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Connect the World
DC Shooting Suspect Identified as Afghan National; At Least 65 Killed, Hundreds Unaccounted for in Hong Kong Fire; Two National Guard Members Shot in DC are in Critical Condition; Pope Leo Visiting Turkey and Lebanon; Putin Says U.S. Delegation to Visit Moscow Next Week. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired November 27, 2025 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: It's 02:00 p.m. in London. I'm Christina Macfarlane. This is "Connect the World". Coming up,
24 hours after flames first ripped through the high rises in Hong Kong. Crews are still working to rescue people thought to be trapped.
The suspect in the Washington shooting was identified as an Afghan national. And the U.S. President is vowing to ramp up his immigration
crackdown. And security has been boosted at Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York after the shooting in the nation's capital.
We begin with scenes of absolute devastation in Hong Kong. Hundreds unaccounted for and dozens killed in the worst fire the city has seen in
decades. Authorities say that the deadly blaze is now basically under control, but rescuers are still searching for residents who may be trapped
in higher units of the apartment complex.
Well, the death toll has now risen to 65 with a further 70 people injured and around 500 displaced in emergency shelters across the city. Hong Kong's
Chief Executive John Lee spoke earlier about efforts being done to help those affected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN LEE, HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE: I take this incident with the utmost seriousness. I have instructed all government departments and units to make
every effort on multiple fronts. Our top priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the trapped residents.
The second is to treat the injured, and the third is to provide follow up support. Afterward, we will conduct a thorough investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: CNN's Hanako Montgomery is live on the ground in Hong Kong. And Hanako, the death toll, as I mentioned, they're currently at 65 but is
expected to rise. What is the latest on that search for survivors that's still ongoing?
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Christina, we're actually just outside the housing complex that took fire from Wednesday night. And as you
said, the authorities are saying that the fire is largely contained. But as you can see behind me, firefighters and authorities are actually still
trying to extinguish all of the flames.
I don't know if you can see, but higher up towards the top of that sky rise, you actually see some orange flames inside an apartment building. And
clearly, I mean the whole entire space is engulfed in flames. Now it is nighttime now in Hong Kong, so it's a bit hard to tell, but there are still
white and black plumes of smoke, and these buildings are just completely charred and black.
And of course, because of this devastating fire. Now, fire trucks are also using water hoses to again, still try to extinguish that fire, as they are
trying to continue containing this deadly, deadly blaze. And again, Christina, as you mentioned, the death toll has risen to at least 65 and
authorities are still trying to locate nearly 300 people who are still missing, still unaccounted for.
Authorities fear that they still might be trapped inside these buildings and might not be able to get the need, the sufficient support that they
need in order to get out, Christina.
MACFARLANE: And Hanako, I know that you, for much of the day have been down at the rescue centers where displaced people have gathered. This is
obviously devastating for residents. What is being done by the government to help those that are affected? Are there any emergency funds being put in
place?
MONTGOMERY: Yeah, Christina, as you mentioned, of course, the city has created these emergency shelters where residents are taking shelter, and
they have emergency food, water supplies, also blankets, again, because they can't return home. Their homes have been completely destroyed, now
also there are emergency funds.
This city has allocated tens of millions of dollars, in fact, to respond to this emergency and also to support those families in need. Now
interestingly, the government has also allocated a social worker to each family that was devastated or affected by this fire. And they're just
providing mental and psychological support, because, as you can imagine, this is a massive, massive disaster that could affect one's mental health
for potentially many days, weeks, months to come.
Now, also, some Chinese businesses have allocated millions of dollars as well in order to help those in desperate need of aid, of support. And let
me just tell you, Christina, when we were down at that emergency shelter, of course, the government aid is very necessary and important.
But also, the involvement of the community, the support that we're seeing from individuals, from regular civilians, as they are handing out the
supplies to those in desperate need of them.
[09:05:00]
It's really quite heartwarming and touching to see just the entire city -- really just gathering behind these victims, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, but it certainly is a desperate situation, and continues to be for now. Hanako Montgomery, appreciate it. Thank you. I want to bring
in Asif Usmani. He's the Chair professor of Building Sciences and Fire Safety Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Thank you so much for your time this evening. We still don't have that much information, but from what you have seen and what you've heard today. What
is your assessment of what started this fire and how it was able to spread so quickly to engulf those seven blocks?
ASIF USMANI, CHAIR PROFESSOR OF BUILDING SCIENCES AT HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY: Yes, as you said, things are still not completely clear, so I
guess it will need a very thorough investigation by the Hong Kong government later on to make everything clear.
But at this moment, there is no clear indication of how the fire started, how it ignited, but the spread is quite explainable because there's
combustible material all around the building, which is bamboo scaffolding, and there was this nylon netting. And the fire once it, you know, when it
once, it ignites, it's the easiest, for the fire, gravity is, it's like friend, you know, say, it basically goes against the gravity.
So, the more vertical the surface, the faster the fire goes. So, climbing up the building is the easiest thing for the fire to do. So, and there's a
continuous sort of fuel. Sorry, yeah, go ahead --
MACFARLANE: No. Sorry, I was just going to jump in to ask about the bamboo, because obviously there's been a lot of debate about the bamboo
scaffolding, how it contributed to this, whether it should have been in place, in the first place. And from what you're saying, it does sound like
that was a major factor, major contributor.
Why is bamboo still being used in construction in this way? Given, you know, we know that China has moved to ban bamboo and bring in a metal
scaffolding since 2022.
USMANI: That's a good question. I don't really know the answer, it's just been traditional to use bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong for a long time.
There have been fires in the past, actually, just one last month in China camp building in central Hong Kong, where, again, a similar sort of bamboo
scaffolding fire happened, but that was an unoccupied building.
Although some people did get hurt, but there were no fatalities, and the fire went on for about four hours. Last year, there was a similar incident
in an under-construction building. Again, there were no people inside. So, I'm also a bit surprised that there were people inside and this scaffolding
was outside, because this is very similar to the Grenfell tower incident in London, if you remember.
MACFARLANE: Yes.
USMANI: That had a similar combustible cladding outside, which again, provided a very sort of like a super highway to the fire, to go and spread
up and across the building. So, this is exactly what's happened here. The greater is kind of a bigger event than for Grenfell, in the sense that this
is eight blocks that were being under renovation, and all of them were covered in cladding.
So once the fire went up, then it was very easy for the high winds to the combustible materials to fly into the other nearby buildings and ignite
them, and that's how nearly all the buildings sort of caught fire. So, this -- yeah.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, that's interesting, Asif, sorry to interrupt, because you said that all these buildings were under reconstruction. They all had
cladding around them.
USMANI: Yeah.
MACFARLANE: Under the current guidelines and the rules as to, I guess, reconstruction in Hong Kong. I mean, was that appropriate that all of those
buildings at one time should have had this external scaffolding around them?
USMANI: I would imagine that there are, I mean, this has probably been happening for a long time, and it's just, I guess, a question of bad luck
that this has happened. Because there, I think we can actually see going around Hong Kong, there are similar situations in other places where there
are similar kind of scaffoldings covering building facades where they're going under -- where they're under innovation.
So, it's a very sort of common thing to do. It's just that this has happened. I am sure that they have procedures the fire services and the
building department. They have procedures to ensure that these, because they typically Hong Kong regulations prohibit having, you know, and
combustible materials on the facade.
[09:10:00]
MACFARLANE: Yes.
USMANI: So just like Grenfell, you can't have Grenfell in Hong Kong, because there you cannot, you're not allowed to put any kind of things that
can combust. But the temporary works are exempt from that. So, I guess that's how the scamp holding gets away, because it's considered temporary.
Although this has been on -- has been going on for almost since July 2024, so it's more than a year now.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
USMANI: It's been going on, so it's kind of not so temporary.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
USMANI: So, I'm not sure you know what regulations they have for approving these, perhaps these will all have to be looked into.
MACFARLANE: Well, that will obviously be a focus of the investigation that is now ongoing, a look at that flammable material around the buildings, not
just the bamboo, but the netting, of course, that was there. And also, how old these buildings were as well whether they had had upgrades.
Asif Usmani, we appreciate your thoughts this evening. Thank you so much.
USMANI: Thank you very much.
MACFARLANE: Two National Guard members remain in critical condition this hour after officials say they were shot at point blank range near the White
House in an ambush style attack. The suspect accused of critically wounding the guard members on Wednesday is a man from Afghanistan who entered the
U.S. in 2021 according the Department of Homeland Security.
He previously worked in Afghanistan with the U.S. government, including the CIA, according to U.S. officials. President Donald Trump condemned the
attack as a heinous assault and an act of terror. CNN's Betsy Klein is following the story from us, from Washington.
So, Betsy, I guess we are expecting a news conference from federal officials any moment. Until then, can you tell us about the injured
National Guard members, what their status is, and what more CNN is learning about the suspect behind the shooting?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, we are learning that two National Guard members, one service man and one service woman, are
currently in critical condition at Washington, DC area hospitals. We do not know the extent of their injuries, and the U.S. government has been very
mum on how they are doing so far, but President Trump condemning this shooting as an act of terror.
At the same time that he is escalating calls to crack down on immigration. The Department of Homeland Security has identified a suspect. It is
Rahmanullah Lakanwal as he -- as the suspect in the shooting. He is an Afghan national. He came to the U.S. in 2021 under Operation allies welcome
that you may recall is the Biden era program to resettle those Afghan nationals in the wake of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
He applied for asylum in 2024 and he was granted that asylum in April of this year under the Trump Administration. Now, according to CIA Director
John Ratcliffe, the suspect worked with the U.S. in Afghanistan, including with the CIA. He is currently in custody at an area hospital.
He was also shot. Now, one source tells us that this suspect is not cooperating with investigators. We still do not know the motive. We do not
know how the suspect got this hand gun. We also do not know the extent of his injuries and whether he is expected to make a recovery.
We heard from Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Fox News just a few moments ago, really detailing what is a robust interagency investigative effort.
She says, the FBI, the ATF the DEA, U.S. Marshals, the DC attorney's office, as well as the U.S. Treasury Department are going to be involved in
this investigation.
She said that she was on the phone all day yesterday with President Donald Trump, who is spending his Thanksgiving holiday in Palm Beach, Florida with
the first family. She said she also has been in frequent contact with Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. Now, President Trump addressed the
nation from his Mar-a-Lago club last night.
He really cast blame on the Biden Administration for letting the suspect into the country. But again, his administration granted this person asylum.
The president calling for reexamination of every Afghan national who came to the U.S. during the Biden Administration.
Though CNN had actually reported earlier this week, prior to the shooting, that that process was indeed already under way. We did hear from U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services as well. They announced that all Afghan immigrant cases are stopping indefinitely, pending a further review.
I also want to remind you why these West Virginia service members were in Washington in the first place. They are here as part of President Trump's
DC crime crackdown, which is expected to continue until at least February. And on a personal note, I work at the White House.
Every day, you see these members of the National Guard in these highly trafficked areas. There are a lot of tourists. There are a lot of people
coming and going to work in this part of town.
[09:15:00]
It is very busy, very active. So, it's not unusual to see them there. Trump also announcing he was deploying 500 more members of the National Guard to
Washington after the shooting, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, this has certainly shocked many, being really in the heart of DC, as you say, Betsy, we'll keep an eye out for that press
conference expected this hour from federal officials. Thank you for now. As the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving, the first American pontiff has embarked
on his first foreign trip as leader of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo arrived in Ankara, Turkey today taking part in a wreath laying ceremony at a secret mausoleum. It's the first stop of a six-day Middle
East trip, which will also include Lebanon, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, greeted Pope Leo in Ankara. The pope is expected to make an
appeal for peace in the Middle East and push a theme of unity.
CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is joining us from Ankara. So, Salma, we have seen, I think, in the past hour, Pope Leo giving his first speech, his first
overseas speech, there in Ankara. What did he have to say?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, he's concluded his first major event. That was a visit to the presidential palace, a one-on-one meeting
with President Erdogan, and then he delivered an address in which he really pushed for interfaith dialog. He pushed for unity.
He pushed for harmony. He called on Turkey to embrace its role, both as a mediator and as a bridge in the region. And in saying that he's not just
acknowledging, of course, the events happening in the Middle East, President Erdogan has been at the forefront of negotiations when it comes
to the Gaza crisis.
But also, he is acknowledging Turkey's role when it comes to mediation efforts in Ukraine. It was just a few days ago that President Zelenskyy was
in Ankara speaking to President Erdogan. So, Pope Leo very much using this as an opportunity to put force behind his message six months into his
papacy, that message being one of peace, of harmony, of diplomacy, of dialog.
But he is, of course, also the first pope from the United States, and this coincides with Thanksgiving, and he was sure to acknowledge that occasion
of gratitude on the papal plane. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE LEO, HEAD OF CATHOLIC CHURCH: To the Americans here, Happy Thanksgiving. It's a wonderful day to celebrate. And I want to begin by
saying thank you to each and every one of you for the service that you offer, to the Vatican, to the Holy See, to my person, but to the whole
world.
It's so important today that the message be transmitted in a way that really reveals the truth and the harmony that the world needs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: Yeah, now we also understand that a couple of the journalists on the plane had baked him pies, a pumpkin pie, a pecan pie. Of course, these
are traditional desserts that are served during Thanksgiving. So, he's had a slice, a taste of his Thanksgiving meal, as far as we know.
But tomorrow is going to be a very key day for the pope. He's going to be acknowledging a very important event in Catholicism, and that is the
1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. It's at this ancient historical site. I believe we have images to show you of that, and it's
going to be, yet again, a moment where he's going to try to bridge divisions and bring harmony and unity, and that message that he's been
carrying six months into his papacy.
MACFARLANE: Salma, thank you so much. We want to take you straight to Washington, DC now with giving a news conference about the shooting on
Wednesday that left two National Guard members critically injured. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: -- the call, they took the charge, they volunteered, they put their lives on the line
for people they don't even know. And that, unfortunately, is becoming a reality more and more for the members of law enforcement.
Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Eve at approximately 215 near 17th and I streets in the northwest section of the district near the Farragut West metro
station, two uniform guardsmen were ambushed in a brazen and targeted attack. A lone gunman opened fire without provocation, ambush style, armed
with a 357 Smith and Wesson revolver.
One guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the guards man again. Another guardsman is struck several times.
Fellow guardsmen who were there responded immediately, engaging the suspect, neutralizing the threat and subduing him at the scene.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains as we speak, under heavy guard. Thanks to the swift and coordinated response of the National
Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department.
[09:20:00]
No additional victims were harmed, and the scene was secured within minutes. The suspect, he has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-
year-old Afghan who entered the United States under Biden's operation allies welcome, a program following the disastrous withdrawal from
Afghanistan.
He resided in Bellingham, Washington with his wife, and we believe five children. And we're working very closely with our federal partners,
especially DHS and the FBI to review his immigration history and the vetting process itself. What we know about him, is that he drove his
vehicle across country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation's capital.
As we stand here today, the charges that are appropriate right now are three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, a violation of DC
code 22-401 and DC code 22-4502. He will also be charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years under the assault
with the intent to kill.
We intend to continue monitoring what the charges will be, depending upon the well-being of the guardsmen. We are praying that they survive, and that
the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree. But make no mistake, if they do not that will certainly be the charge murder in the
first degree.
The Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to a thorough and an impartial investigation where we will hold this
perpetrator accountable under the full weight of the law. Now Sarah and Andrew volunteered they came here to protect the people of the district,
pursuant to a crime emergency that President Trump rightly declared in this city and in other cities across the country.
Our nation's capital should not and must not be a place where evil comes to commit violence, whatever their cause or motive may be. We should not have
to live in fear in the nation's capital, especially by one who came here from a foreign country. Through a process that was so absurd that he came
through and released into this country as many were knowing virtually nothing about his vetting.
This is what happens in this country when people are allowed in who are not properly vetted. These guardsmen and all who are here to protect the
district are the line that separates a civilized society from a barbaric one. They are the ones who stand for law and order.
This was not just an attack, it was a direct challenge to law and order in our nation's capital, and they -- the individual will be made fully
accountable. And though it seems that we have been here before, under President Trump, make no mistake and the Attorney General. We will not
allow this to be normalized.
It will be confronted, condemned and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Now my message to the individual who committed these acts is you pick
the wrong target, the wrong city and the wrong country, and you will be sorry for the violence and the evil that you perpetrated in our nation's
capital. And now I call upon the Director of the FBI, Kash Patel.
KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: Thanks, judge. I'll begin my remarks and my end my remarks the same way with prayer for our fallen soldiers, prayer for our
law enforcement community. Prayer for our national guards, men and women. Prayer for our brave prosecutors at the Department of Justice and the
offices of the DC United States Attorney.
We must come together as a nation, especially on this Thanksgiving Day. And remember the sacrifices that so many are making around the world and around
this country to secure our freedoms under President Trump's brilliant leadership and administration. I'll provide an update on the on the case as
follows.
It is an ongoing investigation of terrorism. Make no mistake about it. We, the FBI is leading out on this federal assault on a federal law enforcement
officer investigation on many fronts.
[09:25:00]
We see immediately with our law enforcement partners in the Metropolitan Police Department and the interagency secured the scene, seized the weapon,
sent in our Evidence Response Team immediately to collect evidence, and started doing block by block canvases.
We are looking for and interviewing witnesses. The firearm and other materials have been sent to our Quantico laboratory already yesterday, for
immediate analysis that work is ongoing. Partnering with the DC United States Attorney's Office, we have also executed multiple, multiple search
warrants around the country to include the subjects last known residents, which is in the State of Washington.
The search warrant was executed on that house last night or early this morning, and it is an ongoing process all the individuals found in the
house have been interviewed, and some interviews remain ongoing. We will not stop until we interview anyone and everyone associated with the subject
the house and every piece of his life.
There are also subject interviews relations conducted in San Diego pursuant to our ongoing investigation. So, as the judge noted, this is a coast-to-
coast investigation being led right here in Washington, DC. And this subject definitely did pick the wrong country, and we will rise together as
a nation to show the world what we do here.
And we are thankful that we have the attorney general's brave leadership and President Trump's brave leadership and priorities to safeguard our
communities. I also spoke to Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe last night and Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. There is confirmation now that the
subject had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces.
We are fully investigating that aspect of his background as well, to include any known associates that are either overseas or here in the United
States of America. That is what a broad-based international terrorism investigation looks like. We will provide continuous details to the
American public, while at the same time not jeopardizing the ongoing prosecution to ultimately hold this perpetrator accountable in our courts
of law.
We will provide as much transparency as possible. But as you can see, the breadth and scope of this investigation will continue. We will continue to
hit the streets and hit every town and every house and talk to every witness. Men and women of the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department
and the interagency to include the Department of Homeland Security, DEA and ATF are working tirelessly on this Thanksgiving Day.
And I know, just by talking to the leaders behind me, that instead of going on and being with their families, everyone rogers up and showed up to work
today, and none of them want to go home. That's the resolve that we have together as a team to bring to you justice for this heinous act of
terrorism here in our nation's capital.
And as the judge said, we will ensure that our law enforcement partners are out there in full force to make sure the world can enjoy our nation's
capital. We will not let this heinous act of violence prevent people from visiting our beautiful nation's capital. And we will also continue to
highlight any evidence that we can publicly.
And as the judge said, this individual is in this country for one reason and one reason alone, because of the disastrous withdrawal from the Biden
Administration and the failure to vet anyway, in any way shape or form, this individual and countless others and this administration has taken the
rightful step to stop any further allowance of people with this similar background into the country, and we're thankful for that.
And as I said, this investigation remains ongoing, and I think I'll turn it over to General Blanchard of the National Guard now. Thank you.
BRIG. GENERAL LELAND BLANCHARD, COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE DC NATIONAL GUARD: Thank you, Director. All across America this morning, families are
waking up. They will spend the day with their children, their brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, friends from across the community.
There will be the smell of turkey, all the fixings. They'll watch parades, football games, they'll pray together. They'll talk about what they're
grateful for. This morning, there are two families that will not have that opportunity. Andy and Sarah's families, they're spending the day reflecting
on the past, and in the days coming, they'll reflect on and think about what could have been, what might be.
Because regardless of the outcome, we know that their lives, their families live, are all changed forever, because one person decided to do this
horrific and evil thing.
[09:30:00]
And all across America, we are also reminded that there are many law enforcement agents, first responders, soldiers, service members all around
the world who at best, will come home, eat some cold turkey, open up Tupperware, eat what's left over, because they spent the day defending the
American ideals, getting out there and getting after it.
On every American citizen's behalf. I will say that the District of Columbia National Guard, this task force, is more committed this morning to
the president's directive to make DC safe and beautiful. Our resolve will be tested. It is being tested. But make no mistake.
Each and every one of these soldiers and airmen will meet and exceed the expectation that we have for them. They are, in fact, America's best. I'm
proud of each and every one of them. I pray for each and every one of them today, and in particular for these two young service members who are
willing to go above and beyond and pay whatever price our nation asks to them.
I ask every American today to keep them in their thoughts and prayers as you go about your Day. Thank you.
PIRRO: Thank you, General. Mayor. Where's Mayor Bowser?
MURIEL BOWSER, MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, DC: I'm here.
PIRRO: Yeah.
BOWSER: Thank you, judge. I'm Muriel Bowser. I'm the Mayor of Washington, DC --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: We have just been hearing there from DC National Guard commanding general speaking after the attack on two of its members and
several others from law enforcement. Let's bring in CNN's Betsy Klein, who's been standing by listening in.
Betsy, we heard a bit more there about the nature of the attack, the suspect, the investigation that is underway, which Kash Patel says is coast
to coast. Talk us through what's new here and what stood out to you.
KLEIN: There was a lot of news in there, Christina. I just want to take you through a little bit. Judge Jeanine Pirro, she's the U.S. Attorney for the
District of Columbia. She said that there is a robust interagency investigation underway, including the FBI, the ATF, the Department of
Homeland Security, the DC Metro Police Department, along with other top agencies.
She said that those two service members are in critical condition and that they have both undergone surgeries. She identified them as Sarah Beckstrom,
20 years old, and Andrew Wolfe, who is just 24 years old. The shooter is at the local hospital, and he is under heavy guard, she said.
He is 29 years old. His name is Rahmanullah Lakanwal. He is from Bellingham, Washington. He has a wife, she said, as they -- well as they
believe five children, they are reviewing his immigration history as well as the vetting process that brought him here to the United States.
You may recall that he came to the United States in 2021 under the Biden era program operation allies' welcome. That was an effort to resettle
Afghan refugees into the U.S. during the Afghanistan withdrawal. He applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted that asylum under the Biden, excuse me,
under the Trump Administration in 2025.
They say that he drove across the country with the intent to kill, to come to Washington, and there they laid out the charges here, there's going to
be three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. That is up to 15 years in prison, as well as possession of a firearm during a violent
event.
But Pirro said that they are monitoring what happens to these victims here they, that could change the charges. They could charge him with murder if
either or both of these service members do not make it. They said he used a 357 Smith and Wesson revolver, and described this as an ambush, a brazen,
targeted attack.
We also heard from FBI Director Kash Patel. He said that they have collected an enormous amount of evidence, and they are continuing to do so.
They are asking people who are witnesses to come forward. He also announced that, according to CIA Director Ratcliffe as well as Secretary of Defense
Pete Hegseth.
This suspect had a relationship in Afghanistan with U.S. forces. They are fully investigating those connections, Christina.
MACFARLANE: And a lot to investigate by the sound of it. Betsy, we appreciate you following this for us. Thank you. You're watching "Connect
the World". We'll have more news straight ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:35:00]
MACFARLANE: Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is expecting a U.S. delegation in Moscow next week to discuss the U.S. led peace proposal.
Putin told reporters he is ready for a quote, serious discussion. CNN's Clare Sebastian is joining us live from London.
So, Clare, I think this is the first time Vladimir Putin has spoken publicly about the U.S. brokered peace plan. What did he say?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, definitely the most fulsome comments that we've had from him since this latest flurry of diplomatic
activity started Christina, and I think what we learn ultimately is that Russia's maximalist, uncompromising stance on this war has not changed.
Yes, he made positive noises. Says Russia is always open to contact. He said that the U.S. proposal can form the basis for future agreements, but
obviously making clear that there's still a lot of work to be done. He even said that Russia would be prepared to document that it has no aggressive
intentions towards Europe.
But I think if you look beyond that, and there was a question on the territorial issues at stake, he was asked by a Russian reporter if he
wanted the Donbas issue in particular resolved here and now, or if he'd be prepared to put it off to a later date. And here's what he said to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: Once Ukrainian troops withdraw from the territories they occupy, then the fighting will end. If they don't
withdraw, we will achieve this through military means.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: So here we have the fundamental problem here, Ukraine, fact check, doesn't occupy this territory. This is Ukrainian sovereign
territory. But obviously Russia is pushing, as we've seen it do in previous sort of rounds of diplomatic activity, for the part of Donetsk that it
hasn't occupied yet, that Ukraine still controls.
So, it seems like that is still part of the Russian demands here. Look, I think this whole process, and Putin did say so has been confusing for
Russia. He talked about divisions within the West and even within the United States. But look the friendliest element, as it seems, of the Trump
Administration, in the form of Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow next week.
So clearly this does not set up a major incentive for Russia to compromise at this point. And I think even worse than that, we heard Putin say that he
doesn't even want to talk to the Ukrainian leadership, calling it pointless, harking back to an old argument that Zelenskyy, as Russia has
repeatedly pointed out, is illegitimate because Ukraine had to postpone elections because it can't hold them in a state of martial law.
So, look, this process continues. Ukraine says it expects a U.S. delegation to continue talks at the end of this week, but it continues along two
separate tracks, Ukraine and the U.S. and Russia and the U.S., Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and we know, Clare, next week, the Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, will be meeting with Ukrainians around the same time that
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with President Putin. I mean, it raises a question as the timing of these public comments being made by
President Putin today, given that is happening next week.
But really it sounds, as you're outlining there, that expectations for that meeting and anything substantial coming from it are pretty low.
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SEBASTIAN: Well, I think they're playing for time here, Christina, as we've seen them do, Russia feels that it is gaining ground on the battlefield,
and you heard him say, you know, if we don't get it -- don't get what we want in terms of diplomacy, we'll get it militarily.
So, I think that is part of what's happening here. There was one wrinkle in that Putin did say that he was surprised and certainly not happy about the
imposition of U.S. sanctions on Russia's oil giants, on its biggest oil companies, those sanctions officially came into force last Friday.
He said that destroys relations. So, I think there is part of the calculus in the Kremlin that while it's clear that that Witkoff has certainly skewed
pro-Russian, and the leaks that were reported this week, that phone call published by Bloomberg certainly reinforce that.
That there is some confusion at this point in terms of how the U.S. is going to proceed, because, of course, it does have these sanctions in place
at the same time, Christina.
MACFARLANE: And on the issue of this, the concession of land that you're talking about, Clare, I mean, it's quite apparent, is it not that this is a
red line for Ukraine. We don't know the details, of course, of what is exactly in the European counter peace proposal put forward, but it's very
unlikely that will have been part of it. So, I mean, would that be, in essence, a red line for Russia here in terms of moving forward?
SEBASTIAN: So yeah, again, we don't know what is in these latest documents, but certainly we know that Russia has laid out that it wants the whole of
the Donbas. You remember that Russia went to war, started what it calls this special military operation, saying that it wanted to protect the
Russian speaking population in that specific region.
So, the thinking has been over the past sort of few months, or even longer, the seizure, or, you know, taking by diplomatic means, as unprecedented as
that would be of that whole region by Russia would allow Putin to paint this as a win, regardless of what happens in other parts of Ukraine.
So, I think that's where we stand. His comments certainly seem to suggest that that's what Russia is going to continue to push for.
MACFARLANE: All right. Clare, appreciate it. Thank you. It is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, and what better way to kick off the holiday
season than with a parade. Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York is under way to be precise. It's now in its 99th year.
An estimated 3.5 million people are expected to line the streets of Manhattan to watch the parade, with an additional 50 million watching on
TV. And we will have "World Sport" with Amanda Davies coming up, straight after this. Stay with us.
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