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Isa Soares Tonight
Ukraine Vows To Export Grain Despite Russia's Port Strike; Pope Francis Apologizes To Canada's Indigenous Communities For The Evil Committed By The Catholic Church; Record-High Temperatures And Raging Wildfires Sweep Across Parts Of The World; Pope Francis Apologizes To Indigenous Groups In Canada; Ukraine: Grain Exports From Black Sea Ports Should Begin Soon; W.H.O. Declares Virus A Global Health Emergency. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired July 25, 2022 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Ukraine vows to get its grain to
desperate international markets, even after Russia targets the port city of Odessa. But will that be possible? Then, the pope apologizes to Canada's
indigenous communities for the evil committed by Christians.
Plus, record-high temperatures and raging wildfires. We'll look at the clear signs of climate change happening right now right around the world.
But first, Ukraine is trying to keep a deal on track that would help alleviate hunger right around the world, saying it plans to resume grain
exports through the Black Sea just within days. But Russian missile strikes on the key port city of Odessa are intensifying major concerns about the
safe passage of ships.
The attack happened just a day after Ukraine and Russia signed a U.N. brokered deal and Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls the
strikes "barbarism", that show Moscow cannot be trusted. Russia says it hit military targets, insisting it did not violate any commitments in the grain
agreement. CNN's Nic Robertson is following developments now for us from Kyiv and joins me now. So, Nic, what happens next. Can Ukraine still export
the grain after this attack on Odessa?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Ukraine says it absolutely intends to do that. But really, the question has to be, what
does Russia do next? Because they had that missile strike on Saturday, which Ukraine is interpreting as Russia just showing that it has the upper
hand. It has the authority. It has the ability to sort of dictate what's going on, on the ground.
So, it's entirely feasible that Russia will do something else that could upend what Ukraine says its commitments at the moment to try to get this --
to try to get their grain exported. They said today that they've sent their representatives to Istanbul to be at the joint communications center that's
going to oversee the implementation of the deal. So, from Ukraine's perspective, it's all systems go. But the question mark is going to be over
Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Despite Russia's missile strikes in Odessa, Saturday, Ukraine's officials are vowing to push ahead with the U.N. deal
to get grain from their ports to the world's needy.
OLEKSANDR KUBRAKOV, MINISTER OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UKRAINE: I hope that during upcoming days, we will start delivering grain from our ports in
Odessa.
ROBERTSON: But Russian missiles aren't the only obstacle creating uncertainty about Russia's commitment. Russia's foreign minister asserting
nothing in the deal prevents them hitting military targets in Odessa, and misinformation too, claiming rights for Russian ships, not in the
agreement.
SERGEY LAVROV, FOREIGN MINISTER, RUSSIA: In the open sea, Russia, Turkey, together with another participant, which is to be determined in the
company, the convoys through the straits.
KUBRAKOV: So we won't allow them to do this. Our territorial waters and our sea ports, only Ukraine and Ukrainian Navy will be -- will be there.
ROBERTSON (on camera): So no Russian ships escorting the convoy's --
KUBRAKOV: No --
ROBERTSON: Anywhere along the convoy --
KUBRAKOV: No, no ships at all in this process.
ROBERTSON: Ukraine's plan B to export grain by train, truck, and river, is still in play. But like the U.N. deal, this too is beset by uncertainty.
Train cars full of grain have been shelled by Russia and trucks blown up.
KUBRAKOV: We are again doing our best, we are trying to export more through our -- the new ports, with the help of our railway, Ukrainian
railways company and by trucks.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): If the U.N. deal to export grain from the ports can hold, Ukrainian officials estimate the value to their beleaguered
nation could be a much needed billion dollars a month.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And Nic, worth reminding our viewers of course, that it took months to get here, to get this agreement. Those Ukraine -- from those
you've been speaking to, does Ukraine and the U.N., Antonio Guterres I believe called this a beacon of hope, believe that Russia will abide by its
word, that it can be trusted here?
ROBERTSON: You know, I think it's very much an open question. The hope is that Russia will stick to its word. And you know, Russia, according to what
we hear from Russian officials is sticking by the letter of its word. But I think there's something sort of, you know, in the background here as well,
that it's worth considering.
[14:05:00]
Ukraine and Russia didn't sign the same deal, they signed separate and parallel, but different deals with the United Nations. Russia's part of the
deal was that it was allowed to export some food and fertilizer that would be in control by international sanctions. It is Russia that started the war
in Ukraine. It is Russia, the reason Ukraine cannot export its grain around the world.
So -- by Russia giving its ascent to -- for Ukraine to export its grain has come at the price of Russia having some sanctions lifted on it. This is, in
essence, extortion. So when you come to --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: When the Ukrainians look at the table on the balance of what's happened here, they would see it that they are keeping good on their
commitments, and that Russia is trying to derail the process. They are intent on keeping going.
But you know, I think from where we stand at the moment, if by the end of this week or this time next week, Ukraine has managed to get at least one
convoy of ships shipping out grain sort of all the way down the Bosphorus, then that's going to be a positive indicator. But there's still a lot of
time between now and then.
SOARES: Indeed. Nic Robertson for us in Kyiv, Ukraine. Thanks very much, Nic, appreciate it. Well, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in
Africa, he's trying to gain support for Russia's war in Ukraine in the continent. Most affected, of course, by the grain blockades. Lavrov just
met with the leaders of the Republic of Congo and will later travel to Uganda as well as Ethiopia. He denies that Russia is, quote, "exporting
hunger" and blames the collective West, his words, for worsening the global food crisis. Larry Madowo tells us how African leaders are responding to
the Russian foreign minister's visit.
LARRY MADOWO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Isa, I think it's accurate to say that Sergey Lavrov is receiving a warm reception here in Africa.
This is one of the few places where Sergey Lavrov, Vladimir Putin and Russia are not pariahs. They have a lot of support between -- among African
leaders and ordinary African people who don't want to be drawn into a proxy war between the West and Russia.
But when I spoke to Samantha Power; the boss of USAID, she called out Russian allies like China for sitting out the war and remaining neutral
when there is a catastrophe in the making here in terms of food security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMANTHA POWER, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: This is a moment for all countries that play leadership roles
in the international system as the People's Republic of China clearly aspires to do and has done in certain domains. It is for them, for all of
us, to show up and to dig deeper than we have so far. If we are going to prevent this crisis from becoming a catastrophe.
MADOWO: How big is the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine into the current problem you're seeing in Kenya and Somalia and Ethiopia?
POWER: In terms of food, just coming from Somalia, more than half of the wheat in this country, in the country of Somalia comes from Ukraine. It is
trapped in the port of Odessa. Twenty million metric tons of wheat and corn are trapped. So, you know, we can all hope, and even pray that the deal
that the United Nations negotiated, but that it -- Russia immediately turned its back on by bombing the port of Odessa, that, that deal somehow
sticks.
MADOWO: Do you worry about Russia's commitment to that deal if literally just hours after it was signed, they're already bombing Odessa, and what
impact would that have if they don't honor their end of the deal?
POWER: Well, we have been living the contingency plan because there is no way you can trust anything that Vladimir Putin says. We are working with
the Ukrainians on plan B. Plan B involves road and rail and river, and again, you know, sending in barges. And you know, adjusting the rail system
so that they're better aligned with those in Europe so that the exports can move out more quickly.
But there is no substitute for Putin allowing the blockade to end. His blockades to end and the grains being sent out the most efficient way
possible, especially because we've lost so much time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: Isa, Samantha Power told me the world has lost a lot of time, and that's why after her trip here in Kenya and Somalia, she's off to India
trying to find alternative sources of grain to alleviate the suffering for those who are worst affected by the global food crisis.
But for Sergey Lavrov here in his trip to Uganda next, and Ethiopia, he is likely to be getting a similar red carpet welcome, and African leaders keen
to hear what he's got to offer. Isa.
SOARES: Larry Madowo there with that perspective. Well, Ukraine says it's making progress with a counter-offensive in Kherson and could liberate the
region from Russian forces by September. It says troops have attacked three bridges in an effort to disrupt Russian logistics in occupied areas.
[14:10:00]
And says they also hit Russian command post as well as ammunition depots. Ukraine calls the battlefield successes a turning point in efforts to
retake Kherson. We're joined now by former Defense Minister of Ukraine, Andriy Zagorodnyuk; he's chairman of the Center for Defense Strategies in
Kyiv. Andriy, great to have you on the show. Let me start right there with that advance really in Kherson. Do you believe it can be recaptured by
September?
ANDRIY ZAGORODNYUK, CHAIRMAN, CENTER FOR DEFENSE STRATEGIES, KYIV: It certainly can be recaptured by September. I'm not saying it will, because,
you know, any military operation is obviously a subject to many conditions which are outside of our control. But technically, yes.
And the reason it is the cases because we already started to receive weapons from the West. So, Ukraine passed that logistical care of
logistical gap by when the -- our original weapons exhausted and new ones still weren't coming. So Ukrainian army is getting much stronger on a sort
of weekly-monthly basis, yes.
SOARES: Yes, so I'm guessing you're talking here kind of the long range HIMARS really facilitating --
ZAGORODNYUK: Yes --
SOARES: In many ways, this counter offensive. That's what you're saying?
ZAGORODNYUK: Including -- yes, Including HIMARS because ulterior and some other weapons, yes.
SOARES: Has that changed at all the momentum of this war? I mean, is Ukraine, Andriy, taking a less defensive position because of this?
ZAGORODNYUK: Yes, and again, I'm not saying exactly like what's going to happen. But --
SOARES: Yes --
ZAGORODNYUK: What we do see already happening is that Russians battle for Donbas as it was originally called is not -- is not actually successful for
Russia. So, after they captured a couple -- two towns, which was -- happened like months ago, right now, they're struggling. Because they
cannot have -- they cannot attack on two operational directions. So they need to move their troops back and forth. And we clearly see they're
exhausting their capabilities, which is remarkable, to be honest.
SOARES: And now, I just want to ask my producer Laura(ph) to bring up that map again to show our viewers really the size of Kherson, and what we're
talking about here, Andriy, it is a large chunk --
ZAGORODNYUK: Yes --
SOARES: Of course, and it's very -- on the right there, you've got Mariupol which catches into Crimea. The importance, the strategic
importance of course, of Kherson as well as the challenges for Ukrainian forces here, Andriy.
ZAGORODNYUK: Yes, it's of course, a huge importance, because It stands in the Dnipro River, and it guards the entrance to the Dnipro Channel to the
Crimean Channel to the -- to the -- access to Crimea. And more importantly, also the eastern -- sorry western size of the -- side of the coastline
whereas Mykolaiv and Odessa.
And we do know that Russians wanted to take the whole coast. And that was the original plan. So, the fact is that they're failing, and the fact that
they're already struggling to keep Kherson, this is a substantial development, absolutely.
SOARES: Where is Russia going wrong? Where their tactics is failing them here?
ZAGORODNYUK: They originally overestimated their own capabilities, underestimated Ukrainian capabilities. And they underestimated the
readiness of the West, as collective West, particularly the United States, U.K., and some other key allies to support Ukraine. And that's exactly
what's happening. So, Ukrainian army get stronger, they're not getting stronger, they're -- Russians are exhausting on a sort of weekly basis.
SOARES: And of course, while we're talking about Kherson and the recapturing, potential recapturing of Kherson, possibly, as you said by
September in Odessa to the west, just very close to it. Its port, as we've seen, has come under attack. I mean, what are the chances you think of
Russia being trusted to hold up on its grain deal here, Andriy?
ZAGORODNYUK: To be honest with you, this haven't been so far any deal which they kept. So it's historically -- it's very low chances. But we -- I
mean, and the hope is not a very good word for that, you know. But --
SOARES: Yes --
ZAGORODNYUK: We'll do our part of course, and again, without any promises about Kherson, this is -- we cannot count on that. Something is going to
happen by September -- I'm saying it's technically possible, but again, this is operational environment, it's very unpredictable and it's very
dynamic. So --
SOARES: Yes --
ZAGORODNYUK: Sure, we will guard Odessa with all possible capabilities. And we trust that Ukraine at least will do everything needed to -- for that
deal to be kept.
SOARES: And on Kherson, I mean, you're saying it's technically possible because you get the weaponry from the West still coming in. But you know,
we're what? Six months into this war? How worried are you that fatigue, Andriy, will start to set in, particularly in the West?
ZAGORODNYUK: It happens among some politicians, but we do see some very strategy in mind --
SOARES: Yes --
[14:15:00]
ZAGORODNYUK: That politicians in the West which are actually, clearly pulling their colleagues to understand the strategic picture, and not to
get too fatigued. You know, Ukraine cannot be -- we are very much tired of the war ourselves, by the way. And probably --
SOARES: I have no doubt.
ZAGORODNYUK: More than any other person. So, yes, it's -- let's finish this as soon as possible, and let's restore the peace and territorial
integrity. And you know, we're all for that. So, it's just understanding what's happening, that's the main thing for the fatigue, yes. We just need
western politicians to understand that this is not -- it is not something you can easily finish. And yes, we do need to invest into the capabilities,
yes, we do need to continue until Russians leave us -- leave us alone.
SOARES: But you would say that, you know, the Kherson recapturing possibly by September, this could be a turning point, Andriy? You think this --
you could see a turning point here in this war?
ZAGORODNYUK: Any substantial change and dynamic, and either that Kherson or the east is a --
SOARES: Yes --
ZAGORODNYUK: Is a very significant step. Of course, that's a -- it's like a new phase where Russians clearly see that they cannot progress any
further, they cannot succeed, and their change of dynamics is massively important, absolutely.
SOARES: Andriy Zagorodnyuk, thank you very much, appreciate it, Andriy.
ZAGORODNYUK: Thank you.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, large parts of Europe under the highest possible fire risk as the Summer sweltering heat wave makes its way east.
Firefighters in California are already battling wildfires including one in years, tonight, it's moving fast. That is ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back everyone now. And unprecedented heat wave continues to scorch western Europe with some regions under very extreme fire danger
warning. Parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece are the highest risks, as you can see there. It comes as Greece continues to battle wildfires
across the country.
Two more villages on the Island of Lesbos were forced to evacuate Sunday after wildfire broke out, burning houses, as you can see there in that
video. There are also forest fire danger warnings in places across Slovenia. I want to go to Rome, and CNN's Barbie Nadeau joins us now.
And Bobby, look, I'm not going to lie, I just came back from Tuscany on Saturday, and it was very hot. I really struggled, the kids struggled,
spending many hours indoors, and it just speaks to the dangers, really, of these rising temperatures. What are you hearing from officials?
[14:20:00]
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That's absolutely right. The people -- you know, the officials are worried that it's just this relentless heat. People
are overheating. You were -- you felt it yourself. But you know, there is a slight breeze right now. It's not a cool breeze by any means, but you can
feel the heat from these old stone buildings all around.
And it's just this relentless ability, this relentless heat. And that is particularly difficult for people like firefighters who are fighting these
raging blazes, they just seem to spark out of nowhere. You've got firefighters working in 100-degree plus or 40-degree plus, conditions for
hours and days at a time.
And these fires just pop up. You get one out, another one comes. We've got this hot wind during the day that blows these fires, that makes it so
dangerous not just for the people, but these -- you know, destroying full forest, destroying full crop lands, all of the economic toll of this.
And once it's counted up, it's going to also be a terrible contributor to this heat wave, this unprecedented heat wave. This year that was supposed
to be a good, and this Summer that was supposed to be great is so far turning into something very difficult for a lot of people to deal with.
SOARES: And Barbie, how is the EU -- I mean, are they stepping up in terms of helping with these firefighting? And we were seeing pictures, I think,
it's from Italy, that shows just the work, the relentless work by these firefighters right across Europe. What is the European Union saying here?
NADEAU: Well, you know, in places that they can, they're sending in reinforcements. So, if you don't --
SOARES: Yes --
NADEAU: Have a fire problem in one country, you know, the people are helping out by sending in reinforcement and trucks and things like that.
But you know, one of the things we were talking about before the heat wave was of course, the price of fuel, the high price --
SOARES: Yes --
NADEAU: Of energy right now. And all of that is going to play -- have a toll. People are free to run their air conditioners because it's going to
be too expensive when those bills come. The firefighters don't have that choice, they have to fight the fires, they have to fill up their trucks,
they have to fuel their aircraft. You know, we're also dealing with a drought in parts of northern Italy. And the rivers are low, the lakes are
low, the Tiber River in Rome is at an all-time low.
All of these things play a really big role in the -- in the future as much as in the moment. Everybody is worried about the moment. How are we going
to get through this? When are the temperatures going to come down? But even after the temperatures come down, the problem is not going to be over at
all. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, it's very worrying indeed. Barbie Nadeau for us there in Rome, thanks very much, Barbie. Good to see you. Well, it's not just Europe
that's seen record-breaking temperatures in fact. Multiple cities across the northeastern United States broke daily high temperatures records on
Sunday. That includes Boston, Philadelphia, Providence, Rhode Island. More than 60 million Americans are under heat alerts today across that region,
as well as in the Central Plains and the Pacific Northwest.
Look at those temperatures. Just astounding. Well, this extreme heat and drought are fueling the fast-moving Oak Fire in California. It's consumed
nearly 7,000 hectares just outside the Yosemite National Park, and it's only 10 percent contained, you can see there. The Cal Fire Battalion chief
says the wildfires' behavior is unprecedented and, that its velocity and intensity is limiting evacuation efforts.
We'll take you live to California of course, in just a few minutes. But it's just devastating seeing those images from Yosemite. Now, China is
suffering its second heat wave this month. Right now, almost 7060s are under severe heat warning, and are expecting temperatures higher than 40
degrees Celsius. And almost 400 more cities are facing 35-degree weather. Meteorologists say it doesn't appear that relief will come anytime soon.
Well, there are no reports of damage or casualties in southwestern Japan after a volcano erupted late Sunday local time. The eruptions sent huge
plumes of black smoke and ash in the sky, and officials say it also shot large cinder blocks into the air, officials ordered evacuations in some
areas, but they also say they don't expect any larger eruption.
And still to come tonight's, a pilgrimage of penance. Pope Francis visits Canada to make peace with the past, and apologizes for the Catholic
Church's role in decades of abuse. We'll have a live report ahead. Plus, outrage after the execution of four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar, and
fear of what might come next. I'll speak with the United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Welcome back everyone, "I am sorry, I ask forgiveness." Those words from Pope Francis who is in Canada, what he calls a trip of penance.
The pope is apologizing for the Catholic Church's role for decades of abuse of more than 150,000 of indigenous children who were forced to attend
residential schools. One government report calls it cultural genocide. The pope expressed his pain as well as remorse before indigenous groups near --
have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JORGE MARIO BERGOGLIO, POPE, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): I've come to your native lands to tell you in person, of my sorrow to
implore God's forgiveness, healing and reconciliation, to express my closeness and to pray with you and for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, CNN's Paula Newton joins me now. And Paula, this was of course, a long-awaited apology, and there were several apologies there from
the pope. How is it received by the indigenous community?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean so many in that crowd, so emotional, and you can imagine, all the indigenous communities watching all
over this country. Many had said it was bitter-sweet. It was also though, deeply personal and deeply emotional. You could see in the crowd that at
times during the apologies, they would break out into applause, other times they were really bowed in sorrow, thinking about all the years they had
sent in some of these institutions, Isa.
You know, the most monstrous crimes committed against them, all in fact in the name of the church. And to think now that there are still missing
children that at this very hour, there are, you know, high tech operations underway to find those children who really -- whatever happened to them,
their families still don't know decades later. That is why the pope was there, Isa, and it really was a singular moment, a profound moment, because
it was something that the pope would normally not do.
He was warmly received. It kind of broke apart from the normal ceremony that you see a pope towards the end when the apology was over. So many
indigenous leaders going to the stage, offering their prayers, offering gifts at one point. They gave him that ceremonial head dress to wear, that
is really quite an honor for the pope.
And it shows certainly the warmth that they feel towards him. I have to say, though, already, reaction from indigenous groups saying this is a
first step, right? They want reparations and they want the Catholic Church to be fully transparent in what happened during --in those decades.
[14:30:00]
And, again, the survivors themselves, Isa, having gone through so much, this is triggering for them, it does re-traumatize them. And we will learn
in the next hours and days whether or not this apology, in its scope, brought them any comfort.
SOARES: Yes, and look, an apology, I think Pope Francis mentioned this, doesn't take away the trauma. I think this is something you touched on.
From those you've spoken to, I mean you talked about, you know, this is the first step, clearly sorry seems for many, Paula, isn't enough. What are we
hearing in terms of the transparency, the accountability from the Pope? Did he touch on this?
NEWTON: He did not. Certainly the Vatican has in saying that they are working with indigenous communities in this country in order to have full
disclosure, but it's decades in coming, Isa. And that is the problem. You know, it struck me that the Pope is 85 years old. And you know you have
covered him, Isa, he is infirm, he's not in good health, he has canceled other trips, he decided it was important to come here on Canadian soil.
But it's taken quite a while. And it struck me that he was receiving survivors that are around the same age as him, in many cases, also having a
hard time getting to this location through what was not the best weather. And yet there they were all together in warmth. I think what so many people
are asking is what's taken so long, and there is the pope and his spiritual forgiveness, certainly that he is asking for, but there is also the
transparency and really the accountability from the political side of the Catholic Church here in Canada and of the Vatican that is still not
forthcoming, and that many survivors will wait to see if it happens, if in this first step, they see the next steps of what should be happening here
if this apology is to be, you know, taken in its full sincerity.
SOARES: Yes, I mean, it was -- I have to say, Paula, you probably can add more to this. It was a very powerful image, seeing the indigenous culture
and the people in front of the pope, the pope who said that the church cooperated, I think he said, in cultural destruction of indigenous people,
that image was incredibly powerful.
NEWTON: Absolutely. And they were catastrophic, he said. Catastrophic consequences. And think about that. Isa, you know, towards the end, very
spontaneously, a woman sang the national -- an indigenous woman sang the national anthem in her native language through tears streaming down her
face. It was a moment that took everyone by surprise, it was very spontaneous. And yet, it meant so much. It was as if she was pouring all of
her grief out to the Pope right there in front of her, again, a rare moment, a profound moment, one that I could see that the Pope was really
taking in. And now we need to know what comes next.
And, Isa, just before I let you go, we need to think as well about that intergenerational trauma. These might be elders, but it has affected their
children and their grandchildren to this day. These are people who did not have family lives the way you and I know them to be. And they suffer to
this day, and they say they will go to their graves suffering in that way for what the Catholic Church did to them.
SOARES: Such a very good point. Paula Newton for us there. Thanks very much, Paula. Appreciate it.
I'm going to return now to our top story. The Russian attack on Ukraine's port of Odessa that threatened to jeopardize a deal meant to ease, of
course, a global food crisis. Ukraine says it plans to resume grain exports within days despite the weekend attack. And the United Nation now confirms
that Russia has recommitted to the export agreement as well. I want to go live to Odessa. We're joined by CNN's Ivan Watson.
So, Ivan, given what we've just heard from the U.N. and from Russia, are Ukrainian officials' confident that Russia will stick to its word?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think Ukrainians will be very quick to say that they don't trust the Russians, and that the
Russian cruise missile attack on the Odessa port on Saturday morning, hours after this export grain agreement was signed is proof, they argue, that you
cannot trust Moscow. And yet Ukrainian officials are saying they do want to stick to the agreement. They do want to resume the exports that have been
suspended since Russia invaded Ukraine and launched this blockade of its ports in February of last year.
The Ukrainians do not want to be seen as the ones who are holding back food. The result of which, it has plunged tens of millions of people into
acute hunger. They want to be seen as part of the solution, which is also what Moscow is trying to do, is try to argue that hey, the Russians are
onboard and are going to try to work towards a solution. In the Ukrainians' case, they say the responsibility is up to the guarantors of this
agreement, notably Turkey and the United Nations.
[14:35:05]
The Turks are saying they want the grain to be shipped. They want the first ship to go out soon. Let's see if they can pull this all together. The
paperwork is still being drawn up for the establishment of this Joint Coordination Center, which will be operating out of Istanbul, which will be
charged with inspecting the cargo ships that should be loaded with grain and ensuring that they can safely travel through the Black Sea to the
Bosphorus Strait and subsequently take their grain to global market, Isa.
SOARES: Ivan, very quickly do you know how soon these exports should start? I know we're saying soon. But do we have a sense of a timeline here?
WATSON: We don't have an exact day. In fact, I just saw a statement saying that they want this Joint Coordination Committee to start on the 27th of
this month. They have to demine the ports. That's an issue. And they have to figure out one other factor that the Russian Foreign Minister proposed,
which is that every ship, once it got past Ukrainian waters, would be ex -- escorted, he said, by Russian, Turkish, and some ship from a country that
has yet to be determined, which suggests there's still some work to be done on the diplomatic front to find out who else will be helping with this very
delicate process.
SOARES: Yes, not just logistical nightmare, but also diplomatic one, too. Ivan Watson, appreciate it. Thanks very much live from Odessa for us there.
We're now seeing protests in Myanmar after the military junta executed for activists, two of them were well-known pro democracy activists, accused of
terrorism. It is the first known use of capital punishment there in decades, and human rights groups fear there will be more. The military
government has been cracking down on pro-democracy figures ever since it seized power, if you remember, last year.
I want to bring in Tom Andrews, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, who joins me now. Tom, thank you very much for
taking the time to speak to us. Look, this is a truly shocking, shocking news. Your reaction to these brutal executions, Tom.
TOM ANDREWS, U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON MYANMAR: Just horrific. It is for people who have given their lives fighting for freedom for the people of
Myanmar. It is tragic. But listen, there have been thousands of people who have been killed, villages continued to be bombed, 14,000 people, more than
14,000 people have been incarcerated. 140 people are on death row. And 1,400 children have been arbitrarily detained, 61 of them being held as
hostage to get their parents to give themselves up. So this is a very tragic, horrific situation that continues, unfortunately, Isa, to get
worse.
SOARES: And those numbers, Tom, are just absolutely staggering. I mean, do you worry at this stage, Tom, this is a sign of things to come or a sign of
just how desperate the junta is to keep its power?
ANDREWS: Well, both. Both, Isa. I mean, I think it is a -- it's a desperate act. They are deeply unpopular among the people of Myanmar. There's no
question about it. And I think what they're trying to do is instill even greater fear among those who would be considering becoming part of the
active opposition movement. And there's a very active opposition movement throughout Myanmar. I'm afraid that this is going to have just the opposite
effect on the people of Myanmar. This is going to increase their anger and their frustration and their determination to free themselves of this
nightmare. So, I think we have many more dark days ahead, I'm afraid.
SOARES: You don't think this will silence them, Tom?
ANDREWS: Not at all. Just the opposite. I know them. I can tell you, just the opposite.
SOARES: How much, Tom, though, is this a rebuke to Western leaders and the U.N. and the ASEAN countries who have been trying, I think it's fair to
say, to persuade the junta to hold his violence?
ANDREWS: Well, they've been using persuasion. Words. That's true. And as a matter of fact, even within ASEAN itself, the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations, the chair of that, of ASEAN, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, made a personal appeal. Two meet online, the head of the junta, to not
execute these political prisoners. And so we all see what has happened. I think that this is a message to the world that they simply don't care about
what the world has to say. They're going to continue to move forward and I think it's going to take action, real pressure, rather than just words
before this stops.
SOARES: Reading here a statement, really, from yourself condemning what's happened, this is on Twitter.
[14:40:02]
And you said "These depraved acts must be a turning point for the international community." So they don't care. Why don't they care? Why do -
- I mean, do you feel, Tom, that Myanmar has been ignored by the Western world? And it's -- I mean, the Western world is in action so you -- as you
call it?
ANDREWS: Yes. There's no question. And, you know, when you talk to people in Myanmar, they'll say, Look, we have great sympathy for the people of
Ukraine. And certainly the junta, the military junta, greatly supports those who invaded Ukraine. But they say to me, look, it took less than four
days for the international community to act, to have a special session of the U.N. Security Council. And even though that resolution was not -- was
vetoed ultimately, we all knew that that was going to happen, it at least got the full light of day, the full attention of the world. And it was --
eventually went to the General Assembly for an emergency special session.
They're saying to me it took four days for that to happen in Ukraine. It's been over a year and a half since we've been facing this nightmare. What is
it about this situation that is so different? Why can't the international community support us in our in our month -- our year and a half of great,
great need? And they have a very good point.
SOARES: So what can be done then in that case, in the short term here?
ANDREWS: Well, in the immediate term, I think the Security Council should take this up. They should have a vote, they should allow countries to have
their say and then to vote up or down in the full --
SOARES: But won't China just veto it, Tom?
ANDREWS: OK. Of course, of course. Just as we saw the veto happen in Ukraine. But then we have lots of -- there are many additional options,
including having those countries willing to take action to finally get together and work together to coordinate sanctions, tough economic
sanctions, an arms embargo. And then to do the simplest things like providing humanitarian aid for the desperate people of Myanmar. Half the
country has fallen into poverty. There is a -- an emergency response -- humanitarian response fund by the United Nations and only 10 percent of
that fund for 2022 has been filled by the international community. So there are many options for action. What we don't have right now is the political
will for the international community and leaders of the international community to take those actions.
SOARES: Tom Andrews, really appreciate you taking time to speak to us, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in Myanmar. Appreciate
it, Tom.
ANDREWS: Thank you, Isa.
SOARES: Still to come tonight, it's a much less severe cousin of the smallpox virus, but it's now spreading right across the world. The latest
warnings about the monkeypox outbreak when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:14]
SOARES: Well, today, on Going Green series featuring young environmentalist, we head to the equator to meet an indigenous climate
advocate in the Amazon rainforest. Larry Madowo has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HELENA GUALINGA, ECUADORIAN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: There is this intimate relationship with nature. And that is the most beautiful
part of living in the Amazon Rainforest. More than a passion, it's part of my upbringing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Often called the lungs of planet Earth, the Amazon is home for countless animals, biodiversity, and more than 400
indigenous tribes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUALINGA: For context, my community is out in the rainforest. It's geographically isolated, and we have a very organized and articulated
community. We have trust in our leaders that they will take us in the right path, because we all share the same value in the community, which is
protecting our community and protecting the Amazon Rainforest. And that's also why we can see the results now of how Sarayaku has contributed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: Ecuador makes up only two percent of the Amazon Rainforest, but it has one of the highest deforestation rates relative to its size according
to data from Global Forest Watch. In 2012, the Inter-American Human Rights Court upheld the Sarayaku tribe's rise to physical integrity, but this, and
other community's way of life here, are still at risk, because of the overexploitation of natural resources.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUALINGA: So Sarayaku's case in the Inter-American Court is actually -- it's -- it was a landmark victory for indigenous people's rights. It's not
something that we chose to do. It's something we just found ourselves in the circumstances of having to protect our home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: Now, at the age of 20, Helena Gualinga advocates for climate action around the world, giving a firsthand account of life in the Amazon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUALINGA: One essential part of this is storytelling. And we need to start sharing these stories, our lived experiences, what goes on in territory,
what people are living, what we're feeling, what we're facing, but people should also care because it does not just affect people in the Amazon, it
affects everyone. It's about the survival of the entire population of this planet. I am someone that has the ability to share the messages and share
the stories. And I think that is how I contribute to my community, by being this bridge builder, being this bridge between the two worlds that I've
lived in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Inspiration young woman right there. Well, for this and more stories about the next generation of climate environmentalists, you can
visit cnn.com/goinggreen, I'll be all right.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:34]
SOARES: Now a spike in cases in monkeypox around the world is escalating concerns days after the World Health Organization called the outbreak a
global health emergency. More than 16,000 cases of the virus now have been reported in more than 70 countries, as you can see there, including about
2,900 in the U.S. The White House is deciding whether to declare a public health emergency. Our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us
now. And Elizabeth, this, of course, will be a concern for so many. How worried should we be here?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, one thing I want to say about monkeypox, Isa, is that it is not COVID. COVID spreads so
easily, especially the more recent variants. Monkeypox does not spread as easily. It spreads from prolonged skin to skin contact, it's very personal
contact. So it's a very different thing. Of course we should be concerned. There are many cases around the world. But most people really are not
vulnerable to it right at this point in time.
Let's take a look at the monkeypox numbers. So if we look around the world, what we're seeing is nearly 17,000 reported cases in the U.S., nearly 3,000
in the U.S. The CDC says that 99 percent of the cases have been reported among people who report male to male sexual contact. So, two thoughts on
these numbers. One, the first two numbers are probably significantly larger than what we're seeing here. It just hasn't made it into the official list.
For that 99 percent, sexual contact can spread it but it doesn't actually require intercourse, it can be close skin to skin, prolonged skin to skin
contact, not hugging someone, not brushing up against someone let's say in a movie theater or something like that if you're sitting next to someone,
but more prolonged skin to skin contact.
And so that's really important to remember. Let's take a look at vaccination efforts in the U.S. because I think it's telling actually for
the rest of the world as well. So in the U.S., there are -- 300,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine had been distributed. But there are 1.5 million
people who are eligible, and each person needs two doses. So you can see there's not nearly enough vaccine even in the U.S., which usually is a
leader sort of in vaccine supply. So, there's a lot of work that needs to be done to get enough vaccine out there, Isa.
SOARES: What about, Elizabeth, case globally? I mean, what measure -- measures are being taken? Are there enough vaccines globally?
COHEN: Certainly not. I mean, if you -- again, if you look at a country that is as wealthy as the U.S. and then the U.S. doesn't have enough, other
countries also do not have enough. So, there needs to be a big effort, just as with COVID, to get vaccines to places that need them. You got 75
countries that are reporting monkeypox. So there are vaccine issues around the world right now.
SOARES: Elizabeth Cohen there for us. Appreciate it.
COHEN: Thanks.
SOARES: Elizabeth joining us there from Atlanta.
Now a quick move at the Moscow Chess Open nearly cost one player his finger. You heard that right. The 7-year-old boy was up against a chess
playing robot. Tournament officials say after making move, the boy didn't give the robot a chance really to respond, causing the robot to
malfunction, grabbing his finger and then breaking it. You can see there, bystanders rushed to help the boy get free. The good news is he finished
the tournament with a cast on his finger. I was asking our producer earlier who won, they don't know whether -- of course I'm glad he's well, but it
will be interesting. I'm guessing that the boy one this time. We'd probably be happy about that.
And stay in the world of tech, you are watching the moment China successfully docked a new laboratory module to its Space Station under
construction. The docking marks, the penultimate phase, as China aims to complete its orbital outpost by the end of the year. Three astronauts were
onboard to witness the docking in orbit. The last component for the Chinese station is set to launch in October.
And this one's basically from my director who loves the Eurovision, Europe's biggest music event. Eurovision is coming to the U.K. Get your
glitter out. But it's not under the circumstances anyone would have hoped to -- or hoped for. Of course, you remember this year's winning performance
came from Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra. Have a look.
[14:55:07]
With the song Stefania, that's become a war anthem. But it's the war that will keep Ukraine from hosting a song contest next year, which could be --
would be traditional. So the second place winner, the U.K., has stepped up for 2023.
And that does it for me for tonight. Thanks very much for watching. QUEST MEANS BUSINESS is up next. I shall see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
