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Early Start with Rahel Solomon
Putin Marks World War II Victory Day with Parade, Wreath Laying; Trump Announces New Trade Deal with the U.K.; Thousands Celebrate at Vatican as Pope Leo XIV Revealed. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired May 09, 2025 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right, plus, Russia is celebrating the Allies' World War II victory over Nazi Germany. Coming up, a look at the mighty military parade and the special guests on hand in Moscow. We'll be right back.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back to our viewers joining us in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Rahel Solomon, live in New York. This is EARLY START.
We are following events in Moscow today as Russia celebrates the allies' victory in World War II. Live pictures now of President Vladimir Putin as we just saw there surrounded, I think, to his left by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
[04:35:00]
They're attending a massive military parade featuring troops from 13 countries. See him laying flowers and a wreath this hour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Chinese President Xi Jinping among the 29 world leaders in attendance. President Putin using his speech to praise the Russian forces fighting in what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine.
OK, meanwhile, President Trump is -- today, unconditional ceasefire after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. OK, let's get to CNN's Clare Sebastian, who is following developments live from London. Clare, good to have you.
As we look at these live pictures, really stunning to see Chinese President Xi Jinping walking beside Vladimir Putin at this event. As we said, we can see some other world leaders on the stage there -- 29 expected in total. It's quite a different scene from last year. In that way, you could say it's already a bit of a success for Putin.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, look, this is, I think, a major PR coup for the Russian president. We've seen over the previous three victory days of this war there were either no foreign contingents, as there were in 2022, followed by a handful for the next few years. And now we see this major international event happening essentially in Moscow.
The Chinese premier definitely the guest of honor. He walked in with Putin to view the parade. And I think it's striking as well that they're not just watching. A number of them have sent, as you noted, military contingents to take part in the parade.
And it's really striking to see them also wearing the orange and black St. George ribbon. This is a symbol of Victory Day in Russia. But it has been very much co-opted by the Russian army in Ukraine. And you saw it in the parade painted across the military vehicles that were driven across Red Square. So I think that is extremely striking.
In terms of the parade itself, we also seem to see a bigger event than we have in previous years. State media were reporting that 11,500 troops took part compared to about 9,000 last year. That may, of course, have been padded out by those foreign contingents.
We also have seen more military vehicles. There were three T-34 Soviet-era tanks leading that column. But then we saw more modern tanks as well, which we haven't in a couple of years.
And really strikingly as well, Russia paraded its drones through Red Square, attack drones that are in use extremely regularly in Ukraine, including the Geran, which is the Russian version of the Iranian- designed Shahed. So a bigger parade, a major show of force in terms of the international visits. But also to the domestic audience, Russia very much using this opportunity to build up patriotism, to build up support for its war in Ukraine.
And of course we saw, as we have in previous years, President Putin sort of conflating the fight against Nazism back in the 1940s with the war in Ukraine now. Although interestingly, he did it more subtly this year than he has in previous years.
SOLOMON: Clare, what more can you tell us about this phone call between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy?
SEBASTIAN: Yes, really significant. I think that Ukraine is really pushing to build on the momentum of the really conciliatory meeting that we saw at the Vatican a week or so ago. Then the mineral deal, which by the way was ratified in Parliament in Ukraine yesterday on the same day that Presidents Trump and Putin spoke.
Ukraine continues to push for this 30-day ceasefire. President Zelenskyy saying that the U.S. can play a critical role in securing peace now as it did. He also alluded to the World War II back in 1945.
And I think, you know, his persuasion seems to be working if you look at what President Trump wrote on Truth Social afterwards, saying the U.S. calls for a 30-day ceasefire if the ceasefire is not respected, again threatening sanctions and saying, I will stay committed, he said, to securing peace between Russia and Ukraine.
So take a listen to a little bit of what President Zelenskyy had to say after that call.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): A ceasefire, lasting and reliable, will be a real indicator of movement towards peace. America can help with this. The world needs America now, just as it did 80 years ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: So calling on the symbolism of World War II. And we do see diplomacy ramping up around Ukraine. A number of foreign ministers expected in western Ukraine today to sort of continue that push towards a ceasefire.
But I think if you take these two things together, that Ukrainian diplomacy and the events we see in Moscow, you see very much the international divisions being cemented around this war today -- Rahal.
SOLOMON: Yes, and I mean, these comments from the administration that essentially patience is running thin with the Russian side of negotiations here. Clare Sebastian, live for us here in London. Clare, thank you.
There has been new cross-border fire between India and Pakistan and it's raising fears that the two nuclear-armed rivals are on the brink of a wider conflict. Video shows damage in the aftermath of attacks overnight in India-administered Kashmir.
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The Indian Army says that it repelled multiple attacks from Pakistani drones and other munitions along the line of control or the de facto border in disputed Kashmir.
Pakistan says that it destroyed several Indian Army checkpoints along the border in response to what it calls unprovoked firing from the Indian side. Indian officials say that air defenses intercepted missiles and drones launched from Pakistan on Thursday.
Pakistan denies those attacks but earlier said that it killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers along the line of control. It also said that it downed more than two dozen Indian drones.
And in his first public comment on the crisis, India's prime minister called for, quote, continued alertness.
U.S. meantime calling for talks and de-escalation, and the vice president says that there could be limits to U.S. involvement.
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J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible. We can't control these countries, though. Fundamentally, India has its gripes with Pakistan. Pakistan has responded to India.
What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit. But we're not going to get involved in the middle of a war that's fundamentally none of our business.
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SOLOMON: All right, still ahead for us, U.S. President Donald Trump touting a new trade deal with the U.K., calling it historic. We'll break it down for you. Coming up next.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back. President Trump announced what he called a major trade deal with the U.K. on Thursday. And it could mean some possible relief from the president's historically high tariffs. He says that it will be followed by many deals with other countries.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The final details are being written up in the coming weeks. We'll have it all very conclusive. But the actual deal is a very conclusive one. We think just about everything's been approved.
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SOLOMON: Now, the U.S. stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday. This is actually futures. But that was after President Trump announced the deal and taking a look at where U.S. futures stand this morning, hours away from the markets opening.
Some sleepy start to the morning, at least right now at 445. The Dow is off fractionally. The S&P is up barely in the Nasdaq, also up slightly. But green is green, certainly in this environment.
Meantime, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the deal but says that there are still some details that need to be, quote, ironed out. CNN's Anna Stewart has more.
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ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it wasn't perhaps the full and comprehensive deal touted by President Trump. But there is no doubt this is a victory for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, given it's the first so-called deal to be agreed with the new U.S. administration. Many details remain to be finalized. But here's what we know so far.
First of all, the 10 percent baseline tariff on U.K. exports to the U.S. remains. The focus here is on an easing of measures on specific sectors.
And autos is a big one. The U.K. will be able to export 100,000 cars per year to the U.S. at a tariff of 10 percent. Now, that is significantly better than the current rate of 27.5 percent. But if you look back prior to President Trump taking office, it was just 2.5 percent. The U.K. and the U.S. will have a free trade zone when it comes to
steel and aluminum, with the U.K. actually joining the U.S. in imposing a 25 percent tariff on those metals being imported from anywhere else.
There is plenty more to be ironed out. The British Prime Minister was asked whether the deal was actually an improvement in the U.K.'s trading relationship with the U.S. prior to President Trump taking office. And this is what he said.
KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The question you should be asking is, is it better than where we were yesterday?
STEWART: The implication being that a deal is better than no deal, but it may not be perfect.
Now all eyes will be on talks between China and the U.S., the world's biggest economies, who remain locked in a much bigger trade war.
Anna Stewart, CNN, London.
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SOLOMON: And picking up where Anna left off, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet with his Chinese counterparts in Switzerland this weekend. And depending on how those talks go, President Trump says that he would be willing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He claims, quote, China very much wants to make a deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: China wants to do something. And look, they have to at this point. You know, essentially, they made a trillion dollars a year and now they have absolutely no business because of the tariffs.
They have no business and they want to have business. And we want them to have business. We want them to do well. We want them to do very well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: President also signaling that he will not raise tariffs on China, which already sit at 145 percent for most goods. China's export growth fell in April after those tariffs took effect. Another sign of the damage the trade war is causing.
OK, we'll take a quick break and we'll be right back.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back. After white smoke poured from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, thousands of the Catholic faithful filled St. Peter's Square to see Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost take to the Vatican balcony as Pope Leo XIV. Our David Culver was there and gives us a look at some of the moments.
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DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What are you feeling and your emotional:
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. We're so emotional because we weren't expecting to be here at this moment and we are finally here.
CULVER: You were just passing through.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were feeling it. We were feeling it. We knew it. We have to come here at some point.
CULVER: And you can still see the smoke.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. White smoke finally. Yes. My mom is cutting me off.
CULVER: Oh, go ahead.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am just completely overwhelmed. I've just started crying. I think I'm about to again. We have a new father and we'll in a few moments be introduced to him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's an American Pope in Italy. Like that doesn't -- that's never happened.
CULVER: I don't think I have seen so many smiles in one place and tears at the same time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, yes. That's, I mean, we're going to have a spiritual father again, you know, as Catholics and also kind of for the whole world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being able to witness this life is the best birthday present ever.
CULVER: It is your birthday, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today is my 25th birthday. Yes.
CULVER: Happy birthday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you.
CULVER: You've got a Pope.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And now we have an American pope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something that we'll remember for the rest of our lives.
(END VIDEOTAPE) SOLOMON: And that'll do it for this hour of EARLY START. I'm Rahel Solomon, live in New York. Erin Burdett will join me live from Rome with special coverage of the new Pope's first mass after this quick break.
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