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Biden Bans Russian Oil, Natural Gas, Coal Imports To U.S.; Now: Zelenskyy Addressing British Parliament As Civilian Deaths Increase; Zelenskyy: Constant Russian Shelling "Don't Break Us"; Zelenskyy: We Will Not Give Up, We Will Not Lose; Ukraine: At Least 21 Civilians Killed In Russians Strike On Sumy; Education Route From Sumy Is Open, But About To End; U.K. PM: We Will Ban Russian Oil Imports As Soon As Tomorrow; Biden: Doing Everything To Minimize "Putin's Price Hike". Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired March 08, 2022 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR, AT THIS HOUR: Advocacy groups worry that this bill, if it does become law and does regulate whether it can be thought or not discussed in public schools will be harmful to LGBTQ+ youth who already face much greater rates of depression and suicide.

Thank you so much for being here today, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan. CNN's breaking news coverage of the war in Ukraine continues with Inside Politics and John King.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, INSIDE POLITICS: Hello everybody, and welcome to Inside Politics. I'm John King in Washington. There are dramatic new developments today in the Ukraine war. Any moment now, President Zelenskyy will address the British Parliament appealing for more western help in his fight against Vladimir Putin. President Biden embraced one Zelenskyy request just a short time ago, the United States will now ban all imports of Russian energy starting immediately.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT: Today I'm announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia's economy. We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports and American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin's war machine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Also today, sad new evidence that very, very, very few places inside Ukraine remain safe. At least 21 civilians are dead in the northeastern city, assuming Ukrainian officials say the strike happened just hours ahead of opening a humanitarian corridor. Russian military gains on the ground are few. The Ukrainians are holding the line, but shelling is frequent. In each hour pushes the country close towards starvation.

Our Kyiv's mayor tells CNN this morning, the military is fending off a Russian advance, but inside his city, he needs food, medication, clothes, weapons, everything is in short supply. In Irpin, just outside of Kyiv, no heat, no water, no power for days. The mayor there are rejecting a Russian demand to surrender. He refuses to quit, even as Russian shelling continues, set his city on fire.

Our CNN reporters and correspondents are covering this story across the globe. We begin this hour at the White House with our chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. Kaitlan, the president being quite direct, yes, a new step against Vladimir Putin but Americans will feel the pain.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. He was very clear about that. And of course, that is what has caused the White House to hold off in making this decision initially, John, but they were coming under bipartisan pressure to do so in recent days. With even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that this was a move, she believed the United States needed to take. And President Biden saying there, they did not want to subsidize President Putin's war as this ongoing invasion amid against Ukraine is still underway.

And so, this is something that had been considered at the White House for several days. It became quite clear lately that this was a move that they were going to take. This is ultimately going to be the step that the United States took. But one thing we should note is that the sticker shock is a little bit different here, given the United States and the grand scheme of things doesn't import that much Russian crude oil.

However, you heard President Biden there noting that this is not a step that European allies are ready to take. And yesterday he spoke with several of them, including the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany talking about this, that is something that would be a much bigger deal for them, given they get about 30 percent of their oil from Russia.

But President Biden was saying that this is going to be something that Americans will notice. They will feel this pain at the pump. And he said, he will try to do everything he can to subsidize that. And one other interesting thing that the president said there, John, was noting that maybe Putin's goals here and the calculus of what ultimately is going to be the outcome of this has changed because he was saying that Putin may be able to take a city, but he is not going to be able to take over the entire country when it comes to Ukraine.

Talking about the resistance that you've seen the Ukrainians putting up, which the White House has of course highlighted. We should note we are expected to hear from President Zelenskyy any moment now. This import on Russian oil is ban on Russian imports of oil, was something that he had called for in a meeting with U.S. lawmakers on Saturday, saying that he believes this as a step the United States needed to take, as of course, President Biden noted today. They are now taking.

KING: Kaitlan Collins, live from the White House. Let's go right now (Inaudible) the President of the Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the House of Commons.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRES. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINE: And our heroic military servicemen on the islands mainly had been trying to fight. When Russian forces demanded that we lay down the arms, however, we did continue fighting and we did feel our force - the force of our people that will oppose their occupants until the end.

The next day, the artillery started fighting us. Our armies showed us who we are, and we have been able to see who our people and who are based. Now on day four, we started getting people captive, we have not been torturing them. We remained humane even on day four of this terrible war.

[12:05:00]

On day five the terror against us was going on against children, against cities, and constant shelling had been taken place around the contract, including hospitals. And that didn't break us. And that gave us feeling of destroyed.

On day six, the Russian rockets fell on bobbin yard that is the place where the Nazis killed thousands of people during the Second World War. And 80 years after, the Russian heat and dumb for the second time, and even churches are getting destroyed by shelling.

Now, on day eight, we have seen Russian tanks hitting the atomic power station. And everybody got to understand that this as the terror against everyone. On day nine, there was a meeting of NATO countries without the result that we were looking for. Yes, we did feel that - we did feel that unfortunately, that the alliance's don't work properly always. And the no-fly zone cannot be enforced.

And on day 10, the Ukrainian now started protesting and mass stopping the armed vehicles with their own hands. And on day 11, the children and cities were being hit and hospitals as well with the rockets and constant shelling. And on that day, we realized that Ukrainians became heros, the entire cities children, adults.

And on day 12, the losses of Russian army exceeded 10,000 people killed, and also including the general and that gave us hope that there will be some kind of responsibility for those people in front of the court. On day 13, in the city of Mariupol that was attacked by the Russian force, a child was killed. They do not allow any food, any water and people started panicking.

I think everybody can hear that, that people do not have water over there over 13 days of this situation. Over 50 children have been killed. These are the children that could have lived, but these people have taken them away from us.

The United Kingdom, Ukraine, we're not looking to have this war. The Ukraine have not been looking to become a big, but they have become big over the days of this war. We are the country that are saving people despite having to fight the one of the biggest country, one of the biggest armies in the world. We have to fight the helicopters, rockets.

The question for us now is to be or not to be, Oh no, this Shakespearean question. For 15 days, this question could have been asked. But now, I can give you a definitive answer. It's definitely yes, to be. And I would like to remind you the words that the United Kingdom have already heard, which are important again.

[12:10:00]

We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight till the end at sea in the air. We will continue fighting for our land whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets. I would like to add that we will fight on the banks of different rivers like Dnieper. And we will --we are looking for your help, for the help of the civilized countries.

We are thankful for this help. And I'm very grateful to you, Boris. Please increase the pressure of sanctions against this country. And please recognize this country as a terrorist state. And please make sure that our Ukrainian skies are safe. Please make sure that you do, what needs to be done and what is stipulated by the greatness of your country. Best of all to Ukraine and to the United Kingdom.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Standing ovation there for the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the British House of Commons the parliament. You saw the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, strong words from President Zelenskyy, thanking the U.K. and the west for itself, but saying he needs much more. He says he wants more sanctions. He says he wants a no-fly zone. He also vowed defiantly we will not give up. We will not leave. We will fight till the end.

Let's get to Kyiv now, and CNN's Alex Marquardt, he is there. Alex, that more strong words, more strong actions, more just strong images from President Zelenskyy. He's back in his office yesterday for the first time, speaking to the House of Commons, delivering more appeals for more help, saying thank you, but I need more.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. This was classic Zelenskyy, who we've now heard from on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times a day to show his people that he is still very much in the fight to show the world that he's still very much in the fight, defiance, praising the Ukrainian people for their valiant fight against Ukrainian forces. But of course, making clear that this fight is far from over and that they need much more.

He ticked through every single day of this fight. Now almost two weeks long, just to illustrate how difficult it has been and how the Russians have really been stepping up. There are attacks. We've heard a harsher and harsher language from President Zelenskyy more pointed, more aggressive, more frustrated language from President Zelenskyy towards the allies that have been supporting him.

Understandably, as this war nears the two-week mark, understandably as the death toll mounts. Certainly, Zelenskyy has been thankful for all the support that he has gotten from the United States, from the rest of NATO, but making clear that it is not enough.

He has said earlier today, that of course, it is the Russian forces who are to blame for the hundreds of civilian deaths here in Ukraine. But at the same time, the global community bears responsibility for those deaths at the same time because they have failed to impose a no- fly zone. The no-fly zone is something that President Zelenskyy has zeroed in on as the Russian forces have stepped up their attacks in the air.

And it is something that he says, the NATO has not been brave enough to impose. He says that not only do they need more anti-aircraft weaponry to be able to attack Russian aircraft in the skies, but that NATO really does need to find a way to impose this no-fly zone that they are running out of time. He has cast Ukraine as a bulwark for the rest of Europe, saying that if Russia has their way, here in Ukraine, that the rest of Europe is next John?

KING: Alex Marquardt, critical reporting for us, live in Kyiv. Appreciate Alex. Let's move on now to elsewhere in the country. At least 21 civilians, including two children killed in Sumy. Humanitarian corridor trying to get civilians out of that northern city. But Ukraine says, a humanitarian convoy carrying aid to southern Ukraine today was shell. CNN's Sam Kiley in Dnipro, Ukraine. Sam, more civilian deaths by Russian airstrikes. What is the latest? Can people move around? Can they escape this violence?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They can't escape. Well, if you take somebody like Mariupol, there are some 300,000 people at least hoping to get out on a humanitarian convoy out of the city. One has been offered somewhat cynically by the Russians to go back into Russian territory that's a non-starter. Humanitarian convoys when unable to get food and supplies in the mayor, they're now more than a week. So, in saying that they've had no food, no water, no electric, a very few, a very little ability to communicate.

[12:15:00]

And then we have Sumy. Now Sumy in the north of the country, very close to the Russian border. The Russians did allow a convoy to go, the only one that they've allowed to go into Ukrainian territory. It's technically open until nine o'clock tonight local, although the Sumy authorities that's the Ukrainian government closing it at the bottom of this hour. That's in order to allow people to move after dark and not getting into difficulties through curfew.

A few hundred foreign students have been able to get out, a few hundred ordinary civilians' people are having to travel in their own vehicles. So, people with their own without access to vehicles are remaining to be - are going to be remained trapped there. And of course, this will go underway just after we think what was an airstrike, killed 21 people including two children in that town.

Now why is that town matter, John? Well, it's where the Russians have been given probably the bloodiest knows, certainly the bloodiest knows at the beginning of this invasion. Quite unpredictably, Sumy stood very, very firm against the Russian invasion. Very fierce fighting there as indeed there was north of Kharkiv, which is to its east. Kharkiv has also been the scene, of course of huge numbers of civilian deaths and still no evacuation, John?

KING: Sam Kiley, grateful for the reporting from Dnipro. Stay safe, please. You and your team there. Ahead, more tough - more on the tough choices now facing President Biden. Yes, a new U.S. ban on Russian oil, gas and coal imports, but also new pressure. You just heard President Zelenskyy for some form of a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

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[12:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: President Biden just last hour, slapping another punishment on Vladimir Putin, an immediate ban on U.S. imports of Russian energy. Just days ago, the White House was more than cool to this step. But there was enormous pressure from President Zelenskyy in Ukraine, and from a giant bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress. Gas prices are already at a record high here in the United States. The president appealing to Americans to understand if they go even higher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Today, we remain united, remain united in our purpose to keep pressure mounting on Putin and his war machine. This is a step that we're taking to inflict further pain on Putin, but there will be cost as well here in the United States. I'm going to do everything I can to minimize Putin's price hike here at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: With me to share that reporting and their insights, Jackie Kucinich of The Daily Beast, Karoun Demirjian, The Washington Post, and NPR's Asma Khalid. The White House was cool, just 24-48 hours ago, saying we're not sure this is the right step. We don't impact global energy supplies. Why? Is it Zelenskyy? Was it that Congress was going to make them do it anyway, combination?

ASMA KHALID, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT NPR: I think it is the combination of factors, right. I mean, the White House had been, I think, open to this idea for a substantial amount of time. You heard the president talk today about this really being the main artery of Russia's economy.

So, there was a recognition that if you really want to, in some ways put pressure on the Russian economy, the United States or whoever needed to put pressure specifically on the oil sector, the hesitation is that this administration, Joe Biden, in particular has really wanted to work in coordination with allies.

And I would say this is probably the first substantial move that the White House has taken independently, unilaterally, not with all of its European allies. And in part, as he spoke today, it's because the U.S. is in a really different oil, you know, export import situation, then a lot of these European countries rely heavily on Russian oil. The U.S. does not as much.

KING: Right. I just want to put this graphic up to your point about where we are on the ratings. We can show you the global, the global buyers, if you will for Russian oil. Up there, it's China on the left is giant. The United States far to the right, it's a very modest, very modest. So, this is not going to kick Putin in the teeth. You see the U.K. flag there as well.

Boris Johnson after Zelenskyy finished his dramatic speech to the parliament just moments ago. Prime Minister Johnson stood up and said the U.K. also would be banning. He said he would have an official announcement tomorrow, those imports. So, you're beginning to see the United States and the U.K. again, much more modest buyers. The question is, would France and Germany follow suit that would have packed more of a punch?

KAROUN DEMIRJIAN, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT. THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, you're seeing reports that the U.S. is talking about cutting its Russian imports by two-thirds by the end of the year, but the end of the year is like 10 months out and two-thirds isn't entirely, and Ukrainians have a problem right now. They're having their capital, you know, underseas that the multiple population centers are becoming encircled with Russian troops.

So, the whole we will do this in the future, doesn't have as much power and as much punch right now. And you're trying to really land that as many blows as you can to the Russian economy as possible. And clearly the central bank sanctions and the other sanctions have done a lot.

You've got the ruble trading at about 140 to the dollar, which is bad, but it's not the kind of runaway crazy can't control it anymore inflation that would really start to just completely shatter the people's confidence in their government, you have to keep things stable in Russia.

KING: And as we watch this unfold, I want to come back to President Biden in a minute. But watching President Zelenskyy has just been flat out fascinating. Just moments ago, a live address from Kyiv to the House of Commons, the British Parliament, standing ovation, beginning standing ovation. At the end again, Boris Johnson say he will change U.K. policy out of it.

Listen to this, in recent days, President Zelenskyy using his power, the power of communication to appeal, saying thank you for all the help he's getting, but please, I need more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. ZELENSKYY: I will address the people of the world if the leaders of the world will not put full efforts to stop this war. This genocide. I'm sure that the president can do more. I'm sure he can. And I would like to believe that, that he's capable of doing that. I'm going to say, here I am. I'm staying here on (Inaudible) I'm not hiding. And I'm not afraid of anyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:25:00]

KING: Just moments ago in that speech, saying you know, we will not leave. We will fight, fight to the end if necessary. He has become an icon of resilience, of democracy and of the Ukrainian people. And we wouldn't have known that if you rewind the tape a couple years, right? He was a performer. He's an actor who became the president. He got caught up with the "perfect calling Trump" and all that drama. And we didn't know what to make of this man. Now, we have a pretty good glimpse.

JACKIE KUCINICH, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE DAILY BEAST: And he really seemed to have gotten through to the U.S. Congress as well. He held a call with them over the weekend, and it has spurred a lot of action and maybe perhaps what would have happened anyway. But it really, his call to arms over the weekend, this ban of Russian oil was something that he was pushing for. He's pushing for some other things that probably aren't going to happen, something like a no-fly zone.

However, the U.S. lawmakers have really responded to him. And so, have people in this country. I mean, right now, this Russian oil band is where the country is, if you look at recent polling, they say that, and this polling says that Americans are OK with paying a little more at the pump. If it means, you know, centering Russia and helping Ukraine that said, we don't know for how long.

KING: But the how long part, it was interesting. Listen to the president, it feels sometimes even crash to do this in the middle of the heartbreak, we're watching in Ukraine. But we are in an election year here at home. And you heard the president United States say, it's going to say Putin's price hike. He's trying to make the gas prices were going up before the war in Ukraine. But if they go up further, the president United States is trying to say to American to vote, eight months from now, you know, not my fault.

KHALID: Yes. I was struck so much by what we heard from the president in terms of his desire to I think, essentially deflect and also immediately make it clear that this blame, he in his words, Putin's price hike. But then also warning energy companies to not profit off of this, to not price gouge in this moment. In part, you know, he has known for a while that any potential price hike here in the energy sector at home, you know, the pain that people ae going to feeling at the pumps does not reflect well on Democrats.

I mean, I've been doing this. I think a lot of people have been reporting on inflation for months. There was already a lot of concern amongst voters that President Biden has not handled the economy well, specifically as it relates to inflation, add, you know, potential increases in gasoline, and that does not help him.

DEMIRJIAN: I think, you're kind of damned if you do damned, if you don't in this situation, because, you know, there's if - everybody wanted us to cut off the Russian oil, right? You know, the Republicans are going to kind of come after him for this too. But at a certain point, you're going to get pummeled anyway. So, try to do it - different.

KING: Part of the question is to that the images we're seeing every day out of Ukraine, do they change the dynamic in the country? And it's become more of a global moment than it does a domestic moment, but that secondary, secondary but something we get to a selection your place out. When we come back, zero. Yes, zero mercy in Ukraine, a church burning near Kyiv. Parishioners say it was a Russian strike. Next, we'll map out the battlefield, including more U.S. troops deploying to NATO allies.

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