Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Dutch, Canadian And U.K. Leaders Speak As Russia Attacks Ukraine; Video Shows Fleeing Ukrainians Killed By Russian Strike; Moldovan P.M.: Every Eight Child In Country A Refugee. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired March 07, 2022 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: The Prime Ministers of the Netherlands and Canada are in London meeting with Boris Johnson. Let's just
listen in.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The world has come together in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine. Last week 141 countries
nearly three quarters of the entire membership of the United Nations voted to condemn Putin's war.
And 39 countries, including the UK, Canada and the Netherlands, voted to refer Putin's actions to the International Criminal Court.
[10:00:00]
This is the largest such action the court has ever seen, and will allow the chief prosecutor to an open to open an investigation to ensure Putin cannot
commit these crimes with impunity. As Ukrainians resist Russia's onslaught with courage, and tenacity, the international community must aid their
struggle in every way that we can.
We will only succeed if the whole international community moves together with the same spirit of unity that we've seen in recent days. Justin, and
Mark and I have been discussing that today. And later this afternoon, I'm going to be speaking to the leaders of the United States, France, and
Germany, further to coordinate our actions. To aid these efforts, today, the U.K. is joining our Dutch and Canadian friends to mobilize more
practical and sustained support for Ukraine.
Our new international Ukraine support group will coordinate the efforts of the international community to provide long term and unwavering assistance
now and in the future. And we will be encouraging more countries to join us. This is the moment for Ukraine's friends to create a coalition of
humanitarian, economic and defensive military support to ensure that Putin fails. And that's why today I'm announcing a further 175 million pounds of
U.K. aid for Ukraine.
A hundred million dollars which will be provided directly to the Ukrainian government. This brings the total U.K. support announced during this crisis
to around 400 million pounds. After 12 days, it's already clear that Putin has made a miscalculation. He has underestimated the Ukrainians, their
heroic resistance. He's underestimated their leader, and he has underestimated the unity of the West.
And we will continue as colleagues to do everything we can to strengthen that unity in the days ahead to ensure that Putin fails in this
catastrophic invasion of Ukraine. Thank you very much.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Prime Minister Johnson for hosting. It's great to be joined here by Prime Minister Rutte as well.
It's been a very productive first day of my trip to Europe. We've been focused on solidarity with partners and allies. We're focused on stronger
economic ties, jobs, growth in the middle -- and support for the middle class.
But also, obviously, for standing up for democracy against authoritarianism, and standing with Ukraine every step of the way. This
morning, I was able to have an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. We congratulated her obviously on the Platinum Jubilee,
and was able to talk a little bit about the situation's we're facing and drawn her long experience for having seen much over this past decades.
When I met earlier with Boris, we discussed stronger security ties, continuing to defend our shared values, continuing our work together on
advancing free trade and creating more middle class jobs. And also in climate action where we need to build a sustainable secure future. I also
had a bilateral meeting with Mark Rutte where we talked about the enhanced importance of NATO, continuing to work together to fight disinformation and
protecting freedom of the press, and continue to work strongly with our friends in the European Union.
But of course, throughout, the focus is on the people of Ukraine, and our solidarity with Ukraine are pushing back against the illegal Russian
invasion of Ukraine and standing up for democracies around the world.
Canada, U.K. and the Netherlands are close defense partners, working together to mobilize the global community to step up to support Ukraine and
will continue to defend democracy and the values that underpin it and continue to make sure that Putin is held accountable. Today, Canada is
announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals complicit in this unjustified invasion. This includes former and current senior government officials,
oligarchs and supporters of Russian leadership.
The names of these individuals come from a list compiled by jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The sanctions put increased pressure on
Russia's leadership including on Putin's inner circle.
[10:05:04]
TRUDEAU: This is of course in addition to all the other sanctions we've announced including our recent announcement on imposing massive tariffs on
Russian and Belarusian imports. The work we're doing together is punishing Putin and his enablers where it hurts most in particular, by crippling
their financial systems and sanctioning their central bank. So far in aid for Ukraine, Canada has sent about a billion dollars worth of financial
assistance and humanitarian aid. But we have more to do.
Today we continue to stand with Ukraine, united and strong.
MARK RUTTE, DUTCH PRIME MINISTER: We are here to today as close transatlantic NATO allies. Throughout history, our countries have always
been closely linked. And in times of crisis, in times of war, we stand shoulder to shoulder. And so today as war and violence once again, cast a
dark shadow over Europe, we are working together for peace and security on the European continent.
And I'd like to thank Prime Minister Johnson. Boris, I thank you so much for being us together today at this time of the moment, because it has been
another weekend of horrific violence in Ukraine. We knew already but in recent days, it has been confirmed that Putin remains unmoved. We are
dealing with an aggressor who keeps crossing new boundaries. Civilians and civilian targets, and even a nuclear power plants have been attacked
recently.
And we know now that Putin has used cluster bombs. We can only guess what he plans to do next. But one thing is certain, Russia's aggression must
stop. And in our meeting this morning, we against stressed the importance of unity. To all Ukrainians. We say this, your courage and your resistance
exemplified by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (INAUDIBLE) our utmost respect. The result is our resolve.
We will continue to stand by you. The past few days as a military supplies have been sent to Ukraine from the Netherlands as well as U.K. and Canada.
And we will continue to do everything we can to help Canada. The Netherlands is prepared to consider and we are all prepared to consider all
possible sanctions that can help put pressure on Russia. And obviously, there's a lot of debate going on about energy sanctions and here we move --
we should not make a mistake.
We have to ensure that they don't generate unmanageable risks to energy supplies in Europe -- European countries and beyond, including Ukraine, as
has also be stated today by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and I think rightly so. So, that means that we still need European companies to
continue their work towards Russia. And that is important. And of course, what we need to do overtime is to make sure that we reduce dramatically our
energy dependency on Russia.
That's clear. Finally, I am pleased that there is a broad international agreement on the facts that possible war crimes must be investigated. We
must document everything that points towards human rights violations now so that when the time comes, we can prosecute and try those responsible. Peace
and justice must have been out of violence and injustice.
JOHNSON: Thank you very much, Mark. And thank you, Justin. Let's go now to the media. Gary Gibbon, Channel 4.
GARY GIBBON, POLITICAL EDITOR, CHANNEL 4 NEWS: Thank you, Prime Minister. Could you elaborate on perhaps a bit more about your energy discussions and
where those -- where they're going? The U.S. Secretary of State said they're active discussions for an oil ban from Europe. It sounds as though
you don't feel that's the case, Prime Minister. And you, Prime Minister, your views are characterized in the newspapers this morning and saying the
West should have a climate change pass.
Should we bust through the caps for a while in order to insulate Europe, from Russia, whether it's going to turn it supplies off, or we're going to
walk away from them in Europe? And one quick one, if I made you specifically, Prime Minister, on refugees. Whether the numbers are still 50
that have gone to this country or have gone up a little, it seems like they've only gone up a little. Isn't that embarrassing?
JOHNSON: Thanks. Well, let me -- let me just -- before I bring in colleagues on the -- on the hydrocarbons issue. I think there are -- there
are different dependencies in different countries and we have to -- we have to be mindful of that.
[10:10:08]
JOHNSON: And you can't simply close down use of oil and gas overnight. Even from Russia, that's obviously not something that every country around the
world can do. We can go fast in the -- in the U.K., other countries can go fast. But there are different dependencies. What we need to do is to make
sure that we're all moving in the same direction. And we all share the same assumptions and that we accelerate that move.
And I think that is what you're going to see. And you've -- you heard that from leaders around the world. And actually, I see no inconsistency by the
way in moving away from dependency on Russian hydrocarbons to moving away from dependency on hydrocarbons all together. And, you know, you can see
how this will encourage the world to go Gary for green solutions wherever possible.
But clearly, there is going to be a transitional period, we're going to have to look for supply, we're going to have to look for substitute
supplies from elsewhere. And we're going to have to do it together across the entire coalition of countries that is now a condemning Putin's actions.
And on your -- on your point about the U.K. is reception of refugees, we are absolutely determined to be as generous as we possibly can.
And as I speak to you all, we're processing thousands, clearly of applications, clearly as the -- as the situation has got worse we are going
to have to make sure that we do even more. And the routes that we have already the family reunion route offers the prospect of hundreds of
thousands coming here, the humanitarian sponsorship route is also uncapped. And we're putting people out into all the surrounding countries.
Into Poland, into Bulgaria, Romania, as well as into Cali, to France, to make sure that we receive people, and we help -- we help people to come.
Don't forget, the U.K., since 2015, has been the most generous and, you know, great respect to Mark and all other European colleagues. We've been
the most generous of all European countries in settling vulnerable people. We took a large number of Afghan refugees, as you'll remember on drop,
pitting, and we will.
And 140,000 Hong Kong Chinese have applied under asking we will be very, very generous as the people of this country would expect and would want to
people fleeing the war in Ukraine. And I know that's going to be the instinct of the British people. But colleagues on the -- on the -- on the
hydrocarbons.
RUTTE: The painful reality is that we are still a famous dependence on Russian gas and oil. And if we now would force European companies to quit
doing business with Russia, that would have enormous ramifications around Europe, including Ukraine, but also around the world. So we have to
dramatically reduce our dependency on gas and oil from Russia. that will take time. A statement earlier today by Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of
Germany, I think it was in the same direction.
So, the painful reality is there. And that means that we have to be very clear and make no mistakes here. This is a step by step approach. And that
means that we have to make sure that the energy supplies in this part of the world, again, including Ukraine, but also the rest of the world are not
hindered. And that will take time.
TRUDEAU: I think what is clear is that many countries have realized that continued reliance on Russia's oil and gas is a problem for the future.
What we're seeing with the solidarity and the unity, not just of countries and democracies across Europe and North America, but indeed countries
around the world looking at trying to secure more reliable sources of energy, particularly green sources.
What we're seeing is a shift in Europe and elsewhere, to understand that Russia is no longer a reliable partner. What Vladimir Putin has broken here
is a trust, where I've heard a number of Europeans reflect on, it's too bad that we are so dependent on Russian oil, but we're not going to make that
mistake again. And they are moving away from Canada, imports and negligible amounts of Russian petrochemicals and oil. We've banned that.
But we are of course self sustainable in terms of oil and energy. But we will be there to support as the world moves beyond Russian oil and indeed,
beyond fossil fuels to have more renewables in our mix.
[10:15:00]
JOHNSON: Thanks so much, Gary. Raymond Filion of TVA.
RAYMOND FILION, TVA PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) What will Canada do with regards to its military spending right
now? If you can answer in both official languages.
TRUDEAU: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) As you know, a number of years ago, we put forward a defense plan that included increasing defense spending by
70 percent. But we also recognize that the context is changing rapidly around the world. And we need to make sure that the women and men who
served in the Canadian Armed Forces have all the equipment necessary to be able to stand strongly as we always have as members of NATO. We will
continue to look at what more we can do.
JOHNSON: Thanks very much, Justin. Flor Lansbach from NOS.
FLOR LANSBACH, NOS REPORTER: I have a question for Prime Minister Johnson. Last week, there was a journalist in Poland that asked you why do
Ukrainians have to flee their homes? Why are their children taking the hits in this war? While Putin's friends and his inner circle are still living in
London's most beautiful houses and taking their children to private schools. I was just wondering, has anything changed since that question was
asked?
JOHNSON: Thank you very much, Flor. Yes, it certainly has. And I think that you -- if you look at what we've done just today with the economic crime
bill, we're taking -- we're taking steps to ensure that we whip aside the veil of anonymity, that obscures the ownership of the -- of the properties
that that you described, he can no longer use a bogus company to conceal your ownership of a -- of a property where we are making sure that we have
new powers to distrain to take people's -- to take people's assets.
And we think that that will have -- we think the whole package of measures that we're putting forward today will have brought a sense in just -- in
just a few days time. So, we're moving very, very fast on that. But Flor, I hope that, you know, our viewers and all of you will recognize that that is
in addition to the huge work that the U.K. has done, together with Mark and with Justin, on the big package of international sanctions.
And if you look at what we did on -- together on SWIFT, what we did on the -- on the the Russian Central Bank. It's already had a profound effect. And
I think I'm right in saying that even today, the Russian stock market is is not opening. And, you know, there's not a testimonial I necessarily seek.
But I, you know, I observed that the the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the U.K. had not been entirely helpful in this -- in this regard towards
their own economic interests.
And I'm sure you've seen what she said. And we are going to continue to work with colleagues to ensure that we tighten the vise around President
Putin's regime. Look, what's happening now is that he -- the President of Russia is plainly doubling down. He's decided that he's going to continue
with an all-out onslaught on centers of habitation in a way that we think is utterly repugnant. It's clear that we're going to have to do more. And
as friends and partners, that's what we're -- that's what we're going to do.
I didn't have questions for anybody else. So let's go to Jason Groves from the Daily Mail.
JASON GRAVES, THE DAILY MAIL POLITICAL EDITOR: Thank you. You've all had some success with your sanctions. They're squeezing Russia but they're also
having an impact here. We've seen the gas price travel where he's seeing petrol prices heading towards two pounds per liter. What do you say, Prime
Minister, to people who desperately want to help but are worried about that?
Can you give a commitment now that there is going to be more help on the way? Mr. Trudeau, can I ask, is Canada ready to increase its oil and gas
output to help (INAUDIBLE) and others of that Russian gas? And also, you've seen the Queen today. How is she? We've not seen her for a while. Is she's
fighting fit?
[10:20:05]
JOHNSON: Jason, look, has a really important question. I think everybody is going to be thinking that you've ever really seen what's happened to the
price of oil. This matters, which is why I think what Mark had to say earlier on about the need to proceed in steps is correct. And we must, you
know, do everything we can to protect consumers and the public. There are going to be impacts. Let's be a no doubt. There are going to be impacts.
But I think that it's the -- it's the right thing to do. But we've got to - - and it's the right thing -- it's completely the right thing to do to move away from Russian hydrocarbons, from dependence on Russian hydrocarbons.
But we've got to do it step by step. So far, the success of of the West has been in the unity that we share. And I think we're all increasingly united
in the view that we've got to move away now from Russian hydrocarbons.
We've got to do it together. We've got to make sure that we have substitute -- and substitute supply. And that's what we're working on, as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there going to be more help on the way?
JOHNSON: We will do everything that we can to ensure that we have substitute and substitute supplies. So, one of the things that we're
looking at is the possibility, the -- of using more of our own hydrocarbons. And you'll have heard already what the business secretary has
had to say about licenses for U.K. -- U.K.'s own domestic production. That doesn't mean that we are in any way abandoning our commitment to reducing
CO2.
You can -- you can do that. But we've got to reflect the reality that there is a crunch on at the moment, we need to intensify our self-reliance as a
transition with more hydrocarbons, but what we also need to do is go for more nuclear and much more use of renewable energy and are going to be
setting out an energy strategy and energy supply strategy for the country in the -- in the days ahead.
So that people have a sense of how we're going to meet people's needs over the short, medium, and long term. Marieke -- sorry, Justin. Sorry.
TRUDEAU: It's all good. What we learned over the past couple of years is that global challenges have impacts domestically. COVID crisis was a
perfect example of disrupted supply chains that led to significant inflation challenges around the world. We made a promise to Canadians that
we'd have people's backs. And that's exactly what we've been focused on. The challenge right now of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, is having
ripple effects around the world.
Not just in energy prices, for Canadians and for people in Europe. But for people in the global south as well. Disruption of the U.N. Food Program,
disruptions that are happening that we are going to have to adjust to. We're going to have to make sure we are there for each other. And that is
the focus that we have as partners, but it's why we've all been reaching out around the world to talk with fellow leaders about the challenges
they're facing, the challenges their people are facing.
Because what we are learning about Russia's unreliability as a trading partner needs to be remembered. But we also have to work together to
provide substitutes, to provide alternatives. And of course, we need to move forward to decarbonizing our economies, but we need to do that in a
way that supports people through that process. And we're going to continue to doing that. In regards to Her Majesty I have -- I have the particular
privilege of having known her Majesty for about 45 years now.
And I can tell you that in my conversation with her this morning, she was as insightful and perspicacious, as ever. Very interested in what's going
on, asked me all sorts of questions about Canada and we had a really useful for me anyway, conversation about global events as we always do.
JOHNSON: Thanks very much, Justin. OK. Marieke Walsh from the -- from the Globe and Mail.
MARIEKE WALSH, THE GLOBE AND MAIL REPORTER: Good afternoon. Thank you. A few questions for all three of you. You're talking about this humanitarian
coalition. What exactly is that? What good will it do for the people of Ukraine concretely? And regarding sanctions, Prime Minister Trudeau is
announcing more today, but we haven't seen it actually change the behavior of Russia in Ukraine.
So, is enough being done on that? And Prime Minister Johnson, particularly for you, you spend more than the two percent target in NATO. Canada spends
well less. Is that acceptable to you?
[10:25:03]
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: Marieke, thank you very much. Look, yes. It's true. We spent about 2.4 percent now. But look, I -- and I think that Canada is a fantastic
ally, friend and partner. And I'm not going to make any comment on Canada's approach except to say this, I do think that the world is clearly changing.
And I think that what we can't do post the invasion of Ukraine is assume that we can go back to a kind of status quo ante.
A kind of new normalization in the way that we did after the invasion of Crimea in 2014, or the -- or the seizure of Crimea and the Donbas area.
We've got to recognize that things have changed. And that we need a new focus on our collective security. And I think that that is -- that is kind
of increasingly understood by everybody. And on your -- on your first point about what the humanitarian coalition.
Look, I mean, the whole world is now coming together to try to help avert a total catastrophe in Ukraine. It's already very, very grim. Indeed, we're
doing everything in our power to prevent it from getting from getting worse. And one of the most fun things is to look after people fleeing the
war zone, and all of us in our -- in our different ways are doing a lot of and you have heard the sums that we've announced today to help the
immediate vicinity.
And what we're doing to take people, I know that both the gentlemen of my - - here -- who are here with me, their countries have a fantastic record of humanitarian help.
RUTTE: Well, they're on defense spending, we decided early January, when the new team, the new cabinet started to ramp up defense spending by
billions of Euros. And that will bring us close to the two percent. And probably we need to do more, particularly given what has happened over the
last two weeks. But the Netherlands will spend a lot of extra money on defense. And I think why if you showed.
(INAUDIBLE) coalition, I think it is crucial that this is not only NATO, European Union working together, but there's the whole worlds coming
together to defend the basic values, and the international legal order as it has been established after the Second World War, and which is now being
challenged by one country invading the second biggest European nation, being Ukraine, being invaded by the biggest European nation.
So this is -- this is a huge event. And this has huge impact on the whole world. We have to bring together Africa, Latin America, Asia, everyone who
wants to be part of humanity, to be part of such a humanitarian coalition. And yes, I agree with you. The sanctions so far have not had the desired
effect. They have a huge effect on Russia. They are not against the Russians, but against Russian leadership.
But of course, it will have an effect unavoidably and ultimately also an inevitable Russians that that we cannot present. And I think longer term,
it will have a big impact on Russia. It'll also have an impact on how they will move forward. But you're absolutely right at the moment, in the short
term, it has not led to results that they stopped the invasion. That's true.
TRUDEAU: But that's why we are resolved in being there for the long term. The courage of Ukrainians and standing up to the Russian invaders, has
inspired and humbled us all. And we need to show ourselves as determined to push back against Putin, against the Kremlin, as hard as we can and as
effectively as we can. That's where we -- from the beginning, Boris and I and a couple of others were pushing so hard on SWIFT, on the central banks,
on the Russian Central Bank, including going after their ability to draw on their reserves.
Something that even a week ago, we didn't think would be in the cards. And yet, seeing just how strongly democracies around the world have stood and
responded, I think is a surprise to Putin, perhaps a little bit of a surprise to all of us as well, that we actually can stand and push back
really hard for the principles that drive us. And quite frankly, the unprecedented display of support of 141 countries that the United Nations
supporting this resolution means that as we move forward, this is of course, about Ukrainians and Ukraine.
But it's also about more than that. It's about standing up for the rules based order that has led to unprecedented peace and stability and growth
around the world over the past many decades. And the pushback that one like Russia, like Putin specifically cannot overthrow no 75 plus years of peace
and stability and still benefit from the economic (INAUDIBLE) growth that comes with that.
[10:30:17]
TRUDEAU: And that firmness is not just Western democracies like us. That is something that we've heard in our conversations, all three of us with
partners around the world, who don't have the same kinds of ties to Ukraine. But are very, very concerned about the violation of the rule of
law, the principle that suddenly might be right, once again. The principle of territorial integrity, respect for sovereignty, the kind of
neocolonialism that Vladimir Putin is trying to impose upon Ukrainians.
That's not going to fly and the strength and the resolve of countries around the world to say no, this is a moment to stand for democracy against
disinformation, misinformation, propaganda, and to stay true to these values that have led to respect and prosperity around the world that we
continue to need to fight for, including in many different parts of the world, whether it's Afghanistan, or elsewhere as well.
JOHNSON: Thank you, thank you, thank you.
TRUDEAU: OK. Excuse me (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, you've been listening to a press conference with the Prime Ministers of Canada and of the Netherlands
alongside the British Prime Minister. They are in London and the British Prime Minister said and I quote here, "That Putin has underestimated
Ukraine and its leadership and he has underestimated the resolve of the international community."
He said we must stay united to ensure that Putin fails with this catastrophic invasion of Ukraine, and he announced the formation of the
International Ukraine support group alongside his French -- sorry, his Dutch and Canadian counterparts to give as he described it long-term
support to Ukrainians and help ensure that Putin fails. It was, I have to say shortened details, but the British Prime Minister did announce 175
million pounds or $250 million in further aid to Ukraine.
Bringing the U.K.'s total contribution to around 400 million pounds or about $600 million. He was asked about refugees from Ukraine, the British
Prime Minister said the U.K. is determined to be a generous nation, as generous as we can to quote the prime minister. He said, "We are processing
thousands of applications" and the context here of course, is that U.K. has been criticized for not doing enough.
And he was asked about Europe's dependency on hydrocarbons from Russia. You can't simply close down the use of oil and gas overnight he said, even if
it is from Russia. We are looking at what we can do, he said, to substitute supply. And on that point, the Dutch Prime Minister suggested that the West
is stepping back from proposals for a ban on energy imports from Russia.
He said they must not make a mistake and make a manageable risk on energy supplies. So just some of what was said perhaps most important points that
were discussed in what was a press conference there at Downing Street. Taking a very short break. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:36:40]
ANDERSON: Relentless onslaught. Families shattered, lives ended. People fleeing and dying in a Russian invasion, the Ukrainian President calls
deliberate murder. Here is what we know this hour. Russian forces trying to move on port cities in southern Ukraine and attacking key cities to the
north is troops closing on the capital Kiev. Some cities now without water, food and heat. U.S. defense officials saying Russia has fired some 600
missiles into Ukraine since the start of the invasion.
Many of them hitting civilian targets. I'm going to show you now one example of the terror that Ukrainians are facing. It's from the town of
Irpin not far from Kiev. Russian tanks now taking positions in the city. You are about see the moment, a Russian military strike hit a family trying
to flee. And I must warn you The following video is very difficult to watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Two children among the eight people killed in attacks in Iprin on Sunday. And similar stories are being repeated in various cities and towns
across Ukraine. United Nations saying the civilian death toll has now topped 400.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice over): This video shows a missile roaring towards an airport southwest of the Capitol. President Zelenskyy saying that airport
has now been destroyed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: For all this, as a third round of ceasefire talks has started at an undisclosed location. The first two rounds of talks yielding no progress
despite hopes for the establishment of a stable evacuation corridors to allow civilians to flee without coming under attack. And we have learned
there's a possibility that Ukrainian and Russian Foreign Ministers could meet Thursday in Turkey with the Turkish foreign minister in attendance.
Well, in -- officials in the port city of Mykolaiv are warning residents to stay in shelters. The regional governor there saying the city has come
under Russian missile fire. Nick Paton Walsh reports on the fierce resistance that the city's fighters have been putting up. And again, I have
to warn you some of the images we are about to show you, you may find disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[10:40:06]
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Putin needs it but he's having real trouble getting it. Drive to the last Ukrainian position
outside the port city of Mykalaiv and you can see the mess made of the Kremlin's plans. Even the Z, Russian propaganda says it's from the
denotification they ridiculously claimed to be an acting is charged.
Its occupants captured or dead. Their missiles on display along with their names says the army of Russia. Further down this road are the rest of the
Russian tanks. But one was left behind. And now farmers, pensioners and bemused locals are picking it over. The model may be newer, but the empire
it seeks to restore is long gone.
(on camera): just saying it goes forward but doesn't turn around.
(voice over): The same can't be said for its crew who fled. The Ukrainians here a little gleeful, this keeps happening.
(on camera): Did they left the tank or --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They needed to do that.
WALSH: Right, OK. They didn't have much of a choice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're -- yes (INAUDIBLE)
[02:35:07]
WALSH: Then, a warning.
(on camera): Is that helicopter coming?
(voice over): A helicopter is spotted and we have to leave. Bringing up the Stinger. Rushing in the weapons. This David has hit the Russian Goliath
with again and again.
But the Kremlin is sure to impose a cost on anyone it can.
Grand rockets have slammed into homes regularly. This woman thinks she has broken her back. The house collapsed on me she says, and then they pulled
me out. There are no other patients in this hospital. All the injured treated here died in their beds we're told, including 153-year-old man
brought in on Sunday morning.
(on camera): Just here.
(voice over): Across town, the rockets apparent cluster munitions that seem to fall just anywhere.
(on camera): So, another rocket landed up the street here. From cars, to vegetable gardens. At the morgue, the toll is growing. At least 50 bodies
they told us, 20 of them incinerated in a Russian missile strike on the naval port of Ochakiv they said. The bodies so often of the elderly, who
would have survived being a Soviet citizen but not this. Russland has worked here for 13 days straight and is from Crimea where Russian state
propaganda still calls this a special operation against Nazis.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, you understand, I am from Crimea and my friends who live there think it's just like that. And I have to say that my former
friends you betray, you are supporting Putin who is a fascist, a real one. My family is hiding in the basement now because of you monsters. I'm
telling you it's really scary to watch it. My friends who are in Kyiv and Kharkiv and Sumy, they're sitting in the basements. And hiding because they
are being bombed by Russian missiles. When will it stop?
WALSH: They show us the corpse of a Russian soldier and ask us to fill him up close which we don't do. Loading here, set in deep and lasting with each
body in the ground.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was Nick Paton Walsh reporting there. Well, in a CNN exclusive, Moldova's prime minute has told us that every eighth child there
is now a refugee.
[10:45:04]
ANDERSON: The country which borders Ukraine of course has seen an influx of around 230,000 people since the war began. More than half of whom have
chosen to stay according to the Prime Minister. You are looking at people living in limbo in tent cities that have sprung up. Overall, the U.N. says
more than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded 12 days ago, with the crisis escalating at a pace that Europe has not seen in
decades.
Well, the Israeli government is preparing for what could be mass immigration from Ukraine. Officials there say more than 10,000 Israeli
citizens have now left Ukraine and Israel could become home to tens of thousands more Ukrainian Jews. Ukraine has a significant Jewish population
and under Israeli law, any Jew can request Israeli citizenship.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has emerged as a key mediator in this conflict. He spoke with Vladimir Putin multiple times over
the weekend, attempting to arrange a ceasefire. Let's bring in our Hadas Gold who is joining us from Jerusalem. At this stage, is there any real
sense of just how many Ukrainian Jews are or may try to become Israeli citizens and flee to Israel?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky officials have been telling me that they have been inundated with calls. They received tens of thousands
of calls. Because as you noted under Israel's Law of Return, anybody who was Jewish or even just has a Jewish grandparent is eligible along with
their entire family for Israeli citizenship. Ukraine has a pretty large Jewish population and so officials here are preparing for potentially a
wave of immigration that they have not seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Yesterday, three planes full of Ukrainian immigrants arrived on special flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. One of them included a plane of
90 Jewish-Ukrainian orphans. We met some of the families who came off those flights, many of them were mothers traveling with just their children
because the men had to be left, behind because men of fighting age cannot leave Ukraine.
Many of them told us stories of how they had to travel for days before they could reach Poland and the special flights out. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LENA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE: I really hope he'll -- he can come to us. But he is helping right now. And I hope it will stop soon and we can be together.
GOLD: How does it feel to come here having been through what you've been through for so many days?
TOABIA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE: I think I'm still shaking, because I've seen horror and in front of our house, the Russian plane, it was hits. So it was
really dangerous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: And Israeli officials say they're also trying to work to remove bureaucratic hurdles to make it easier for Ukrainians not eligible under
the Law of Return, so non-Jews to be able to enter Israel and find safety. Israeli officials estimate that by the end of the month, they may be
welcoming in something like 15,000 Ukrainians into the country. Becky?
ANDERSON: The Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over the weekend certainly emerging as a key go between in this conflict. At this point do we have any
idea whether he is making any progress?
GOLD: Well, there's been lots of action over the past few days. On Saturday, Naftali Bennett made that surprise unannounced trip to Moscow
where he met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin for three hours. We also know that he's been in close contact with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
speaking to him at least three times in the past couple of days. But yesterday ahead of his cabinet meeting, Naftali Bennett did not exactly
strike an optimistic note when speaking about these negotiations, saying that they will continue to assist as requested.
He said, even if the chance is not great once there was a small crack and we have access to all sides and the ability that they see it as their moral
duty to make every effort. We know that yesterday Bennett spoke once again with Vladimir Putin. And in the next hour or so, the Israeli Foreign
Minister Yair Lapid will be meeting with Secretary of State -- with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top of the agenda will of course
be the situation in Ukraine. Becky?
ANDERSON: Hadas Gold is in Jerusalem for us. Thank you, Hadas. And of course you can find out how you can help (INAUDIBLE) cnn.com/impact is
where you can find. And awful lot of information. Please do use that site. We're taking a very short break. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:51:34]
ANDERSON: Well, American Brittney Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the best female basketball players in the world has been
arrested by Russian authorities at an airport outside of Moscow. Now Griner was taken into custody after Russia says cannabis oil was found in her
luggage. Let's get the latest from CNN's World Sport's Amanda Davies. Amanda.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Thanks, Becky. Yes. As you said Griner, a two-time American Olympic basketball champion, she could face up
to 10 years in prison if she's convicted. The seven-time WNBA All-Star plays basketball in the offseason in Russia, and according to the Russian
Federal Customs Service was detained last month after they found vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil in her luggage.
Reports of the incident only emerged after a New York Times story at the weekend but Griner remains in custody. And U.S. Congressman John Garamendi
painted a dark picture about the situation on CNN's "NEW DAY."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): It's going to be very difficult. Our diplomatic relationships with Russia are non-existent at the moment. Perhaps during
the various negotiations that may take place. She might be able to be one of the solutions. I don't know. It's also, Russia has some very very strict
LGBT rules and laws that may be part of this also.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIES: Well, Griner's wife Cherelle spoke out on Instagram on Sunday saying in part, I love my wife wholeheartedly. So, this message comes
during one of the weakest moments of my life. I understand many of you have grown to love B.G over the years and have concerns and want details. Please
honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely.
Meanwhile, the International Gymnastics Federation has called for disciplinary proceedings to be opened against Russian artistic gymnast Ivan
Kuliak after the 20-year-old displayed a symbol in support of the invasion of Ukraine on a medals podium this weekend. The FIG called Kuliak's move at
the apparatus World Cup in Qatar. Shocking behavior. He wore a letter Zed or Z on the front of his outfit as he stood on the podium to collect his
bronze medal alongside Ukraine's Ilya Cofton, who claimed gold.
Russian forces have used the letter as an identifying symbol on their tanks and vehicles in Ukraine.
Well, just a week after sheltering from Russian bombings in an underground carpark in Ukraine tennis player Dayana Yastremska finished runner up in
the Leon Open and said she's donating her prize money to help support her homeland (INAUDIBLE) spoke of being woken up by bombs when Russia invaded
Ukraine and only arrived in Leon last Saturday. Having escaped with her 15- year-old sister, Ivanna.
She was beaten in the final by three sets by China's Zhang Shuai. But afterwards, drapes in the Ukrainian flag tearfully addressed the French
crowd and sent a message to those back at home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAYANA YASTREMSKA, UKRAINIAN TENNIS PLAYER: It's been a very emotional week for me, and it's pretty hard but in the finals today, I think I didn't have
enough emotions in power and -- well, I didn't know what to say. I don't know how to describe it but I tried my best.
[10:55:16]
YASTREMSKA: I give it all and I think I didn't have enough attention for today's finals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIES: Incredibly emotional scenes with a huge support from the tennis community. But for now, back to you, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. You got a feel for her and you really have. Thank you, Amanda. We're going to take a very short break. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:00:00]
END