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Target Shelling Targets Ukraine's Capital; Fourth Round Of Ceasefire Talks Today; U.S. Warns China About Offering Any Lifeline To Russia. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired March 14, 2022 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:42]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to our expanded edition of CONNECT THE WORLD. This hour, Ukraine's
capital now in the crosshairs of Russian shelling. One of the targets hit, an apartment building in Kiev, at least one person killed there. More
evidence. Russian forces directed by their president are targeting civilians in an unprovoked war that Vladimir Putin appears to be
escalating. And Russia's offensive has moved perilously close to a NATO country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice over): Well, missiles hit a military base near Lviv not far from Poland's border. Local officials report nearly three dozen dead and
more than 130 injured in that attack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: But Ukrainian negotiator meantime says a fourth round of ceasefire talks is now underway. This session being virtually the first
three face-to-face meetings yielded little to no progress. Those talks now on pause we're told until tomorrow. The city of Mariupol meantime in the
country's southeast also under heavy aerial bombardment. This drone video shows the scale of the damage.
Now officials estimate 2500 civilians have died there. Survivors have no electricity, no water or heat. late Sunday, officials said a large
humanitarian aid convoy was still stuck locally 80 kilometers to the west. This city is surrounded by Russian troops and Russian-backed separatists.
And now according to Russian-state media, a land corridor has been established to connect Mariupol to Crimea.
And that will allow troops in Crimea to join forces with Russian-backed rebels in what is the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.
But among those who died in the besieged city of Mariupol, the pregnant woman who was photographed in the aftermath of last week's horrific attack
on a hospital. Her image circulated around the world. You'll have seen it. The surgeon who tried to save the woman and her baby told Ukrainian
television there were efforts to resuscitate each of them for over half an hour, but they both died.
Also emerging from that bombing, a story of survival. This image was also circulated widely of another pregnant woman being rescued. She survived the
attack and her family confirmed to CNN that she has since given birth to a baby girl.
We will be on the ground in Kiev in just a few minutes to get you the very latest. First up though U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan has
met with China's top diplomat in Rome. Now the two men held crucial talks a day after CNN learned from two U.S. officials that Russia has asked China
for military support, including drones and for economic aid for its war in Ukraine. Both China and Russia deny that request was made.
Well, ahead of the meeting in Rome, some of them warned China there will be consequences if it helps Russia in its war. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE SULLIVAN, U.N. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We are communicating directly privately to Beijing that there will absolutely be consequences
for large scale sanctions, evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them. We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline
to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country anywhere in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, our correspondents following the latest for you, David Culver is live in Shanghai. Ben Wedeman is in Rome. And let's start with
you, Ben. What are we hearing from this meeting?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So far, absolutely nothing, Becky. The participants have been very tight lipped. But we do
know that this meeting between a Sullivan and Yang Jiechi who is the director of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Foreign Affairs Committee
was planned prior to the outbreak of hostilities in the Ukraine.
[10:05:06]
WEDEMAN: Now, as we heard from Mr. Sullivan on CNN yesterday, he's going to press the fact that there will be consequences if any country China
included, tries to evade sanctions or backstop Russia in any way trying to get around those sanctions. And it is important to note that China does
have a lot to lose by souring relations with, for instance, the United States and the European Union which are China's two biggest trading
partners.
Now, Russia sells weapons to China. It's really in that direction, not the other way around. But Russia is in terms of sort of economies of scale, a
relatively unimportant country in terms of GDP in 2020, for instance, Russia was somewhere between South Korea and Brazil. So clearly, the
Chinese don't want to completely alienate the United States or the E.U. in this current conflict between Russia and the Ukraine. Becky?
ANDERSON: Well, Jake Sullivan there in Rome talking to his Chinese counterpart. And David, you're in Shanghai for us tonight. What's the view
from China on this?
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Becky, I think it's interesting what Ben pointed out as to the fact that nothing has really come out of
this meeting for one. This high-level meeting between Yang Jiechi who, by the way, is a top foreign policy official here in China, so high up that is
seen as one of the few key advisors to President Xi Jinping. And of course, with his counterpart Jake Sullivan in the U.S.
So, given how high level both of these individuals are, and the fact that not much has trickled out, perhaps suggested in the days or even weeks
ahead, we could see something substantive coming out of this meeting. Now, they were really trying to tamp it down any sort of expectations ahead of
this, saying that this was long planned, and that this was not going to be focused entirely on Ukraine that we know that was certainly on the agenda.
Now, one of the things that China has been having to deal with throughout this crisis has been balancing between their relationship, between Russia,
a friendship that President Putin and President Xi have. One that President Xi has described as his best friend referring to Putin, and yet at the same
time, trying to show that they're neutral peacekeepers in all of this. They're trying to portray themselves even as global peacekeeper.
Saying they couldn't mediate between Ukraine and Russia. The trouble is going to be as this war continues to go forward, can China maintain that
place of neutrality? A lot of experts look at this and say, in the coming days and weeks, they're going to have to take a stance perhaps sooner than
later. Now, when we look at these reports coming out of the U.S., U.S. officials saying that Russia turned to China and said, hey, we need help,
we need military and economic aid.
China has denied that, Russia has denied that, China going a step further saying this is the U.S. spreading disinformation, peddling lies or redo
some of what the Chinese Embassy in D.C. had to say. They went on to say, "The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or
even getting out of control." They go on to say China calls for exercising utmost restraint and preventing a massive humanitarian crisis.
Now, one thing that plays into this next move by China, if there is a move, which a lot of folks say there has to be something sooner than later, is
which direction do they go? Do they go inciting Becky with Russia and in doing so isolating themselves in Russia from -- as Ben pointed out, their
biggest trading partners? You look at the E.U. and U.S. combined, nearly $1.5 trillion in 2021 compared to roughly 150 billion with Russia.
So, that's going to be a huge economic loss. But in doing so, that would suggest that President Xi has chosen ideology over economics. And the
result would play out quite negatively, certainly from an economic perspective, domestically here in China. The other round, of course, is
that they tried to help defuse the Ukraine crisis, tried to save face with Russia and more importantly, try to maintain their trade partners
relationships with the E.U. and the U.S.
And that could Becky helped the Chinese emerge out of all of this looking rather positive, and they are looking for some of that good P.R.,
especially after the COVID crisis. And the outbreak left them with a lot of negative perceptions around the world really.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. David, thank you for that. And Ben is in Rome following those talks. So, both of you, thank you. Well, our chief
international correspondent Clarissa Ward connecting us from the ground now in Kiev.
And Clarissa, more evidence, Russian forces directed by their president targeting civilians in what is this unprovoked war that Putin appears to be
escalating.
[10:10:11]
ANDERSON: What's going on around the Capitol where you are?
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Becky, there's been a lot of fighting today. It has been pretty much nonstop. It's
actually quiet at this moment. But it's been pretty nonstop for most of the day. A lot of what sound like fierce battles with artillery going back and
forth coming from that direction. Earlier on, we also heard a few explosions coming from this direction.
We understand that those explosions were the result of Ukrainian air defense missiles being launched, intercepting something we don't know what
exactly. But the shrapnel that fell to the ground as a result of that being intercepted has led to some damage here in the capital scenes of a city bus
with a lot of damage and also a street not clear yet if there were civilian casualties. There were some casualties earlier this morning when a Russian
shell hit a residential apartment building.
This is in a district or suburb called Obolon, which is actually not that far from the city center. It's just five stops or so on the metro
underground. Remarkably, if you're looking at that video, only one person was killed in this attack. Several others were injured and taken to the
hospital. You can imagine how many people could have been killed. It's important for our viewers to remember though, that a lot of people have
already left the city.
According to the mayor, some half of Kiev residents have already left the city because of the continued fighting here. And really also not just
because of the fighting, Becky, but because of the fear that Russian forces are essentially trying to encircle this city. And to cut it off, cut off
all food supplies, all humanitarian aid, medicines, things of that nature. The mayor has also said that Kiev has enough food supplies to last roughly
two weeks, if that were to happen.
So far, the Russian forces, you know, are sort of all around the top half, if you will, all the way over to the east but the south is still relatively
free in terms of moving in and out. So, that siege may not be imminent but Ukrainian authorities definitely believe it is the sort of key objective
for Russian forces at this point.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Before I let you go, you said that there's an awful lot going on not just around Kiev but around the country. We are also
getting word of a missile strike in Donetsk that has caused multiple casualties. What do we know at this point?
WARD: So, we don't know a huge amount because Donetsk is obviously one of the breakaway republics controlled by pro-Russian separatists. But CNN has
been able to geo locate some of the videos that have been uploaded from there which do appear to show at least several fatalities in the center of
the city, in a sort of civilian area of the city, if you will. Now, what's interesting is that the Denis Pushilin who is the head of this sort of
breakaway Republic has claimed that 20 people were killed.
We're not able to verify that he claims it was a Ukrainian missile that was used. But he also said that the missile was intercepted. And that's key
because it may indicate that the target was actually some other target that we just don't know. But that the act of intercepting the missile then led
to basically it falling out of the sky and causing a huge amount of damage and what appears to be some considerable civilian casualties as well.
It's very difficult for us to verify information in that part of the country, though, because journalists are not allowed to report freely
there. And so, we're continuing to try to gather whatever information we can glean, trying to use those social media videos, verify them, geo locate
them, and get a better sense of the scale of the damage, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Clarissa, yhank you. Clarissa is in Kiev in Ukraine today for you. Well, Ukraine's president has called on foreign
fighters to join him in the fight against Russia. Now, thousands with and without combat experience are jumping in. Jim Sciutto has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): One of the bloodiest wars in Europe since World War II is drawing thousands of
foreigners to join the fight. Cavy (ph), he goes by his military callsign tells us he is a Canadian and veteran of the war in Afghanistan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When Putin rattled the nuclear saber. He threatened the whole world with fire.
[10:15:03]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Canada's right in between the U.S. and Russia through all these missiles that he threatening with are going to be flying over.
So, that's what brings me here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Cavy is far from alone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is more than 20,000 of this military serving all over the Ukraine.
SCIUTTO: Roman (ph), he asked, we don't show his face for his security. That's the backgrounds of all foreign volunteers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many of them had a very good experience even in hotspots. Yes, serving in hotspot. So -- but now maybe, nowadays, there are
less of these experienced soldiers and more -- many of them are more volunteers. They have some military experience serving in peacetime.
SCIUTTO: Their resumes range from combat experience to no military training at all. Ryan (ph) a 25-year-old from Minnesota says he served two years
with the Marines in Okinawa, Japan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a U.S. Marine. If I have to die to help these people I will.
SCIUTTO: Oscar (ph) from Sweden has no formal military training.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here to help people. Hopefully, it's going to be over even before we reach the phones, before we even need to fire a bullet
or save someone with medical resources. You know, that's the best for everyone. But if that's what it comes to, we'll be there.
SCIUTTO: David (ph), 33 from Canada says he can help fix tires to keep Ukrainian military vehicles on the road.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it's black and brown and made out of rubber, I can fix it. And one of the most important things in the gears of war is keeping
it moving.
SCIUTTO: All volunteers get at least some training. But while some can contribute on the battlefield, others may never see combat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some of them don't need this training and some do. And some, as I am being told by the military, some of them remain there in this
military unit because they are not apt to this military service and they just - they can't go to the war.
SCIUTTO: One additional concern, the risks of deploying and arming thousands of foreign fighters around the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They might be dangerous because such people are always dangerous but we try to check them, we try to check their biography, we try
to check their past as best we can do.
SCIUTTO: One definite an urgent need for the Ukrainian military are volunteers with combat medical experience. That's what brought Skye Barkley
(ph), a U.S. Marine and missionary to Ukraine, along with six other Americans.
You enrolled after 9/11 imagining I suppose the war was going to be there. Did you ever imagine yourself witnessing a war in Ukraine, in Europe?
SKYE BARKLEY, U.S. MARINE: No. And it's totally different. This does not compare to a slow simmering insurgency. It doesn't even compare to what we
saw with ISIS because you're talking about the -- I mean, the sheer amount of missiles being, you know, launched across the country, the ability of
the Russians to reach out across hundreds and hundreds of kilometers and kill from that kind of distance.
SCIUTTO: Mattie (ph), another member of Skye's medical team is a travel nurse from Missouri, here to help and willing to put her life on the line
to do it, as she's done before in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Where (INAUDIBLE) little bit but I just -- I just have a heart for these people. Like I just really want to help them. I
don't see my life more valuable than their life.
SCIUTTO: Ukrainian officials make clear this is not a calling for adventurers or weekend warriors. It is service against a massive and
ruthless invading army. And thousand have already answered the call.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That's Jim Sciutto reporting there. Coming up. Russian police clamping down on those who dare to speak out against Putin's invasion of
Ukraine. The shocking number of arrests made over the weekend is coming up.
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[10:21:11]
ANDERSON: Protestors across Russia standing up and speaking out against the brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. And now, police even cracking
down on those who don't say anything at all. According to Reuters, this man in southern Russia was arrested for simply holding up a blank piece of
paper. More protesters are being detained for their defiance. And independent human rights group reports that 850 people were arrested in
anti-war demonstrations across Russia on Sunday alone.
Nearly 15,000 have been detained in dozens of cities since this invasion began just more than two weeks ago, including journalists. Meanwhile,
Russia's embassy in the U.S. denying a report that Western companies operating in Russia are being threatened if they are critical of the
government.
Let's bring in CNN's Nina Dos Santos live in London. Two things going on here. We are seeing the on the ground protests and the swindling action by
Russian authorities against those who speak out and reports that Western companies are also facing serious issues. What do we know about this?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, crackdown on free speech. That, of course, is very much in full swing in Russia against Russian people. But
then also there's a crackdown, when it comes to freedom of speech in terms of company values for international Western firms still doing business in
Russia. Becky, obviously, our viewers will be familiar with the fact that hundreds of western firms have pulled out of Russia over the last two weeks
in protest at the invasion of Ukraine.
And there's huge pressure on those companies that are still remaining there. Because obviously, there's been the support in the Wall Street
Journal over the course of the weekend, citing a number of unnamed individuals who said that for security reasons, they didn't want to go on
the record about this subject, that western firms executives still operating in Russia facing visits and led by -- potentially by security
service personnel and letters from prosecutors saying that they may face action if they speak out against what is happening in Ukraine.
Either themselves, or their company does. So, it's a very worrying situation for western firms operating there at the moment. And he makes me
think back to the days when Bob Dudley of B.P. had to leave after Of course, B.P. had difficulties with its Russian shareholders and its joint
venture over there. This is a scenario that oil executives know very well, but it is much, much bigger than that now, Becky.
ANDERSON: Western companies that have been dumping out of Russia at a rapid pace and the reality of these sanctions now starting to bite as we see
that. We are beginning to get a picture of the scope of the impact. And just how clear is it at this point? Sanctions are one thing as they're
announced by the Western governments but it's this trickle down, isn't it? What -- it's once we see the companies acting that we get the true sense,
Nina?
DOS SANTOS: Yes, that's right. And the whole point here is that this is about changing the lifestyles of ordinary Russians whose lifestyles have
become much, much different to the days of the end of the Soviet Union that Vladimir Putin will remember many what -- young individuals in Russia are
used to buying all of these types of western brands that we see here on our screen at the moment.
For the moment because of the invasion in Ukraine they can't do so but also their money just doesn't stretch, as far as it used to. The ruble has
devalued precipitously in the double digits. The stock market's been suspended for Russian shares, and many people not sanctioned individually.
Just ordinary Russians saying they can't use their credit cards, they can't access money from abroad this is really impacting people's day to day
lives.
[10:25:08]
DOS SANTOS: And the hope there as we've been saying for the last couple of weeks is that from the west is that it's this gradual tightening of the
economic purse strings that will get ordinary Russians to realize how economically isolated the country is because of Vladimir Putin's foreign
policy and his military adventurism in another sovereign country, Ukraine. The big question mark at the end of the day, though, is how much China will
step up and make the difference here?
And we know that there's been a report over the course of the weekend, suggesting that Russia may have asked China for military assistance. But
there's other assistance as well, potentially, it could ask China for Becky, that could be in helping paying its bills, if it can't access money,
say here in Europe or in the United States and crucially for components for technology and automotive parts to, Becky.
So, China will reinforce its economic relationship with Russia here, but it'll take a long time to make up that gap for the moment. Becky?
ANDERSON: Nina Dos Santos on the story for you. Thank you, Nina. Well, moving millions through a warzone ahead. How Ukraine's railway system is
getting people out and getting aid in. It's a massive and often dangerous operation. More than that is coming up.
And then inside Vladimir Putin's war, one of our senior political reporters looks at why the Russian leader appears willing to escalate its brutal
human toll even further.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. It's 6:30 or just before in the evening in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Addison live from our Middle East programming hub. This is
CONNECT THE WORLD. And as the fighting and shutting intensify, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians as you will be well aware now are picking up and
leaving their homes every single day. U.N. now says as a total of 2.8 million people. That is nearly three million people have left Ukraine since
the war began just over two weeks ago.
Most of them are ending up in Poland and other countries in Europe. At least two million others are currently internally displaced in Ukraine.
Look, despite the hardships, these children are managing to have some fun playing with shelter volunteers. Well, this mass migration they're playing
out most prominently at Ukraine's railway station. CNN's Scott McLean is seeing these comings and goings in Lviv.
A popular stopover for these refugees. I use a term popular obviously, loosely. Joining us now, Scott. Thank you.
[10:30:02]
ANDERSON: We've seen how crucial these trains have been for those trying to get out and obviously the aid coming in but the train workers themselves,
as I understand it, you know, can and are a target. How does this massive operation continue despite these dangers?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky this has been one of the most surprising aspects of the war that they can -- that the trains continue to
run. They are getting aid in and people out. And as you mentioned, Ukrainian railways say that the tracks, the bridges are targets for the
Russians. They are targeted on a daily basis and they believe that the trains management team is also a target and so they are staying in constant
motion.
We got exclusive T.V. access to this situation room on wheels where we found that few of the executives have any military experience but they are
commanding. There are more than 200,000 employees like their country depends on it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCLEAN (voice over): First light in Ternopil, Ukraine is the rising sun. The city's lights have been kept off since the war began, more than two
weeks that have exhausted, overwhelmed and completely upended normal life. But through it all, Ukraine's rail network has kept running.
Every morning, railways executives led by 37-year-old Oleksander Kamyshin gather for a morning call.
No cell phones, no Zoom, just a Soviet era closed circuit phone system that connects every station. It won't stay here long. They can't. They believe
they're a prime Russian target.
OLEKSANDER KAMYSHIN, UKRAINIAN RAILWAY CEO: This threatens us to move fast so that they don't catch it.
MCLEAN: How long can you stay in one place?
KAMYSHIN: Hours.
MCLEAN: Instead, their work managing 231,000 employees continues on a single car train headed west for now. Often their work is aboard ordinary
passenger trains to blend in with the masses. Since the war began, they've been in near constant motion, crisscrossing the country to keep the
Russians guessing. The decision to leave their headquarters in Kiev was made in the early morning hours of February 24th.
Kamyshin snapped one last picture with his two young kids. One still asleep.
Are they still in Ukraine? How does that make you feel?
KAMYSHIN: For me, it's easier when they know that they're safe. And I have time to do my job.
MCLEAN: The country's rail network one of the largest in the world has been a lifeline in war, moving desperately needed supplies in and desperate
people out of danger. More than two million since the invasion began.
Schedules are drawn up the night before and changed in response to panic scenes like this one in Kharkiv or in Lviv in the early days of war.
How on earth have people still been able to use the trains in a war zone?
KAMYSHIN: That's something which is surprising for the whole country and for the president as well.
MCLEAN: Surprising because every day the network is hit by Russian bombs. Small damage breaks the link between cities temporarily down to bridge
indefinitely. Near Kharkiv an undetonated. bomb fell right next to the tracks.
ROMAN CHERNETSKYI, UKRAINIAN RAILWAY DIRECTOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SPECIAL PROJECTS (through translator): We are reacting and repairing a railway even
under artillery shelling every day. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues have been killed and injured during shelling.
MCLEAN: Thirty-three killed, 24 injured and counting.
(on camera): The difficulty working aboard a moving train is that the cellphone signal is not always great. Now they do have Starlink internet
systems now courtesy of Elon Musk but they barely ever turn them on because they say it makes it easier for the Russians to target their location.
(voice over): The Russians have taken control of rail links in cities like beseiged Mariupol, Sumy, Kherson and Chernihiv. But for now, all of the
major hubs are still connected by Ukrainian rail. How bad would it be if the Russians took these major stations?
KAMYSHIN: Really bad. Don't ask them how bad but really bad.
MCLEAN: When the train reaches Lviv, Kamyshin makes a quick visit to the main station. And more calls and meetings and a message for the rest of the
world.
KAMYSHIN: What we can do we already do. What West can do, close the sky and all the rest will do ourselves.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCLEAN: Now in peacetime, normally the trains race along at up to 160 kilometers per hour but in war they've been slowed down significantly and
that is for two reasons. First is that they are packing these trains extremely tight. You've seen those images of people packing the aisles and
standing in the doorway pressed up against the window that is because they want to get as many people moving as they possibly can.
[10:35:06]
MCLEAN: The other reason is that -- is that because the conductors are obviously worried about running into track damage, and so in both cases,
they don't want the train to derail and they certainly don't want them to derail with that many people on them. So, in most parts of the country,
Becky, those trains go only 60 kilometers per hour. One other thing to mention quickly, obviously, we're in Lviv right now.
And it looks like a beautiful day in any European capital. And that's very much how it feels right now. People have -- the weather's a little bit
milder, the sun has been shining all day. There's been musicians playing here. But people are also very aware of what's happening around them. For
the last several days, we've been hearing air raid signs, at least once or twice per day, the latest bombing campaign over the weekend struck just
about 30 miles from here, not too far from the Polish border.
And one person that I have been keeping in contact that I actually met coming into this country who has a nine-year-old son, this woman told me
that she would only take her son out of the country if she felt it was absolutely necessary. And if Lviv didn't feel safe, today, she took her son
on a bus to Poland, Becky. So, you can bet that there are plenty of other people with the same idea to get out.
ANDERSON: Sure. And yet, as you rightly point out, we can see people moving around him in what looks like a relatively normal sort of city location.
You have to applaud the resilience of those who are just living through this Thank you.
Well, the refugee crisis intensifies, only one person appears to be in a position right now to call a halt to this war and that is Vladimir Putin.
And even with the west, trying to build pressure inside his regime by seizing the fortunes of what are known as the oligarchs who's surrounding
the Kremlin assault on Ukraine is ramping up in a conflict that may be critical to Russian leaders ability to stay in power.
Our CNN's politics senior reporter writes, I'm quoting here. The Russian president is escalation of his vicious onslaught over the weekend taking
the conflict close to NATO territory in Poland suggests that he is nowhere near ready for a ceasefire.
Well, we are into a fourth round of talks that they've been suspended for the day. That's certainly the reporting on it. You got to wonder who has
Vladimir Putin's ear at present. Who is he listening to if anyone? CNN's Stephen Collinson joining me now from Washington, D.C. Steven, you write
the one man started this war, and only one man can end it. That's a sentiment echoed by governments around the world, not least, that of
Turkey.
Have a listen to what Turkey's presidential spokesman told me last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IBRAHIM KALIN, TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERON: The final decision to end this war will have to come from President Putin. All other technical and
political discussions are important, they will prepare their way for that final meeting or comprehensive meeting and decision to take place. But at
the end of the day, it's President Putin who will make the final call on this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Ibrahim Kalin dream talking to me and that was after the talks between the Russian Foreign Minister and the Ukrainian Foreign
Minister had got nowhere effectively in Turkey. So, herein lies the issue. This is on President Putin at this point. And Steve, and the world knows
that. Don't they?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Right. And I think the worrying situation over the weekend is that these escalations that took
place, the bombing of the base near the Polish border. The absolute devastation being visited on cities on Ukraine suggests that for all the
costs that have been imposed, Russia has been made a economic and diplomatic pariah.
There are massive civilian casualties and refugee exoduses in Ukraine. And there are a heavy Russian casualties from what we're hearing. President
Putin at this point appears to be willing to continue to pay this price to get to whatever his goals are in Ukraine. And while it seems to outsiders
that, you know, this is a strategic and economic disaster for Russia, from the thin calculus of President Putin stopping Ukraine from joining the west
and from inconveniencing and hurting western powers in an attempt to sort of rollback some of the post-cold war era and security framework, it seems
that Putin believes still that he can still reach his goals whatever the cost.
ANDERSON: As far as anyone can tell, he is listening to or certainly taking advice from if at all, a very few people. It's less than sort of triangular
hierarchy as it is. I think I heard somebody described it over the weekend as a sort of poll and, you know, with five or six key stakeholders in his
inner circle.
[10:40:10]
ANDERSON: Outside of that, and in another dimension to this crisis, perhaps, is China, the U.S. warning Beijing not to offer Russia a lifeline.
That is after reported requests from Moscow to help militarily and politically. That's been knocked back, by the way by Beijing. You write and
I quote, "The request could be read as a sign of increasing Russian desperation. Any Chinese aid to Moscow would also magnify the strategic
significance of the war in Ukraine and could enshrine the longtime U.S. nightmare of a strategic compact between Beijing and Moscow at a time when
China is looming as America's major superpower rival of the 21st century."
Look, I mean, it's clear that there is a street -- a strategic relationship between Beijing and Moscow. It -- at this point it's just about what China
will be prepared to do to sort of, you know, re up its position in all of this. What do you -- what's the received thinking here? What do you believe
China's next move will be?
COLLINSON: I think there's a lot of hope in Washington that China is one of the few powers that could influence Putin's thinking, given the fact that
he's so isolated everywhere else. We have these talks today in Rome between the U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese
officials which the U.S. is going to try to deliver this message that China shouldn't bail Russia out here, particularly economically.
I think a lot of it does come down to the fact that China has different interests here. Clearly, it is interested in the U.S. being bogged down in
Europe to make the American pivot to Asia more difficult. It is also interested in seeing, you know, Russia challenge the United States, but it
has its own economic interests here as well. If Russia -- if China starts to get hurt, that's when it might start to move a little bit more strongly
against Russia.
ANDERSON: You got to wonder what sort of leverage the U.S. has over China in any discussions not least that between Jake Sullivan and his --[ and his
Chinese counterpart at present. Good stuff. Thank you very much indeed. Stephen Collinson there.
(INAUDIBLE) meanwhile in America newsletter, which we often quote here, we often put Stephen on. It's a terrific read. You should try that one to
cnn.com. Coming up after the break, Chelsea players score a win. After controversial Russia owner Roman Abramovich gets pushed out. We'll get the
latest from London after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: Russia's invasion of Ukraine cast a shadow on Chelsea's match in the Premier League this weekend. Perhaps not surprisingly.
[10:45:01]
ANDERSON: But as (INAUDIBLE) fans were criticized for chanting the name of the club's controversial Russian owner Roman Abramovich that coming after
he was disqualified of course as director of Chelsea by the League on Saturday. Watching CNN's World Sports Amanda Davies. Amanda, not just
Chelsea of course but their opponents also drawing ire or criticism as a result of their ownership. Just explain what's going on here.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Yes. The spotlight on this game very much, Becky, for the wrong reasons that had been built by many as the
Premier League's game of shame pitching. The Saudi Arabian owned Newcastle United against the Chelsea side playing at home for the first time since
sanctions were imposed by the U.K. government against Russian owner Roman Abramovich.
But where some emerged as tone deaf to world events. Once again, the Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel wasn't afraid to put things into perspective.
Acknowledging the challenges that so many people are facing during the war in Ukraine and insisting his side do have a responsibility to fight for
those who aren't so privileged. There was no hiding what his size victory meant to him at the end of the game.
And when Kai Havertz found the game winning goal just two minutes from time in front of the 52,000 fans watching on at Stamford Bridge. Have a look at
that. The relief clear to see with Tuchel side securing the three points with so many questions remaining as to what the future holds.
Well, West Ham's Andre Yarmolenko was overcome with emotion after helping his side to victory on Sunday. And the Ukrainians first appearance since
the Russian invasion of his country. The 32-year-old hadn't played for David Moyes' team for a month but was pictured on the front of the matchday
program for this one and was given a standing ovation from both sets of fans when he came off the bench in the 51st minute.
It took him less than 20 minutes to make the breakthrough to put West Ham a goal up. And look at that. So, what it meant to both him and his teammates
on route to their two-one victory over Aston Villa.
ANDRIY YARMOLENKO, WEST HAM WINGER: It's sort of difficult for me right now in this moment to -- thinking about the football because every day in my
country, Russia -- Russian's army kill Ukrainian -- the Ukrainian's people and it also so emotional.
DAVIES: Tom Brady shocks the sporting world on Sunday night announcing his comeback from retirement. And Manchester United fans are crediting
Cristiano Ronaldo with having something to do with it. Brady was there at Old Trafford on Saturday to watch Ronaldo score a hat trick. The 37-year-
old's first Premier League hattrick in 14 years as Manchester United beat Tottenham three-two.
Afterwards, the pair posted pictures of their meeting on social media. And just hours later, 44-year-old Brady revealed he's reversed, his decision to
retire and is set to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for next season. So, for more we can cross live to CNN Center and join my CNN Sport
colleague, nine-year NFL veteran Coy Wire. Coy, great to see you as always. I mean, talk about a U-turn after just 40 days in retirement.
How surprised are you given what Tom Brady had said previously?
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I mean, I'm not surprised one bit. He had cited, you know, more family time as one of the major reasons that he's
going to step away from the game. But this is one of the most competitive athletes we've ever seen in the history of sports. So, how can you park the
car? Throw in the keys when he has so much premium octane still left in the tank. He threw for more yards last season than he has in any other season
of his illustrious career.
His team, the Bucks they lost to the Rams barely in the playoffs by three points. The Rams then went on to win the Super Bowl. So, you know, that
just had to eat Tom Brady alive. He's got a stacked roster that he can come back to and potentially win an eighth Super Bowl title. He -- his seven are
already more than any franchise in the history of the league and history may be on his side in this comeback.
Over -- since 2013, Amanda, look at this. He's lost a playoff game and then come back to win the Super Bowl the very next season. So, for this upcoming
season Bucs fans may be some of the happiest on the planet right now. Perhaps the most disgruntled fan on the planet though. Amanda, would be the
man who spent more than half a million dollars for Tom Brady's final touchdown pass that he threw.
Bought in auction just the day before this news came out. I'm sure he has quite a bit of beef with Tom Brady perhaps.
DAVIES: It's a great story to tell. I'm not sure what it says that, you know, 40 days family time is enough for (INAUDIBLE) heading back to the
field. But anyway, Coy, as ever great to speak to you.
WIRE: You too.
DAVIES: That is it though from myself and the World Support team for now. Back to you, Becky.
[10:50:06]
ANDERSON: I'm glad something good came out of that game, Amanda, thank you for that. Amanda Davies is in the house. When we come back, saving the
beauty and heritage of Ukraine. A conversation with the government minister charged with protecting it in the face of Russia's war.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, the most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history. So said George Orwell
in his famous novel in 1984. Well, Ukraine's minister of culture has been vocal in pointing out that Russia is destroying Ukrainian cultural sites.
in the last 14 days or so, Russian forces shall be assumption Cathedral in Kharkiv. You can see it here as well as the buildings of Kharkiv National
University of Arts.
This is not the first time that it cut Ukraine's cultural heritage has been targeted. Here are images from 1943. The lonely tower showing in the
distance. That is the cathedral that was damaged. And this is what Kharkiv city looks like now once again, in rubble. The culture minister has asked
that Russia stop dropping missiles on peaceful cities. Well, earlier I spoke to the Minister of Culture and Information Policy in Ukraine. And I
started by asking him, what he is doing to safeguard the heritage of his nation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OLEKSANDR TKACHENKO, UKRAINIAN MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION POLICY: First of all, we're trying to preserve what we can do preserve -- what we
can preserve. Material and immaterial cultural heritage. There are different means how we can do this. By working together with UNESCO, with
all as organizations to say to the world that according to hard convention of the actions against cultural heritage during the war, Russia should be
punished.
For these purposes, I appeal yesterday during an online meeting with E.U. culture ministers to impose additional sanctions against Russian culture
organizations which have a very active promotion in Europe first of all, because soft power is also a power of spreading disinformation and
propaganda.
ANDERSON: So, I wonder what form those cultural sanctions would take. Explain what you mean by that.
TKACHENKO: There's a various number of European organizations like Elenos, like World Organization like UNESCO. It's a band of Russian artists until
they wouldn't recognize the war against Ukraine to participate in different cultural venues. A lot of culture Russian centers across the world which
for my belief and my appeal to European ministers should be suspended at least their activity until Russia wouldn't withdraw army from Ukraine.
We also asked different music labels to stop connection with Russia. Will also appeal to satellite platforms which continued broadcasts Russian T.V.
channels, to stop doing this and instead to switch on Ukrainian channels which we're ready to do even in Russian with those Russian opposition
journalists who lost their jobs because of Putin regime.
ANDERSON: Do you have a sense at this point of just how big an impact there has been? What sort of destruction? We are talking about him.
TKACHENKO: I'm afraid that those people who Putin sent to Russia really don't realize what they're doing against cultural heritage sites. Apart
from what you said about damages in Kharkiv, it was was also ruined, fill our money. In Kharkiv it was bombed and museum with the paintings of Maria
Primachenko who inspired Pablo Picasso in small village of (INAUDIBLE) there were also damages have some other museums, in other areas.
So -- but we are trying to do -- I can't say right now what to do, but we are trying to save what we can save in this period of time. But the main
umbrella for (INAUDIBLE) destructions is of course reaction of our Democratic circle and western alliance because the only imposing sanctions
can stop this brutal war against lives, against humanity and against cultural heritage.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That is the Culture Minister of Ukraine. And the New York Times reporting that his global condemnation of Russia's actions grows. Cultural
institutions are pressuring Russian artists to take a stand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice over): Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko shown here in New York's Metropolitan Opera will not perform with the company after this
season. She issued a statement against the war, but did not distance itself from Mr. Putin. Valery Gergiev has been fired as chief conductor of
Germany's new Munich Philharmonic. He's been friends with the Russian president for decades.
Well, that's it for the hour. I'm back though after the break with another hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. Do please stay with us. It is just before 7:00
in the evening here in Abu Dhabi. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
