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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Ukraine: Russian Forces Making Gains in Bakhmut; IAEA Reiterates Concerns about Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant; Entrepreneurs Face Challenges in Both Nations as War Continues; Biden Administration Approves Selling Missiles for F-16s to Taiwan; Blinken: No Country can Tackle Drug Problem Alone; Blinken: If China Helps Russia, It's a Serious Problem. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired March 02, 2023 - 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)
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN HOST, FIRST MOVE: A warm welcome to "First Move" this Thursday. Plenty coming up this hour including the U.S. Secretary of State
to Antony Blinken is expected to speak any moment now at the G20 in New Delhi earlier this morning. The Secretary of State has a short meeting with
his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of that summit.
This, of course, was their first face to face conversation. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began just over a year ago. CNN's National Security
Reporter, Natasha Bertrand has been following the events.
Natasha, clearly much for all of the G20 Foreign Ministers to discuss but I think the war in Ukraine has sucked oxygen from the room. The key question,
what do we know about what those two men discussed in that? What 10 minutes of conversation that they had?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, so this was described really as kind of a spur of the moment interaction it was
described by the Russians as happening really from when they were walking from one event to the next. But Secretary of State Antony Blinken did seek
out Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, the State Department says and that's because he wanted to have a conversation with him about a number of things.
Chief among them, the detention of the American citizen, Paul Whelan in Russia, he has been detained for a number of years now and has not seen any
signs that he's going to be released. So that was really the chief just topic of discussion that Blinken wanted to discuss with Lavrov.
As well as the New START Treaty, which is that nuclear arms control agreement that Russia said that it would be pulling out of the Secretary of
State really wanting to speak with Lavrov? However, briefly about Russia still needing to comply, of course with that treaty and wanting them to be
able to stay in communication over that.
And of course, the topic of Ukraine was also discussed. But look, I think that the bigger picture here is that Blinken clearly wants to keep the
lines of communication open with the Russians. They do not want it to become a situation where the U.S.-Russia, communication channels are
closed, no matter how bad the relationship gets.
So it was not a pre-planned meeting we're told but Secretary of State Blinken did take advantage of that moment to pull him aside again, for the
first time face to face since the war began. And speak to him bluntly about the top issues that the United States feels are really important right now,
Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, had a number of issues there, as you quite rightly pointed out, and once again, we're showing that room now is that people just wait
for that Press Conference with the U.S. Secretary of State clearly, those 10 minutes can be vitally important but there are broader subjects.
Of course, these men have had their own interactions with Chinese officials as well, Natasha, any sense of whether that country's potential involvement
in a peace solution or beyond, of course, the concerns about the supply of weapons, perhaps from China, to Russia also a very sensitive subject
between these two men. Any sense of whether China was mentioned in this discussion?
BERTRAND: We're not getting any sense of that this morning. And however, this has been a very, very concerning issue for the U.S.; of course, they
are watching very closely to see whether China is going to provide weapons to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. China to date, really Chinese
companies have only been providing non-lethal equipment.
Now, we are learning that the U.S. believes that they're preparing to provide them with lethal equipment. And so I think that as part of the
conversations were large between the U.S. and Russia. There are probably going to be conversations about warning the Russians against taking that
Chinese equipment, right?
And same with the Chinese leadership, you know, Antony Blinken does not necessarily have any plans to speak directly with the Chinese Foreign
Minister while he is there. But he also did not leave that possibility off the table. Blinken, of course, has been very bluntly speaking to the
Chinese about the risks of the Chinese providing that kind of support to the Russians was threatening essentially that the U.S. is going to take
action if they do that, perhaps in the form of sanctions.
And so this is going to be a very interesting meeting, really the G20 meeting, when you have all of these kinds of people around the same table
with this huge, obviously, conflict looming over them, which is the war in Ukraine.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, of course and I looked at the agenda for the Indian authorities as well food security, humanitarian assistance, development
cooperation. The unfortunate thing is this war, certainly sucking oxygen from the room and not even allowing a statement to be made at the
conclusion of this.
Natasha, great to have you with us! Thank you so much for that Natasha Bertrand! Thank you, there joining us from the Pentagon and the moment that
the U.S. Secretary of State begins to speak we will take you to it for that Press Conference.
For now, let's move on to the battle for Bakhmut. Russian forces they're making gains according to the Ukrainian military and fears are growing now
in the town of Chasiv Yar, which could be Russia's next target if Bakhmut falls. From there, Alex Marquardt reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This is the road on the way to Bakhmut, cars, military vehicles, bombing up
and down this road going to and from the front.
[09:05:00]
MARQUARDT (on camera): You see this armored vehicle right here? The V sign for victory there are still some people here not too many but some of these
hardly residents have stayed behind. This is the shop of --, who is here grilling meats about --.
He actually fled from Bakhmut two months ago and has opened up the shop selling basics like bananas, beet root and candles. There's another man who
here who we just met whose daughter is still in Bakhmut one of the thousands of people there who have been asked to evacuate but are still in
the city amid this incredible fighting.
You can see that they put up wood there to protect those windows so much destruction in this town. We were just farther in the center of town is
called Chasiv Yar. This is one town over from Bakhmut with a large group of people at a bus stop waiting for a water delivery that never came.
Every few moments, you can hear explosions, the sound of what we believe to be outgoing artillery fire, Ukrainians firing at Russian positions. We
spoke with an older woman named Valentina, who said that there is so much flying over their heads, that she is scared all the time those they are so
close to the Russian positions.
That's more outgoing artillery fire. They're so close to the Russian positions that they can walk there. We also spoke with some Ukrainian
soldiers like these ones who man one of those artillery positions. They told us that there has been no order to pull back from Bakhmut.
That they're fighting because if they give up Bakhmut, then this town Chasiv Yar, this would be next. And that is what everyone is thinking now
that if Russia were to take Bakhmut, that they would have another foothold in this region from which to try to push farther into Eastern Ukraine. Alex
Marquardt, CNN in Chasiv Yar.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHATTERLEY: In the meantime, Russia claiming small Ukrainian military units launched a raid inside Russia near its Southern border. The Ukrainian
government denies any involvement, saying it's either Russian provocation, or the work of Russians opposed to their own government.
Fred Pleitgen joins us now from Moscow. Fred, what more information do we have about what happened here?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the Russian is certainly treating this as a pretty serious situation. In fact, the
Kremlin is saying that Vladimir Putin was being briefed by several of his intelligence and security services about what was going on there.
Essentially, the FSB, the Russian Federal Intelligence Service was saying that this group of people crossed the border apparently took hostages, six
hostages in various places across the border, and even went into an administrative building there as well.
Now later, there was a video, Julia that emerged of two alleged fighters in front of what appears to be a Russian administrative building, claiming
that they were part of the Russian volunteer corps. Now, that is a group of Russians were fighting in Ukraine on the side of the Ukrainians.
We can see that video that was put out there those people were essentially saying that they want to show the Russians that they're active and just
want to show that they are over there on the other side and able to operate on the Russian side of the border.
Right now, the information that we're getting from the Russians is that apparently things have calmed down there. Apparently teams are still
searching around, and that those militants as the Russians put it, is not there anymore needless to say the Russian President Vladimir Putin
extremely angry about the situation.
He was supposed to go on a trip earlier today to the South of Russia to meet teachers there. He canceled that trip. He did that trip online, and he
called the people behind these neo-Nazis as he put it. Let's listen into what Vladimir Putin had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: They're protecting people from neo- Nazis and terrorists from those who tortured and killed people in the Donbas for 8 years those who killed Daria Dugina in Moscow those who today
committed another terrorist act, another crime. They infiltrated the border territory and opened fire on civilians. They saw it was a civilian car.
They saw there were civilians and children sitting there, an ordinary Niva an open fire on there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Vladimir Putin is talking about a Niva there and opening fire on civilians. The Russians are saying that one civilian was killed while
driving a Lada Niva. That's a small SUV obviously made by Lada said one person was killed also that a young boy apparently was wounded as well.
Apparently those life, those injuries are not life threatening, as the Russians put it. But as you said, Julia the Ukrainians for their part is
saying they have nothing to do with this. They claim that this is either a false flag operation, that or that these are Russian separatists who are
not part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Julia.
[09:10:00]
CHATTERLEY: Fred Pleitgen there, thank you so much for that report. And to Greece now were rail workers are on a 24-hour strike protesting what they
call inadequate safety measures after a train crash that killed at least 46 people. Rescue crews continue their desperate search for signs of life amid
the wreckage.
The Greek Prime Minister says human error was to blame for the disaster. And Nada Bashir joins us now. Nada, important point there! Has everyone
been accounted for that we believe was on that train and what's the status of people that survived and are injured? What more information do we have?
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look Julia, we were at the scene of the collision earlier this morning. We were speaking to some of the rescue
workers who are still there; they've still been working across the night and through today. But of course, this is not a rescue effort anymore, this
is a recovery effort.
They are still retrieving bodies from the wreckage and unfortunately for some of those victims on board, it is a matter of identifying DNA. At this
point, the first two carriages of this train were completely engulfed by flames upon that collision, the third carriage completely turned on its
side it is not accepted that anyone on board these three carriages managed to survive that collision and narrow.
Of course, dozens of people still in hospital who were injured receiving treatment we're outside Larissa General Hospital which is taken in many of
those injured in the collision. A lot of them, of course, young people according to Local Hospital officials, and there is still an effort to
recover those onboard and that is ongoing as we speak.
There are also of course, efforts to sort through the wreckage. I mean, this is a huge disaster zone in - it's clearly a huge challenge for the
authorities here. But of course, that investigation into accountability here is also still ongoing. At this stage, one man has been arrested the
manager of a nearby station.
He has been charged now, with manslaughter with causing death, mass death by negligence as well as grievous bodily harm by negligence. He is reported
to have admitted to making mistakes according to state media and will appear before prosecutors soon.
But of course, there was also the question of the safety standards and measures here in Greece with country has a far weaker rail standard than
its European counterparts. And there has been growing frustration, growing anger towards the government and towards the transport ministry over this
latest collision.
In fact, just yesterday, the Transport Minister announced his own resignation; he said that this was a mark of respect to those who had lost
their lives. But he also said that the standards here the safety measures in place were simply not up to the standard one would expect in the 21st
century.
We have seen anger building here in Greece; we've seen protests taking place across Athens. As you mentioned, that strike has been announced for
24 hours by railway workers. And there are real questions as to whether the government has really done enough over the last few years to ensure that
the safety measures are up to standard here in Greece.
And of course, as that investigation continues, we are still learning more at this stage. It is very much focused, according to the authorities on the
question of human error the Prime Minister himself describing this as being most likely caused by a tragic human mistake.
But of course, those questions will continue to mount over the safety standards within the rail network and whether or not there is more to blame
now, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Of course the family and the entire country I think demanding answers here. Nada Bashir, thank you for joining us there from Greece. OK,
coming up, as we've been mentioning throughout the show already this morning, we are waiting for that Press Conference from New Delhi.
The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expected to speak following that 10-minute conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. What
will you have to say about that meeting, we will bring you that Press Conference the moment it comes? And also coming up the resilience of a
young family we'll hear from the Founders of a startup who left Russia at the onset of war. We catch up with them --, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:15:00]
CHATTERLEY: The International Atomic Energy Agency is again raising concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Saturday
will mark one year since Russian forces seized control of the Ukrainian nuclear site, and the Head of the IAEA says the plant faces persistent
security risks during the war.
He cited nearby fighting and explosions delays in staff rotations and a growing security presence on site. CNN's Clare Sebastian reports that
experts are worried Russia's tight grip on the nuclear plant could lead to disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A year into its occupation of this Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Russia is making changes.
Satellite images showing the dry storage area where spent nuclear fuel is kept after being cooled first in August last year then, at the end of
February.
That looks like a wall or structure has appeared. Russia's Atomic Energy Company Rosatom tell state media it's building a shield to protect against
Ukrainian artillery strikes. A Local Russian Backed Official posted this in December, calling it a protective dome.
PETRO KOTIN, PRESIDENT OF ENERGOATOM: It's all illegal doing anything without license because it could impact nuclear and radiation safety.
SEBASTIAN (voice over): The Head of Ukraine's Atomic Energy Company and Energoatom says it's all part of a deteriorating situation at Zaporizhzhia
that he is powerless to stop.
SEBASTIAN (on camera): What is the biggest risk right now when it comes to safety in the plant?
KOTIN: Yes, biggest risk is that we do not know what is in their hands at the moment. You can expect they can do anything so they can continue
shelling on the plant, for example.
SEBASTIAN (voice over): Energoatom says Russia which forcibly took over the plant last March, damaging several buildings in the process continues to
use it as a de facto military base. Video surfaced last summer of military trucks in one of the turbine buildings next to a reactor.
Last month and Energoatom accused Russia of bringing hundreds of newly mobilized troops to the site before deploying them to the east. Rosatom's
own press service for the power plant denied that any heavy military equipment on site but noted that Russia's National Guard troops Putin's
domestic security force a guarding the plant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very worried about Zaporizhzhia, I'm very worried.
SEBASTIAN (voice over): Energoatom says the plant has been cut off from the electricity grid five times in total, leaving diesel generators the last
line of defense before catastrophe. Fighting has also come to close.
The IAEA reports shelling hit a building housing fresh nuclear fuel in September and a reactor building in November. Energoatom now estimates 4500
Ukrainian staff are left at the plant out of 11,000 before the war.
NICK TOMKINSON, SENIOR PARTNER OF GLOBAL NUCLEAR SECURITY PARTNERS: That reduction of the number of people is going to have a significant impact on
their ability to maintain and function sort of systems. Whether or not that security system safety systems radiation monitoring --.
SEBASTIAN (voice over): Nuclear Expert Nick Tomkinson says he is working with the Ukrainian government to try to deploy radiation mapping systems at
Zaporizhzhia and other the nuclear sides.
[09:20:00]
TOMKINSON: one of the concerns could be that things could go missing from Zaporizhzhia particularly some of the fuel. I'm not worried about mistake
what I'd be worried about is an active decision to do something.
SEBASTIAN (voice over): Ukraine's nuclear power company, though, is worried about a slow motion mistake, poor maintenance, leading to the degradation
of the equipment on the site, including the reactors themselves currently all in various states of shut down.
KOTIN: It is going to the stage nobody knows if we will be able to operate it again. And this is just a matter of time.
SEBASTIAN (voice over): The Russian side says strict radiation safety standards are being observed. Hardly a constellation when 20 percent of
Ukraine's electricity supply remains hostage to this war. Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHATTERLEY: To set the stage for our next conversation, I just want you to watch this from a year ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKITA BLANC, CO-FOUNDER OF HEYEVERYONE: Well, that was a very emotional decision. You know, that certain point, we felt like we already hit the
bottom. But you know each new day brought us something new in terms of bottoms. And we just thought that we can, you know, run the business in a
calm and safe place. So we decided to run it from somewhere else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: That was entrepreneurs, Nikita and Valentina Blanc, talking to us last year about their decision to leave their home and family in Moscow
as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. They're the Founders of a startup called HeyEveryone, offering companies a way to automate investor
communications.
The young family had family members in both Russia and Ukraine, when we spoke to them 11 months ago. And I'm pleased to see Nikita and Valentina
join us again from their new home in Georgia. Guys, it's great to have you back on the show and a huge privilege to be able to have this conversation.
And I can say the smiles, I think say everything. It's a challenging time but welcome to the show. Nikita let me start with you. Do you feel a
greater sense of stability? How are you doing one year on?
N. BLANC: Hey, Julia, it's so great to be here. Once again thank you for having us.
VALENTINA BLANC, CO-FOUNDER OF HEYEVERYONE: Thank you. Yes, well, I don't know about stability, it definitely feels a bit stable; we are able to kind
of see through more than 10 minutes ahead of us and that is amazing. That's probably why that's why we're smiling so yes.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, managing expectations there. Valentina, come in here too because I think the thing that I remembered most about our conversation was
the fact that you have family in Russia, you had family in Ukraine. There were sort of terrible, heartbreaking decisions having to be made on all
sides, and particularly taking your daughter away from her family, too. How are you doing? How is she doing?
V. BLANC: Yes, part of my family in Ukraine, they just went to Germany. And as for us, as for our daughter, it was complicated to settle down in new
places, and just to have conversation with our daughter, where are we what we are doing and so on. And we just moved on and try to have a kindergarten
for daughter and just to get used to this environment.
N. BLANC: Yes, but she's a smart girl. She kind of you know understands everything. And she's so amazing. I mean, she's been so supportive as well.
CHATTERLEY: Even as I'm looking at that picture. She's just absolutely adorable. You mean her resilience is surprising you?
N. BLANC: Well, it's well; she's a part of us. So it's kind of what we were anticipating but we are pleasantly surprised if you want.
CHATTERLEY: Nikita, what about your family that still in Moscow? Do you have conversations about what's going on? And you know, you said to me a
year ago, look, we want to build this business and we were in Moscow, because there was a vibrant startup community.
And you had family to provide support to you and you just didn't feel like you had a future there. As entrepreneurs, never mind anything else and talk
to me about those conversations and whether you even talk about the ongoing war situation.
N. BLANC: Right, so, you know, I like to think that it's very important to have your close ones and your family on your side and have that feeling
that they have your back every second of like every point and time. So we try not to talk about these things in order to you know, to not disrupt
around relationship.
[09:25:00]
N. BLANC: So this time like specifically at this time it's very important to have that support. So we try to just keep simple human relationships and
that's the most important thing. That's what we focus on. So, yes, hope that answers your question.
And regarding Moscow, ourselves, but building the startup out there, it wouldn't make sense anyway, because our client base is mostly in the U.S.
So kind of our mindset is already in the U.S. and we're kind of in the process of relocating to the U.S.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I had not so well kept secret that you've applied for a new one visa, which is extraordinary person visa --.
N. BLANC: We haven't applied, we're in the process.
CHATTERLEY: You're in the process.
N. BLANC: Yes.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, the paperwork is about this thick allegedly.
N. BLANC: Yes.
CHATTERLEY: Talk to me about that, then. Any sense of timings assumes once that comes through fingers crossed? It comes through you're looked at to
move to the United States because has been a year and you've made incredible progress with the company too despite the tough situation.
N. BLANC: Right, so regarding the timing, you know, asking a Russian person about timing--
CHATTERLEY: --10-minute window, I know.
N. BLANC: So hopefully happens this year, and I believe that will definitely relocate this year. I personally traveled to New York back in
December, it was amazing. I spend, I think more than a month out there. And I'm just, you know, preparing our company, us, our family, our co-Founders,
Nick and Raph, to relocate with us as well.
CHATTERLEY: See how excited you are? You're bouncing around. I mean, it's sort of irresistible. I think your energy and your optimism, which is very
admirable too. Do you worry about having a Russian passport? Do you worry for other Russians having a Russian passport? If you simply want to build
your business, take care of your family. Is it a concern?
N. BLANC: Is it something that you should be worried about? I mean, you just either you accept the rules of the game or you don't. So having a
Russian passport doesn't mean that you're banned or canceled. It just means that you have more things to do.
CHATTERLEY: Yes.
N. BLANC: In order to get to your goals.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, but I think it's an important point to make about perhaps de-stigmatizing that, certainly, because I speak to friends who are fearful
of that I think of what the reception will be? Valentina, I know you're focusing on taking care of your family of building a business.
Do you ever think about when the war will end? And whether you eventually go back? Or is the next 10 minutes, as Nikita pointed out, just focused on
the United States and what the immediate future brings?
V. BLANC: Every time we have talks about this, and it's difficult to imagine what last year we just thought that it might be very short period,
it might be in a better way and we will change something but now we will see that we can make our best just to move forward to and focus on our
company, I think.
N. BLANC: No--
V. BLANC: Yes.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I sort of create for me Valentina. Sorry to interrupt there where you said calm, is the new currency, where sort of whatever life
throws at you, you just have to manage it? I think that's the message.
V. BLANC: Yes, that's why I have to manage our company and to deal with people and they needed to trust you and to rely on and I should share this
calmness, to them.
CHATTERLEY: There'll be lots of different - whether you.
V. BLANC: --amazing.
CHATTERLEY: I know. I was about to say there's a lots of parents around watching wondering whether you have to calm with four-year-old on the
planet. Watch this space guys. I'm happy for you. Come back and talk to us when HeyEveryone was really launched and you can talk to us about the
growth of the business. It's very exciting, Nikita and Valentina.
N. BLANC: That sounds exciting. We're launching as we speak so we have a special promo code for you guys. You just type hey CNN while doing the chat
--.
CHATTERLEY: Oh, wow. OK, guys, we'll speak soon, stay well thank you.
N. BLANC: --cheers bye.
V. BLANC: Bye.
CHATTERLEY: Nikita and Valentina Blanc Founders of HeyEveryone there. OK, still to come, the U.S. approves new arms sales to Taiwan, China's response
next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to "First Move"! The Biden Administration has approved the sale to Taiwan of $600 million worth of missiles for its F-16
fighter jets. It's a move that will likely raise tensions between the United States and China even further.
The State Department says it is consistent with U.S. policy to help Taiwan defend itself amid concerns about a possible attack from China. Beijing in
the meantime saying it firmly opposes the move, and will take forceful measures to protect its sovereignty.
Marc Stewart joins us now from Tokyo. Marc, good to have you with us! The timing feels consequential let's call it that, whether deliberate or
otherwise. Chinese Foreign Ministry's view on this though made abundantly clear and they're taking a dim view.
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Julia, as someone who has spent time in this region, you can understand why the Chinese response is one of
condemnation is of disapproval. The context been China views Taiwan as its sovereign territory yet has not controlled it.
Adding to the situation is the fact that the U.S. recognizes Taiwan supports Taiwan, especially its ability to defend itself so this potential
weapons purchase this potential military purchase certainly can exacerbate the situation. I want you to take a listen to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs
briefing from earlier today. Take a listen to the spokesperson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAO NING, SPOKESPERSON, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY: The sale of arms by the United States to China's Taiwan region seriously violates the one China
principle and the three China U.S. Joint communicates damages China's sovereignty and security interests as well as China U.S. relations and
peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China has always firmly opposed this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[09:35:00]
STEWART: So that is the response from China from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, yet we hear from Taiwan tonight expressing gratitude for the U.S.
arrangement of this potential sale. So we have this new sticking point in U.S. China relations.
That's in addition to the controversy surrounding the shoot down of the balloon. And of course, this current discussion these current concerns from
the Secretary of State Antony Blinken that China may be helping Russia equip itself with lethal weapons as we see the drama in Ukraine.
CHATTERLEY: And we just lost Marc Stewart there. But as he was saying the backdrop for this decision from the United States are clearly complicated
by the broader war in Ukraine, the concerns from the U.S. State Department that perhaps China is considering providing weapons to Russia.
So yes, and of course, we continue to wait for the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to give that press conference off the back of that 10 minute
meeting with his counterpart in Russia. In the meantime, let me give you a quick check of what we're seeing across the U.S. stock markets.
Wall Street mostly lower as investors eye rising bond yields, interest rate sensitive tech stocks, the big loser and an earning news. Shares of
retailer Macy's are higher after posting better than expected results. DOW component in software giant Salesforce is an early session winner too,
after reporting strong profits and positive forward guidance.
And in other tech news, Elon Musk rolling out his Tesla master plan but still no sign of a more affordable Sedan and that has disappointed many a
Tesla's super fan. Tesla shares giving back some of the strong gains they've racked up since the start of the year in early trade as you can see
down some seven and a half percent.
Musk's Tesla investment day, shareholder day. We're short on specifics, but he is confirming that a new Tesla factory will be built in Mexico. Paul R
LA Monica joins me now. There was a lot out of this actually going global, the monster size of investment required to fulfill their growth plans in
order to provide the vehicles that they're hoping for. But in the end, I think what investors wanted was when are we going to get cheaper Teslas?
PAUL R. LA. MONICA, CNN REPORTER: Yes, you are exactly right Julia. The proverbial devil is always in the details. And I think a lot of investors
and Wall Street analysts were left scratching their heads wondering when wills Elon Musk and other Tesla executives give us more details more
specifics about when a "Cheaper Tesla" might be on the market?
And, you know, to be fair, the stock is tumbling today. But as you noted, as well, shares were up more than 60 percent this year, it's the best stock
or was at least up until today, the best stock this year in the S&P 500. So Elon Musk has a lot to be happy about with how Wall Street has rewarded
Tesla this year, but I think to keep that momentum going investors wanted more specifics. They didn't get them.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I mean, the Tesla share price still half really of what it was at their highs, too. So this year has been good, the broader context
areas and slightly more painful if you have lofty ambitions.
You know, to go back to that point about achieving that long term target of what I believe is an output of 20 million new vehicles annually by 2030.
And that's a tenfold increase based on current capacity. The CFO of Tesla talked about a price tag of $175 billion?
MONICA: Yes Tesla, obviously is going to need to spend a lot to meet its very lofty ambitions and whether or not that potentially means more stock
sales down the road? You know, does the company have enough cash on hand and revenue coming in to fund all of this without potentially diluting
investors further? Those are all questions that remain to be seen.
And of course, the other big wildcard for Tesla now is that every other auto company on the planet has woken up and found religion, if you will, in
electric vehicles. So this is no longer a case where Elon Musk and Tesla have this market all to themselves.
They are going to have to continue to fit and with the likes of GM and Ford and Toyota and Volkswagen, and it is going to be a much bigger challenge, I
think for Tesla going forward and that's why investors want specifics, not just platitudes.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, major non-combustion competition, ultimately, is on its way. Anything else that you put out of this because to the point about
expansion of simply where they can produce as well and now maxi - oh, no, I'm being told to be quiet because actually, the U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken is walking to the podium. Let's listen in.
[09:40:00]
ANTONY BLINKEN, THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Good evening everyone and apologies for doing this so late. Hope I'm not disrupting people's dinner
plans. We just finished a marathon day at the G20. We came together to focus on solving some of the most consequential problems affecting people
of our nation's and the world.
And let me begin by thanking our host India for setting out an ambitious agenda for this meeting and for his presidency, the G20. We met here in
Delhi roughly one year after President Putin launched his war of aggression on Ukraine.
And one week after 141 countries voted in the United Nations General Assembly for a resolution that expressed the support for a comprehensive,
just and lasting peace in accordance with the United Nations Charter, and its principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and the - the human
rights and humanitarian consequences of Russia's aggression.
Not a single G20 member voted with Russia to oppose that resolution. The chair statement by India today reaffirmed the declaration issued by the G20
leaders last year in Bali, which and I "Strongly condemned the war in Ukraine. And stress is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating
existing facilities in the global economy".
Russia and China were the only two countries that made clear that they would not sign on to that text. 18 members of the G20 also reaffirmed that
it is and I "Essential to uphold international law in the multilateral system. This includes defending all the purposes and principles enshrined
in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law".
Every G20 member, and virtually every country period continues to bear the costs of Russia's war of aggression, a war that President Putin could end
tomorrow, if he chose to do so. The United States didn't want this war. We worked hard to prevent it.
Like most countries, we want to focus on the fundamental challenges affecting the daily lives of our people. So even as we stand with Ukraine
while it defends itself, as any nation would do in that position, we're also determined to keep working with other countries to deliver solutions
to the shared challenges. And that's exactly what we did today, the G20.
These challenges include the unprecedented food security crisis around the world. We've got to do two things at once. Get food to the hungry now, but
also help countries build up their agricultural productivity and resilience so that they're less vulnerable to future shocks.
The United States is leading on both fronts in addition to funding more than half of the World Food Program's entire budget; we contributed $13.5
billion to fight hunger over the last year alone. We've committed more than $11 billion over the next five years to boost countries resilience and
nutrition.
African countries in particular have told us time and again that more than aid, what they want is help building the sustainable capacity to feed their
own people. And we're teaming up to do just that.
Now, the unprecedented levels of food insecurity have been driven primarily by climate, by COVID and by conflicts. But the crisis has been worsened
intentionally by President Putin who has weaponized the hunger of people across the globe.
Thanks in large part to UN Secretary General Guterres and Turkey. The Black Sea grain initiative loosened Russia's stranglehold on Ukraine's ports,
allowing more than 22 million metric tons of grain and other food. That's the equivalent of 8 billion loaves of bread to leave Ukraine sports for
global markets, and that's lowered the price of food for people everywhere.
Today, Russia is again slow walking the export of food from Ukraine and the Black Sea initiative set to expire on March 18th Russia has refused to
commit to renewing it. The message that countries said at today's meeting is clear, extend the Black Sea Green Initiative and strengthen it and do
that without delay.
We also discuss ways to counter the proliferation and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs like Fentanyl, and methamphetamine. In the United
States alone, Fentanyl killed more than 70,000 people last year. It's the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 49. No country can tackle this
problem alone, disrupting supply chains of precursors, preventing the diversion of legal chemicals to illegal uses.
Dismantling the transnational criminal groups that foster corruption and profit off of others suffering. These are challenges in demand a
coordinated global effort. That's why it's important that for the first time, G20 Ministers call for a strong international cooperation to counter
illicit synthetic drugs.
And it's why I proposed to my fellow ministers today at the G20 that we create a focused line of effort to bring together governments,
international and regional organizations, private sectors and others to tackle this problem.
[09:45:00]
BLINKEN: This is a law enforcement and security issue. But it's fundamentally a public health issue, and an increasingly global one. Today,
we also discussed other challenges where people around the globe expect our countries to work together, like addressing the climate crisis, helping
communities adapt to the inevitable changes it's causing.
Strengthening global health security so that we're better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to future health emergencies. I also had the
opportunity to speak on the - meetings with counterparts from Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Mexico, Saudi Arabia,
Argentina, and of course, India.
And let me first commend the Indian Presidency and Foreign Ministers Jaishankar for securing G20 consensus on a broad set of agreements
reflected in the chair summary and outcome document. That's the first for G20 Foreign Ministers.
Now, Mr. Jaishankar and I speak so frequently, that we just pick up right where we left off, working to elevate our strategic partnership in concrete
ways, supporting India's very ambitious G20 agenda, advancing the U.S. India initiative on critical and emerging technology, which President Biden
and Prime Minister Modi launched at the G20 Summit in Bali last May, engaging our shared commitment to human rights and democratic values.
Tomorrow, Foreign Minister and I will join our counterparts from Japan and Australia for a meeting of the QUAD, where key areas of focus will include
protecting the free and unrestricted movement of goods and people across our seas and boosting cooperation against around humanitarian assistance
and disaster relief.
The importance of which has been brought once again into sharp relief by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Our engagement with the
QUAD and the G20 are just a few of the examples of how the United States is weaving together alliances and partnerships to enhance our capacity to
deliver for our citizens.
That's why I began this trip in Central Asia where I joined my counterparts for the C5 plus one Ministerial. The more of these partnerships that we
build, strengthen, and stitch together, the more we're able to effectively tackle transnational challenges that affect our people, broaden
opportunities for Americans, bolster our security and advance our interests.
And what we're seeing in Delhi and Istana, in Tashkent and beyond, is the country's want to partner with the United States, because they see us
showing up to solve shared problems, fostering inclusive economic growth, investing in our own competitiveness. And standing up for the international
rules of the road that benefit all countries, including the right of every country to choose its own path free from violence, coercion, and threats.
Lastly, I spoke briefly with Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov on the margins of our G20 meeting today. I urged Russia to reverse its
irresponsible decision and return to implementing the new start Treaty, which places verifiable limits on the nuclear arsenals of the United States
and the Russian Federation.
Mutual compliance is in the interest of both our countries. It's also what people around the world expect from us as nuclear powers. I told the
Foreign Minister that no matter what else is happening in the world or in our relationship the United States will always be ready to engage and act
on Strategic Arms Control, just as the United States and the Soviet Union did even at the height of the Cold War.
I also raised the wrongful detention of Paul Whelan as I have on many previous occasions. The United States is before to serious proposal. Moscow
should accept it. We're determined to bring Paul and every other American citizen who's unjustly detained around the world home. We won't rest until
we do.
Finally, I told the Foreign Minister, what I and so many others said last week at the United Nations and what so many G20 Foreign Ministers said
today end this war of aggression, engage in meaningful diplomacy that can produce a just and durable peace.
President Zelenskyy has put forward a 10 point plan for adjusting durable peace. The United States stand ready to support Ukraine through diplomacy
to end the war on this basis. President Putin, however, has demonstrated zero interest in engaging.
Saying there's nothing to even talk about, unless and until Ukraine accepts and I "The New territorial realities, while doubling down on his
brutalization of Ukraine". Independent of what Russia does we showed here in Delhi, what we will do.
Deliver results on the problems most affecting our people's lives. Our hosts are committed to doing this over the course of their G20 presidency,
for that, and for their leadership and hospitality I'd like to close by expressing my gratitude to India and with that, happy to take some
questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll first go to in Iain Marlow (ph) with Bloomberg.
[09:50:00]
IAIN MARLOW, BLOOMBERG RADIO: Thank you, Secretary. There's been rising concerns in recent years about democratic backsliding and human rights
issues in India, including the rights of religious minorities, and recently with a move against the news organization, the BBC, did you raise U.S.
concerns about these issues with your Indian counterpart today?
And are you concerned at all that the situation might worsen heading into next year's Federal election in India? And secondly, Reuters has reported
that the U.S. is speaking with allies about potential sanctions for China if it sends lethal aid to Russia, for use in Ukraine as you've warned about
in the past. Can you comment at all on those discussions and more broadly, about your conversations with counterparts today, relating to China's
relationship with Moscow?
BLINKEN: Thank you. First, on India, we're the world's two biggest democracies. We're committed to an enduring project; both of us, in our
cases, our founders put it striving to form a more perfect union. That's part of our national ethos.
It's a project for both of us, India and the United States in different but also complementary ways. So we have to work together to show that our
democracies can actually deliver on our people's needs. And we have to continue to hold ourselves to our core values, including respect for
universal human rights, like freedom of religion and belief, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, which makes our democracy stronger.
So we regularly engage with our Indian counterparts to encourage the Indian government to uphold its own commitments to protect human rights just as we
look to ourselves to do the same thing. And in most conversations that I have with my counterpart Foreign Minister Jaishankar, this is an issue that
we discussed, again, as we did today.
With regard to China and its support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine, as we've said, from the start, and as President Biden made very clear to
President Xi, going back to the very beginning of the Russian aggression, were China to engage in material lethal support for Russia's aggression, or
were to engage in the systematic evasion of sanctions to help Russia that would be a serious problem for our countries.
When I saw Senior Foreign Policy Official Wong Yi on the margins of the Munich meetings just a week or so ago, I raised with him our very real
concern that based on information we have China's considering supplying lethal military assistance to Russia.
We've not seen to do that yet. But we've seen it considering that proposition. And what I shared with him, again, was that this would be a
serious problem for us in our relationship with China. And I made clear that there would be consequences for engaging in those actions. So I'm not
going to detail what they would be. But of course, we have sanctions authorities of various kinds that would certainly be one of the things that
we and others would look at.
And I say others because this concern that China is considering providing lethal military assistance to Russia. This is a shared concern. And many
other partners have raised this and not just raise this with us, but it's my understanding have raised it directly with China, including here today
in Delhi.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maha Siddiqui with NDTV.
MAHA SIDDIQUI, EDITOR, FOREIGN AFFAIRS & ANCHOR: Secretary Blinken even though there's been an outcome statement and the chair summary, in two
successive ministerial meetings, we've not seen consensus in the form of a joint communique.
Do you see that as a setback in the run up to the Summit in September? And were you perhaps able to communicate this to your Russian counterpart
Sergey Lavrov, when you met him on the sidelines today?
BLINKEN: So I think what we've seen here, as I mentioned, is actually a first, which is an outcomes document, which reflects shared agreements on a
number of issues by all of the Foreign Ministers represented here today.
And in the particular case of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, you have virtually everyone in the G20 signing on to what had already been
stated in Bali. And the two holdouts of course, were Russia, and China. So I think we see broad consensus across the G20 to work together to act
together and to make commitments together.
[09:55:00]
BLINKEN: Prime Minister Modi said today that we should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those that we can.
And I think what we saw today is a very good reflection of what the Prime Minister said that is, work and agreement on a whole series of lines of
effort that the G20 will take to address the issues of greatest concern to people around the world.
And that's been the focus of the United States. We want to make sure that, even as we and dozens of countries around the world are standing up for the
basic principles at the heart of the UN Charter that are being trampled on by Russia and its aggression against Ukraine.
We're at the same time also working every single day to address the concerns of people around the world, on the issues that are really
affecting their lives, whether it is food insecurity, whether it's climate change. Whether it's creating economic opportunity, building global health,
resilience, et cetera, all of those things we've advanced on yet again here at the G20. And my full expectation is that when the leaders get together,
you'll see further very concrete outcomes that reflect that consensus.
CHATTERLEY: OK, we're going to leave the U.S. Secretary of State there, Antony Blinken, speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting. A whole
range of subjects discussed, commending India's leadership on this.
Their questions though I think from the audience, perhaps more important than some of the things that he said and we'll get to that. He was
questioned on press freedom. He was a couched in his response on that the two biggest democracies, it's one of the things they discussed from the
U.S. part, but also India.
And then the pointed questions on just what happened in that 10 minute discussion with his counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
He said that they discussed the New Start Treaty and even at the height of the Cold War, they manage the two nations to negotiate on arms control.
He pushed Russia to return. He pushed for the release of Paul Whelan. And he also said that, peace; he reiterated what he was discussed at the United
Nations, which is end the war, Natasha, the standout for in this?
BERTRAND: Yes Julia, I think that this was really just a demonstration by Antony Blinken, about how the U.S. is viewing all of these issues, even
while sitting right there in India. Which, of course, is one of the countries that the U.S. has said, is potentially helping Russia by
continuing to buy of course, its oil and kind of reaping windfalls in that way, and allowing it to continue its war in Ukraine?
But this is an attempt by Blinken to shore up that alliance with India and try to get the Indians as well as the Russians, of course, to stop that war
in Ukraine. And I think that the real the message, the big takeaway here was that the war in Ukraine was the overarching theme of the G20. Even
though the U.S. wants to focus on other issues, just encouraging the Russians, of course, to pull out.
CHATTERLEY: He started with the UN General Assembly voting through an immediate end to the war and not one G20 nation voted with Russia to refute
that. Of course, to your point India and China abstained the geopolitical consequences and complications of all of this?
Natasha Great to have you with us, thank you for staying in debt listening to that with us! Natasha Bertrand there from the Pentagon! And that's it
for the show more coverage of this and analysis on "Connect the World" with Becky, which is up next. I'll see tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:00]
END
