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New Day

Ukrainians Still Frantically Trying to Flee. Volodymyr Zelenskyy Demands New ASanctions. Third Round of Talks Between Ukraine and Russia. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired March 07, 2022 - 8:30 ET   ET

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

[08:30:00]

CLARISSA WARD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In people's eyes, they're just frantically trying to get their loved ones out. We've seen a lot of families saying good-bye to each other. There's a very real sense for a lot of these families that they might never see them again. And that is what feels different.

And, of course, it's happening at the same time as you're seeing this real intensification of the fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So why this sprint to get on the train where Clarissa is right here in downtown Kyiv? It's because of what's happening nearby in cities like this, cities like Irpin. Let me show you new video we just got in from Irpin moments ago.

These are Russian tanks now taking up positions downtown in this suburb of Kyiv. Much more on this, coming up.

[08:30:48]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:35:30]

BERMAN: Time now for the five things to know for your New Day. A senior official tells our Jim Sciutto that the U.S. and NATO members have sent 17,000 anti-tank missiles and 2,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to help Ukraine defend against the Russian invasion and that's just so far.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy putting out a new video statement here a short time ago. He's demanding new sanctions against Russia, including a boycott of Russian oil. BERMAN: Brand new video shows Russian tanks taking up positions among apartment buildings west of the Capital of Kyiv. The video was taken by someone who lives in the district, where eight civilians including two children were killed by Russian forces as they tried to flee.

KEILAR: And a third round of talks between Ukraine and Russia is scheduled to get underway just minutes from now here at the top of the hour. The location has not been disclosed, but the first two rounds both took place in Belarus.

BERMAN: The number of people trying to flee the Russian invasion growing every hour. The latest figures out just moments ago put the number of refugees at 1.7 million.

KEILAR: Those are the five things to know for your New Day. You can have more on these new stories all day on CNN and CNN.com. And don't forget to download the Five Things podcast every morning. Just go to CNN.com/5-things.

BERMAN: So, as Vladimir Putin continues this invasion and the harsh crackdown inside Russia, really, slamming all signs of defense wherever he can. Some words from his past are taking on new meaning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): "As sad or scare as it might sound, in my view a turn to totalitarianism for a certain period of time in our country is possible."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Here with us, John Avlon, CNN's Senior Political Analyst. And back, Bianna Golodryga, CNN's Senior Global Affairs Analyst. Yes, I mean John, Putin has never really hit what he's into or what kind of guy he is.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST. Yes, I mean what's interesting about that clip is, you know, he's serving in the Yeltsin government, he's recently been in St. Petersburg on a municipal level. But, he's doing two things.

One, the extended clip is him talking about the importance of democracy. But that Russian tendency to seek comfort in a strong hand, a totalitarian figure. Whether he had any inkling it might be him is yet -- you know -- is -- you know -- you'd have to be in his head.

What's doubling inkling though is the next sentence where he says, "Sometimes that strong hand though can strangle us." And there is an example of Putin -- I mean, Putin is almost looking into the future in that imagining what might happen to his country, what is happening to his country, that brief moment of democracy which was squandered by him. By 20 years of him being in power. You know the old aphorism, you know, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. That's what we're seeing today.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: You know, I think of the Russian analyst and historian, Nina Khrushcheva, who you've had on the show quite a few times for the past few weeks. When she was asked recently in an interview if she could describe Putin in one word. She said, "KGB."

AVLON: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: Right? And so that's where this takes you. And going back to his mentality, his training, his frame of mind, and it's important to understand when that interview or when those words were spoken, and that was in 1996. This was when the country was in the midst of an economic freefall and collapse following the dissolution right.

And so, you have a Soviet Union now completely shattered, in multiple states in economic collapse, none relying on the state itself in terms of enterprise and private sectors and business. The shock therapy from the west had failed. There had been a massive amount of poverty and hunger throughout the country, sort of disarray and crime was up as well. And this was one of the weakest moments in Russia's history.

Remember the currency devalued the next year, defaulted in the 1998 Financial Crisis in Russia. So, this was all leading up to where he was taking this conversation and that train of thought. And that is that this country is in disarray and it needs order and order is where he took that country, quite literally, for 20 years.

BERMAN: Yes, look Jake did a nice job yesterday, Jake Tapper lying out, given a guy who loved totalitarianism from the beginning how much the United States has accommodated him over the years and now it's coming home to roost.

I want to shift gears and look at U.S. policy for a minute if I can, because Jim Sciutto noted this a little while ago on our air. A lot of the things and measures that two, three weeks ago the U.S. and the administration basically said they wouldn't do, now seem like they're on the verge of happening.

There does appear to be an urge to stop the import of Russian oil. To ban purchasing of Russian oil, maybe soon. Could be today, could be tomorrow. The idea of transferring MIGs from Poland to Ukraine that could happen today, tomorrow. A lot of this stuff that was unimaginable now very imaginable, John.

[08:40:00]

BERMAN: -- could be tomorrow. The idea of transferring these MiGs from Poland to Ukraine, that could happen today, tomorrow. A lot of the stuff that was unimaginable now very imaginable, John.

AVLON: That's how fast -- that's how fast things are moving on the ground, and the constant ratcheting up of pressure. You know, what Biden announced giving the State of the Union was sort of an opening bid. But it is notable that -- what he didn't do that night, saying we would put a crackdown on Russian oil.

Is -- partly was because they were concerned about rising gas prices. Goldman Sachs put out a report saying actually it might now have that much of an effect because the U.S. is a net energy exporter now, and as long as the other countries and the U.S. ramps up production.

Maybe takes a little bit of pressure off the pump with temporary excising the gas tax, that is an additional pressure that Putin and the Kremlin will feel in addition of what's being done.

GOLODRYGA: It does make me think leading up to this war how the U.S. had been signaling that there were tabletop exercises within this administration. Sort of laying out any sort of possible scenario that they'd be prepared for.

And I do wonder if they were prepared for this scenario right now just 12 days into this war where Vladimir Putin clearly crossed a rubicon here. And we are in uncharted territory, and we have a scenario where U.S. officials perhaps returning to Venezuela to release some sanctions against Venezuela and that regime and the Maduro regime to help ease global oil concerns.

BERMAN: You know, is it possible they didn't protect -- didn't project the brutality of Putin but it's also possible that no one imagined the world would really join together in response to that brutality either.

Putin may have overstepped here, and that's leading definitely easier decisions by the United States. John Avlon, thank you very much. New evidence from the ground this morning that evacuation routes being targeted by Russian forces.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:00]

BERMAN: Ukrainian civilians fleeing the country to try to find a chance of safety from Russian bombings. Poland says it has already received 1 million refugees as this crisis really is only just beginning. CNN reporters covering the latest.

SCOTT MCLEAN, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Hi, I'm Scott Mclean on the Polish border in Ukraine where yet another round of bombing, and shelling in the country is sending people fleeing to get out. Poland says now more than a million people have entered the country since the war began, and this is just the latest wave.

Most of these people were dropped here on city buses from Lviv. And many have been traveling for several days, one woman traveling with two small children told me that they left Irpin' near Kyiv just two days before intense shelling began there. Another elderly couple told me they've been sleeping in metro station in Kharkiv for eight days.

OREN LIEBERMANN, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, CNN: I'm Oren Liebermann in the Pentagon. The U.S. is looking at three specific ways it believes it can help Ukraine in the immediate future here. First, is to ban Russian oil imports putting even more pressure on the Russian economy beyond what sanctions have already done.

Russia relies heavily on the exporting of oil to support its economy. Second, is to declare that Russian actions in Ukraine amount to a war crime. And third, is to try to facilitate the transfer of Polish MiG- 29 fighter jets to Ukraine to bolster the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called repeatedly for no- fly zone.

The U.S. and NATO have made clear that's not going to happen, it's too close to essentially a war with Russia. But the U.S. has said it'll try to make sure that Ukraine can get Polish fighter jets to support the Ukrainian Air For and so that they can contest the skies above Ukraine.

NATASHA BERTRAND, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, CNN: I'm Natasha Bertrand In Brussels. Sources tell me and my colleague, Kylie Atwood, that the U.S. and Europe have begun to have discussions about supporting a potential Ukrainian government in exile if it becomes necessary for President Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian government officials to flee Kyiv amid the Russian onslaught.

This potential Ukrainian government in exile would be set up in Lviv in Western Ukraine or in Poland if it becomes necessary for Zelenskyy and those other advisors to flee the country entirely.

Obviously, these discussions are preliminary and no decisions have been made but it reflects the level of concern in European circles and among the Americans about what happens if Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government are unable to get out of Kyiv, and what happens then about continuity of government in Ukraine.

KEILAR: A Ukrainian member of Parliament says Russia's attack on a pipeline has left hundreds of thousands of people without heat in freezing temperatures. Her tweet reads in part, "Donetsk-Mariupol gas pipeline was damaged by #Russian occupants.

Now, more than 750,000 people are left without any heat, while it's still often below 0 degrees Celsius outside. We need #NoFlyZone now." Joining me right now is a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Retired General Philip Breedlove. Sir, thank you so much for being with us.

And look, this is what we're hearing from member of Parliament after member of Parliament from Ukraine. They want a no fly zone. Why is that not going to fly with the U.S.? And also, can you just explain the line between a no fly zone if you think there is one and a showdown potentially with nuclear consequences between the U.S. and Russia?

GEN. PHILIP BREEDLOVE (RET), FORMER SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER, NATO: Well, thanks for having me on the show this morning. And we need to be intellectually honest that any form of no fly zone could be a problem. But what we have to do is measure what is the gain or what can we do for Ukraine in looking at that.

A normal no fly zone is very much an act of war. What people are now proposing is not that, it -- we're proposing a humanitarian relief no fly zone under completely different rules of engagement. A very much less bellicose operation. And that's what we're asking folks to consider. But we do this eyes wide open that no matter what you do in this instance there will be risks. KEILAR: It would require restraint on the part of Russia and we've seen that Russia is having a very difficult time using restraint, right?

BREEDLOVE: There's no doubt about it. We saw it in 2014, now we're seeing again. Russia signs up to and encourages a humanitarian operation, and then they use it to attack. And you saw this in Mariupol just over the last couple of days.

[08:50:00]

And so, one of the reasons that I think we should consider a humanitarian no fly zone is to try to encourage Russia not to commit these war crimes, not to force their attack on people that they've put out in the open by promising a humanitarian quarter (ph).

KEILAR: Is there anything in your opinion stopping Vladimir Putin right now?

BREEDLOVE: No, not really. In fact, frankly, it's sad, I think he's encouraged. In the west, as our leaders speak it seems that the very first things they say is we're not going to go fight in Ukraine. I think this emboldens Mr. Putin. I think right now that he is waging a war on the people of Ukraine.

This is why the strikes on the oil lines, this is why the attacks on the nuclear plants as well. The first nuclear plant that was attacked supplies almost 25 percent of the electrical power to Ukraine. And so, Mr. Putin now is trying to gather those instruments that will allow him to increase the human suffering inside of Ukraine.

KEILAR: I think you and a number of other people are seeing opportunity in this moment. Because it's almost unfathomable that the Ukrainian forces have still held off the Russian advance, right.

I mean, it's not at all what was predicted from the beginning, and so by opportunity, I mean, the fact that they're doing their part, right. Can you put this moment into context just how Ukrainian forces are doing and where Russia has not been able to go yet?

BREEDLOVE: So I -- I'm glad you corrected yourself a little bit. Opportunity is not the word I would use, I would use the word obligation. And yes, what we're seeing is that I believe Russia miscalculated, they made assumptions that were not correct.

They assumed their capability to make this happen fast and they grossly underestimated the ability of the Ukrainians to fight. And more importantly, the will of the Ukrainians to fight.

KEILAR: Yes, and by opportunity just to be clear I meant a chance to actually make a difference, right. Which I think that the calculus at the beginning of this was that the Ukrainians wouldn't be able to hold up their side and give the U.S. a chance, an obligation as you say to make a difference.

So very interesting to talk to you about a humanitarian no fly zone. We'll continue to look into that idea as well. General Philip Breedlove, thank you so much.

BREEDLOVE: Thank you.

KEILAR: Gas prices here in the U.S. soaring as the war intensifies in Ukraine. We are live at a gas station to talk about how high experts are predicting prices will go.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:56:52]

BERMAN: With the Russian invasion of Ukraine oil prices are surging prices, gas prices much on the rise in U.S. The national average climbing above $4.00 per gallon for the first time since 2008.

CNN's Pete Muntean live at a gas station in Alexandria, Virginia with the latest. Pete?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, John, I just talked to a customer here. She says if felt like just the other day when the gas price here was only around $3.00. And really, she's kind of right.

Look at the numbers. The national average for a gallon of gas according AAA, $4.07, it jumped $0.06 overnight. Just last week at this time it was $3.61 for a gallon of regular on average across the country.

This has jumped about $0.50 since the Russian invasion of Ukraine about 11 days ago. This is what's happening here. The U.S. gets about 2 percent of its oil imports from Russia, but because of the war it's really causing a strain in Europe and Asia.

And remember, that oil is traded on a global market, so that means that the price is going up even further here. We're getting pretty close to the record, July 17, 2008, when we saw a national average of $4.11.

And experts say this bubble might not burst until we see prices as high as $4.25, maybe even $4.50 if you can believe that. This is just going up and up, John.

And really, at a time when it's really bad for a lot of folks, spring break on the horizon, not to mention the fact that people are returning to work and the return of commuting, something that the administration is really pushing for. This is going to be a big strain on people's pocketbooks, John.

BERMAN: Pete Muntean, watching it very closely. Thanks so much, Pete.

KEILAR: Russian attacks on Ukraine's capital city Kyiv are expected to sharply intensify here in the coming days. Heavy shelling reported on the outskirts of the city and it's been sending families scrambling for cover. In the face of this fear, a moment of bravery and song from one little girl.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Singing "Let It Go" in Ukrainian language).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I will -- it is hard not to shed a tear, I will say, listening to that little girl. He name is Amelia (ph). And there she is, Berman, in a bomb shelter singing that to all the folks with her.