becky, there was a time where they had good relations, especially trade relations.
But that relationship began to sour back in 2011, with the Arab Spring President Erdogan, backing groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. And
that was a red line for the UAE and other monarchies in this region that, you know, see this see these groups as an existential threat.
And it just continued to get worse and worse after that. I mean, it is a very long list. But right now, what we're seeing, you know, this move
towards repairing this relationship. Turkey's also doing that with other countries with Saudi Arabia, with Egypt with Israel, but that reset is
taking much longer. It is remarkable how fast this is moving.
And at the heart of it, Becky, is economic interest, both sides making it very clear that yes, you know, while we are seeing this, you know, shifting
geopolitical scene across this region, different countries really looking out for their own interests and really trying to recalibrate their foreign
policies, arguably as a result of the departure of Donald Trump, this perception of American disengagement from this region.
And they took note of America's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. But at the heart of all of this for both the UAE and Turkey, is the economy,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Jomana Karadsheh on the story for you. Thank you. Well, Israel's Prime Minister also making an historic trip to deepen fresh new ties with
an Arab nation Naftali Bennett heading to Bahrain to build bilateral relations after a diplomatic thought in relations in 2020 years. Hadas Gold
reports the visit is a first.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're just outside of the Prime Minister's plane before takeoff for what will be the first ever visit by an Israeli
prime minister to the Kingdom of Bahrain, since the two countries diagnosis short normalization agreements in 2020.
[11:25:00]
GOLD: This will be a short visit just about 24 hours long, during which Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will meet with the Crown Prince and
Prime Minister as well as the king of Bahrain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAFTALI BENNETT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I'm about to fly off the Bahrain for the first official meeting and visit of an Israeli prime minister in
the kingdom. I'm going to meet the King; I'm going to meet the crown prince. And have a series of meetings whose goal is to fill with energy and
content, the peace agreements between the two nations.
I think, especially in these tumultuous times, it's important that from this region, we send a message of goodwill, of cooperation, of standing
together against the common challenges and of building bridges to the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: Top of mine, of course, will be Iran, a shared security concern between the two countries, just 200 kilometers from the Bahraini capital of
Manama where Bennett will make his visit.
Although Bahrain is a small country, it is a significant player in the region. It hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet and will soon host in Israeli
military officer the first Arab nation to host an Israeli military officer permanently.
Just a few weeks ago, the Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz made his first visit to Bahrain, during which he signed an agreement formalizing
security ties between the two projects.
And while this will open up a range of cooperation between the two countries, most importantly, it could pave the way to Bahrain, obtaining
and buying some of the Israeli air defense systems such as the Iron Dome. Hadas Gold, CNN, Tel Aviv.
ANDERSON: Well, tensions boiled over in the shake Shara neighborhoods of East Jerusalem this weekend. Now for a Right Wing Jewish lawmakers set up a
parliamentary office directly next to the home of a Palestinian family facing eviction. CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief, Andy Carey with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREW CAREY, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF (voice over): It's Mr. Ben Kabir; a far right Jewish settler leader elected last year to the Knesset called
it his parliamentary office. A trestle table, a tent and some posters pitched in from - to the Salem family home in shake era in East Jerusalem.
Loudspeakers blared music and Ben Kabir's young supporters danced and sang. The lawmaker said he was here to protest police inaction after nearby
Jewish home was satellites several days earlier.
Members of the Salem family looked on. There is one of several Palestinian homes in the neighborhood, of which private Jewish groups are pursuing
ownership claims through the Israeli court system.
Advocacy groups say the 11 strong families which include four children have exhausted all legal avenues and could face expulsion within weeks. Tensions
like this don't dissipate readily, and so it proved with sporadic clashes throughout the day, involving Israeli nationalists, Palestinians and
police.
More than 30 Palestinians were injured according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, including a child hit by a stun grenade. Police say they
made 19 arrests for public disorder offenses. Two officers were likely wounded along with several Israelis police.
On several occasions supporters of Ben Kabir were caught on video shouting death to Arabs and death to terrorists. Sheikh Jarrah has become a
lightning rod for the conflict in recent times, Palestinians feeling sense of what they see as clear attempts by Jewish nationalists to displace the
families by taking advantage of unfair restitution laws.
Weeks of unrest last spring were amongst several developments that led to an 11 day war over Gaza, between Israel and Hamas. Many on all sides will
hope tensions here can be tamped down quickly to avoid another serious escalation. Andrew Carey, CNN Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching "Connect the World", I'm Becky Anderson. Half past eight here in Abu Dhabi, next up promising a swift response. But will
his actions speak as loudly as his words, why the tensions over Ukraine are putting the Biden Administration in a very difficult position?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Half past eight here in the UAE. Welcome back. I'm Becky Amazon. This is "Connect the World" from our Middle East programming hub here in
Abu Dhabi. The edge of war and what could become a new frontier for the global order going forward despite urgent dialogue between Washington and
Moscow.
A Russian invasion of Ukraine could happen "any day now" according to the U.S. National Security Adviser. The UK's Foreign Secretary has echoed those
concerns as the West keeps guessing. CNN spoke to Military Analyst Spider Marks about what Russia may be planning given the swelling number of troops
at its border with Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
U.S. MAJOR GENERAL JAMES "SPIDER MARKS (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: If Russia invades, Kyiv is right here, I do not think Putin is going to use
these forces and invade Kyiv. If he were to create rubble and try to control Kyiv, he doesn't want to do that, because he would have to rebuild
it. He doesn't have an economy that can accommodate that.
And also these forces here would have to go through the Chernobyl exclusion zone, the world's worst nuclear disaster back in 1986. I don't know that he
wants to push those forces through that nightmare, if you will.
But what I think is going to happen is he could take forces that are located here, increase his presence in the Donbas and then extend to the
NEPA River down here. And then he creates he now connects Crimea with a land bridge to the rest of Russia. And I think that is the objective that
he is going after.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's Spider Marks with some analysis for you. And the crisis presents a colossal challenge for America's position on the global stage
given its traditional role of upholding world order.
And CNN White House Reporter and Political Analyst Stephen Collinson says, and I quote him here, "a Russian invasion of Ukraine would crush democratic
principles and the idea that people can choose their leaders for themselves principles on which the United States had built decades of foreign policy".
Stephen joins us now from Washington. It's good to have you. Let's start with or in the U.S. what's at stake for Biden, given that there are, of
course midterms later this year?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: I think, Becky, that many Americans are wondering exactly why the U.S. is being drawn into this
crisis. I don't think it's actually well understood. Among many Americans that the U.S. isn't sending forces to defend Ukraine.
I mean, this does seem like an echo of the 1980s really, for a lot of people who are not tuned into foreign policy, who perhaps don't understand
the nuances of this crisis and exactly what President Putin is trying to do.
I think the last thing that the Biden Administration wants, as its reeling from the pandemic, high inflation, various political crisis, the tearing of
the internal cohesion of the United States is a massive foreign policy showdown.
Especially one that risks making President Biden look weak if he is defied by Vladimir Putin, and one in which he has to spend all of his time trying
to piece together divisions among NATO members. So really, this is a domestic political crisis for the Biden Administration, as well as an
international one.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: So if Russia were to further invade, how much of a blow would it be to the very credibility of a three world order? That's a relatively
lofty sort of question. But I know you've got a decent answer to it.
COLLINSON: Well, you know, there is this idea that has prevailed, really, through the period of American dominance of foreign policy, since the
Second World War that America stands up for democracies around the world.
That idea is being challenged all over the world, not just by Russia, the idea that it could march into a neighbor, and, you know, dictate the form
of government, that the people in Ukraine would have.
Many people think that China would see this as boosting its own territorial claims, especially to Taiwan, another democracy that is threatened by
another great power. You know, Biden came to power making democracy.
The building block, if you like, of restoring democracy, the building block of his foreign policy held a major international conference dedicated to
that. And all around the world, American power is expressed through democracy is being challenged by China, Russia, and other nations.
So therefore, it would be a significant blow to American power. And I think it really sums up a world in which American credibility, prestige and
influence is waning to some extent.
And you have these other nations and particularly a rising China, which is trying to create an alternative world political system on, you know, closer
to its rules than the rules of the United States. So yes, it's a blow to American prestige.
And anytime an American President seems like he is not in control of events outside the United States, anytime there's a sense where things are perhaps
taking place running out of control, multiple global crises that makes an American president look weak.
Domestically, Biden's Republican foes are already challenging him on those grounds, including former President Trump.
ANDERSON: I just want our viewers to get some sound now to listen to the words of John Kirby, who is of course the Pentagon spokesman, have a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON: I think that Mr. Putin is the only one who knows the answer to that. And I think that Mr. Putin knows he has ample
capability at his disposal. He continues to add forces along that border with Ukraine and in Belarus, even just over the course of the weekend.
He's well north of 100,000. But it's not just the numbers, Kate, it's the capabilities. It's combined arms capabilities that he has available to him
from everything, from armor to infantry to Special Operations Forces to cyber and air and missile defense. He's got an impressive array of military
capabilities that are all at his beck and call, should he choose to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Steven, as we speak, as we understand it, the U.S. Defense Secretary and the U.S. of Secretary of State are at the Oval Office for a
meeting with the President, where does this go from here at this point?
COLLINSON: I mean, I think Admiral Kirby is right; it all depends on what Vladimir Putin decides to do. It's really an extraordinary situation where
one man could, you know, hold so many feats in his hands and the way that the world develops in the next few years.
I mean, if there is a Russian invasion of Ukraine, I think you can argue whether that would necessarily be in Russia's national interest and Putin's
interest. But say, for the sake of argument that went ahead, there'll be increasing pressure in the United States, especially in Congress for the
U.S. to mount some kind of to back Ukrainian insurgency like the one that we saw in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
I mean, that would basically bring the United States and Russia, again, to the brink of proxy wars, a global confrontation that would bleed into all
sorts of other foreign policy areas where Russia can make things difficult for United States.
For example, the Iran nuclear talks, the North Korean nuclear talks where U.S. security is on the line. So while the U.S. has spent a lot of time
talking about how it would punish Russia, cripple its economy after an invasion, I think we need to realize that this would have great cost to the
United States too.
And that's something I think the government is very aware of. And perhaps one reason why it often seems like its goading Putin to raise pressure on
him saying he's going to invade soon, he's going to invade soon.
In that case, it looks like they're trying to almost flush the Russian president out. But they do know that for example, an invasion could raise
gasoline prices something as prosaic as that in the United States. They're already pretty high $3.48 which isn't very much if you're living in Europe
but that is historically high in the United States.
[11:40:00]
COLLINSON: That is something that could really raise the domestic political pressure on Biden in the midterm election year.
ANDERSON: Stephen Collinson, with his analysis for you, and plenty more ahead on this program. We speak to the U.S. Senator who was part of a
recent delegation to Ukraine about what needs to be done to find a solution to the current crisis, well connected is Chris Murphy. He's next here on
"Connect the World".
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ANDERSON: Let's get you more on our top story now, fears that Russia may invade Ukraine anytime now according to both the U.S. National Security
Adviser and the UK's Foreign Secretary.
This is quickly becoming one of the most pressing matters for Joe Biden's foreign policy agenda and our next guests speak to that firsthand. U.S.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy was part of a recent bipartisan delegation to Ukraine; the focus of which he says was safeguarding the country's
sovereignty.
He says it should be up to Ukrainians alone to decide what their future looks like. Well, Senator Chris Murphy represents a state with a large
Ukrainian community whose opinion he canvass the head of his trip.
He will be in the room later today, when White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will brief a select group of U.S. senators. He joins
us now from the U.S. Capitol. As we understand it, Senator, U.S. Defense Secretary, the U.S. Secretary of State, both have arrived at the White
House.
Joe Biden, the President will be receiving his intelligence briefing at 11.30, which is around about just before you and I began to speak, you're
very close to the Biden Administration and to foreign policy leaders in Washington. Do you share their fears that we could be days away from war in
Europe?
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Well, its clear Putin could move as early as this week. Signals today suggest that they may be looking at some last minute
diplomatic maneuvers.
I do think as Putin gets closer to pulling the trigger here, he is better understanding the costs that his country we're talking about, potentially
tens of thousands of Russian soldiers who will die both in the short term and in the long term.
This will be a long term insurgency. I think he's also seeing that the West is sticking together. The United States and Europe are not breaking from
each other. I think he had hoped that this threat would maybe cause some fissures inside the Transatlantic Alliance.
That's not happening. And in fact he's going to get a pretty significant set of crippling sanctions to his economy if he moves forward. This
certainly could happen very soon, but Putin may be having some second thoughts now that he sees the West sticking together.
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: So that you have said it should be up to the Ukrainians alone to decide what their future looks like. But at this point, when we consider
what is going on at present, it isn't just up to Ukrainians, is it? It is up to Joe Biden, it is up to NATO, it is up to other European leaders.
MURPHY: No, that's right. It was we are supportive of Ukrainian sovereignty, but also their democracy. And one of the things that Joe, that
Vladimir Putin wants is the ability to decide for Ukraine as to whether they're part of the NATO alliance or not, that should be up to Ukraine and
NATO members, not up to Vladimir Putin.
So right now, Ukraine clearly needs help. They need help from the United States; they need help from the Europeans. And they need to have Vladimir
Putin come to his senses. But in the end, my point is simply this. It should be nobody's decision other than Ukraine and the members of NATO as
to who belongs in NATO in the future.
ANDERSON: But Ukraine has complained that Washington is overstating the threat at this point.
MURPHY: It was and I think President Zelensky is in a very difficult position right now. He has to be ready for potential war. But he knows what
Putin's game is here. Putin really hopes that he doesn't have to invade.
Putin's hope is that this threat of action against Ukraine will end up in the collapse of Zelensky's government. And so Zelensky I think, at the same
time, has to be working quietly with the United States and European allies to get all of the weapons that his army needs, while also not producing a
sense of panic on the ground in Ukraine, a panic that Vladimir Putin is rooting for.
This is a very, very difficult job that Zelensky has here trying to do two things at once, prepare, but also not set off a wave of chaos in his
country that could get Putin what he wants, the collapse of Zelensky's government without a single troop moving any further into Ukraine.
ANDERSON: You were on the ground in Ukraine as part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers less than a month ago and you met the Ukrainian president. Is
he up to the job at this point?
MURPHY: Of course he is. I mean, this isn't this is, you know, a president whose relatively new to politics, but he has had pretty remarkable success
already in starting to rid this country of endemic corruption.
He has presided over a country that has become more and more committed to a path to the west; the Army is more capable today than it was five years
ago. So I know that this President is up to the job of being able to defend the country.
Obviously, the Russian army is strong, but so are the Ukrainian people. And this is going to be a very long fight that, frankly, a lot like Afghanistan
in 1980 and 1981, if Putin decides to go through with this.
ANDERSON: Russia's foreign minister reportedly urging his boss Vladimir Putin to allow more time for diplomacy. This is Sergei Lavrov speaking to
state TV. I will caveat that, but do you see that as credible messaging at this point?
MURPHY: I don't think Lavrov operates independently. So any message that is being portrayed from Sergei Lavrov, it is a message that Vladimir Putin
wants the world to see. This is why I wonder whether Putin is now finally getting an accurate portrayal of the costs to him in his country.
I worried early on that Vladimir Putin was holed up in - talking to very few people, and being convinced that he was going to be greeted as a
liberator if he marched an army into Ukraine and towards Kyiv.
He may now be understanding that this is a country that's decided it does not want to live under the thumb of Vladimir Putin. It's a country that's
ready to resist. And maybe Putin and Lavrov are signaling that they want one last chance and engagement.
The problem is we're not signing a big diplomatic agreement with Russia that gives away Ukrainian sovereignty. So if diplomacy to Sergei Lavrov is
Ukraine, not being able to ever join NATO, that's just not going to happen in any piece of paper that the United States signs. But we can certainly
have other conversations about our force posture, for instance, in parts of Eastern Europe.
ANDERSON: Right this NATO membership, though, is absolutely integral the Russian stage to their arguments at present. So let me just pursue this. A
short while ago, President Zelensky reiterated his desire to join the NATO alliance.
Russia insists potential NATO membership is a major factor driver this current crisis. So should the entire issue be off the table at this point
to help defuse the crisis after also with the greatest of respect. Ukraine isn't in a position to get NATO membership at this point because it's
already engaged in a territorial dispute with Russia.
[11:50:00]
MURPHY: Well, and Russia knows that that right now there's no consensus inside NATO to be able to bring Ukraine into the alliance. And so Russia's
complaint here is imaginary on two fronts.
One, as I mentioned, it is not imminent that Ukraine is coming into NATO and two, NATO presents no threat to Russia. This is all invented by
Vladimir Putin. He claims that NATO has some territorial designs on his own country. We do not it is a defensive alliance only.
It is Vladimir Putin that's marched troops into Crimea, into eastern Ukraine into Georgia. So I mean, it's hard to satisfy Putin's demands when
he makes up these allegations about the designs of NATO, not offensive, only defensive and it will remain that way, whether Ukraine's in the
alliance or not.
ANDERSON: As we suggested at the outset of this interview, you were on the ground in Ukraine as part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers less than a
month ago. At the time, you suggested that together you showed Russia and the world that Republicans and Democrats aren't united in defending Ukraine
in the face of Russian aggression.
Is that still the case? Is that still the message? I mean, Joe Biden, you're saying will have bipartisan support for any action in Defense of
Ukraine, will he?
MURPHY: I think it's been pretty remarkable. Listening to Republicans and Democrats saying much of the same thing about the President's policies, you
don't have Republicans that are taking potshots at the President right now, in large part.
Because they I believe know that he's doing the right thing. Neither Republicans nor Democrats think that we should put hundreds of thousands of
troops into Ukraine. But save for that Joe Biden's pressing all the right buttons, whether it's about telegraphing that we're going to move more
troops into Eastern Europe, more weapons right now to Ukraine or putting together these multilateral sanctions.
There's a question as to whether we need additional legislation. And so we're working on that right now. But I think Republicans and Democrats are
largely united on this.
ANDERSON: Do you though fear for Joe Biden at home? Does the U.S. population does, do your concern, not perhaps your constituents because
you've got a huge Ukrainian community. But do the people of the states understand why it is that Joe Biden might engage in a war in Europe at this
point?
Is that going to be is that going to be good for you as a Democratic lawmaker with the midterms, breathing down your neck as it were?
MURPHY: Well, I think there's a big difference between U.S. troops being sent to fight in this war and the United States using its economic power to
punish Russia for its transgressions. I do think the American people will support the use of our economic power through sanctions and some of their
taxpayer dollars going to move troops to protect the Eastern Flank of NATO.
Is this the number one issue for the American people right now? No, it absolutely is not. Right now the American people are focused on their
pocketbooks. They're focused on COVID. They're not talking about Ukraine in the same way that you and I are. But the American people understand the
danger that comes to us and our treaty allies if Putin gets away with this invasion without significant cost.
ANDERSON: Senator, good to have you, I know you're busy. Thank you, come back.
MURPHY: Will do.
ANDERSON: Well, there's Murphy in the house for you. We're taking a short break back after this.
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[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Well, an appropriate Hollywood ending for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 56, the Rams scoring the game winning touchdown with barely a
minute remaining beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23 to 20.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught two touchdown passes including Game winner. And he was named at the Super Bowl MVP. Well, the halftime show
made headlines too. Let's bring in CNN's Chloe Melas for more on what was a bit of a buzz, great performances and also some controversy right, Chloe?
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Look, this was giving everyone major 90s vibes. And he expand 30 years of hip hop from a newer rapper like
Kendrick Lamar taking center stage to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and then a surprise performance by 50 Cent.
But yes, many people this morning talking about how Eminem took a knee and paying homage to Colin Kaepernick with his issues with raised in the NFL.
And so he took a knee and the NFL is now coming out this morning talking about it saying we knew he was going to do this.
We saw it in rehearsals, and we don't have a problem with it. He's an artist and they have creative control and they can do what they want. But
you know, as true as that is we only know what they said in their statement.
But the bottom line is that you know Eminem has been very supportive of Colin Kaepernick and it comes in the midst of a racial reckoning within the
NFL with Brian Flores from the Miami Dolphins and his lawsuit. And it was a moment and people are talking about that right now. Some people don't like
it, some people like it.
ANDERSON: But it's a moment as you say, for discussion Thank you. Well, fans celebrating the Los Angeles Rams starring Super Bowl win over the
Cincinnati Bengals, bangles, bangles Bengals celebrating the streets after the Rams.
May that second half comeback, sending off fireworks and some of them are jumping on the top of cars off the field. Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson
was seen rushing out of the stadium soon after the game. Why?
Well, he was heading to meet his wife who was about to give birth in hospital. Here is a picture of him holding his newborn born son hours
later, a night full of celebrations but their epic family stories cap things off. That's it from us, back same time tomorrow.
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