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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Key European Leaders To Join Zelenskyy For White House Meeting; Hurricane Erin Intensifies To A Category 4 Storm; Florida Migrant Detention Center Facing Two Lawsuits. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired August 18, 2025 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[05:30:00]

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: In multiple subpoena letters the committee told former officials they had knowledge and information related to the current investigation.

All right. Coming up a critical meeting in Washington. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump are set to sit down for talks. Ahead we'll tell you what Ukrainians are saying about the possibility of land concessions. Stay with us.

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[05:35:00]

Back to our top story now. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be joined by key European leaders when he meets with President Donald Trump at the White House in the coming hours. A European Commission spokesperson says leaders in Europe focused on security guarantees for Ukraine during talks in preparation for today's meeting.

Now the talks come as Russian strikes intensify in Ukraine where officials say at least seven people were killed in an attack on a residential building in Kharkiv.

Last hour we heard from CNN's Ben Wedeman reporting from the funeral of a Ukrainian soldier in Kyiv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are at the funeral of David Chichkan, who is a very popular Kyiv artist who was killed earlier this month on the front fighting the Russians. And, of course, he is just one of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have been killed and wounded since the war began back in February 2022.

And, of course, people here are very aware of President Trump's social media post saying that President Zelenskyy can end the war immediately if he wants to. And, of course, if you speak to people here, they will tell you yes, we want to end the war. The question is under what conditions.

The idea that Ukraine is going to cede Crimea and other parts of the eastern regions of the country is something many people find very difficult to digest. They feel that so many people like David Chichkan have died in this war and they don't want them to have died in vain.

I can tell you, Danny, that he was killed in the eastern part of the country. I spent months and months out there. The soil out there is soaked with the blood of so many Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who lost their lives, lost their homes, lost their loved ones.

And there is a certain amount of resentment against the American president who so flippantly sort of suggests what Ukraine should do without any recognition of the sacrifices -- the kind of sacrifices people here have come to commemorate -- to express their appreciation for.

So they are hoping that somehow there will be an avoidance of that February very stormy Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump. That perhaps when they meet later today with all of those European leaders backing up Ukraine that perhaps President Trump will understand why it is people here feel it is so important that the victim and not the aggressor in this war come out with justice on their side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FREEMAN: Thank you, Ben Wedeman, for that report.

Let's return now to Kyiv with Tymofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics and a former minister of economic development and trade of Ukraine. Thank you so much for coming back with us. We had a little technical difficulties before but I'm glad to have this conversation with you.

Let's start here. What is your perspective on how important the presence of so many European leaders alongside Zelenskyy at the White House meeting later today?

TYMOFIY MYLOVANOV, PRESIDENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, FORMER MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE OF UKRAINE: Very important. At least three points immediately.

One is basically precludes some kind of outrage or unraveling of meeting as it happened in February when President Zelenskyy and Vice President J.D. Vance to into an altercation.

Second, it shows it gives gravity to the position of Ukraine. It's not just Zelenskyy who has a position, but it's European leaders who share that position. So that puts actually Trump in a better position to negotiate and go back to Putin and say no, sorry, that cannot be done. Something else can be done.

And the third one, they are present there to actually talk specifics about security guarantees if this process of negotiation for peace goes forward.

FREEMAN: Tymofiy, can I ask you to react to the Truth Social post that President Trump put out last night and over into this morning because it was really stunning. He essentially said that all of the onus for potentially stopping this war is on President Zelenskyy. Crimea is a nonstarter, and NATO is off the table.

I mean, what are Ukrainians' reaction to such a strong perspective that seems to be very much in line with Vladimir Putin?

MYLOVANOV: Well, yeah. So that's Vladimir Putin goals and objectives but unfortunately, they are more than that -- much more. He wants to subdue the Ukraine completely even though he might not always say that.

But the reaction is on three levels. There is a pragmatic, there is a sort of justice reason or reaction, and there is emotional. Emotional is very negative. But on the pragmatic level I think OK, Crimea de facto has been under Russian control for quite a while now -- for 11 years.

[05:40:00]

The problem really is that NATO -- OK, there are security guarantees, there is security support. The security support is much more important than security guarantees. And let's be frank. If Ukraine wanted to be welcome in NATO it would have been there before. So that's also a little bit of, I think, distraction here in the current situation of achieving peace.

What really needs to be done is to be very, very clear and laser- focused on what it means and what Putin wants to get in this land exchanges. He wants to get the Donbas region, which is the largest and the most fortified region of Ukraine, which he has not been able to take for 12 years. So he wants to get it for free and (audio gap) could open for him space, essentially undefended terrain. (Audio gap) could be --

FREEMAN: I think we're having a little bit more -- we're having a little bit more technical difficulties with Tymofiy right there, but we really do appreciate his perspective on such a consequential day for his country, of course. Thank you, Tymofiy.

Moving on now. Air Canada flight attendants are defying their government's back-to-work order. More than 10,000 will continue their strike for higher wages and pay for time spent while planes are on the ground.

Canada's jobs minister, who issued an order for arbitration, says the two sides are at an impasse and need help to resolve it.

More than 99 percent of the airline's flight attendants voted for the strike, and they say the government is giving Air Canada exactly what it wants. Meanwhile, travelers are caught in the middle.

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ANDRES HINCAPLE, COLOMBIAN TRAVELER: I am a tourist, and I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know. And for that reason I'm here to try some solution. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: Coming up in just a moment Hurricane Erin intensifies as it moves across the Atlantic. We'll show you where it's heading and how it's already affecting some Caribbean islands.

Plus, attorneys warn that the migrant detention facility in the Florida Everglades could become a "black hole" for the Trump administration to disappear detainees. We'll tell you what they're doing to fight against it still ahead.

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[05:46:45]

FREEMAN: And welcome back. I'm Danny Freeman here in Atlanta. And here are some stories we're watching today.

First, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Washington, D.C. ahead of his high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump. He'll sit down for talks with the U.S. president in the hours ahead. Key European leaders will also be in Washington for that meeting. Zelenskyy says he's confident Ukraine can obtain security guarantees with the support of his European allies.

And the families of Israeli hostages led a nationwide strike demanding Israel's government reach a deal to bring their loved ones home. Massive protests on Sunday drew hundreds of thousands of Israelis, according to organizers. It's one of the largest demonstrations since the war in Gaza began nearly two years ago.

And three U.S. states are sending additional National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia will supplement National Guard members already ordered there by President Trump. A White House official says they will help protect federal assets and create a safe environment for law enforcement officials to do their job.

Hurricane Erin is back to a category 4 storm. Erin currently has sustained winds of about 130 miles per hour or 215 kilometers per hour. It is not expected to make landfall, but tropical storm warnings are in effect for Turks and Caicos, and a watch is in effect for the Bahamas.

Meanwhile, dangerous rip currents are expected to pose a threat across the entire U.S. Eastern Seaboard beginning on Monday.

Now, Erin's outer bands dumped heavy rain on Puerto Rico. Some areas are flooded, and the island is expected to get up to two more inches of rain. Puerto Rico's governor says 100,000 people lost power back on Sunday.

And Erin has quickly gone through really remarkable changes. It rapidly intensified between Friday and Saturday, making history as one of the fastest-strengthening Atlantic storms on record. On Saturday the storm became a fearsome category 5. That's when NOAA's hurricane hunters flew right through its eye and recorded this amazing and, in my opinion, terrifying video.

The National Hurricane Center says Erin's intensity will fluctuate in the coming days.

At least seven people were killed after a massive cloudburst triggered a landslide in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Local officials say the army, police, and state and federal disaster response teams are collectively carrying out rescue operations.

Meantime, the death toll has risen from severe weather in northwestern Pakistan. Officials say at least 337 people were killed after heavy rain led to flash flooding.

And later today a U.S. federal judge will hold a hearing over the controversial detention center in the Florida Everglades. Attorneys say Trump administration officials are blocking detainees from meeting with legal counsel in violation of their civil rights. And that's just one lawsuit against the notorious facility.

CNN's Rafael Romo has the details.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alligator Alcatraz is currently facing two lawsuits. One was filed by environmental groups who are opposed to such a facility being built in the middle of an ecosystem like the Florida Everglades. The other one was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and immigrants' rights advocates.

[05:50:05]

A federal court in Miami will hold a hearing on Monday in the ACLU case, which focuses on two allegations: A lack of access to legal counsel, and violations of due process for migrants detained at the tent facility.

The complaint filed last month in the U.S. District Court of Southern Florida in Miami specifically states that "Defendants in this case have blocked detainees held at the facility from access to legal counsel. No protocols exist at this facility for providing standard means of confidential attorney-client communication such as in-person attorney visitation and phone or video calls that are available at any other detention facility, jail, or prison."

The right to an attorney is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in criminal cases regardless of the legal status of an individual.

Eunice Cho, the ACLU's lead counsel in this case, says beyond the harsh conditions detainees face at Alligator Alcatraz that she says she has never seen at any other detention center -- there are fundamental rights that are being violated.

EUNICE CHO, SENIOR COUNSEL, ACLU'S NATIONAL PRISON PROJECT: What we're seeing is that Florida state officials are rounding people in many different and very disturbing ways and eventually taking these individuals to Alligator Alcatraz. And they're being held, of course, without honoring many of their very basic constitutional rights to be able to speak to counsel. To be able to petition for release from custody. And Alligator Alcatraz cannot end up being a black hole where people disappear.

ROMO: Of course, we reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about these claims. In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that "Any allegation that illegal aliens at Alligator Alcatraz do not have access to attorneys is FALSE. The facility maintains a physical space for attorneys to meet with their clients. Additionally, Florida established an email address for attorneys to submit requests to speak to the specific illegal aliens."

The ACLU lawsuit names Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her entire department as defendants, as well as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his Executive Director of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie, and other officials.

We also reached out to the state of Florida for comment on this but there has been no response so far.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FREEMAN: Thank you, Rafael, for that.

Coming up in just a moment an incredible escape after a single-engine plane crashed onto a golf course in Sydney, Australia. We'll have the remarkable story just ahead.

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[05:52:00]

FREEMAN: A miraculous outcome after a single-engine plane crashed onto a Sydney, Australia golf course on Sunday. Now, the plane was on a training flight when it lost power and ran into engine trouble, CNN affiliate 9 News reports. Golfers on the busy course ran towards the crash to help but the pilot and his student, both in their 50s, walked away largely unharmed, suffering just a few cuts.

The aircraft, a single-engine Piper Cherokee, sustained serious damage though and prompted a partial closure of the golf course. Incredible story there.

And to this now. The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of British actor Terence Stamp. His family told Reuters that Stamp died Sunday morning at the age of 87.

Now, he started his film career playing the title role in 1962's "Billy Budd", which earned him an Academy Award nomination.

In a statement his family says Stamps leaves behind an extraordinary body of work both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come. Of course, maybe most famously, he played archvillain General Zod in "Superman" and "Superman II." Let's have a look.

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Clip from "Superman II."

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FREEMAN: I mean, just iconic there. I love it.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are now set to move into a new home later this year. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed the news to CNN back on Sunday. The two will relocate to the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park with their children, of course, George, Charlotte, and Louis. The family won't have to go very far though since their current home at Adelaide Cottage is just a short distance from the new property.

To sports now. Scottie Scheffler came from behind in the final round to win the BMW Championship at Caves Valley in Maryland. Now the world's number one, three under par 67 included a dramatic hole out in the 17th from 82 feet. Look at that right there. Hoping to get up and down he managed even better and that pretty much sealed his two-shot victory.

The 54-hole leader Robert MacIntyre struggled though to a three over 73 to finish as runner-up.

Scheffler is now a heavy favorite headed into the Tour Championship in Atlanta this week. Love that.

And the New Orleans Saints have a quarterback battle on their hands. On Sunday the Saints' Spencer Rattler threw a 20-yard touchdown to Dante Pettis with just 21 seconds left in the game. Look at that right there. That got the Saints to within two points of the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars.

Now it's just the preseason, I know, but the Saints put their offense to the test by going for the tie. Rattler dropped back but couldn't find an open receiver, so he ran it in himself. With that, the game ended tied at 17.

Now, Rattler is competing with rookie Tyler Shough to be the Saints' starter. All right, we'll see what happens there.

[06:00:00]

And just before we go, the Indiana Fever brought the heat to the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, but it wasn't without a fight. Sunday's matchup marked the team's 13th-straight game without star guard Caitlin Clark who is out with a groin injury. And against all odds Indiana managed to bounce back from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter to win 99-93 in overtime against Connecticut. Incredible what they're able to do -- again, still without Caitlin Clark.

All right, thanks so much for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Danny Freeman here in Atlanta. "CNN THIS MORNING" starts right now.