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Horror Intensifies as Russians Bomb Children's Hospital in Ukraine; Russia Escalates Attacks on Civilians, Including a Maternity Ward; Russia-Ukraine Talks End Without Progress on Ceasefire. Aired 7- 7:30a ET

Aired March 10, 2022 - 07:00   ET

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

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: In Poland as the two nations have a dispute over giving jets, whether to give jets to Ukraine.

[07:00:00]

We do begin with Vladimir Putin sinking to a new low in his war on Ukraine, launching an airstrike on a children's and maternity hospital in Mariupol, which is a place where life should begin, not end. Three people were killed including, we have learned, a little girl.

You can see the massive crater that was left behind in the hospital's courtyard from a bomb strike. The facility in ruins, gutted from end to end.

Pregnant women dazed and bloodied, helped through the rubble, some walking who certainly shouldn't be, some needing stretchers, the attack coming despite Russia agreeing to a 12-hour pause in hostilities to allow for evacuations.

President Zelenskyy calling this proof of a genocide of Ukrainians. And there appears to be no end in sight. Moments ago, a meeting in Turkey between the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine ended with no agreement on humanitarian corridors or a ceasefire.

Russia's Sergey Lavrov alleging without any evidence that the bombed maternity hospital was actually a radical battalion base and that all patients and nurses had already left.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN ANCHOR: In Mariupol, a university and a city council administration were also decimated by an apparent Russian missile strike. We have to warn you that the images that we are about to show you are particularly disturbing. There are so many bodies in Mariupol that residents are digging mass graves to bury them. There are no individual funerals for the dead. Officials are saying that at least 1,300 civilians have been killed in Mariupol since the beginning of the Russian invasion two weeks ago. Many believe that number could be as many as four times higher.

This morning, the Ukrainian government is trying to open humanitarian corridors around the country to try to get civilians to safety. Moments ago in Mariupol, in the south, authorities accused Russian forces of bombing the corridor that was designated for that area. So, for more, let's bring in CNN's Jim Sciutto. He has been tracking all of these developments. Jim, this bombing at a hospital, not the first time it has happened in Ukraine and not the first time that the Russians do this. We have seen this in Syria.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: We have, repeatedly and deliberately. And that's the view of the U.S. military that these attacks, both on civilian centers, schools, as you mentioned, and hospitals like this, are part of the Russian war plan, part and parcel of putting the cost of this war on civilian population here, to squeeze them. That's one way to apply pressure.

And we have to acknowledge that this is something that did not begin here in Ukraine. It happened in Syria, where Russian forces fought alongside Assad Syrian forces and going all the back to Chechnya in the 1990s.

So, that is certainly the Pentagon view. And as you and I and our colleagues around Ukraine have witnessed here, civilians are not just caught in the crossfire here, they appear to be the targets of Russian fire.

MARQUARDT: We just saw what is really the fourth round of talks between Ukraine and Russia today. This was the highest level because it was between the country's two foreign ministers. There weren't high hopes going in. And it seems like really nothing was solved there.

When Putin sends a delegation, even when he sends his foreign minister, does that person even know what President Putin is thinking and planning?

SCIUTTO: Well, if you believe, and he said it very publicly, the Ukrainian foreign minister, Kuleba, said almost in a snarky tone, right, pick up your latest iPhone to Lavrov, call your boss, call Putin to get permission to establish these humanitarian corridors, but questioned whether the decision-maker was there across from the table from him, when, in fact, we know, and, again, this is the U.S. view, that this is really Putin calling the shots here and today has shown no interest in any real progress in these talks. In fact, there has been evidence that during these small ceasefires we have seen for humanitarian corridors, that Russian military forces advanced during those times. They don't hold back. In other words, they are taking advantage of those.

And even to hear the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, say with a straight face Russia did not attack Ukraine today, his words, how can you have two parties to a military conflict where one of them is claiming not to be a party to a military conflict.

MARQUARDT: There have been some bright spots when it comes to these corridors, out of Sumy, notably, hundreds of people getting out along that corridor. Why do you think it is that Mariupol is coming under such fierce attack?

SCIUTTO: It's hard to say, because, certainly, in other areas, those -- and, by the way, and I'm sure you've had similar conversations as well, we spoke to the deputy mayor of Mariupol a number of times over the last several days, and said that he saw evidence that when they open up those corridors, the Russian military targeted the corridors not by accident but were homing in on the civilians as they tried to escape.

It is hard to say why Russia might be allowing more leeway in Sumy than in it is allowing Mariupol or elsewhere. But we should also note that there is an advantage to Russian forces to have civilians leave.

[07:05:03]

In addition to obviously you save lives and everybody is rooting for that, but, you know, there is another word for this, ethnic cleansing, right? You move some civilians out of the city and there is greater freedom for Russian forces to conduct urban warfare, if that's where we get after they surround these cities and, by the way, you create new facts on the ground, with less civilian population, fewer Ukrainians there, you have to wonder how Russia attempts to take advantage of that going forward.

MARQUARDT: And when you look at this, the strategy, a possible strategy by Putin is Sumy is up in the north, Mariupol is in the south. And long before this war even started, we talked about Putin's designs on the south and that potential land bridge, right? That's why Mariupol is so critical?

SCIUTTO: And one of the great ironies here, right, is Mariupol has -- Putin has claimed repeatedly to protecting, acting to protect the interest of ethnic Russians or Russian-speaking Ukrainians here. Mariupol has full of them and they are dying there.

MARQUARDT: Jim, we're going to go to Vice President Kamala Harris in Poland.

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I thank you for the warm welcome and for the very constructive and productive conversations we had today as part of our ongoing dialogue and friendship that spans generations.

I would like to also speak directly to the Polish people. I have shared with your president that under his leadership and your leadership has been extraordinary. The world has been watching Poland, Mr. President, your leadership and the leadership of the people of your country. And we've witnessed extraordinary acts of generosity and kindness.

We have seen, through images on the television, looking at images of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in support of the dignity and well-being of perfect strangers.

So, I, first and foremost, want to express the thanks for the people of the United States, to you, Mr. President, on behalf of our president, Joe Biden, and to the people of Poland for what you are doing every day. It really represents the best of who we are.

We are here and I am here in Poland today as part of an enduring, longstanding friendship and commitment between the United States and Poland based on shared values and priorities. I am here standing here on the northern flank -- on the eastern flank talking about what we have in terms of the eastern flank and our NATO allies and what is at stake at this very moment.

What is at stake this very moment are some of the guiding principles around the NATO alliance, and in particular the issue and the importance of defending sovereignty and territorial integrity in this case of Ukraine.

As President Duda has described, we have been witnessing for weeks, and certainly just in the last 24 hours, atrocities of unimaginable proportion. A maternity hospital, a children's hospital, where we have witnessed pregnant women who were there for care, for one reason being taken out because they required care because of an act of violence, unprovoked, unjustified.

I am here in Poland as an expression of the enduring and important relationship between the United States and Poland that, again, has been longstanding, but in particular on the issue of Ukraine is unified and is clear. We will do everything together in partnership, in solidarity to support what is necessary at this very moment in terms of the humanitarian and security needs of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Today, we discussed, Mr. President, many issues that relate to our special bond also, because I will say as a point of personal privilege, we have a substantial Polish-American community in my hometown of Los Angeles but throughout the United States, who understands the relationship that we have on many levels, including the diplomatic but also cultural relationships that spanned generations.

And so through all of that and in the spirit of those relationships and our shared commitments, our shared commitment to the importance of international norms and rules, you and I discussed today many important topics, in particular as it relates to the eastern flank, and we talked specifically about what we care deeply about in terms of our commitment, the United States' commitment to Article Five.

[07:10:04]

I've said it many times, I will say it again, the United States' commitment to Article Five is ironclad. The United States is prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory. The United States takes seriously that an attack against one is an attack against all. We are here today to restate that commitment but also to do what we must do to reinforce our support of Poland and our allies, through the E.U. and NATO alliance.

In particular as it relates to troop deployment, we have recently deployed an additional 4,700 American troops to Poland. That's on top of the years of rotation of about 5,000 American troops in Poland. We are pleased to have announced this week that we have directed two patriot missile defense systems to Poland. And today, I can announce that we have delivered those patriot systems to Poland. We do this as a reminder and as a demonstration of our commitment to the security of our allies and our commitment in particular to Poland at this moment in time.

As it relates to the people of Ukraine, they have suffered immensely. When we talk about humanitarian aid, it is because, yes, the assistance is necessary. But what compels us also is the moral outrage that all civilized nations feel when we look at what is happening to innocent men, women, children, grandmothers, grandfathers, who are fleeing everything they've known.

Our outrage, which compels not only our security assistance but our humanitarian assistance, is rooted in the fact that also we support the people of Ukraine who have shown extraordinary courage and skill and their willingness and, yes, ability, to fight against Putin's war and Russia's aggression.

So, today, we are also announcing in pursuit of what must happen, which is to provide humanitarian assistance, that we will give another $50 million, the United States will, through the U.N.'s World Food Program to assist with humanitarian aid.

The president and I also talked about the fact that, as he mentioned, Poland has taken, in just a very short period of time, in excess of 1.5 million refugees in from Ukraine. And that has put an extraordinary burden on Poland and the people of Poland. And so we will continue with the support that we can give you, Mr. President, in terms of the work and you and the people of Poland have been doing to bear this burden but really has been with such grace and such generosity.

We also are pleased to have shared with the president what our United States Congress has done, which is there is a commitment now of $13.6 billion in humanitarian and security assistance that will be then distributed and shared with Ukraine and the people of this region in Europe, all again understanding that this moment in time requires both a humanitarian response as well as security assistance.

And today, I'm also pleased to say that we are in ongoing discussions with Poland and our allies about the effectiveness of sanctions thus far and going forward. As we have announced in the United States, we have through the United States Department of Justice started a task force to do what is required and necessary and appropriate in terms of investigations as it relates to any criminal activities and behaviors on behalf of institutions and individuals, including oligarchs.

We talked, the president and I, about the effectiveness of the sanctions we have seen thus far, in terms of the courage and the bold action that has been taken through the NATO alliance to do what is necessary, to send a clear signal that there will be, as we promised, severe cost and consequence for Russia's aggression.

[07:15:12]

To the point that we have now seen a freefall of the ruble, to the point that we have now seen that Russia's credit rating has been rated as junk, and what we know to be real economic consequence to Russia because of Putin's war.

As you know, the president of the United States also made the decision to do what was necessary in terms of the purchase of Russian oil in the United States. Again, we will continue to focus on this issue, keeping in mind that this is a moment that requires severe and swift consequence for Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

And I'll close by saying what we say every day in these last weeks, which is we stand with the people of Ukraine, that we admire their courage, and that we are aligned in our support of their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Thank you, Mr. President.

REPORTER: Madam (INAUDIBLE) from the Polish Television. My name is (INAUDIBLE). I represent Polish Television. I would like to ask my question to both Madam Vice President and Mr. President. In what way has this brutal attack of Russia against Ukraine impacted Polish- American relations? Antony Blinken, the state secretary, during his last visit to Poland, was saying that the Polish-American friendship has never been so strong in history as it is now. Is it going to translate also on the permanent military presence of the United States in Poland? Thank you very much.

HARRIS: It cannot be said too frequently or strongly enough the relationship between the United States and Poland is a deep, enduring and strong one and, dare I say has become even stronger, when we have been faced as a world with such adversity. I think we all know even in our personal lives, adversity really truly can present the real measure of an individual or a relationship.

And what we have seen without any doubt is that this friendship and relationship between the United States and Poland is a strong one.

MARQUARDT: All right. We've been listening to Vice President Kamala Harris in the Polish capital, standing alongside the Polish president, Duda.

I'm joined again by our Chief National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto here with in Lviv, as well as Bianna Golodryga back in New York.

Jim, first, to you. Vice President Harris clearly trying to make the point that the U.S. is obviously ready to defend, as she said, every inch of NATO territory. But there also was -- there appeared to be some news in there in terms not just troops that are being sent to Poland but patriot missiles.

SCIUTTO: And that they have arrived already. We were aware that that was a commitment from the U.S. and NATO to get additional patriot missile batteries to Poland and she said that they're already there. Why does Poland want that? Russia has fired some 700 missiles at Ukraine since the start of the invasion. Those missiles aimed at Ukraine, but, of course, the concern is that one goes off target and Poland wants to protect Polish territory from one of them striking Poland. So, the batteries are in place.

But to her broader point about the U.S. the commitment to NATO and saying it will defend every inch and stating in explicit terms that the mutual defense clause of the NATO treaty is something that the U.S. holds sacrosanct, which is to say an attack on any member is considered an attack on the entire alliance, including the U.S., which we then draw a U.S. military response.

Why does she need -- feel the need to say that? Because Eastern-facing NATO allies, not just Poland but the Baltic states, and I have spoken to prime ministers, foreign ministers, other from there, they worry that they're next, that what Putin has shown here is he does not respect international borders and he believes that former Soviet republics still belong to Russia in some way. He's making up his own history, his own justification for it, but they worry that after Ukraine, he may act on it.

MARQUARDT: Yes, President Putin always looking for cracks in the NATO alliance. Of course, that Article Five critical, an attack on one is an attack on all.

Bianna, speak to that a little bit more, what Jim was just talking about, this concern among NATO countries, particularly in the east, that they could be next.

[07:20:02]

This is something we have heard time and time again, from President Zelenskyy, saying this is not just about Ukraine. Once he's done here in Ukraine, he could keep marching westward. How concerned are those NATO allies?

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Yes. And we are talking specifically about these Baltic nations that Jim just mentioned, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, all obviously former members of the Soviet Union. Many of their leaders have been saying this past two weeks, without gloating, that we warned you. We told you this is what Vladimir Putin was capable of doing. And, of course, this morning, they are extremely thankful to be members of NATO and the alliance, and to hear words like this from the United States, from the U.S. vice president.

I would also note just what she reiterated in the amount of help and aid and open arms that you have seen from countries, like Poland, like Moldova, which is not a part of NATO, but the country where I was born in one of the poorest countries in Europe, taking in tens of thousands of refugees, Poland doing the same. You have signs, you have interviewed people there who have come to train stations with signs saying, I have room for three people, four people, come, we will help you.

And these obviously are scenes that we didn't see earlier last year when we saw migrants and people in Belarus flooding to the border there. Obviously, these migrants had come from the Middle East and there had been a lot of pressure and ridicule against countries like Poland for not taking them in. We are not seeing this right now. We are seeing a completely different approach to the Ukrainian immigrants flooding in and hearing the United States president saying, listen, this isn't happening at our borders, but we are here to support not only the alliance but also to offer you aid, for these $15 million in aid for refugees and obviously that $13 billion package passed in Congress yesterday.

MARQUARDT: All right. Jim and Bianna, we are going to have to leave it there. We should note one thing that wasn't mentioned by Vice President Kamala Harris was this kerfuffle about the question of the jets that would be sent to Ukraine, which the U.S. says now is not going to happen. Jim Sciutto here in Lviv, Bianna, thank you so much.

Brianna, back to you.

KEILAR: Yes, that was conspicuously absent from her remarks there.

Vladimir Putin's troops bombing a maternity hospital, three people killed, including a girl. Is this a tipping point in Russia's war on Ukraine?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:25:00]

KEILAR: We have some brand-new video just into CNN of this horrific aftermath of the attack on a maternity and children's hospital in Mariupol. You can see there the size of the crater. Just looking down the sheer size of this as it looks like a Ukrainian soldier is standing there at the bottom of this. This is a bomb that killed three people, we are told, including a young girl.

I want to bring in the United Nations Population Fund's Representative in Ukraine, Jaime Nadal. Jaime, this is horrific, what we're witnessing in Mariupol, and it really drives in particular the risk that women and girls are facing there. Russia would have known, they would have dialed in these coordinates for this. What do you make of this?

JAIME NADAL, U.N. POPULATION FUND'S REPRESENTATIVE IN UKRAINE: Look, I mean, we issued a statement (INAUDIBLE) condemning this attack. Regrettably, this is not the only attack that maternities have suffered. I have to say that the maternity in a city that is west of Kyiv called (INAUDIBLE) was one bombed at the beginning of the war as well as some other facilities located in Kharkiv and other cities in Ukraine.

So, this is something that is happening, it is happening in Mariupol. It's a terrible, horrendous -- I mean, we have the footage. We can see what happened there. But there are other hospitals where we don't have the images, we don't have the video that have also been going through similar situations.

It's horrendous. It's obviously a violation of international humanitarian law. Civilians, women and children, cannot be a target in a war. And we are extremely concerned, of course, because women right now have nowhere to go and they are having their deliveries in basements of buildings, in basements of hospitals, in makeshift shelters, even in metro stations in the city of Kyiv. And we want to make very clear, reproductive health needs to be protected. You know, giving birth should be safe, particularly in these circumstances. There is nothing that justifies this situation.

KEILAR: So, Jaime, what do you need from the international community to ensure that folks there can get the medical care they need?

NADAL: We need three things. First, we need the war to stop. Second, we need to evacuate civilians from those areas. The implementation of effective humanitarian corridors is paramount. We need to focus that and try to get as many people, civilians out of those places. And, third, we need to get supplies in. Many of these hospitals, they are running extremely short of life-saving essential medicines and supplies. We need to make sure those corridors help those who want to leave but also provide the necessary supplies so civilians that are staying there can get the life-saving services, health services, including sexual reproductive services that they need.

KEILAR: Jaime, thank you so much for being with us.

[07:30:01]

I really, really appreciate it.

NADAL: Thank you very much.