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Connect the World
Ukrainian Military: Russia Regrouping For Donetsk Offensive; U.S. Gunfire From Israeli Position Likely Killed Journalist; Outrage In U.S. After Police Kill Back Man; Ukraine: Leaving Lysychansk "Difficult" But Right Decision; South Dakota Governor Defends Abortion Ban; Turkey's Inflation Rate Nears 80 Percent In June. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired July 04, 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]
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: An examination of the bullet that killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is inconclusive. But the U.S. State
Department says Israeli Defense Force gunfire was likely responsible. I'm Eleni Giokos, filling in for my colleague, Becky Anderson.
Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. And we'll be live in Jerusalem in just a moment. But first, keep fighting. That's the message from Russia's
president to his forces in Ukraine; Russia trying to keep up the momentum after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic city of Lysychansk.
This effectively gives Moscow control of the Eastern Luhansk region winning the adjacent region. Donetsk would give Russia the entirety of the Donbas
region. And here's what Vladimir Putin told his military chief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: All the troops involved in active fighting who have achieved the success that victory in the Luhansk region
should rest in increased their combat capabilities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: --also ordered other military units in the East and in the West to "fulfill their tasks". Let's bring in CNN's Scott McLean live in Kyiv for
us. Scott, it's a big blow for the Ukrainians and clearly Putin saying that this is a big victory.
Could you give me a sense of just the Russian presence and control in the Luhansk region? And what that could possibly mean to extend the fighting
more aggressively in Donetsk?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure, yes, it is a big blow Eleni, but perhaps not hugely surprising one. Four weeks now the Russians have been
slowly but it seems very surely moving toward the west, taking town by town, city by city.
It's taken a while it has been extremely deadly. According to the Ukrainians, they've sustained heavy losses, but they have managed to move
toward the west without the Ukrainians really being able to dig in their heels and hold the line where they are, at least in that part of the
country.
This has been really illustrative for the Ukrainians that not only were they outmanned, and they were outgunned, but they were lacking something
very specific. And this is what President Zelenskyy said it was, listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Russia has enough - but again, and guard systems to destroy city after city in Ukraine. They have now
accumulated their largest firepower in Donbas. And they can use tens of thousands of artillery shells every day on one section of the front.
This is reality; this is why we destroy the potential of the occupiers, day after day calculatedly powerfully.
We will rebuild the walls, we will regain the land, but people must be saved above all else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: And this was exactly the calculation that the Ukrainians were making to preserve the lives of their frontline troops, pull them back and
have them live to fight another day.
Because they said that they simply did not have the artillery power to match the Russians, as you heard there from the President. The local
governor in that area told CNN that look, they could have kept fighting for say another two weeks, but they would have sustained heavy losses, they
would have risked becoming completely encircled by the Russians.
And that would have had, obviously, perhaps even more deadly consequences. And at some point, that area had become so, so flattened, so destroyed by
the constant barrage of shelling that there wasn't really that much to hold on to there wasn't really that much.
That was worth actually defending and saving. Now, President Putin, he says that, look, the brave soldiers, in his words, who participated in that, in
that taking of Lysychansk, the last major city in Luhansk, they deserve a break, but when it comes to the other troops in the area, well, they ought
to keep marching.
And so already we started to see shelling in Sloviansk that is the next major city in the Donetsk region just to the west. Some six people have
died there, 15 injured at least several fires started across the city.
We're also seeing at least three missile strikes in Kramatorsk as of late. And the expectation now is that the Russians will start to move down from
the north and steadily attempt to take the towns and villages in the Donetsk region, Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right. Scott, thank you so much for that update. And as Scott just said, Russia's war is still in full force outside the Donbas region.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says "enemy activity is intensifying in the Kharkiv region. This is a secondary school in Kharkiv. Ukraine says it was
hit by a Russian missile fortunately.
[11:05:00]
GIOKOS: Fortunately, officials say no one was inside at the time although three people were killed in a strike on a nearby village. Russia's
offensive moves happening as top diplomats and business people open a conference in Switzerland aimed at laying out a path for rebuilding
Ukraine.
And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy address the conference virtually calling the recovery efforts a task for the entire democratic
world. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen says the EU will never allow Russia to undermine Ukraine's existence as a state.
Now Simon Pidoux is Ambassador-at-Large for the Ukraine Recovery Conference and joins me live from Lugano. Thank you very much, sir. Good to see you.
Give me a sense of the discussions, the conversations, the atmosphere at this conference as you're discussing rebuilding Ukraine while Ukraine is
still being attacked.
SIMON PIDOUX, AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE, UKRAINE RECOVERY CONFERENCE: First of all, thanks for having me online today. Yes, the war is still going on, as
we could hear from your report. And today in Lugano, this is the start the kickoff of the recovery process.
And we want it's too early to talk about what to rebuild and or how much it will cost. But this is the right moment to think how we want to do it and
to be to base the recovery process on what principles. And this is what it is about this meeting.
GIOKOS: So this isn't a donor conference where you're seeing money being put on the table. We're talking about concessional non concessional loans,
World Bank being involved and other developmental agencies.
So could you give me a sense in terms of the structure in terms of assistance, monetary assistance that clearly Ukraine is going to require?
PIDOUX: So Lugano is not a Donor Conference, there have been already three Donor Conference in Washington, in Berlin, in Moscow. And here for the
first time, around the table with Ukraine, there are representatives of the g7 of the EU, and of the major financial institutions, so all actors that
will be involved for the reconstruction and the recovery process.
And we just want to be ready when the war will stop, to be ready to think how we want to organize and launch this recovery process.
GIOKOS: Simon, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke virtually to the conference, I want to play you some of what he said. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZLENSKYY: As long as ruins persist, so doe's war, as long as the aggressor can hope to destroy the basis of life itself, there will be no long-lasting
peace. That is why the rebuilding of Ukraine will be the biggest contribution to supporting global peace from all from all that are
possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: And you can hear that he says rebuilding is going to be such a vital step to the future and peace and stability in Ukraine. But here's the
issue as well, we're talking about $750 billion that will be required, some say more than a trillion dollars, as you're seeing more infrastructure
being targeted.
What would you say the roadmap and the plan would be to get infrastructure back to prewar levels?
PIDOUX: So really, the task is enormous. And this, we are just starting the process now. And it will last years, it may be even decades. So the idea is
just to make sure we put this recovery process reconstruction process on the right track.
Make sure that recovery is linked with reforms that with transparency when with methods and that all actors are well involved and know what priorities
will be.
GIOKOS: You know countries that are recovering from war, so post war scenario usually means that they're heavily indebted. They need to tap into
international markets, and usually, they don't have a good rating on the international market. Was that discussed in terms of what the plan would be
to ensure Ukraine doesn't start on the back foot?
PIDOUX: Yes, in a way that everybody agrees that that this recovery process must go hand in hand with reforms. And only with reforms Ukraine will be
able to attract investments.
GIOKOS: When you say reforms, you're talking about structural economic reforms in Ukraine right now that they would need to reform. I mean they
don't have any economy right now to reform. So it's a tough one.
[11:10:00]
PIDOUX: Yes, but they are like very important reforms, like rule of law, anti-corruption, or really open market economy that must be really
introduced.
GIOKOS: And I'm curious, is there a sense of hope, in terms of the discussions that you're seeing right now that we might be seeing, you know,
an end to this war soon?
Or do you think that one thing that people are discussing is that Ukraine is going to have to make concessions is going to have to give up some of
its territories so that, you know, we can look at the rebuilding, has that been mentioned?
PIDOUX: Not at all. And as you can do here that the message of President Zelenskyy and then Prime Minister Shmyhal, and also the speaker, Mr.
Stephen --, they were all very clear. The morale is high by the Ukrainians.
They really want to continue to fight but they know that the task will be very difficult and probably long. And yes, unfortunately, we must be to
seek a peace deal. And yes, the Kremlin has it safe.
GIOKOS: Absolutely long, difficult and expensive. Simon Pidoux, thank you very much for joining us. Good to have you on. Now Ukraine is urging
Turkish officials to confiscate cargo on board a Russian ship, anchored outside a Turkish port.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey says the ship is carrying 4500 tons of stolen Ukrainian grain. Reuters reported the ship's detention Sunday, CNN
is still waiting for official confirmation from Turkey.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of stealing grains since the start of the war. Russia has denied it. Clare Sebastian has the latest for us from
London. Clare, what can you tell us about the ship, the route that it has taken? And importantly, just how much grain we're talking about here?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so we don't know absolutely everything about where this ship has been. But what we can tell you Eleni
is that, it was able to be tracked on marine traffic, which is a maritime tracking website.
It was seen leaving the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea on June 22. After that, it's been about a week at sea between Russia and
Ukraine. We think at some point it might have entered the Azov Sea and then it was seen again on June 29th, heading from that area down towards the
Turkish port of Karasu also on the Black Sea now the Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey says that in between June 22 and June 29, it ducked at Berdiansk,
which is a Russian occupied port on the Sea of Azov, loaded up with grain.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry says about 4500 tons of Ukraine, so a fairly significant amount. And at that point, headed down to Turkey, presumably,
the Ukrainians are saying an effort to try to export that grain, which it says is stolen. So it's a little bit of mystery surrounding that exact
journey. But Ukraine is very clear. They say that Russia has stolen this grain; they don't want them to be able to get away with it after months and
months of accusing them of doing this.
As for the Russian side, the Kremlin, they referred comment on this to the foreign minister. And the Transport Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign
Minister, he said, look, we're looking into this.
He thinks the cargo he said, was exported from Estonia to Turkey, and he continued to blame Ukraine, for the mines in the Black Sea being the cause
of the blockade of those ports, which of course Russia has been enforcing now for months sparking the potential for a major global food crisis.
And of course, Eleni another point to make is that this puts Turkey in quite a delicate situation. Ukraine is demanding action from Turkey on this
ship. Turkey is also brokering talks between Ukraine and Russia on the issue of unblocking the Black Sea. So we wait to see what the Turkish
authorities have to say about this ship.
GIOKOS: All right. Clare Sebastian, thank you so very much. Now for the latest on Russia's advanced in Ukraine, head to cnn.com. CNN's Phil Black
speaks to a group of Ukrainian volunteers, as Russia's military creeps closer, and you can read this and more at cnn.com/ukraine.
Now new information coming out of an investigation into the killing of a Palestinian American journalist in the West Bank and we've now heard from
the U.S. after the Palestinian Authority handed over the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh for examination.
CNN's Hadas Gold is following the story for us in Jerusalem and she joins me now. Hadas, could you take us through what we heard from the State
Department and whether the findings were conclusive?
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well the US. .State Department said that while their ballistic examination of the bullet that killed Shireen Abu
Akleh while she was covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank in May.
[11:15:00]
GOLD: While that ballistic examination was inconclusive, it is very notable that the U.S. security coordinator has said that they believe after looking
at the investigations from both the Israelis and the Palestinians, that it is likely that it was gunfire from an Israeli position that killed her and
that is very notable.
So while the ballistic examination is inconclusive, they do believe that it is likely Israeli gunfire is what killed Shireen Abu Akleh. Now this
investigation was carried out in them over the weekend.
The Palestinian authority gave the bullet to the Americans to the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, who conducted a ballistic examination under with the
Israelis who said that it was done under the supervision of an American general.
The IDF said in a statement that they repeated the conclusion that it was inconclusive to be able to determine whose or which gun fired the fatal
shot, but they did say it repeated their assertion that no soldier would deliberately fire at Miss Abu Akleh saying they will continue to
investigate the incident.
They also noted that a decision about whether to launch a criminal investigation will be made following a conclusion of the IDF's operational
examination they gave no note of when that will be done. And the defense minister in a statement still seems to be pointing the
blame for this overall situation towards Palestinian militants, take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine the source of the shooting. And as such the investigation will continue. It is
important to emphasize that during this operation event like in many others, hundreds of bullets were fired at IDF troops, which responded with
firepower of their own only in the direction of the sources of the shooting.
The first to bear responsibility in such events are the terrorists who operate from within population centers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: Now we are starting to get reactions from Palestinian officials. I want to pull up a tweet from the Secretary General of the executive
committee of the PLO Hussain Al Sheikh who says the occupation government bears responsibility for the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh.
And we will continue our procedures at the international courts. We will not allow attempts to conceal the truth or to have shy references and
pointing the finger of accusation to Israel.
We also are importantly getting a statement from Shireen Abu Akleh's family; they say that they are incredulous. They say that the result of the
American investigators is cold comfort.
And they called it frankly insulting to Shireen's memory; they are placing the blame squarely on the Israeli military. They're using basing that off
of multiple investigations by news organizations, including CNN that have found that it was likely Israeli gunfire that killed Shireen Abu Akleh.
And they are also saying that they are hoping that the FBI or other relevant authorities would open a murder investigation much like they do in
ordinary cases, when American citizens are killed abroad Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes. Hadas, I think you know the Palestinians from the start of this because we've been covering the story have been very clear about the
fact that they did not want the bullets in the hands of Israeli investigators.
And now the U.S. was involved. And we hear inconclusive in terms of these, you know, the bullet, but as we know that it was likely from an IDF
position. How important is the statement going to be in the overall investigation, would you say and trying to figure out what exactly happened
that day?
GOLD: I do think it's important that the Americans have finally put forward something official, while I think it's probably very frustrating to as
we've heard from Shireen Abu Akleh's family, but it is still inconclusive.
I do think it is very important that the Americans have said officially that they do believe that the likely gunfire came from an Israeli position.
But this obviously does not wrap things up because of the fact that the ballistic examination, as the American say, was inconclusive.
The Israelis can kind of continue in their position as they say they're continuing their investigation and the Palestinians will continue in their
position likely bringing as they said they want to bring this to the criminal court.
So this does not seem to have wrapped things up. I also think it's very notable as Shireen Abu Akleh's family noted in their statement that this
came out on July 4. The timing of all this is very interesting, especially as President Joe Biden is expected to come here to come to this region next
week Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right. Hadas Gold in Jerusalem, thank you. Ahead on the show, outrage in the U.S. over the police killing of yet another young black man
the events that resulted in his suffering at least 16 gunshot wounds. Also ahead, a rare shooting at a shopping mall in Denmark. What we know about
the victims and the suspects now in custody.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
GIOKOS: The U.S. is reeling after yet another police shooting of a black man. Protesters marched Sunday after police body cam footage was released
showing the incident one week ago.
The Police Chief in Akron, Ohio says this man 25 year old Jayland Walker suffered at least 60 gunshot wounds police say had led them on a car chase.
Then this, a warning the body cam footage you're about to see and hear shows the moment Walker was killed and it is disturbing.
All right for more on what exactly led police to open fire, our Polo Sandoval is in Akron, Ohio. Very difficult to look at this footage 60
shots, what police said since this video has been released.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The video is perhaps short but it is certainly disturbing here. You're able to hear from a very small group of
demonstrators outside of police headquarters here in Akron, Ohio.
That growing call for accountability that are really just amplified since police officials in this city released the video to the world to see
firsthand the very one of the latest police involved shootings in the United States.
What's important here is yes, it is disturbing. It is very difficult to watch but the police here arguing that it provides for the context about
why police officers did what they did.
Now it's about reviewing the situation and making sure that they acted within those protocols. Now in terms of what we know, it was a week ago
that police officers attempted to pull over Jayland Walker, he refused to stop.
And that's what gave way to a vehicle pursuit and it was 40 seconds into that pursuit Eleni, that there was that game changing moment when the
police chief here says that police officers responded not only saw but they heard a loud pop and they concluded that that was gunfire coming from the
inside of that vehicle.
And it was shortly after that that video that you just played picks up when officers at least eight of them are chasing 25 year old Jayland Walker, and
they opened fire shooting many, many times too many, many times to count at this point.
Authorities don't have an exact number only saying that it will be dozens of times that officers pulled the trigger and they do know that Jayland
Walker sustained at least 60 wounds gunshot wounds. Right now it will be up to the medical examiner to determine if that's a combination of both
entrance and exit wounds.
[11:25:00]
SANDOVAL: But that detail is what filling many of the demonstrations is last night some of those demonstrations even boiling over forcing police
officers to deploy some gas, various gas agents to disperse the crowds.
And that's why today we are hearing a plea not just from the city of Akron, Ohio, but also from the Walker family pleading for peace. But most
importantly, for patients as Ohio State investigators are taking over this right now as they tried to establish at least two things Eleni, which is,
was the use of force justified? And was the amount the number of trigger poles was that justified as well, Eleni.
GIOKOS: Big questions there, Paula, thank you so very much. Danish police meanwhile, investigating a deadly shooting at a mall, say that 22 year old
suspect they have in custody was known to psychiatric professionals.
Three people died Sunday and several others were injured when a shooter opened fire inside a shopping mall in Copenhagen. You can see the flowers
being left as a tribute. Sam Kiley is in the Danish Capitol with more.
Sam, what do we know it seems like we're learning a little bit more about the perpetrator because you give me a breakdown.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Where the alleged gunman has now been remanded by a Copenhagen corporate 24 days in a psychiatric
facility. This follows police revelations earlier on in the day that he was in their words known to the psychiatric authorities.
Now, his level of mental health issues is unknown. But the police have ruled out as motivations any kind of terror or hate crime they're saying is
very, very specifically, this was not an issue of race or gender or any of the other ideological issues that have fueled the sorts of attacks
elsewhere in Europe, notably with the ISIS campaigns in Belgium and France, and Spain.
In those dark days, a few years back, this 22 year old alleged perpetrator opened fire in the shopping mall behind me killing three people. He's been
charged with murder, he has been charged with several other counts of attempted murder, at least four people have been hospitalized, surviving
his attack with gunshot wounds. And now part of the police investigation will be how it was possible Eleni for him to obtain a firearm in a country
like the United Kingdom. And very unlike the United States, there are very, very strict gun control laws.
You need to have a license you need to have a special test to be allowed to keep a firearm of any kind. He had a hunting rifle with him he was caught
dramatically with ammunition.
And we spoke to an eyewitness who saw that moment when he was being arrested and pinned down. I think a lot of what she said has been summed up
by other people we've spoken to, take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUMAN NAZIRI QASEMI, WITNESS: I have never seen something like this not even like people have a big fight on the street. It's not something that's
normally happening here. I have never in my life seen a real gun. Never know like that this is going to happen in the market. It's not a normal
thing.
(END VIDE O CLIP)
KILEY: Now she even said that she'd never even seen a gun in her life a real gun in her life. And that is an indication really of how shocking this
killing spree has been in a country that really doesn't have an issue with gun crime in the way the United States or even other parts of Europe have
suffered in the past Eleni.
GIOKOS: Alright. Sam Kiley, thank you so much. You're watching "Connect the World" and still ahead, a conference in Switzerland aims to find ways to
rebuild Ukraine.
I'll talk about that with a former Ukrainian Prime Minister. Plus millions of Australians are contending with more erratic seasonal swings, what
authorities are doing now to help protect residents from deadly floods in and around Sydney.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
GIOKOS: A very difficult decision but the right decision that's the assessment today from Ukraine's military chief in Luhansk, after Ukrainian
troops withdrew from Lysychansk, giving Russia complete control of the Eastern Donbas.
The military chief says he expects Russian and Russian backed forces to move in to Donetsk and try to capture the entire Donbas region.
Russia's offensive moves happening as top diplomats and business people open a conference in Switzerland and that laying out a path for rebuilding
Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy address the conference virtually calling the recovery efforts a task for the entire democratic
world. Now I want to bring in former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk joining me via Skype from Kyiv. Thank you so much, sir, for
joining us.
ARSENIY YATSENYUK, FORMER UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER: Thank you.
GIOKOS: I basically want to talk about; I want to talk about the fact that Ukraine had to give up Lysychansk. And you know, we've heard the reasons
why that they outmanned, outgunned. And they had to decide what the right route would take and mean, militarily, is this a big blow for Ukraine?
YATSENYUK: First, I wanted to congratulate the American people with Independence Day, Happy Independence Day. You didn't take your freedom for
granted because we didn't take it for granted too.
So let's pray for those who sacrificed and Ukrainian people are suffering and sacrifice in every single day. The decision of the - of Ukrainian
military to retreat, this was as far as I understand the only real decision in order to save the life of Ukrainian military and in order to build a new
line of defense, where it's painful.
I mean, yes, it's painful, because we lost a part of territory. But I believe that we temporarily lost this territory.
As of now, Russia controls temporarily around 21 percent of Ukrainian territory. In order for it to regain this in order to reclaim Ukrainian
territory, what is needed for Ukraine, heavy weaponry we should all well aware of?
And I do commend the efforts of the Biden Administration in supplying these heavy weaponry for Ukrainian military to make Ukrainian military more
durable.
GIOKOS: I want to get a sense from you in terms of the morale right now, and specifically in Kyiv, as well, what is the mood at this point in time?
YATSENYUK: Well, this is the war. And the mood goes up and down. You know, and there is no good decision in the war. Sometimes you have--
GIOKOS: But for the most part - morale was really, you know, hi, that, you know, Ukrainians and the military were really ready for a prolonged and
long fight. Could you could you give me that assessment at this point in time, or was Lysychansk a big blow for Ukrainians?
YATSENYUK: I want to be very clear. Morale of Ukrainian nation, morale of Ukrainian military, morale of Ukrainian people is very high. Every single
Ukrainian do understand that we are fighting for our homeland, for our freedom for our families, and for the security of the entire free world,
including the United States.
GIOKOS: Let's talk about what you're going to need. Here's what we're hearing. Luhansk now is basically Russian controlled. Donetsk could be the
next big target. And then if Russia gets to control the entire Donbas region we're talking about that land bridge which has been discussed by
many military analysts is what exactly Russia is trying to do to get to Crimea. Is that a real risk right now that's on the table?
[11:35:00]
YATSENYUK: Well, if the initial plan of Putin was to take over an entire Ukraine, he failed with his lightning attack on the capital of Ukraine on
Kyiv. And just let me remind you that a number of intelligence agencies underestimated Ukrainian military and Ukrainian result, and sometimes even
overestimated Russians.
So in the end, we managed to deter Russians, we managed to pull back Russians, and we manage actually to survive as the country, but please do
not underestimate these bastard, Putin and his military.
But Russia is just bigger. It possesses a number of resources, including large stockpiles of Soviet ammunition and not only Soviet, he paid billions
of dollars in order to make his military stronger in order to modernize his military.
So that's not just an army, which is easy to defeat. But what is needed for Ukraine, you're well aware, more weapons.
GIOKOS: Yes, I know more weapons and you know, even President Zelenskyy has been clear about it. There's a conference currently going on in Switzerland
about rebuilding Ukraine and the numbers about $1 billion.
We're talking about potential reforms in order to help Ukraine with concessional and non-concessional loans. But is there any indication in
terms of whisperings that Ukraine might have to make concessions, in other words, give up territory in order to start focusing on rebuilding and to
focus on peace, is that something that would even be an option for you?
YATSENYUK: This war is more about is more than about Ukraine, this war about the free world, again, including the U.S. If we can see it, if we
give any inch of territory to this work, crime, criminal Putin, he will move further.
I know it from 2014, so no concessions period. Regarding this Lugano conference, no doubt that we need not just to rebuild Ukraine, we need to
build Ukraine from the scratch, build back better and stronger Ukraine.
For this, we need resources and sources to get this money, including frozen assets of the Russian Federation. And I believe that the next step is to be
to liquidate and to confiscate Russian assets.
And this will be easier even to explain to the American taxpayers because you guys are feeling the pinch, because of Putin's aggression tool with
high oil prices with high inflation and the rest of the stuff.
GIOKOS: Yes, and the world is feeling the inflationary impact. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, thank you very much for your time and for your insights. Good to
see you.
YATSENYUK: Happy Independence Day once again. Thank you.
GIOKOS: Thank you so much. Now, let's get you up to speed on some other stories that are on our radar right now. A tornado associated with Typhoon
Cava left a trail of destruction as the storm made landfall Saturday in Guangdong Province.
A waterspout also touchdown over coastal waters a few 100 kilometers away, the storm has now weakened to a tropical depression and is bringing heavy
rain inland. A huge cleanup job is underway in a run where state media reports five people were killed in a series of earthquakes early Saturday.
More than 100 people were injured although not seriously. The most powerful quake had a magnitude of 6.1. State TV reports an entire village was
destroyed. Rescuers are looking for possible survivors following an ice avalanche in the Italian Alps.
On Sunday, the Marmolada glacier gave way on the highest mountain of the dollar lights. At least six people were killed and eight were injured. The
area is experiencing record heat for this time of year.
Flooding has become a recurring nightmare for Australia's most populous state of New South Wales; torrential rains have caused widespread flooding
and a number of dams to spill over.
At least one person has died in the floods and thousands have been asked to evacuate. Michael Holmes reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A mine threatening emergency that's how one official in New South Wales describes the rising
flood waters in parts of Australia's biggest city.
STEPH COOKE, NEW SOUTH WALES EMERGENCY SERVICES MINISTER: We are now facing dangers on multiple fronts, flash flooding, riverine flooding, and coastal
erosion.
HOLMES (voice over): Thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate parts of Sydney where heavy rain is already hitting with more expected to come in
the next few days.
Authorities say the situation is rapidly evolving and urge people to stay off the roads. The State Emergency Service says it has responded to more
than 3000 emergency requests already and dozens of rescue squads have been dispatched.
[11:40:00]
CARLENE YORK, NEW SOUTH WALES EMERGENCY SERVICE COMMISSIONER: The level of the dams there's no room for the water to remain in the dams they are
starting to spill. The rivers are flowing very fast and very dangerous.
HOLMES (voice over): New South Wales gearing up for the deteriorating conditions. The state is asking the federal government to send helicopters
and troops to help with rescue efforts and sandbagging.
Weather experts warn landslides could happen, the landscape already vulnerable because of previous floods in the region. In some areas,
emergency crews or even ferrying livestock to drier grounds the bigger animals like these ponies, and additional challenge for rescue workers.
CHRIS NELSON, DEPUTY UNIT COMMANDER, CANTERBURY SEES: Feels really good to be able to achieve, achieve a rescue and bring everyone back to land
safely.
HOLMES (voice over): With some parts of Sydney experiencing downpours of more than 200 millimeters, with some places up to 350 millimeters, missions
like this for animals and humans alike could become more critical in the hours ahead. Michael Holmes, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers joins us now live from the weather center at our world headquarters in Atlanta. Chad, I'm just looking at the
floods. I'm looking at the image behind you. What is the forecast when is the flooding and the rain going to stop?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is still raining right now. Although in the past six hours, only 10 millimeters. I say that tongue in cheek because
Sydney since the start of the year, Eleni has picked up 1.5 meters of rain.
That is a record for any year that they've ever been counting at the airport when it wasn't airport. At that area in that location never had we
had that much rainfall in one time one year. And it's not even two years not even done.
This was an East Coast low and East Coast low came off of Brisbane and then made landfall almost like a tropical cyclone but not quite because it
wasn't truly tropical. It didn't have a warm core, it didn't have an eye.
It wasn't a typhoon it wasn't a hurricane wasn't a cyclone. But it made that type of rainfall 400 millimeters right here very close to Sydney. Now
this happens all the time.
These happen five days East Coast Lows five a year on average, but they don't typically hit a city. They'll hit the remote areas and so you won't
see this type of flooding.
It'll be happening but it won't be affecting so many people, an East Coast low a slow moving low comes down the coast and then makes landfall. It is
almost like a fire hose of water just spraying moisture spraying humidity into the harbor. Here's it is right there. Watch this.
I don't pay attention to these clouds over here. It's the showers that are coming in this way. They're moving in from the east and they're moving to
the west. They are carrying that moisture and it's still there.
The low has moved away but some of the rain is still lingering. 10 millimeters on top of a flood just makes a bigger flood because it isn't
going to soak in. We will see some relief.
This won't be around for much longer, probably a day and a half or two. And then things begin to go down. Things begin to recede. But you have to
remember there are some hills back over here where the rain hit the hills all that water still has to go downhill and possibly even toward the harbor
and into other areas there along the coast Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes, Chad, well thank you so much for explaining that to us. And thank you for coming through on your Independence Day. I hope you get to
have some fun later on. Much appreciate it.
MYERS: Thank you.
GIOKOS: All right, coming up next as the reversal of Roe versus Wade forces tough decisions in the U.S. we'll take a look at Poland following that
country's decision to restrict abortion access.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
GIOKOS: In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe vs. Wade states are now in control of abortion laws in the U.S. And there are some
situations coming to light that are raising tough ethical questions.
110-year-old rape victim had to travel from Ohio to Indiana to receive abortion care. Ohio has banned all abortions except when the mother's life
is at risk. CNN's Dana Bash asked the Republican governor of South Dakota whether the 10-year-old victim should be forced to carry a baby to term,
here's her exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: In this case it wasn't a woman it was a girl. Should she have to have a child, should she have to
have that baby?
KRISTI NOEM, SOUTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR: Every single life is precious that this tragedy is horrific. I can't even imagine I've never had anybody in my
family or myself gone through anything like this. I can't even imagine. But in South Dakota the law today is that the abortions are illegal except to
save the life of the mother.
BASH: And you'd be OK with that, a 10 year old girl having to have a baby?
NOEM: No, I'm never OK with that. In fact, that story will keep me up at night. It absolutely will.
BASH: So will you try to change the law to have an exception in a situation like this?
NOEM: --got a one year old little granddaughter, her name is Addy, I can't even imagine. What I would say is, I don't believe a tragic situation
should be perpetuated by another tragedy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: South Dakota is one of several Republican led states where trigger laws quickly went into effect banning abortions after the Supreme Court
ruling was issued.
And the U.S. isn't the only country that has reversed abortion rights recently. Poland has one of the toughest abortion policies in Europe with a
near total ban. And even an exception for the life of the mother is no guarantee as one Polish family learned. CNN's Melissa Bell reports from
Warsaw.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A grave in southern Poland that should serve as a warning says Barbara - that in trying to protect the
unborn. Poland is now sacrificing the living.
Barbara's sister in law Isabella desperately wanted a sibling for her nine year old daughter. But at 18 weeks, prenatal tests showed the fetus had
severe abnormalities and would live no longer than a year.
They went to the doctors and asked if they could terminate the pregnancy says Isabella's sister in law. They said no. Then as she was looking to
travel abroad, her waters broke.
Abortions in Poland have been illegal for nearly 30 years with just three exceptions, cases involving rape or incest, those involving a woman's life
being in danger or fetal abnormalities.
That third exception which had accounted for 98 percent of all known abortions was struck down in 2020 by the country's highest courts. There
were massive protests with polls showing just one in 10 people supported the move.
BELL (on camera): There's also concern within the medical profession here in Warsaw, abortions are now only possible in Poland in cases of rape,
incest, or where the life and health of a woman is clearly in danger. And that is open to interpretation. It also places a great deal of power in the
hands of doctors.
BELL (voice over): And some are too scared now to help even those women who are in danger.
MAGDALENA DUTSCH, WARSAW WOMEN'S INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH: I talk with my friends and they tell me listen, I had this patient yesterday who should
have an abortion due to legally allowed reasons. But I was afraid to give her information where she can get it because I was afraid that somebody
might consider this as a breach of law.
BELL (voice over): The last Isabella --mother heard from her was a series of texts she sent from hospital when her waters broke at 22 weeks. The
doctors can't help as long as the fetus is alive, thanks to the anti- abortion law, worrying that her fever was rising and hoping that she wouldn't get sepsis because then she wrote I won't leave this place.
[11:50:00]
BELL (voice over): She died about 12 hours later. Thousands took to the streets under the banner, not a single woman more. Her family's attorney
says she died of a heart attack on her way to surgery after the baby died, but an official cause of death has not been released.
It is now part of a criminal investigation, say prosecutors. The hospital denies malpractice saying in a statement, all medical decisions were made
taking into account the legal provisions and standards of conduct and force in Poland.
The hospital also says the two doctors on duty at the time have been suspended. It's unclear why Isabella's doctors did not perform an abortion.
In response to questions from CNN about the Titan ban, the government said that the termination of a pregnancy remain legal in Poland, where a woman's
life is at risk.
But Isabella's family believes her fetus's faint heartbeat prevented her doctors from acting in time. The two now share their final resting place
beneath the gravestone that bears the slogan, not a single woman more. Melissa Bell, CNN Warsaw.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: We'll be right back after this short break, stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Inflation is hitting hard around the world and in Turkey, it jumped to the highest level in 24 years, the annual inflation rates soared to
almost 80 percent in June. This is after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed the central bank to do the opposite of what other central banks
are doing, and to continue to cut interest rates.
Anna Stewart has the details, Anna, always good to see you. Look, here's the reality, inflation and depreciating lira happened before the war in
Ukraine, but the monetary policy that his government is in stating is questionable. Tell me about that.
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Questionable. That's certainly one way to put it. We've seen double digit inflation in Turkey now for years. So this
really isn't anything new. But I think the world will empathize given here in the UK, we're facing inflation, I think of 9.1 percent, nearly 80
percent in Turkey and it could get a lot worse.
Now this is largely due to very unorthodox views on monetary policy. And you can see there how CPI has shot up just in the last couple of years. But
yes, unorthodox monetary policy, where frankly, the central bank of Turkey just is doing the exact opposite of every other central bank, the opposite
of the U.S. Federal Reserve of the ECB in Europe or the UK's Bank of England.
And so raising rates to cool inflation, they have consistently been cutting them. Why? Well, they are under a lot of pressure from the government,
particularly from President Erdogan himself, who does not believe in raising rates, it would appear.
And that pressure has meant actually over the years that we've had several central bank governors and even finance ministers being sacked for not
agreeing with President Erdogan's views. So that is where we're at.
Lots of policies have been introduced to try and prop up the lira; we can show you how the lira has been trading against the dollar. It hasn't done
nearly enough, of course, actually stave off what is really a collapse of that currency trading slightly higher today.
But you can see a chart I think of the year. Now looking at the inflation issue, you are right. Adding to the picture is the issue of global
inflation, particularly energy prices and food prices relating to the war in Ukraine. And that is very clear in this breakdown. So the picture in
Turkey is just getting from worse to worse, Eleni.
[11:55:00]
GIOKOS: It is absolutely I mean, the question is, even if they cut interest rates right now, it wouldn't really have such a huge impact. And they've
been hiking wages, as well.
STEWART: Which is another problem and I have to say it was really interesting. A former central bank governor from Turkey left in 2011 was
tweeting today and said it will continue to rise.
That's inflation because inflation has solidified. It is self-feeding said and we could actually see inflation hitting triple digit figures, looking
at what they're doing, particularly with, as you say, the increase in wages, hiking, the minimum wage 30 percent on Friday.
They already hiked at 50 percent in January. Now looking at strikes in Europe, as people are really struggling, you know, to pay for all the
things they need, given that wages not keeping up with inflation, but there's pressure both from businesses but also the government not to allow
wages to increasing the inflation, because you know what, you get a wage price spiral. I think that's exactly what we're seeing in Turkey.
GIOKOS: And inflation is a dangerous trap. Usually central banks are independents, anyway, interesting times. Anna Stewart, it's always good to
see you and thank you so very much for joining us.
That was CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi. "One World" is up next with Paula Newton, take care.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
