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Isa Soares Tonight
Trump Hush Money Sentencing Delayed; Georgia School Shooting Suspect Appears In Court; U.S. To Pledge More Aid For Ukraine; Zelenskyy Sounds Alarm On Promised Air Defenses; Boeing Starliner Set To Return To Earth Today Sans Crew. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired September 06, 2024 - 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, a legal victory for Donald Trump. The
former President's sentencing in the hush money case delayed until after November's election. We will have the details on Trump's complex legal web.
Plus, the 14-year-old charged in a deadly school shooting in Georgia appears before a judge minutes after he walked out of the courtroom, his
father faces an arraignment. We have details for you in a live report. And the U.S. is said to pledge another $250 million in security aid for
Ukraine.
As President Zelenskyy urges international allies to speed up delivery of promised air defenses. Tonight, we'll speak to Poland's Foreign Minister.
We begin though with breaking news. The judge in Donald Trump's hush money case says he will delay sentencing for the former President until after the
2024 election.
Just in the last hour, we learned Judge Juan Merchan has decided to schedule the sentencing for November 26th, saying he wanted to avoid the
appearance that it could influence the election. A Trump campaign spokesman says the case should be dismissed.
And the ruling comes on what has been a truly busy legal day for Trump. He and his attorneys were in a New York court to appeal a civil jury's $5
million verdict that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. Our senior crime and justice reporter Katelyn Polantz has been tracking all
these stories for us today, and it has been a very busy day. Katelyn, good to see you.
So, just explain and delve a bit deeper here for us, Katelyn, on the reason that was given by the judge to move the sentencing to after the U.S
elections, that turmoil perhaps that he faced.
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: Yes, Isa, he lays this out, Judge Juan Merchan in a four-page letter where he announces that
instead of sentencing Donald Trump as a criminal defendant convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to
Stormy Daniels that he made.
He's convicted by a jury in state court in New York. Instead of doing that 41 days before the election on September 18, he's going to do it in what
will be the lame duck of Joe Biden's presidency. November 26th, a time where Donald Trump will either be the next President-elect or will be just
another man who once served as the President, and who will remain a criminal defendant facing sentencing before this judge.
Now, Judge Merchan is clearly grappling with a lot here. The sentencing has moved several times. It was initially scheduled for July after his
conviction by the jury on those 34 criminal charges. And Judge Merchan says he's trying to protect the integrity of the jury.
He writes that the public's confidence in the integrity of our judicial system demands a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict
of the jury and the weighing of aggregating and mitigating factors free from distraction or distortion.
He goes on to write that he doesn't want to advantage or disadvantage any political party, and he wants people to realize that he is serving justice
and keep holding sacred the verdict of that jury, and that all factored into him moving the sentencing date for Donald Trump to November 26th in
the state of New York --
SOARES: OK, so, just help us make sense of this as we push forward, of course, to that date. If Donald Trump then, Katelyn, wins in November, he
will be President-elect during the sentencing, November 26th. What happens if he's guilty? And does he have any kind of legal powers as President-
elect? I know I've got few questions on this.
POLANTZ: Constitutional, no man's land. Somewhere where we've never --
SOARES: Right --
POLANTZ: Been before yet again with Donald Trump. If he is the President- elect again and being sentenced for a crime at that time, he is convicted of these charges in New York state. And so, if he is the President-elect,
he won't have pardon power, that would only be something he would get as President over federal charges.
But make no mistake, Donald Trump tries everything in the court system that he can. He's pushed this several times, and he very likely would be trying
to find ways to protect himself from being sentenced. Perhaps, asking courts to acknowledge that a President-elect shouldn't be sentenced.
[14:05:00]
There's the possibility of jail time in this case. And so, if Judge Merchan were to go forward with the sentencing in November, if Donald Trump were to
be the next President of the United States again, and if this was happening at a moment where it's in the court system and he still has these lawyers
fighting this type of approach.
It's very likely that he would ask for intervention so that a sitting President or a President-elect could not be going to jail at all.
SOARES: Right, much uncharted territory, and of course, these are criminal cases, he's always said there are multiple, I should say, civil cases, of
course, that he's facing today, Katelyn. He was with his lawyers in court, right? Just talk us through what happened and what came out of that.
POLANTZ: Yes, he didn't have to be there, but he was -- it was an appeals court argument. So, Donald Trump previously in a lawsuit, he was sued for
sexually abusing the columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. And then in 2022, 30 years later, making defamatory statements about her saying that
she was lying about that sexual assault, sexual abuse.
The jury had awarded him $5 million of damages, so, his attorneys appealed it and today, was the argument where they got to argue and E. Jean
Carroll's attorney got to argue whether the trial was appropriate, whether there was information the jury heard that they should have heard or should
not have heard.
One of the things Donald Trump opposed in that trial was the jury hearing the Access Hollywood tape, where he spoke about women and saying you could
do anything if you're a celebrity. That was something that his attorneys say the jury should have been able to hear, E. Jean Carroll's attorneys
said, no, they should have heard because it's a part of the pattern of this man.
And that is relevant. So, that was the argument today. No decision from that court. Donald Trump after the hearing was unable to help himself,
apparently. He continued to say very much very similar things to what he said about E. Jean Carroll previously. Here's what he said at a press
conference after leaving the court this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We had a trial today, it's an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met, I don't
know, I have no idea who she is. She wrote a book and she made a ridiculous story up, she put it in her book, and we're now appealing the decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POLANTZ: What Donald Trump said there today is very similar to the defamatory statements to which a jury awarded E. Jean Carroll $5 million
that he's challenging now, and to which a jury awarded E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a separate case because he repeated those same sorts of
things in 2019 about her.
He keeps doubling down, tripling down, quadrupling down, saying that E. Jean Carroll, he never met her, he doesn't know her, she made up this story
to sell books. He said it again today. Her attorney responded that all options are on the table, though, he's just appealing these suits that
juries have said he's liable for the damages for, there haven't been new suits from E. Jean Carroll since those monster verdicts.
SOARES: Katelyn, really appreciate you breaking all this down, it has been a very busy day. Thanks very much, Katelyn, appreciate it. Now, let's turn
our attention to Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging Kyiv's international allies to follow through with delivering promised air
defense -- the air defense, I should say, and to do it quickly.
Mr. Zelenskyy made the remarks at Ramstein Airbase in Germany where he was meeting with a group of nations that supply arms to Kyiv. The meeting
included U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who said the Biden administration will announce a new $250 million security aid package for
Ukraine. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES: And friends, this is a critical moment. Time is of the essence, especially with Winter on its way.
And we must all step up our support and quickly. So, I'm pleased to say that President Biden will announce today an additional $250 million
security assistance package for Ukraine.
It will surge more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements and will deliver them at the speed of war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, earlier, I spoke with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski just a few hours after President Zelenskyy urged allies to speed
up deliveries of air defenses. Here's part of our first conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RADOSLAW SIKORSKI, FOREIGN MINISTER, POLAND: We are having these heart- rending reports, pictures of families being killed in Poltava and elsewhere. I agree we should do more about it. I understand member states
of the EU and of NATO are searching for additional Patriot systems and others.
[14:10:00]
Poland has given whatever we can give -- it is a spread. But of course, it's also completely unacceptable for Russia to be targeting civilian
targets, civilian infrastructure, civilian heat and power stations. And I hope countries that sit on the sidelines will also take notice.
SOARES: Yes, and we've seen that bombardment ramping up just this week, in fact. It's been using -- Ukraine in the meantime, has been asking for long-
range weapons given their air assault. I mean, one of them is in Lviv, I think it's just roughly 40 miles from the Polish border.
We did hear Foreign Minister, from the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who seems to be resisting calls for the use of those long-range strike
capability. You're right there. You're a neighbor. What is your position on this?
SIKORSKI: Well, NATO has said that Ukraine is legitimately in her right to defend herself, also on the territory of the aggressor. Ukraine was
attacked for no particular reason. The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn the Russian invasion as an act of aggression.
In other words, a breach of international law. Ukraine already has the right, we have the duty to take counter-measures to help the victim to re-
establish respect for international law and international borders. So, I would appeal to members of the international community to see what else
they have in their inventories to help Ukraine defend their people, particularly, ahead of the Winter.
SOARES: Yes --
SIKORSKI: You know, the Russians have destroyed something like 70 percent of Ukraine's electricity and heat-generating capacity, heat its houses and
cannot deliver electricity, will have another huge wave of refugees from Ukraine.
SOARES: Yes, and we've heard just in the last few days how challenging this Winter could be. You recently, Foreign Minister, told the "Financial
Times" that Poland has a duty to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine. Do you still stand by those words, and where do you -- where do you see the
risk if you see any risk there at all?
SIKORSKI: Well, we have the duty and the right to defend our own airspace. Russians lose control over that drones and missiles, and these missiles
come into Poland. You know, last year, a Russian cruise missile crossed over two-thirds of Poland, and landed 10 kilometers from my house.
There are these drones as well, even the Belarusians are shooting them down. So, there is a lively debate about what is self-defense.
SOARES: Yes --
SIKORSKI: Can you only shoot them down when they are actually in your own sovereign airspace? But then, the risk is that the debris might injure
someone, or can you do it when it's imminent? It's a debate in which I have a personal view, but no decisions have been made.
SOARES: Right, certainly, being lively to debate because I have seen there's been opposition from some within NATO, in fact, the NATO chief Jens
Stoltenberg has said that such a move would risk the alliance becoming part of the conflict. I mean, what -- do you say to your -- to that criticism,
and on that point that you just made, where do you draw the line of where - - on where you would act their front then, Foreign Minister?
SIKORSKI: I think this is an area for legitimate difference of opinion. But remember, it's Ukraine which is asking allies to do this, and those
missiles and drones have no business being over Ukraine and skirting the NATO border. You also have to ask yourself responsibly, if some of those
drones and missiles that the Russians lose control over, might not damage one of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
SOARES: Yes --
SIKORSKI: And then everybody could be in trouble. So, also, out of self- interest, we should be far(ph), Ukrainian self-defenses -- air defenses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And our thanks to the Polish Foreign Minister for taking the time to speak to us today. Well, another story we're going to bring you today,
the new exclusive drone video appears to show Ukrainian soldiers being executed after they've surrendered. Nick Paton Walsh report on what
Ukrainian officials say has become an alarming pattern of such incidents by Russian forces.
And still to come on the show tonight, the 14-year-old suspect in a deadly school shooting in U.S. appears in court today. We'll have a live report
from Georgia with the latest on the case.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: The teen suspect in Wednesday's deadly school shooting made his first court appearance outside Atlanta today. Colt Gray is charged with
murdering two students and two teachers at his high school. And the district attorney says more charges will be added.
The judge says Gray cannot be given the death penalty because he's a minor. But under Georgia law, he is set to be tried as an adult. Authorities are
also charging Gray's father, Colin(ph), in connection to his son's alleged crimes. He faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of
second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
Joining us now from Winder, Georgia, is Rafael Romo. Rafael, good to see you. Just bring us up to date in terms of what happened in court today.
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Isa, it's hard to wrap your hand -- your head around what happened today, because number one, we had father and
son making their first appearance pretty much at the same time. There were only moments between the one and the other to respond to charges of one of
the most horrific shootings here in Georgia.
And the first appearance for both father and son has come and gone, and now it would likely be three months before we see them both again in court.
Fourteen-year-old Colt Gray and his 54-year-old father, Colin Gray are scheduled to have their preliminary hearing here at the Barrow County
courthouse on December 4th at the same time as today's hearing, 8:30 in the morning.
Colt Gray was arraigned on four counts of felony, murder, and is expected to be tried as an adult following the Wednesday shooting that left four
people dead here in Winder, Georgia. After the hearing, Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said, Gray will face additional charges.
His father, Colin Gray was arraigned on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of
cruelty to children. His arrest warrant obtained by CNN, alleges the following, and here I quote, Isa. "Colin Gray did cause the death of" -- a
redacted name, "a child under the age of 18 years, irrespective of malice by providing a firearm to Colt Gray with knowledge" -- and here's the key,
"that he was a threat to himself and others."
[14:20:00]
Meanwhile, we're now hearing from the mother of Christian Angulo, one of the two students killed Wednesday, as you can imagine, Emma Angulo is
trying to understand the violent and unexpected way in which her 14-year- old son died.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMA ANGULO, MOTHER OF CHRISTIAN ANGULO (through translator): He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to die like this. I miss him. For me, this
is like -- I wish it was a dream.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMO: And Isa, according to two law enforcement sources, Colin Gray told investigators he purchased the AR-style gun used in the shooting of two
teachers and two fellow students as a holiday present for Christmas for his son in December 2023. In a new and shocking development, we have learned
that the Barrow County Sheriff's office has issued an arrest warrant for Marcee Gray; she is the mother of the high school shooter and is sought for
offenses committed last November, including felony possession of controlled substances, and using a false license plate. Isa?
SOARES: Goodness, this is expanding and is so troubling to hear of course, Rafael. Where are we in terms -- in other aspect of the investigation on
the motive here, and any possible motive. What are you hearing from authorities?
ROMO: Yes, officials haven't singled out a motive yet, but --
SOARES: Yes --
ROMO: A picture begins to emerge when you look at everything that has been disclosed so far. First of all, we know that there were many instances of
domestic violence recorded between the parents of this 14-year-old. They separated and eventually divorced years ago.
We also know that the mother was arrested at one point for using a key to damage the fathers car. And then you also have the drug charges that the
mother is facing, not to mention the fact that the father was supposed to make sure that, that gun was not -- was nowhere near his son, especially
given the fact that they were interviewed the year before by a local enforcement agency here.
And they said that the son had made threats, something that was not verified in the end, that was not conclusive. But again, you have a history
here, and what prosecutors say -- said today was that the father should have been more careful, keep all kinds of weapons away from his son, Isa.
SOARES: Rafael Romo for us in Winder, in Georgia, appreciate Rafael, thank you very much. Well, candidates in the U.S. presidential race are sounding
off about this week's school shooting in Georgia that Rafael was talking about there. At her campaign rally, Vice President Kamala Harris told a
crowd that children shouldn't have to worry about a shooter bursting through their classroom door.
She added, it does not have to be this way. Those words, well, in stark contrast really to Republican Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance, he
said the following about the shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES DAVID VANCE, U.S. REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Clearly, strict gun laws is not the thing that is going to solve this problem. What
is going to solve this problem -- and I really do believe in this is, look, I don't like this, I don't like to admit this, I don't like that this is a
fact of life.
But if you're -- if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster
security at our schools.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, we have new details of a deadly protest in the Israeli- occupied West Bank. U.S. and Palestinian officials say a 26-year-old American activist has been shot and killed. Eyewitnesses say the Israeli
military was responsible. The military admits to firing at the demonstrators, and that they are quote, "looking into reports that a
foreign national was killed." As a result --
(CLEARS THROAT)
SOARES: Excuse me, of shots fired in the area. Meanwhile, funerals are being held for those killed during an Israeli incursion in the area.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(GUNFIRE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Palestinian health officials say 39 people were killed over nine days of intense operations. Israel has withdrawn from two cities, but one
Israeli source is describing the withdrawal as a pause. Our Nic Robertson gives us a closer look at the destruction left behind in Jenin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Surrounded by fellow fighters, men Israel calls terrorists being laid to
rest. Jenin's first chance to bury its dead since Israeli forces pulled out overnight. A tense atmosphere as three interred side-by-side, here, they
are known as The Resistance.
(on camera): Israel's Defense Minister has described their military operations here as mowing the lawn, cutting down on the number of militants
is vowing to come back to pull out the roots.
(voice-over): Militant Abu Islam, Jenin Brigade Commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad denies Israel had or will ever get a victory
here.
[14:25:00]
"The effect of the destruction and killing", he says, "makes us more popular. Sure, some of us were killed, but we admit to our losses, they,
Israel, should admit to their losses too."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(CROWD CHANTING)
ROBERTSON: At another Jenin cemetery, 87-year-old Taffiq Kambil(ph) also laid to rest. According to Palestinian health officials, 39 people killed
over the past ten days. The IDF says 14 of them were terrorists, among the dead, eight children and two elderly like Kambil(ph).
His sons united in their grief, telling us we had no food for three days. He went out to get some, and the Israeli troops shot him. His body videoed
as it lay in the street, troops driving over his feet as they left. The Israelis did not immediately comment on this incident.
"What are we supposed to feel when you lose your father in this way?" He says, "they killed him and he didn't commit a crime. They don't spare the
young or the old." And not just lives wrecked up here, but the city. A massive cleanup only now just beginning. The cost of Israel's military
operation being counted in destroyed roads, homes and livelihoods.
Much of the damage does not appear directly connected to the targeting of militants. Sixty-nine-year-old Baba Imad Abu Al Hayya's(ph) half-century
old business in ruins. "The Israelis pushed all the debris through my store front. How can I ever repair this?" He tells me. "The chairs came from
Jordan, it will cost at least $20,000."
The city's mayor says it's too soon to know Jenin's full repair bill. More than 20 kilometers of road dug up, internet, water and electricity cut
multiple times. His early estimate at least $10 million. Israel, he says, is turning the occupied West Bank into Gaza.
"It's a wheel of genocide. We see it in Gaza, and now they turn it on the west bank and they start in Jenin", he says. There is a sense of deja vu
here. Nothing new, just getting worse. Eighteen-year-old Islam has grown up with incursions like this. "It's normal, they can destroy what they want",
he tells me, "and we rebuild.
Let them do what they want. We're steadfast here, when they destroy, they give us more power." Where today, there is rubble. Tomorrow for sure, the
grass will grow. Nic Robertson, CNN, Jenin, the occupied West Bank.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And still to come tonight, exclusive drone video appears to show Russian troops executing Ukraine's soldiers upon surrender. Our report and
the mounting evidence of war crimes along the frontlines just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:31:24]
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back everyone. We return to Ukraine. As we mentioned earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Kyiv's
international allies to try to speed up delivery of those promised air defenses. The remarks came at Ramstein Air Base, that's in Germany, where
he was meeting with a group of nations that Supply arms to Kyiv.
Mr. Zelenskyy said the weapon systems are crucial to try and hold back Russian forces. He even warned of what he calls a signifi -- significant
shortfall, pardon me, in vital aid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE: The number of air defense system that have not yet been delivered is significant. This is what was agreed
upon and this is what was -- what has not been fully implemented. The world has enough air defense systems to ensure that Russian terror does not have
results. And I urge you to be more active in this work with us on air defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who was also at the meetings, as you can see there, said the Biden Administration will announce
a new $250 million security aid package for Ukraine.
Well, I want to show you now the second part of my conversation with the Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. I asked him about his views on
Ukraine's Kursk operation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RADOSLAW SIKORSKI, FOREIGN MINISTER, POLAND: Well, it certainly showed Putin that he doesn't control it. You know, once you start a war, the enemy
never does what you expect him to do. And the fact that the Ukrainians have shown capable of taking the initiative and taking quite a lot of territory
with much fewer casualties that -- than the Russians are suffering by this grinding World War I-style offensive in the Donbas should give Putin pause
a thought.
SOARES: It's many sorts as highly embarrassing for Putin. Great to see -- interesting to see what the next few months brings because in the last few
days alone, Foreign Minister, we have heard from Ukraine's top commander who was told our Christiane Amanpour that the situation on the eastern
front has worsened significantly with troops withdrawing from the front lines.
And it seems an acute shortage as, you know, what you and I were talking about, acute shortages of artillery munitions seem to be the primary reason
for these withdrawals. We heard in fact President Zelenskyy say and I'm just -- important information for our viewers, that our artillery ratio is
one to 10 in Russia's favor. How then do you assess putting aside the Kursk incursion the current state of the battlefield? Is it shifting in Russia's
favor?
SIKORSKI: It's a mixed picture. Ukraine won the battle of the Black Sea. Russia has regained initiative on the ground. But these are largely pyrrhic
victories. General -- the name comes from a Greek general who won most of his battles but was left without an army at the end. The Russians are
paying with tens of thousands of dead for conquering very small towns. And the question is how long they can sustain it?
You know, they're running out of the -- of these hulks of post-Soviet tanks and other equipment that they've
been able to bring to bear and the Russian economy is starting to suffer. I don't think President Putin can continue with this war indefinitely.
SOARES: And I had read and you can correct me if I'm wrong, Prime Minister, that you had spoken to Ukraine's new foreign minister who took over from
Mr. Kuleba. From your conversation, I wonder whether you got any sign that we'll see more change in strategy or we'll see more similar incursions to
the one we saw in Kursk for example.
[14:35:11]
SIKORSKI: Well, Ukraine is fighting for its life. It doesn't want to be a Russian colony again. Russia can end this war in five minutes just by
withdrawing to the international line. And to those who say they want peace, I have this to say, appeal to both countries to withdraw their
soldiers to the international border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And our thanks to the Polish Foreign Minister. We also have graphic exclusive drone footage from the front lines. And it appears to show
evidence of potential war crimes with Ukrainian soldiers being executed after they've surrendered to Russian forces. Our Nick Paton Walsh reports
on this alarming pattern. Of course, a warning parts of his report are extremely disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voiceover): A scene all too common on Ukraine's imperiled eastern front. Smoke billowing, a
position overrun. Ukrainian troops staggering out appearing to surrender to advancing Russians. A brief closeup on a Ukrainian drone video seen here
for the first time shows them on their knees.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (text): My friend, zoom in. We have to see them.
WALSH (voiceover): The Drone operators ask each other for a better view and then seconds later it is too late. The three fall to the ground. Dust
nearby suggesting gunfire executed in cold blood. A Ukrainian official familiar with the incident said despite hoping to be taken prisoner by the
Russians.
It is from near the besieged city of Pokrovsk in late August the source said the hottest spot on the front now where Russia is persistently
advancing and follows a horrific pattern. Prosecutors say they're investigating a total of 28 cases in which 62 Ukrainian soldiers were
killed after surrender on the battlefield.
ANDRIY KOSTIN, PROSECUTOR GENERAL, UKRAINE: If prisoners of war surrender, if they show that they surrender, if they are without weapons in their hand
-- in their hands, then summary execution is the war crime.
WALSH (voiceover): It has worsened in the past 10 months. CNN obtaining from Ukrainian intelligence officials a detailed list of 15 incidents most
backed up by drone video or audio intercepts.
WALSH: Now, United Nations investigators have scrutinized many of these killings. And a U.N. investigative source said to me "there are many, there
is a pattern, and the killings are war crimes individually," they said in their opinion. And together could amount to crimes against humanity.
WALSH (voiceover): And near (INAUDIBLE), the sight of some of the fiercest fighting this year in Zaporizhzhia, another Ukrainian drone filmed in May.
These images that are upsetting to watch.
Ukrainian soldiers emerge one by one from the dugout. Ukraine's defense intelligence said they intercepted the Russian Commander's order to execute
or zero them and gave us this transcript. Take them (BLEEP) down. (BLEEP) zero them. Take them. Zero them, the officer says. Got it, plus, comes the
reply. Once you zero them, report back, he adds. Once they're all out face down, the Russians fired.
Ukrainians we spoke to left asking why, to just terrify them or is it simply sport for the Russians?
PETRO YATSENKO, UKRAINE COORDINATOR, CENTER FOR THE TREATMENT OF POWS: The main reason is to make Russian soldiers believe they it's very dangerous to
surrender to Ukrainian forces because Ukrainian soldiers will kill them like Russians killing Ukrainian prisoners of war. This force them not to
surrender but go forward to their death.
WALSH (voiceover): A horror not always publicized or fully accounted for yet being felt steadily by Ukrainians as they struggle to hold the eastern
line.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And CNN has reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense for comment on these incidents and is yet to receive a response. Our thanks of
course to Nick Paton Walsh and his team for that report.
We're going to take a short break. Back on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:41:55]
SOARES: Welcome back everyone. As I told you the top of the hour in the last 40 minutes or so, we saw today Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
in Ramstein Air Base in Germany where he's really asking countries, allies for more defense -- more air defenses and for it to arrive much faster,
something we've heard from him time and time again.
Let's discuss this further. William Taylor joins me now. He is the vice president for Europe and Russia at the U.S. Institute of Peace, as well as
a former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. Ambassador, great to see you. Welcome back to the show. Let me just pick up with what I was just mentioned there.
We have heard on numerous occasions I think it's fair to say, including today in Ramstein President Zelenskyy urging Western allies to use long-
range weapons for strikes on Russian territory, asking the U.S. to ignore Moscow's red lines.
Secretary Lloyd Austin from what we heard today, Ambassador, has been resisting calls for the use of these long-range capability. What is your
view? Should U.S. allow their weapons to strike deeper into Russia?
WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: I think they should, Isa. I think they definitely should. The Russians are firing at the
Ukrainians from these bases inside Russia, so the Ukrainians ought to be able to fire back. If they can, if they are allowed to, then they'll be
able to push the Russians back even farther. But as you know, the Ukrainians have moved into Russian territory in order to push the Russians
back. And they're requesting the ability to use the weapons that we've given them and others have given them to push -- to fire at the Russians
who are firing at them.
SOARES: So, why do you think we've been hearing some resistance from the U.S.? And do you see any risks here, Ambassador, of expanding of this -- of
this decision -- of your viewpoint here I should say of expanding the war further. Speak to that.
TAYLOR: Yes. I don't see this risk of escalation which has been -- which been the problem. The Ukrainians have demonstrated that there's no red line
on the part of the Russians by -- they've invaded -- the Ukrainians have gone across the border into Russian territory and that -- and the Russians
have done nothing. The Russians haven't even really pushed them back.
They've begun to send some troops in to try to slow the Ukrainians down but they haven't stopped any of their fighting in the -- in the Donbas. So,
there's no real red line here to be worried about, Isa. On the conventional side, the Russians are at the max, so there's no further escalation that
they can do conventionally.
SOARES: And the U.S. which of course as our viewers will know is due to vote on another support package for Ukraine I think it's this weekend, has
been incredibly supportive of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. It is by far the biggest military supporter of Ukraine. But this support,
Ambassador, does seem to come with caveats or red lines.
President Zelenskyy I remember him saying -- I can't remember how long ago it was, probably several months ago -- said that it feels like Ukraine is
fighting with one hand behind his back. Is the Biden Administration's approach and policy to Ukraine working in your view?
[14:45:00]
TAYLOR: I think it is working. I think it's slow and often as you've indicated there's delay in making these decisions. But every time, Isa,
they've the right decision, on F-16s, on tanks, on ATACMS, on the ability to fire into Russia in limited basis. So, I think they will get there and
they'll make this decision.
Last week, President Biden changed the terms, changed the terms that he uses to demonstrate -- to illustrate and designate the goal. And he said
the goal now is to support the Ukrainians until they prevail. He used to say as long as it takes, but now he says until they prevail. That means
until they win. So, that demonstrates to me, that indicates to me that this is going to happen -- this permission is going to be granted.
SOARES: Let's talk about winning and making those gains in the battlefield. You had hinted there at the Kursk incursion which took I think including
many in the West, Ambassador, by surprised. You have co-written a piece I believe where -- in Time Magazine where you say the incursion should give
us hope. In addition, you write, while Ukraine's advances are only slight in geographical sense, there are significant in other ways they're not
equal if not more essential to finding success in the battlefield.
How effective was this incursion in your view? And do you see Ukraine continuing this strategy? You're on the ground. You have ears on the
ground. Give us a sense of what you're hearing.
TAYLOR: Here in Kyiv, Isa, they are very high, very excited, very determined to win and to push very hard. And this incursion into Kursk,
this operation into the Kursk Oblast in Russia has boosted morale here. This is what I'm hearing for Ukrainians all day. It boosted morale. It
boosted the morale of the soldiers of the civilians. and I believe it is going to increase the morale and the motivation of Ukraine supporters be it
in Europe and be it in the United States.
So -- and so far, that psychological effect which is really important, the morale effect is really important in this fight. And that has -- the
Ukrainians have achieved that goal.
SOARES: Yes. And as we head into a third Winter, that morale is incredibly important. Ambassador, while I have you here, I have to ask you of course
about the U.S. election. Former President Trump as you well know has been, I think it's fair to say, quite vocal about open-ended U.S. backing for the
war. He's also famously said this. I want to play it for our viewers. Have a listen, Ambassador.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Before I even arrive at the Oval Office shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the war between
Russia and Ukraine settled. I'll do it in 24 hours. It's not tough to do. That's easy compared to -- that's easy compared to a lot of things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: So, if he wins, Ambassador, the presidency in November, what will this mean for Ukraine and NATO. Just speak to the magnitude of the change
of what a Trump victory could mean for Ukraine here.
TAYLOR: The problem is we don't really know. There have been contradictory or ambiguous statements we know actually. What we do know is the -- is the
former president, President Trump, implicitly tacitly agreed that the $61 billion support package that the Congress was looking at and considering,
he tacitly agreed it should be voted on. And yet, as you say, the choice of the vice president who voted again -- for his vice president for -- J.D.
Vance, Senator Vance voted against this support. So, the signals are ambiguous at this point.
What we can also say is the American people still support Ukraine at 60 percent levels and they oppose the Russian aggression against Ukraine. So,
whoever is in the White House next January they will know where the U.S. -- the American people are.
SOARES: Ambassador William Taylor, always wonderful to get your insights, sir. Thank you very much indeed. Live from Kyiv for us in Ukraine this
evening.
TAYLOR: Thank you.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, after weeks in space, Boeing Starliner is set to return to Earth but without its crew members. We'll tell you how
it's going to happen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:51:51]
SOARES: Well, Boeing Starliner spacecraft is finally expected to return home just a few hours from now but without its two crew members. After 12
weeks in space, the spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station and perform a fully autonomous six-hour-long maneuver before
landing in New Mexico. It will be guided by flight controllers from the Boeing Mission Control Center in Florida and the Starliner Mission Control
in Houston in Texas.
If the spacecraft experiences a mishap or NASA ultimately decides not to certify it for human space flight, repeating the test could cost the
company millions of dollars on top of the roughly 1.5 billion that Boeing has already lost on the Starliner program. So you see what is that stake
here.
Let's bring in veteran NASA astronaut and Air Force Colonel Terry Virts. Colonel, welcome to the show. Just talk us through the plan as you
understand it for the Starliner's return and what you make of it.
COL. TERRY VIRTS (RET), FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: Well, Boeing has already done this twice. They flew two unmanned test missions in the past few
years, so it will undock -- it's on the front part of the Space Station. It'll undock. It'll fly a quarter way around the space station, and then do
a quick backway maneuver.
They'll do some testing of the jets. The jet, these small rocket engines, small rocket jets that have been giving them so many problems. And then a
few hours later, they'll do a deorbit burn. It turns around backwards and fires the engine, slows down, and that brings it back down to earth about
30 minutes later.
It's going to land in the New Mexico desert. Hopefully, they'll nail the landing just like they did the last two times.
SOARES: And of course, and people will be closely watching how critically the Starliner behaves if there are any his -- mishaps or not really, and
hopefully none. But how crucial -- just explain to our viewers this. How crucial will this be for the future of the overall Boeing program here,
Colonel?
VIRTS: Well, it's an important mission for sure. Boeing is still hoping to have the vehicle certified so that they can fly the next time on an
operational crew rotation mission to the Space Station. So, it's a really important mission for Boeing. Like I said, they've already flown to
successful test missions, but they didn't get all of their test objectives finished. So, Boeing is really hoping to get this done. You know, it's been
a rough few years for Boeing and they want to get a successful flight under their belt for sure.
SOARES: Yes. And the two astronauts of course who went to the mission that was supposed to be an eight-day mission -- goodness, every time I read the
story, it petrifies me in many ways -- will not of course be on board for the -- for the flight home. I think NASA said it deemed it a great risk.
What happens to them? What is the plan for their return, Colonel?
VIRTS: Well, they'll be there for a little while. As you know, space flight is sometimes dangerous. Actually, SpaceX has been grounded for the last
week. They've had a private human mission that's been on hold now for a week or two because of some problems they've had. When I was in space last,
the Russians blew up a cargo ship and that delayed our replacement, and I ended up getting stuck for a month. We didn't know how long we'd there, but
we were there for an extra month. So, these things do happen.
This is a pretty long extension, you know, to go from a week to over half a year. That's a long time to be up there.
SOARES: And --
VIRTS: The biggest impact, I'm sure that -- yes, go ahead.
[14:55:13]
SOARES: Go ahead. Finish your thought, Colonel.
VIRTS: I'm sure the two astronauts are fine. It's bonus time and space. You can ever complain about that. The problem is with their families back down
here on Earth. You know, they have kids, they have husbands and wives, and they're ready to, you know, get on with life and everything on hold for six
months. So --
SOARES: And that's exactly what I was saying. And explain that --
VIRTS: It's always the biggest impact to their families.
SOARES: Yes, I was going to say that. Try to explain that to your -- to your partner back home why you're staying a bit longer. Do we know -- we've
got about 30 seconds or so. Do we know how they doing, how they're holding up, Colonel?
VIRTS: From everything I've heard, they're doing great. You know, they're taking it with a grain of salt. That's part of space flight. Sometimes your
mission gets delayed and sometimes your mission gets canceled and sometimes you get stuck in space for an extra six months.
SOARES: Colonel, I really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us to talk us through what we can expect later on today. Hopefully, there are no
mishaps and everything go smoothly. Thank you very much, sir.
And that does it for us for this evening. Thank you very much for your company. Do stay right here. "NEWSROOM" with Jim Sciutto is up next. I'll
be back on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend. Bye-bye.
END
