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Isa Soares Tonight

Last Batch Of Passengers On Board MV Hondius Cruise Ship Hit With A Hantavirus Outbreak Now Off The Boat; President Trump Says U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Is Now On Life-Support; Russia's President Putin Says Russia- Ukraine War Is Coming To An End; Iran May Be Linked To Recent Antisemitic Attacks In Europe; Putin's Surprise Announcement; Putin: Conflict Is "Moving Towards A Conclusion"; Venezuela's Problems Persist Despite U.S. Ousting Of Maduro; One Month Until Start Of 2026 FIFA World Cup. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired May 11, 2026 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

ERICA HILL, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: And a warm welcome on this Monday, I'm Erica Hill in for Isa Soares. Tonight, the final passengers on board

the cruise ship hit with a hantavirus outbreak are on their way off that boat. We'll take a look at what happens next.

Plus, a ceasefire now on life support. That's the warning from U.S. President Donald Trump amid the ongoing negotiations to end the Iran war.

Plus, Russia's President Putin says the war in Ukraine is coming to an end.

But why is he making that statement now, and just how likely is an end? That, and much more ahead. The final passengers from the cruise ship hit

with the hantavirus are now being evacuated at this hour. Many of those who have already been removed are either back in their home countries or in

other nations where they're being placed in what is likely to be more than a month of quarantine.

Some 30-crew members remain on board the vessel, they will sail now to the Netherlands for a thorough disinfection of the ship. Several more confirmed

and suspected hantavirus cases have cropped up among the people being evacuated.

Health officials, however, continue to stress the risk of a wider outbreak is extremely low. Melissa Bell is in the Canary Islands where that ship is

currently docked.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The last of the passengers may have left the MV Hondius ahead of its onward journey

to the Netherlands, but amongst those 17 Americans evacuated on Sunday, at least, one new case of hantavirus now confirmed, with another passenger

showing symptoms which can include fatigue and a fever. The two had been kept in isolation away from the others as they traveled to Nebraska.

(On camera): The American case is interesting because that passenger had been identified as having had close contact with some of the deceased

passengers on board the MV Hondius, which is why when he was brought ashore on Sunday, he was brought ashore separately from the other American

passengers.

It's also a reminder of the length of this virus' incubation period. The other confirmed case from those disembarked on Sunday, a French woman who

began feeling unwell on the flight home to Paris. That's according to France's Health Ministry. She is now in quarantine at this hospital to the

north of the French capital.

TEDROS GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The French passenger is deteriorating now. Imagine if that happened in the ship, and

her fate would have been more dangerous, actually. So, she's in good hands and she's protected now.

BELL: Even as you have sought to contain this virus, the World Health Organization, with this operation, your understanding how it functions

better and better. Are you confident now that we know enough about it, that this is it. This is an outbreak, the woman being confined to this, and

thanks to the work that you've done here.

GHEBREYESUS: We learned our lessons from COVID as well. As we said, this is not another COVID. It will not be any pandemic.

BELL (voice-over): What started as a voyage of adventure to some of the world's most remote islands turned into a nightmare for dozens of

passengers after three people died and several others fell ill with the virus. The evolution of the infection has been closely tracked by the World

Health Organization, even as it has sought to contain its spread.

BORIS PAVLIN, MEDICAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The most important aspect from now, because the -- all the symptomatic people were

offloaded last in Cabo Verde. The issue now has turned to the remaining passengers and crew who had to varying degrees contact with those sick

individuals before they were offloaded.

BELL: As the military style operation wrapped up in Tenerife, the ship's captain put out this message, thanking everyone for their solidarity.

JAN DOBROGOWSKI, CAPTAIN, MV HONDIUS: The past few weeks have been extremely challenging to us all, as I'm sure you know.

[14:05:00]

What touched me the most, what moved me the most was your patience, your discipline, and also kindness.

BELL: The flurry of evacuations and repatriation flights seems to have gone smoothly. But even as the last passengers are offloaded, it is those in

contact with anyone who is both positive and symptomatic that are now at greatest risk.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: And Melissa is live, of course, in the Canary Islands at this hour. Rafael Romo outside the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. Melissa, though, first to

you, that ship now docked, the last passengers are off. What more do we know about some of those passengers at this point?

BELL: Well, I'm just going to share with you these pictures of the MV Hondius leaving this port of Granadilla here to the south of Tenerife. All

of the passengers that were to be offloaded here now have been, the very last ones.

To your question, Erica, were a group of Australians, Dutch, one New Zealander. The Australians and the New Zealander had to get off with the

Dutch passengers, many of them crew members, in fact, to head to Amsterdam because there were issues with the plane that was meant to take them home.

But what you're seeing now is this MV Hondius after this very complex and delicate two-day operation here in Tenerife, leaving the island to head

towards Rotterdam, where it will be fully disinfected.

It still has a couple of dozen crew members aboard, most of them, Dutch, and they're now heading towards Amsterdam -- towards Rotterdam, I'm sorry.

So, the end of the operation here that we were able to share with you, and what we saw earlier today is that ship have to dock here in Tenerife.

It had been anchored just off the island, and the evacuations had been carried out by small boats. In the end, the weather conditions had

deteriorated as local authorities had predicted that they would. And the winds were so strong that the little boat couldn't go back and forth.

So, those final passengers, in the end, had to be offloaded after the ship had docked. We've just watched them leave by bus towards their aircraft,

but that then is the end of operations here. And as you saw, we had a chance to speak to Dr. Tedros himself.

It was a complex operation. He was here personally to oversee it, and whilst there are lessons to learn, and he fears there could be more cases

as a result of those evacuations, those who may have caught it on the ship, they are all, he says, in good hands, and he's pleased with how things have

gone.

And again, very grateful to the people of Tenerife. It's something he's explained over and over again for the humanity and solidarity that allowed

for these operations to be carried out here. Erica.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. Melissa, thank you. Rafael, I want to bring you in now as well. So, when it comes to the CDC, when it comes to -- we know

about some of the passengers who have come back here to the United States, where do things stand?

We are told not to worry about a widespread outbreak. But there's still some concerns when people see the headlines alone.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. And that's what people are asking, right? That's the million-dollar question. Is this disease

highly communicable? And the answer, according to officials, not only here in the United States but across the world, is no.

But still, people are asking many questions. Now, we're here outside the university -- Emory University Hospital, two of the 18 patients, the 18

Americans that were flown overnight to the United States. Back home, are being kept here for the time being.

There's a biocontainment unit, and what we know from officials here at Emory is that, at least, one of those people has shown symptoms. Now, we

don't know how sick that person is, but it is, of course, as you can imagine, a reason for concern for authorities here.

The other person is also being treated at a biocontainment unit. And what officials say is that they're going to be kept there for the time being.

Now, Georgia has plenty of experience, Erica, dealing with this kind of situation, because this institution is where not only medical specialists,

but also officials treated and studied COVID 19, also, in the past decade, the Ebola outbreak.

So, according to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, they're well positioned to take care of this emergency. This is what he had to say earlier today.

Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): We're doing like we've done in the past with COVID 19. If you remember, we took patients and our fellow Georgians off of

cruise ships at Dobbins Air Force Base, the Georgia National Guard. We're as prepared as any state in the country to do this.

And it's just the right thing to do. I mean, you think if you were one of those passengers that was stranded, especially if you were from Georgia,

you would want your state to come to your aid. And that's exactly what we're going to do. And there is nobody better to handle that than the folks

at Emory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[14:10:00]

ROMO: Yes, and Erica, in addition to the 18 individuals in Nebraska and here in Georgia, nine other people are being monitored across six states,

including Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas and Virginia.

Those people had previously disembarked from the ship, and individuals in New Jersey were exposed to a confirmed case while on an international

flight. Erica, now back to you.

HILL: All right, Rafael, appreciate it, Rafael and Melissa as well. Thank you both. One last note to this story. One of the people who got off that

virus-infected ship before the outbreak was discovered, lives on a remote British island.

That island is Tristan da Cunha. The person was recently in desperate need of oxygen, so, the British military air-dropped medical personnel and

supplies onto the island over the weekend. Because it's so small, it doesn't have a landing strip.

In fact, the tiny island is home to just more than 200 people. Turning now to the increasingly bitter stalemate between Iran and the United States,

both sides rejecting the other's latest proposals. President -- U.S. President Donald Trump telling reporters earlier, he has the quote, "best

plan ever to end the war." But he didn't elaborate. The President was also asked about the status of the ceasefire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I would say it's one of the weakest. Right now, it's on life support. They understand. These are all

medical people. Doctor Oz(ph), life-support is not a good thing. Do you agree?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Prognostic --

TRUMP: I would say the ceasefire is on massive life-support where the doctor walks in and says, sir, your loved one has approximately a 1 percent

chance of living. Are they stupid people? They didn't want to believe it.

They think that, well, I'll get tired of this or I'll get bored or I'll have some pressure, but there's no pressure. There's no pressure at all.

We're going to have a complete victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: President Trump rejected Tehran's latest offer to end the war on Sunday, calling it totally unacceptable. Iran's Foreign Ministry offering a

different take, describing it as reasonable and generous. Iran's response reportedly included demands for sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and

war damage compensation.

State media says there was no mention of Iran's nuclear program. All of this happening just days before President Trump travels to Beijing for what

will be a critical meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. CNN's Alayna Treene joins us now from the White House with the very latest.

That was not exactly a ringing endorsement in terms of this ceasefire that we heard from the President earlier, Alayna.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No, absolutely not. I think you could tell, Erica, just from watching him, how visibly frustrated

President Trump has been with how the Iranians have been really handling negotiations thus far and really throughout this entire ceasefire.

Not only did he call that proposal that they had sent back, or at least, their response to the U.S. proposal that the Iranians sent back to the

U.S., totally unacceptable. Today, he called it a stupid proposal, and he talked about how within Iran, he argued that there were moderates and

lunatics who are currently kind of battling it out with each other.

He said that the moderates are dying to make a deal, but then you have the lunatics referring to the more -- you know, hard right regime, people

within the Iranian regime, the leaders who have been a little bit more hardline and lined in the same place as the IRGC and the military.

Look, I think what is clear is that, despite the frustration that the President is feeling, he does still want diplomacy to have a chance. We did

hear him earlier in comments to "Fox News", essentially say that he is willing to wait.

He said, I will deal with them until they make a deal, arguing that the Iranians will ultimately fold. But a key question as well has been, what he

is hearing from his advisors, because as the ceasefire continues to stretch into several weeks now, we are more than a month now that the ceasefire has

been in place.

There are people who are wondering, how much longer can the United States continue here? Now, if you talk to people inside the White House and

throughout the administration, Erica, they tell me that essentially, the President is willing to wait.

They feel like the Iranians are the ones who are really being squeezed by the economic pressure that the Naval blockade on Iranian ports right now is

doing to their economy, and is really hoping that continuing to keep that pressure on them will force them to the table.

But again, we've kind of gone round and round now where we've seen, you know, the President kind of press pause on certain U.S. aggression in the

region to allow for these talks to have more breathing room.

We saw him do that last week, of course, when he pressed the pause button on Project Freedom, that initiative to guide vessels through the Strait of

Hormuz, only to be frustrated on the back end. Now, to get back into some of the specifics, one thing that we know that President Trump has

repeatedly said that he needs to see in any sort of deal is to have the Iranians allow for the United States to retrieve the enriched uranium that

they currently have.

[14:15:00]

What he said today was that, essentially, they said, no, they did not agree to that. He said that was despite them, at least, the President believing

previously that the Iranians had to agree to such a provision, all to say, they are in a very messy space right now, and it is very much unclear where

this goes.

And it all comes just a day before, you know, tomorrow, we're going to see President Trump head to China for that meeting with Xi Jinping. And that

could also provide some clarity into how this moves forward. We know that the Chinese have been speaking with the Iranians.

The President said today that the Iranians have been open to this idea of maybe having the Chinese go in to retrieve that enriched uranium, so, we'll

have to see where that leads. It doesn't seem like anything is going to change before this trip to China, at least, when it comes to the posture

between Washington and Tehran.

But I think there's no question that the stalemate is still very much entrenched, and that is causing a lot of frustration from the President and

his aides here, who are really hoping for more compromise to be further along at this point.

HILL: Yes, and it does certainly, as you point out there, Alayna, adds, yet another note to what is already going to be a very closely-watched meeting

and trip abroad for the President later this week. Thank you.

For a closer look at this stalemate, this very messy space, as Alayna so wisely put it and President Trump's trip to China, I'm joined now by former

U.S. State Department, Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller. He's currently a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International

Peace.

Always good to talk to you. In terms of where things do stand, it is messy. It is limbo. It's a stalemate. It feels like a hamster wheel. I mean, you

can call it anything you want. The reality is, there does not seem to be any movement. Do you see any signs of progress or even any potential for

agreement at this point?

AARON DAVID MILLER, SENIOR FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: I don't, Erica, and thanks for having me. Look, it's been most of my

professional life-run negotiations. Serious negotiations doesn't mean it should be a deal.

But serious negotiations depend on a shared sense of urgency. Time and urgency is driven by two things, how much pain a party is under, and what

they stand to gain if they essentially agree to do serious negotiations.

I think you don't have a shared sense of urgency here. I think right now, both sides believe that time is on their side. Both sides believe that they

still have the option of escalation. And as a consequence, neither the economic blockade, which the U.S. has imposed, the closure of the Strait

which the Iranians are hewing to. No amount of military pressure, Project - -

(CLEARS THROAT)

MILLER: Freedom to open up the Straits. None of this stuff has changed either. Trump's calculations or the calculations of the Islamic

Revolutionary Guard Corps regime dominating now decision-making in Tehran. So, we have what I think is the closest thing I could describe as an -- as

an -- as a stalemate.

But not a hurting stalemate, not a stalemate that will essentially force one side or the other to basically moderate or modify their positions.

HILL: You noted last week, too, in terms of having this stalemate, I think it's fascinating that we're also looking at a moment where both the focus

and the goals, right? For each side are slightly different. The fact that the U.S. is -- even just taking the nuclear equation out of it, as

important as that is, the U.S. is focused on this point at ending the war.

That Iran is looking more at, what is to come after the war. How is that complicating matters that, that focus alone is so different?

MILLER: I mean, I think you broke the code. President is interested in getting out of this, finding a pathway forward that would allow him to

claim something that he cannot claim now, which is some measure of success on the nuclear issue.

Some constraints, some more turns. The Iranians don't see it that way at all. They're playing a much longer game. They want to create a set of new

economic, political and security realities. And at the center of this new found leverage is the fact that they have found a way to weaponize

geography.

That right now is their most important weapon, because it's basically elevated a triangular conflict. The U.S. and Israel against Iran into a

conflict that affects the international economy and the global supply of oil.

And they're not, Erica, going to give that up. Whatever -- however this ends, I don't think we're going back to a situation where pre-February

28th, when the Straits of Hormuz were a free and unfettered international passageway.

HILL: What do you see as the potential role for China here moving forward? Certainly, interesting timing, giving this meeting with President Trump and

Xi this week. But the role for China potentially to help mediate an end to this conflict.

[14:20:00]

MILLER: Yes, I think if the administration is looking for a magic fix, a silver bullet, they're not going to find it in Beijing. The President did

not want to go to Beijing. He's the first President since the last President, Donald Trump, to visit Beijing.

That since 2017, Joe Biden never went, and was the first President since Jimmy Carter not to visit. So, this is a big visit. I think Xi is --

expectations are pretty low here. If the President said to him, I can't imagine this is a quid pro quo that we need to accept, but who knows?

If the President said, look, really, if you lean on China really hard, and if you can get them to modify their -- excuse me on Iran, very hard, you

get to modify -- they can modify their policies, their positions. I'll make a change on Taiwan.

I will do something you want me to have done for a long time. And that is oppose independence for Taiwan. I can't imagine even this administration,

this President, desperate for a deal at some point would make that change.

So, I think Xi is not going to give the President what he wants without something significant in return. Maybe a carve-out on chips like Nvidia.

I'm not sure the Iran war is going to figure centrally in the visit. I'm not sure it's going to change the calculations of either the United States,

China, which wants to see the Straits open to be sure, or the Iranians.

HILL: Aaron David Miller, always appreciate your perspective and your expertise. Thank you.

MILLER: Thanks, Erica, appreciate it.

HILL: Still to come tonight, CNN goes undercover to investigate how recent anti-Semitic attacks in Europe may be linked to Iran.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: Synagogues, schools, small businesses, ambulances for emergency services staffed by volunteers. Those are just some of the Jewish targets

struck by arson attacks across Europe in recent months. Now, many of those attacks have been claimed by the same shadowy online group, a group with

possible links to Iran-backed paramilitaries.

But as for who is actually carrying out these terrifying attacks, and how they're being recruited, CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has this shocking

investigation.

[14:25:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seventeen claims of attacks targeting mostly Jewish sites in seven weeks. We've been

investigating Iran's possible links to these incidents, an investigation that has led us to a stunning discovery of something so sinister that, as

we'll show you, is happening right in the open.

(On camera): You're asking me if I have access to Zionist individuals or assets?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just a matter of time that one of our communities was going to come under attack.

KARADSHEH: We saw him taken away by an ambulance.

(Voice-over): Days after the war in Iran began, fire bomb and arson attacks hit buildings, including synagogues, Jewish centers and schools in Europe,

a previously unheard-of group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al- Islamia; the Islamic movement of the companions of the righteous claimed the attacks in not so sophisticated videos and statements.

We found that the claims seemed to first appear on these Telegram channels that are associated with Iranian-backed Iraqi groups. A source close to

Kata'ib Hezbollah, the most powerful of Iraqi Shiite paramilitary groups that works closely with the IRGC, confirmed to us its links to Ashab al-

Yamin, and told us some of its members are Iraqi.

Security experts believe the group is just a front for the IRGC. British counterterrorism police are investigating Iran's potential links to the

London attacks, and whether the regime may be hiring criminal proxies to carry them out, possibly recruiting people online.

(On camera): When you think of online recruitment by foreign intelligence services, you might assume that something happening in the deep, dark

corners of the internet. But take a look at what we found.

(Voice-over): This Telegram channel in English and Hebrew called VIP employment says it's recruiting, quote, "high paid agents", it claims for

Iranian intelligence. If you're ready to take the next step, it says, hit the start button.

Undercover producer Flo and I started two separate chats exchanging direct messages over several days with these accounts.

FLORENCE DAVEY-ATTLEE, CNN FIELD PRODUCER: So, my conversation begins with someone calling themselves Sina(ph). They quickly asked me lots of

questions about myself, trying to get to know me. And then they assigned me a task, two posters, anti-Trump, anti-war posters.

They asked me to film myself, putting them up on the streets of London and offer me $2 per poster paid in crypto. And later on in the conversation,

they seem to coach me on how to avoid CCTV cameras. "Do it in a place where there are no surveillance cameras", they say.

At one point, I question, "how can I confirm you're Islamic Republic Intelligence as you say you are?" And they say, "the work I assigned you is

against the policies of the filthy Zionist regime and America."

KARADSHEH (on camera): With me, they get straight into it. "What are my capabilities? What action can you take against Zionist individuals or

assets? Do you have access to specific individuals or information?" They ask. I ask what they mean by access to specific individuals or information.

"People who work in security and military agencies, such as the Shin Bet, the army and the Mossad", they say. And I asked them if they're only

recruiting people in Israel, they said, "no, we can hire anyone who can harm Israeli interests or individuals."

(Voice-over): And with those words, we decided to end the conversation there. But others appear to have taken the bait. We found VIP Employment, a

channel with the same name is alleged to have been used to recruit Israelis to spy for Iran, referenced in this indictment and other official

documents.

The Israeli men were given initiation tasks very similar to the one we were given by the Telegram account. From there, prosecutors say, the men were

tasked with filming government and military sites in exchange for money.

One of them, an IDF reservist, was even offered more than $30,000 to assassinate his commander. We can't confirm any links between VIP

Employment and the recent anti-Semitic attacks in Europe, but the one thing they seem to have in common is Iran.

Here in the U.K., the wave of attacks has left the small Jewish community feeling more vulnerable than ever. One of the group's targets in London,

the Kenton United Synagogue attacked, they claim for being, quote, "a center of Zionist influence", and its rabbi, a key instrument of Zionism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just take you in here.

KARADSHEH (on camera): Oh --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --

KARADSHEH: The smell --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's quite -- it's quite pungent, isn't it? And you can actually --

KARADSHEH: Still smell the fire days after.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten days after, and it's still quite pungent, isn't it? They came from the outside, they smashed this window in, and they threw a

firebomb in here. You can see the damage that that's been caused.

KARADSHEH: Wow, I mean, how did you feel when you walked in and you saw this?

RABBI YEHUDA BLACK, KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE: Oh, I was really upset, obviously. I mean, it's only a medical room. I mean, we can replace it, we

can redecorate it and everything else. But what could have transpired, that is really, you know.

[14:30:14]

KARADSHEH (voice-over): With antisemitism at record highs worldwide, Rabbi Black says the attacks were a shock, but not a surprise.

BLACK: My biggest concern is that it has to stop. People have to realize that what's happening elsewhere is happening elsewhere. But what's

happening over here is plain antisemitism.

KARADSHEH: A 17-year-old British national pleaded guilty to arson without endangering life. In a written statement, he apologized. He said he has

nothing against the Jewish people and said that he didn't know that this was a synagogue.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Many of the suspects here and elsewhere in Europe are teenagers. Authorities are warning anyone considering getting involved

in these attacks for quick cash, they will be, quote, "used once and thrown away." But it seems these attacks may have already opened the floodgates,

emboldening others to follow.

On our way back from the synagogue, we noticed a heavy police presence.

KARADSHEH: As we were making our way, we heard that people had been stabbed here. And as we approached the police lines, we could see at the time the

suspect was still on the ground surrounded by the police.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Two visibly Jewish men were stabbed. From the shadows, Ashab al-Yamin claimed the attack without providing evidence of

links to the suspect, who, according to police, has a history of mental illness and serious violence. Claim, confuse, intimidate and inspire,

that's all part of their tactics, leaving so many in this community bracing for even darker days ahead.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: The Iranian embassy in London denied any link to or involvement in the London attack, saying, quote, "Such baseless accusations against the

Islamic Republic of Iran lack credible evidence and appear to serve narrow political agendas and to mislead public opinion and distract from the real

rooting causes of terrorism and violent extremism."

Still ahead here tonight, what is behind Russian President Putin's announcement that his war in Ukraine is coming to an end? We'll speak with

an expert just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:35:00]

HILL: With a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine set to expire in a matter of hours, both sides are accusing the other of

violations. On the same day, Moscow held its most scaled-down victory parade in years.

Vladimir Putin signaled Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II may be coming to an end. The Russian president also said he's willing to

negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder acting as mediator. It was a suggestion

immediately dismissed by the E.U.'s foreign policy chief.

Ukraine's president also rejecting those comments. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has no intention of ending the war. And Kyiv is preparing for new

attacks.

Catherine Belton joins us now from London. She's a reporter with the Washington Post, author of the book Putin's People, and you have covered

Russia extensively for a number of years. When we look at where things stand in this moment, there are questions about increased security concerns

for Vladimir Putin and whether he's actually losing his grip on the Russian people. From your perspective and in terms of your sourcing, where do

things stand inside Russia at this point?

CATHERINE BELTON, REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST AND AUTHOR, "PUTIN'S PEOPLE": Well, it does look like Putin is facing increasing pressure at the

moment, including from within his own political establishment. We've had kind of unheard-of voices of criticism in the last couple of weeks. There

was a social media influencer, Victoria Bonya, who went viral complaining about increasing internet restrictions and the government's handling of

other issues facing everyday Russians.

And even more unheard of, there was a former lawyer who worked for the Kremlin for more than a decade, who suddenly out of nowhere spoke out and

wrote a blog post saying essentially that Putin should resign. He's a war criminal. He should be brought to justice. And we've never heard this

before.

And really, it signifies this deep dissatisfaction that's now emerging across huge swathes of Russian society and within the political

establishment that the war has been dragging on for too long. It's having too much of an impact on the Russian economy. And people are starting to

chafe as well at these draconian restrictions that have been put in place on the internet.

HILL: That same attorney who was, I believe, sent to a psychiatric hospital for 30 days, but then released, also told The Washington Post last week in

an interview that he thinks Russia will, in his words, follow the same path as the Soviet Union, and said he thinks as much as half of the Kremlin

shares his view, and that speaking out, him speaking out, could lead others to do so. Are you seeing evidence of that?

BELTON: Well, the fact that he was able to emerge from a psychiatric ward and continue to speak out, not just to The Washington Post, but also to a

very popular kind of Russian journalist who, in fact, is the daughter of one of Putin's former mentors. Her name is Ksenia Sobchak. I mean, he was -

- he only was kept for 30 days in a Russian psychiatric hospital. And given the system that has emerged over the last four years of Russia's war, in

which any critic of the war can face years in jail, this is a sign that, in fact, this lawyer has support from elements of Russia's top political

establishment.

And indeed, he used to work for the first deputy head of the Kremlin, a guy called Sergey Kiriyenko, who is very powerful indeed, and yet seems to be

indicating that he's also against this sort of heavy-handed restrictions on the internet. And also, there's growing unease at the fact that Putin

seemed to want to just continue forever this war.

And I think people had really been hoping that the Trump-led negotiations would lead to a situation in which, you know, Russia could walk away with

what it wanted, but it would be able to end the war. And after Trump launched his own arbitrary war in Iran, people seem to think, well, there's

no prospect of that anymore. And in fact, Putin has added impetus to continue waging the war because he's getting this huge benefit from the oil

price hike.

HILL: So, then given all of that, despite there being some signs, right, that there could be support for Rommel, Sotomayor and others, is there any

sense of what is actually next here?

[14:40:00]

BELTON: Well, the fact that you saw Putin himself essentially bow to these concerns when at the weekend he said, you know, this war may be coming to

an end soon. I mean, we haven't heard him speak in such conciliatory terms for a very long time. He normally says, we'll, you know, we'll continue the

war until our victory, until our military aims have been met. And I think that's a big part of it. I think that's a big part of it. I think that's a

big part of it.

Yet, you know, as ever with Putin, he's always ambiguous. So, he said, well, the war may be coming to an end, but he didn't set any timeframe on

that. And of course, he will want to continue with his main demand, which is taking all of East Ukraine.

But what we've seen as well is that Russia's progress on the battlefield has really been slowing in the last couple of months. Ukraine has really

upped its capability in terms of being able to strike Russian command centers, logistical centers, and also deep into the Russian heartland, oil

refineries, oil ports and terminals, and even into Moscow itself, which is why we saw just a scale back Victory Day parade at the weekend because of

these fears of Ukraine's increasing reach.

So, things are not going well for Vladimir Putin at the moment. Yet, even though he's facing this increasing dissent at home from within his own

political establishment, there is a growing chorus of voices, which is suddenly becoming braver. Putin still has this huge kind of repressive

security operators at his command. So, it's even though there's been talk of coups and so on, and these are rumored now, it seems pretty unlikely

it's going to happen, at least this year.

But if things continue to deteriorate and Russia continues to lose on the battlefield, then, yes, anything could happen.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. Catherine, good to have you. Thank you so much.

BELTON: Thanks so much.

HILL: Still ahead here tonight, CNN travels to Venezuela. Just how are people there feeling months after the ousting of President Nicolas Maduro?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: Turning now to Venezuela, which has been under the leadership of acting President Delcy Rodriguez for the past four months. She has emerged

as the Trump administration's preferred partner after the U.S. captured then-President Nicolas Maduro. CNN's David Culver has been speaking with

people in the Venezuelan capital.

[14:45:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He says you can't go any closer because the police have blocked it off. And you can see they've

got a big barricade.

CULVER (voice-over): A public demonstration, and we can't get in. These Venezuelans are calling on their government to raise wages and ease

repression. The police keep turning folks back.

CULVER: He's trying to tell us that there's another side to go to. We've driven all the way around this area for about 30 minutes, and we haven't

found a way to enter.

It looks like now we might have found one possible entry here, but I mean, it's now towards the end of the march and demonstration.

She's saying elections have to come for a radical change. He says they took, meaning the U.S., Maduro, but left the rest of the system in place.

CULVER (voice-over): Delcy is an acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, who governs behind layers of security, several blocks of armed guards.

CULVER: You've got a mobile command force right there.

CULVER (voice-over): Not surprising, given how her predecessor's rule ended on January 3rd, when U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife,

Cilia Flores. Their names and faces now plastered across Caracas. Billboards, graffiti, homemade signs. The government, at least, wants them

back.

CULVER: The reality is Maduro, the man who ran this country for some 13 years, even though his face is everywhere here in Caracas, well, he's in

custody, locked up in the U.S. The system he built, that is still standing. And that's not lost on the people here.

CULVER (voice-over): Especially the families of the more than 450 political prisoners still in custody.

CULVER: We've driven about an hour outside the capital. We're headed to El Rodeo, which is considered to be one of the better-known prisons where many

of these political prisoners are believed to be held.

CULVER (voice-over): At the prison gate, family members live out of tents, waiting for weekly visits.

CULVER: Because they don't have the money to make the trip multiple times, they camp out. And on days like today, they have visits with their loved

ones.

CULVER (voice-over): Though the repression has not totally lifted, it has loosened a lot.

CULVER: It's also worth noting that not everyone feels like the United States should be involved in Venezuelan matters.

You think he's crazy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, crazy.

CULVER: At a pro-government rally, we had folks coming up to us to say, Venezuela is not a colony, that sovereignty here matters to them.

But for most here, the deepest suffering is economic. The official minimum income just went up to $240 a month. Most Venezuelans earn far less, and

food alone costs nearly three times that amount. There is a small bubble of wealth, nice cars, weekend clubs. But most here live like Maria Perez's

family. Inside her parents' home, the scarcity is hard to miss.

CULVER: She said her dad is a diabetic. Her mom's got severe arthritis. When it comes to health care, it's really bad.

CULVER (voice-over): Her home is a 20-minute walk uphill from her parents. No real roads to get there.

CULVER: Wow. They only really have running water, she said, every 45 days. And so -- I'm sorry, I'm out of breath a little bit. But the remainder of

the days, they rely on these big tanks.

CULVER (voice-over): Venezuela's leaders acknowledge how dire the economic situation is, and they often blame U.S. sanctions, though the Trump

administration points to years of corruption, mismanagement and authoritarian rule as the cause.

CULVER: Most everyone that we spoke with over the past few days has given us some version of the same sentiment, and that is that they're grateful

that the U.S. captured Maduro. They're glad that he's gone. But as to what happens next when you ask them that question, they stress that it's for

Venezuelans to decide, though they also emphasize they need the rest of the world to keep on watching.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: And our thanks again to David Culver in Caracas. Still to come here tonight, we are one month out now from the 2026 World Cup. Valeria Leon has

a preview for us from Mexico City.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:50:00]

HILL: We are officially now one month out from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This year, of course, three countries will host. Games are split between

Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. With final preparations for the thousands of visitors underway, one big question remains. Will devoted fans be priced

out of watching in person?

Valeria Leon joins us now from outside Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. A lot of excitement building, but still those questions about the cost. How are

things going there in Mexico City?

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Erica. Well, I'm outside this Mexico City Stadium, one of the biggest in the region, with a capacity

of 85,000 people. And this venue will play a key role during this World Cup. It will host five of the 13 World Cup matches played here in the

country. And also, it went under major renovations. It was closed for 22 months and just reopened on March 28th for a friendly match between Mexico

and Portugal.

But many residents here in Mexico feel that this World Cup is out of reach. Ticket prices are skyrocketing. And for example, for an opening match

ticket, they have to pay over $2,000 and even higher for hospitality areas. I've talked to some of the residents here about this, and this is part of

what they shared with me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMILIO HERNANDEZ, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT (through translator): I would like to go to one of the matches here, but the tickets are very expensive.

MICHELLE ORTEGA, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT (through translator): Not everyone can have that opportunity now. The access is very limited, and the prices

are extremely inflated.

GLORIA DURAN, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT (through translator): They're very expensive. We want to buy tickets to go to the World Cup, but we simply

can't afford them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEON: Mexico City authorities say they invested $10 million on 40 different infrastructure projects around this stadium. And one of them is this

transportation hub. As you can see, Mexico City residents use it every day. And this will become a main access for the millions of visitors that will

come here to Mexico City this World Cup.

But we also found here in this place missing person flyers. And this is a very pressing issue in this country. Many families are looking for this

here. And I want to show you a couple of those. We found here, there are at least four of them here. They are asking directly the Mexican government to

do something -- families or relatives.

[14:55:00]

And as I said, this is a very pressing issue in Mexico right now. And they are also protesting about this. They are saying that the Mexican government

should do more to try to see this crisis and solve it instead of investing $10 million in this type of infrastructure projects, at least in the

capital. Erica.

HILL: Yes. Valeria, really appreciate the update. Thank you. Finally, for us here tonight, it is one of the most iconic places in music history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: That rooftop there. So, the Beatles record label announcing the location of the famous 1969 rooftop concert is now going to be turned into

a museum honoring the Beatles. It's set to open next year. The building at 3 Savile Row in London housed the recording studio where the Beatles

recorded their "Let It Be" album. The rooftop concert was the final public performance by the band. So, there you go. Add that to your list of things

to do once it opens next year.

Thanks so much for joining me tonight. Be sure to stay with CNN. "What We Know" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:00]

END