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Quest Means Business
Oil Prices Surge As Western Leaders Mull Sanctions; Russian Attacks Worsening Humanitarian Situation; One Million People Have Crossed Border To Poland Since War Began; U.N. Security Council Briefing On The Humanitarian Situation In Ukraine; U.S. Ambassador: 100 Refugees Crossing Into Poland Every Minute; TitanEra Continues Operations Despite Violence Evacuations. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired March 07, 2022 - 15:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:18]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: It's a new week, but another day of steep losses on Wall Street. The Dow is off sharply. The big board almost
at the worst of the day, down two percent, and it's not much better elsewhere. Look at the triple stack and you'll see, but it's a lot worse
for the NASDAQ, off nearly 400 points, a loss of three percent.
So a deep route underway, and for obvious reasons. The markets and the main events of the day show us what is happening.
Civilian casualties are rising as Russia is stepping up its attacks on Ukrainian cities. The U.N. Security Council held an emergency session this
hour. We will take you there as and when it happens.
Oil over $130.00 a barrel and the question of the West, banning Russian energy imports. There's oligarchs of Russia scrambling to hide their money
and Western sanctions are beginning to bite.
Today, I'm live in London. It is Monday, it is March the seventh. I am Richard Quest and I mean business.
Good evening, the humanitarian crisis inside Ukraine is growing more dire by the hour. Russia's military seems intent on bombing the country into
submission or annihilation and there is no accommodation yet for those civilians who have been caught in the violence.
In New York, the U.N. Security Council is holding an emergency meeting during the course of the hour, people across the country are fleeing their
homes and the U.N. estimates 1.7 million people have already left Ukraine. David Miliband will be with me in just a moment to talk about the refugee
crisis.
Many more people have been unable to get out. Look at the map and you'll see why. They are trapped by Russian shelling. The U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken says those attacks are increasingly targeting civilian areas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Women and children, the elderly, wounded civilians, people with disabilities are trying to escape cities
where there is no heat, no electricity, relentless bombardment, and where they're running out of food and medicine. And there continue to be reports
of attacks by Russian forces on agreed upon humanitarian corridors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now this graph shows you the problem. The Ukrainian government rejected Moscow's offer to provide humanitarian corridors out of the
country because they would have gone north or east to Belarus and Russia.
Russia had not provided any humanitarian corridors going to Western Ukraine, and on to Hungary, Romania, or Poland. Consequently, Ukraine said
that was unacceptable.
The country's Foreign Minister now says Russian troops are striking evacuation routes from Kyiv, Mariupol, and other vulnerable cities.
The United Nations says more than 400 civilians have been killed in the fighting and acknowledges the real toll, the real number when we finally
find out will be far higher.
Ukraine and the West is accusing Russia of indiscriminate shelling. For evidence, Matthew Chance went to a home outside Kyiv to look at the
inevitable result.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All right, well, we've come inside one of the houses who was affected by what was apparently
random artillery or rocket fire into this residential neighborhood and you can see just how shattered the lives of the family here were. Look, the
windows have all been blown out obviously, all their belongings have been left behind as they sort of got into hiding, a picture up there seem to be
the people who lived in here, it is a family with some children.
Apparently, they've survived this, which is good. But of course, when you look at the situation and the way that Russians have been shelling
residential areas across the country, so many people haven't survived. And this is interesting -- come over, look, it is a two-bedroom.
You see over here. Look, the bunk beds, the roof that's fallen down onto the top of them when that shell hit. And of course in the panic and in the
evacuation, the kids have left all their toys up here.
[15:05:06]
CHANCE: It just shows you that no matter where you are in this country, with Russia attacking towns and cities across it, lives are being
shattered.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: The refugee crisis is getting worse and is putting heavy pressure on Ukraine's European neighbors. Border guards in Poland says a million people
-- one million people have crossed over from Ukraine since it began.
And all of them, perhaps this video stands out the most.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
QUEST: So alone in the town of Medyka, and that is where Sara Sidner, my colleague, joins me now.
Sara, we have to do two jobs here. We have to talk the policy, if you will, the logistics and we have to talk the human nature of what you're seeing.
Let's start with the human side of it. Policy can wait for a moment.
SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So just to give you some idea, we're actually about 20 minutes from Medyka, the traffic gets very
backed up sometimes, depending on the time of day, depending on the number of people coming over. But what we have noticed in the last couple of days
is that there are far more people walking over the border than we have seen since the beginning of this war.
At first, it was a few people walking over and mostly people in cars or buses, or vans or trucks. And all of a sudden, in the last 48 hours, it is
a slew, a flood, if you will of people walking across the border from Ukraine into Medyka, Poland.
There are all sorts of things going on because once people get over the border, mostly what we're seeing, Richard, are people carrying just one
usually very small bag with them.
Kids have a small backpack. A parent has, usually mothers, have a small bag and that's pretty much it. And so when they show up, they are greeted with
all manner of things.
You have clothes -- mountain of clothes. This is more than we've seen in the past. And as the buses come through, you'll see dozens of people being
dropped off here. This is a parking lot that's been turned into basically a makeshift refugee camp.
And then you'll see hot food, you'll see people getting bowls of soup, getting hot drinks, getting coffee, getting hot chocolate. There is a huge
effort to volunteer here and some of these are just regular folks coming and giving their time, and some of them are organizations that have been
doing this for a very long time.
So that is what is greeting the refugees as they come over. They have been welcomed in a very profound way here in Poland. But of course, more than
seven days ago, just over a week, they had their homes and their schools and they had a life. They had things to do and places to go, and all of a
sudden, they have nothing but that small bag that they walk over at the border with -- Richard.
QUEST: Sara, thank you. Sara, your shot is not as sturdy as one might like, so we'll leave it there for the moment. I said we were going to talk to
issues. The first of course, is the human side that Sara Sidner has brought us.
Now let's talk about the policy. The U.N. is reporting. 1.7 million people have left Ukraine in search of safety. It's only the beginning.
A top E.U. diplomat says the E.U. needs to be ready to receive five million Ukrainians. Josep Borrell with the Human Rights Commission says the E.U.
must mobilize all its resources to support Ukraine's neighbors.
He says the people who are on the move are fleeing from war and we should really call them exiled. He is of course the High Representative for
Foreign Affairs for the E.U.
David Miliband is with me, the President of the International Rescue Committee and the former British Foreign Secretary.
David, thank you, sir. So we know the situation is grim and bad and is going to get worse. What do we need to do?
DAVID MILIBAND, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE: Hi, Richard, thanks for having me on.
Look, the situation inside Ukraine is going to get much, much worse and we can talk about that separately if you want to. For those who have made it
to safety, the situation doesn't need to be grim because they have arrived in European countries.
They've arrived in advanced industrialized countries that have the economy and the resources to give them at least the chance to get some stability in
their lives and the decision of the European Union, the 27 member states of the European Union to guarantee three years of residence, three years of
work permits, three years of access to education and other services for kids is the right step forward.
[15:10:05]
MILIBAND: What needs to happen now is that the countries that are bearing the greatest share of this responsibility, which is essentially Poland and
Hungary, they need to be given extra support by the rest of the European Union. And then there are countries outside the E.U., like Britain,
Switzerland, et cetera, Norway, who can also make a contribution and they should step up to the European mark.
So I would say, in a continent of 500 million people, the arrival of five million is a manageable policy challenge.
QUEST: The reality is, it is as you say, David, it's entirely doable, if you will and it should be done quickly. Do you fear it won't be?
MILIBAND: No, I think that you should have more confidence today than 10 days ago that this is going to be done, the decision about the three years
residence, et cetera and public response. Amazing scenes of railway stations across the European continent, including in Poland, and strikingly
remember, I've been on your program before and we've talked about disunity among the 27 members of the European Union on refugee questions. This time,
all the member states are committed to stepping up.
And so, I think that's a pretty significant state of affairs, compared to the situation inside Ukraine, which is going to be hellish. I don't know if
you use that phrase exactly, but you spoke to the needs inside. I think the situation across the border is one whereas Europe has used the last 10 days
productively, and I think there's a good chance they could step up effectively.
QUEST: Pull together please your curriculum vitae and experience. As Foreign Secretary and now with the I.R.C., did you ever think we would see
such hellish scenes -- the picture of the boy walking across the border on his own, large mass humanity on the move carrying suitcases, truly refugees
from war?
MILIBAND: Well, we do see that world. We see that in Syria where five million or six million refugees came out. We saw that in South Sudan into
Uganda, one and a half million refugees. We saw that from Myanmar into Bangladesh, one million Rohingya came out.
If you ask me, did I ever think we'd see it again in Europe? The answer is no. And these are extraordinarily challenging, and it is an attempt,
obviously, to rewrite, rewind the clock on 30 years of European history, and that's one reason why it's so important that it is resisted.
QUEST: How do we prevent the permanence of refugee camps, for example, as in Lebanon? Now, I understand obviously, the people here will be housed in
communities in the shortest possible time before being dispersed within countries and arguably, and possibly further into the E.U. and beyond.
But your concern must be when safe and proper to get them back home.
MILIBAND: Yes, I mean, the way to avoid temporary refugee camps becoming permanent is precisely the dispersal of people that you recommend,
dispersal around the countries into which they are arriving.
And also obviously, tackling the source of the problem, which is the conflict. I mean, the Ukrainians who are leaving are leaving their country
without any desire to leave. They are leaving because they are being forced to flee from the threat of being killed.
And so I'm sure that these are people who if you ask them, when peace return to Ukraine, would they like to go back? They will say yes, and you
can see the scale of civic patriotism that exists amongst the Ukrainian population.
These are women and children who have been separated from fathers, husbands, brothers, and in the short to medium term, I fear it will be
months and even years, not just days, they are going to have to disperse themselves around Europe, there aren't refugee camps being built, there are
processing documentation centers, but that's not the same thing.
And the response of the European public to say, come and stay in my apartment, come and stay in my house is part of that offer of community
integration, it is the antithesis of the refugee camps that you rightly fear.
QUEST: And finally, I think it's worth re-emphasizing this point that you started with, Europe is rich. Europe can afford to do this and to do it
properly, without any nonsense and people carping on about unemployment, or this, that or the other or taking local jobs, or the sort of sourness that
comes where migrants are talked off.
MILIBAND: Well, that's a very good point, and I think that what we're seeing today is a very real demonstration that a refugee is a teacher, a
refugee as a journalist, a refugee is a charity worker, a refugee is an accountant, a refugee is a housewife, a refugee is a farmer, they are
people and there but for the grace of God, go any of us.
And I think it's very, very important that we use this as a teachable moment that there are 30 million refugees and asylum seekers around the
world today. There'll be 35 million within a month or two as a result of this Ukraine crisis, and this crisis speaks to a wider system failure that
exists at the level of diplomacy, at the level of state action, at the level of legal enforcement of rights.
[15:15:24]
MILIBAND: And I very much hope that the lesson is taken in the way that you describe that this is something that needs to be addressed at the level of
humanity, not just at the level of political posturing.
QUEST: David, always grateful. Thank you, sir. I appreciate your time, today and what are very busy days for you.
I'm going to stay in New York and we're going to the United Nations. It's a briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. The briefing has already
begun.
MARTIN GRIFFITHS, U.N. EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR: ... Workers also of local NGOs, the truck drivers carrying basic necessities into volatile
areas. These are people all in harm's way, who have no hesitation in carrying out their mission.
Madam President, I see three immediate priorities to lessen the pain and suffering we're all watching unfold in real time.
First, the parties need to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian homes and infrastructure in their military operations. This
includes allowing safe passage for civilians to leave areas of active hostilities on a voluntary basis in the direction they choose. All
civilians, whether they stay or leave must be respected and protected.
Second, we need safe passage for humanitarian supplies into areas of activity hostilities. Civilians in places like Mariupol, Kharkiv,
Melitopol', and elsewhere desperately need aid, especially lifesaving medical supplies, the kind that are being brought in, in these past days by
W.H.O. Many modalities are possible, but it must take place in line with the parties' obligation under the Laws of War.
And thirdly, we urgently need a system of constant communication with the parties to the conflict and assurances to enable the delivery of
humanitarian aid and we have seen these systems in place in other countries. Of course, as you know, well, a humanitarian notification system
as we term it, can support delivery of aid at the scale needed.
I have already conveyed these three points to the authorities of Ukraine and to the Russian Federation. And on the third point, thanks to the
cooperation with the Russian Federation, my office has sent a team to Moscow to work on better humanitarian civil-military coordination that can
allow us to scale up precisely to begin to establish a humanitarian notification system.
This follows last Friday's phone call between the Secretary General and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoygu. U.N. teams
have held the first technical meeting with the representatives of the Ministry of Defense.
I welcome cooperation by both sides and sincerely hope to see further progress in the hours -- excuse me -- in the hours ahead.
Madam President, people are watching as this unnecessary conflict engulf cities and civilians, as well as what is happening in Ukraine. They have an
extra sense of dread over the impact this will have on the wider world. I include myself in this category.
I'm deeply worried about the consequences on vulnerable people living half a world away. Food prices are spiking, supplies are uncertain. We didn't
need that either.
People in the Sahel in Yemen, the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, and Madagascar already face profound food insecurity. Record level fuel prices
means life becomes harder still, in places like Lebanon, where generators keep hospitals open and water treatment plants working, and the
extraordinary generosity, which I welcome and praise of donors to the launch of the regional plan and the Ukraine humanitarian response plan, we
hope that this will not divert those donors from other pressing humanitarian crisis.
This may be the latest one, but not the only one. So while we have planned, we have mobilized, we have fundraised to meet the challenge we face, we
have the capacity and I think the know how to meet the most urgent needs in Ukraine on the basis of cooperation with the parties, but and here I would
like to stress this particular last point.
Make no mistake, we are unable to meet the needs of civilians today. All those points that I have made our points in preparation in supply, in
redeployment in getting to the right place. But we're failing to meet the needs of civilians today at this time.
I hope we will not fail them tomorrow. Thank you, Madam President.
[15:20:20]
QUEST: So there we have the representative concerning the situation, which really follows on from what we've been talking about with David Miliband
before that and what you've heard concerning the humanitarian aspects.
And on the business agenda, the conflict continues to push oil prices higher. It is going to be felt far beyond gas pumps themselves.
In a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: So there is the market. We're at the low point of the day and in this sort of period, the last 14 minutes where things can really get a lot
worse. The market is sharply lower and it has been like that for the entire session.
I'll show you the triple stack because the Dow is off two percent, then look you see the NASDAQ; in fact, it is the down that is picking up speed,
Boeing is down very heavily. The NASDAQ is off three percent, the S&P as well.
As commodity prices are rising, I want to show you the underlying mechanisms of all of this. Four shares to watch, all of which tell a
different story about the Ukraine.
So you have American Express, which of course is being badly affected by what's happening there it terms of its cards and its usage. You've got
Disney, which is not releasing movies in Russia. And of course, we'll have problems with sanctions for other products relating to it, and has pulled
out. Amazon, if we are slowing down, Amazon will be hit and United Airlines, which of the four years saw the three big majors in the U.S.
probably has the most global capacity, United is off 14 percent today, because there's just no possibility prospect reality of these airlines, at
least those with international routes getting back up fully running anytime soon.
And as for oil itself, they hit their highest level in a decade. Brent was over $130.00. It's now -- you can see the price in a second. You can see
the way it is. It is now $122.00 and change. The U.S. is looking at Venezuela as an alternate supply for global supply. That's a change in
heart.
The Biden administration has said to me exploring sanctions relief for the Maduro regime to further isolate Russia.
[15:25:05]
QUEST: As for Europe, oil prices are among the highest levels since 2008, and when oil goes up, the costs go up as well. It's indispensable in
transportation, manufacturing, agriculture so much, we all know. And the rising costs will affect everything from airfares, basic goods, groceries,
which have to be grown, vegetables which have to be cut and harvested, transported, stored -- the lot.
Strategists say oil could rise to $185.00 or even $200.00, and that's more pain.
Anna is with me -- Anna Stewart. Okay, let's be clear. Nothing we're talking about here should detract from the human catastrophe that is
currently underway. So we're not counting dollars before bodies or anything like that. But the reality is that there's going to be such a widespread
economic effect.
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: And there already is in Russia, when you look at the sanctions already imposed, but also when we consider what's
potentially left to come and Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State suggested that oil could be next on the table. They could ban imports of
oil into the U.S. and potentially Europe. That would be hugely damaging for Russia, we're talking about 36 percent of energy sales is Russia's annual
budget.
So that would hurt, but the problem is, it would hurt everyone else, not least Europe.
QUEST: Right. So this idea that Germany doesn't want it and others are dragging their heels, I think there's some truth in that. But it's not the
whole story. The reality is how bad would you get? If we start getting prices up to $180.00 a barrel, what does that mean?
STEWART: Or $200.00, which was Bank of America's estimate if Russian oil was to come off the market entirely. This would be hugely damaging not just
for keeping households heated, this will be damaging for all industries, for all sectors.
There is no easy way to meet a shortfall of Russian oil. The suggestion that if you were to lift sanctions on Venezuela, lift sanctions in Iran,
bring all that oil back, you would be looking at -- and this is if they could suddenly ramp up capacity to where they were between or pre
sanctions, three million barrels of oil a day coming onto the market.
Well, Russia is nine million barrels a day. Could Saudi Arabia meet the shortfall? Potentially, but will they? It depends where the oil prices go.
So there's a lot at stake here.
QUEST: Right. So let's just talk about Saudi where I was last week. Saudi has got OPEC+. Venezuela is no friend of the U.S., and let's face it would
happily make -- unless he needs them or Maduro needs the money and there is just -- we are in a mess of our own making, in that we did not prepare for
this.
STEWART: And that's the case for oil and for gas. And for Europe, this is a big problem. They did not cut their reliance on Russian energy after 2014
after the illegal annexation of Crimea. They have lost gas storage. They have not built enough LNG terminals. They have not simply done enough to
build up their energy security and that is what the German Chancellor said today.
He said Europe cannot secure energy supplies without Russia.
QUEST: Okay, Anna Stewart, tomorrow, I assume you'll be with me tomorrow when I'm sitting here. I do want to talk about just the loss of business,
the loss of business that's happening and even if the war were to stop now, please God, it would take months if not years.
STEWART: Years to bounce back, years, but yes, tomorrow, Richard.
QUEST: Good. Thank you.
It's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS. And in a moment, a Ukrainian port city that's under intense Russian fire and the residents are fighting back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: To the United Nations, the United States Representative to the U.N.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: This setting and thank you also to Undersecretary General Griffiths, both of
your briefings were extraordinarily sobering. But we very much appreciate the work that you do. I also want to say that we're so appreciative and so
proud and grateful to UNICEF and OCHA and other humanitarian agencies staff on the ground in Ukraine and throughout the region.
We've seen the images of them coordinating deliveries from bomb shelters and continuing to provide assistance to the Ukrainian people under
difficult and dangerous conditions. They are a testament to the life-saving work of the U.N.'s humanitarian agencies, and your indispensable role
helping vulnerable civilians suffering the consequences of war. We're outraged by increased reports of Moscow's attacks, harming Ukrainian
civilians in its unprovoked and unjustified war against the Ukrainian people.
President Putin's war of choice has already turned half a million children into refugees. Already more than 1.7 million civilians have fled Ukraine
into surrounding countries. And this doesn't include those who have been internally displaced. We've seen the images of elderly fleeing. A woman
killed in her wheelchair, children dying in their mother's arms, and a woman being rushed bleeding to a hospital.
These are the images that we're seeing daily of what is happening on the ground in Ukraine. Last week, I have the opportunity to speak to my
counterparts from Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova where their governments, international organizations and NGOs have been working
nonstop to welcome all those who are fleeing. What I heard was staggering. My Polish colleague who's sitting in the room with us today, shared that
100 refugees are crossing into Poland every minute, 100 a minute. Just do the math.
We talked about many of the challenges these neighboring countries are facing, and how the United States can help keep their borders open to all
those seeking international protection, including those who may experience communication barriers would border agents due to disabilities or other
factors. We're committed to providing support and we know that their needs will only increase if Russia does not cease its violence.
We know this because of what we've seen over the last week from the reckless attack on Europe's largest nuclear power plant, to the siege of
cities across Ukraine, to the tragic images and alarming reports from those who are unable to leave Ukraine to seek safety. The world is haunted by
these images of homes, hospitals, schools, orphanages being destroyed, demolished in front of our eyes.
Child cancer patients unable to receive chemotherapy. Babies delivered in basements instead of maternity wards and hundreds of thousands of civilians
without access to electricity for heat or drinking water to stay alive.
Ukrainian cities are under siege under relentless Russian shelling.
[15:35:05]
THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Hospitals are running out of supplies, food is dwindling and civilian casualties are mounting while the most vulnerable group, those
with disabilities, the elderly, children continue to bear the brunt of suffering. We have seen besiegement before from Leningrad to Aleppo. These
are tragedies of immense proportions. The United States is closely coordinating with the Government of Ukraine, neighboring countries and
international organizations, including those within the U.N. system to monitor the situation.
And we will work with them to address humanitarian needs both in Ukraine and in the region. While we are heartened by the international community's
pledges of over $1.5 billion in humanitarian support so far, we know that as long as Russia pursues its relentless and brutal campaign, the need for
assistance will only increase. We all need to ensure these pledge funds are flexible and mobilized as quickly as possible, given the escalating needs
on the ground.
But perhaps most important of all, we must heed the call we heard today, from the Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. That means a
sustained pause in hostilities, to allow the safe passage of civilians who wish to leave areas of active conflict. The safe passage of humanitarian
supplies and the free and safe movement of those delivering humanitarian assistance.
We need Russia's firm, clear, public and unequivocal commitment to allow and facilitate immediate, unhindered humanitarianist access for
humanitarian partners in Ukraine. Very specifically, we call for the Russian Federation to agree to an honor in good faith Ukrainian proposals
for time bound, humanitarian safe passage in specific agreed upon locations. We call for the establishment of a ground level notification
system that will facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian convoys and flights.
This is imperative for ensuring humanitarian supplies and commodities can be reliably transported into Ukraine to reach those most in need. I also
want to note today that the United States is increasingly concerned about the protection of civilians in this conflict, particularly women and girls
who are vulnerable to gender based violence. LGBTQI Ukrainians as well as Ukraine's population of older adults, and people with disabilities.
We also call for the protection and care of all vulnerable children, including separated and unaccompanied children and those institutional
care. Children should never, never be involved in conflict, period. Children should never be involved in conflict. They must be protected. The
humanitarian toll of President Putin's war on Ukraine is mounting. Children are dying, people are fleeing their homes. And for what?
As UNICEF has reported, we know already that dozens of children have been killed in Putin's war. And as we work to confirm cases, we know the actual
numbers are actually far greater. Young children have also been severely traumatized by the violence and destruction. They've witnessed so many
things to the point that they've stopped speaking. The physical and psychological wounds of this war will be long lasting.
It's clear Mr. Putin has a plan to destroy and terrorize Ukraine. If the last two weeks have shown us anything, it's that the Ukrainian people are
not going to give up. And many Russian people themselves, including many Russian soldiers do not want this war. Unfortunately, Mr. Putin doesn't
seem to be listening. And we are concerned that the world needs to be prepared for a very long and very difficult road ahead.
The Ukrainians are defending themselves bravely and we will continue to stand with them and support them but President Putin is clearly willing to
sacrifice the lives of thousands of Russian soldiers to achieve his personal ambitions.
[15:10:14]
THOMAS-GREENFIELD: We have been warning Moscow for weeks, that in the end, Russia will be weaker and not stronger for launching this war. This is
already proving true. The question is how much devastation President Putin is willing to wreck for this enormous mistake. We continue to call on
Russia to change course, withdraws forces, deescalate through diplomacy, and we support Ukraine's call for a ceasefire.
In the meantime, we applaud those doing everything in their power to alleviate the suffering Putin has unleashed on the Ukrainian people.
Whatever course Russia's invasion may take, we must do everything. And I stress everything. Everything we can to help the people of Ukraine. Kiev
still stands and we stand with Kiev. We stand with Ukrainians. Thank you.
QUEST: So, there we have the U.S. ambassador, the representative to the United Nations speaks for itself really what she was saying about the
humanitarian calamity that is currently underway. And the calls for action. Richard Roth is with me from the United Nations. Very somber, very serious,
very detailed in a sense but to what purpose?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: That's the point that the Russian nation has veto power. And the French and the Mexican governments
have been trying to get a resolution strictly focused on humanitarian affairs to put it on the books, make an international law, about the need
to protect civilians and refugees and create access routes for them out of the country.
But Russia is sitting there with the veto power, thus you just get a meeting with speeches. And the words are very profound. But President
Putin, as the U.S. Ambassador pointed out, doesn't seem to be listening, Richard.
QUEST: Richard Roth at the United Nations. Richard thank you. As we continue, oligarchs are scrambling to hide their assets as the sanctions
begin to turn bite. There's always the digital currency expert next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:45:24]
QUEST: The rest of the sanctions are biting and companies are pulling out. Those companies that are there, though well, like the Ukrainian titanium
company TitanEra, the situation is critical. TitanEra is based in Dnipro in eastern Ukraine (INAUDIBLE) you see it on the map, and the significance of
course, it's basically at the Russian shelling. It's not far indeed. Some employees have fled because of the danger.
Management of the company is staying put. And the company is still operating of swords. We'll find out from Olena Lesnyak, the deputy chief
executive of the company who joins me now. Ma'am, thank you. I appreciate you have many things on your agenda. And I'm grateful that you've taken
time. Are you managing in any shape or form? I mean, there's the safety aspect of your employees, Paramount. But what are you doing?
OLENA LESNYAK, DEPUTY CEO, TITANERA: Thank you, Richard. Well, as the ambassador were speaking right now, I was listening to her. And I was going
to start my speech with explanation of the situation here. But so much words were said and every word coincides with what we are seeing here, we
feeling here. Humanitarian crisis, women with children leaving the country, leaving the parents.
And probably the only thing I can add is that until yesterday, the official number of children killed in this war was 38. And I don't know the
statistics for today yet. Of course, as the business we are trying to do what our superpower is, to try to keep on operation, to be able to pay
taxes, to be able to pay salaries, to protect our workers in any possible way.
QUEST: Right.
LESNYAK: And also, to support our army and the hospitals.
QUEST: So --
LESNYAK: So today --
QUEST: I just want to clarify, sort of clarify. Is the -- is the smelting and is the company still operating even in these extreme conditions? You're
managing to make product and get it out.
LESNYAK: We are managing to get make product and we are managing to get it out. And we are managing to deliver it to our customers, and we're managing
to be paid by them. And then to pay taxes. In France, like all other big companies doing at the moment. This is extremely difficult. The male
management team is staining Dnipro. Dnipro is now -- is not under the bombing attacks, but it's very close to the (INAUDIBLE) and nobody knows
when it can start it there.
But the operation, the plant, the mine is situated in Kirovograd region in the middle of Ukraine. And we keep on operating. Logistics is extremely
difficult, supply is almost impossible, but we are doing magical things to keep on working. And I should say that about 50 people of our operation are
in the army and the moment one is injured, we are trying to help our workers. Anyway --
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: What do you need -- what do you now -- what do you -- besides good wishes and support from Western European countries, what is it you
practically need now?
LESNYAK: Kiev. We need to -- who need somebody to close the sky over our country on over the heads of our children. Maybe I would -- but these are
obvious things with -- which everybody is speaking today. I want me to take a couple of minutes to speak of something that is not that obvious.
Everybody's speaking about sanctions and about sanctions like one of their efficient means to weaken their enemy.
And unfortunately, there are some points where it's extremely difficult to do and titanium unfortunately is one of them. I don't know how much you
know about the titanium matter, but this is the critical strategically important material of the future without taking, no plane -- planes, no
aircrafts would be flying. Neither military nor civilian without titanium, no submarines would be built.
Without titanium no space would be explored. No rocket could be built and no nuclear plant could be working without titanium. This material extremely
important for strategic industries like military, aerospace. And unfortunately, all the world today depends on Russia on this material.
Russia isn't monopolies, have been operating in this market for decades.
[15:50:05]
LESNYAK: But the irony is that Russia itself did not have the feedstock for the production of titanium needed the technology.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: I need to -- forgive me, ma'am, I ask for your forgiveness because I need to go to the United Nations, do forgive me. We need to hear from the
Russian representative.
VASILY NEBENZYA, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS (through translator): The non-bias in Ukraine's reaction to this crisis over its
last eight years of its existence (INAUDIBLE) bombardment of Donbas to the territory of Donetsk and Lugansk. And the problems for children that came
from this in terms of the humanitarian and psychological situation, we hope that this non-biased approach will continue in the future.
We think that UNICEF's views should be based on reliable tried and tested information. We welcome the reflection in the humanitarian plan of the
dangerous fact of the mass proliferation on Ukrainian territory of small arms and light weapons. Many of which have fallen into the hands of radical
elements, including those who have been deliberately freed from prison. The consequences of this irresponsible step by Volodymyr Zelenskyy who gave the
order are already clear.
The number of civilian victims among civilians from the hands of the radicals is increasing day by day, first and foremost in Kiev. We have been
drawing attention to this for a long time. We call on all colleagues in the Security Council to strictly keep in today's meeting to the humanitarian
context of a situation in Ukraine. We've already had the opportunity to exchange political views on what's happening.
And it's clear that our views diverge from yours and that you continue to rely on the opinion of Ukrainian politicians and also doubtful or openly
mendacious material from social networks in presenting the cause and aims of our special operation in Ukraine in an unfavorable light. We once again
wish to -- we agree with the representative of Albania that there is an information war going on, more likely a disinformation war.
And we would say that in the West in the free world where Russian information resources are being turned off, and where any information which
contradicts your version of events is not allowed to be broadcast. The Permanent Representative of the United States today accused us of not
complying with our commitments to create safe humanitarian corridors. And let's get down into this.
We once again wish to emphasize that safety for civilians in Ukraine is not a problem for Russian because we're not bombarding them. But rather
Ukrainian radicals and neo-Nazis they were holding hostage whole towns and cities and are making use of citizens as a -- as a human shield, not
allowing them to leave cities despite the fact that there are humanitarian corridors, and that Russian units have declared a ceasefire.
There are a panoply of examples of this. The U.S. on the 4th of March, the Ministry of Defense of Russia and the deputy prime minister of Ukraine,
Iryna Vereshchuk agreed parameters for humanitarian corridors from Mariupol to Zaporizhiaza and from Volnovakha to (INAUDIBLE) They were supposed to be
opened up at 10:00 in the morning on the 5h of March. Kiev's request, the representatives of the International Red Cross were invited to the areas
where these corridors are being opened.
Our site was ready to provide wholehearted assistance in guaranteeing safety for the evacuation of these people. We inform the U.N. Secretariat
of all of this in timely fashion. However, the radicals in Mariupol violated this agreement. As is clear from a great conversation, a radio
conversation that was intercepted between two commanders of the national battalion Azov that is in Volnovakha.
The radicals there were told to shoot at the legs of those who had heading -- who were heading for the humanitarian corridors. Those who risked life
and limb to try and leave Mariupol when they reach the checkpoints to enter -- exit the city was shot on site by Ukrainian Nazis. There's a great deal
of video evidence of this. In Mariupol alone, there were some 200,000 civilians who are in the crosshairs of the -- of the forces there.
And those who are ready to the humanitarians who are trying to offer assistance aren't able to get there and to prevent the catastrophe that is
developing in the town. The critical situation for people in other regions of the country is if they are also blockaded by nationalist battalions. We
know that Ukrainian radicals day by day are showing their true face more clearly. The local civic -- the local inhabitants said that they forced out
the staff of a maternity clinic and then put a firing site in that clinic.
They also completely destroyed one of the nursery schools in the city. In addition, we stayed officially that Ukrainian authorities have
categorically refused to cooperate on evacuating people from Kharkov or Sumy.
[15:55:08]
NEBENZYA: Considering the catastrophic humanitarian situation and its worsening in Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy and Mariupol, and also the personal
request of President Emmanuel Macron to President Putin. The Russian Armed Forces stated that from the 10th of -- from 10:00 a.m. on the 7th of March
2022, there will be a ceasefire, and they will open humanitarian corridors in Kiev, Mariupol and Sumy towards Russian territory for those who wish to
evacuate through that logistically viable route but also towards Ukrainian territory.
This information was conveyed the evening before to Kiev, to the specialist agencies of the U.N. to the OSCE, the ICRC and other international
organizations through all available information resources, including the media. An official answer from Kiev was received only today at 7:10 a.m.
Moscow time. But the open humanitarian corridors towards the Russian Federation were ignored.
This subject was raised in her official statement by the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk who called the proposal to open humanitarian
corridors towards Russia. And I quote, "Absurd and unacceptable." It is clear to us that the Kiev regime is making use of all available and
unavailable methods to wholeheartedly stop the exit of those citizens who wish to leave to and also foreigners who wish to go to Russia because
they're scared that once these people are free, they will tell the truth about the actions of Ukrainian radicals.
As is being done by those people who've been able to get out away from these radicals we're talking here about threats, intimidation, blackmail,
physical violence, and also shooting on site directed at citizens and also foreigners. By well illustration, just one statement from the mayor of
Sumy, Alexander Lukashenko. This was me today together with the commander of a national battalion, and I quote, "There will not be any green
corridors. No civilians will leave to Russia, and those who try to will be shot dead."
In the statements on the impossibility of evacuating Ukrainian systems towards Russia, Ukrainian officials have ignored the fact that there are
already Ukrainian refugees in Russia. From the area for special military operation, more than 168,000 people have been evacuated to Russia,
including 43,469 children. And in the last 24 hours, 5550 people including 740 children, the Russian border has been crossed by 19,256 private
vehicles.
And in the last 24 hours by 900 often. We are also establishing temporary accommodation points. These are all ready for individual work with citizens
or rather civilians arriving from Ukraine. Unfortunately, the issue of the evacuation of the population from other regions is also being politicized,
as is the issue of humanitarian assistance. In particular, the requests of the Ukrainian party look absurd.
These are the requests made to us just less than three hours before the opening of humanitarian corridors asking us to guarantee the evacuation
from a number of settlements that are under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. In this, none of the inhabitants of these -- of these --
inhabited place that had -- said they wanted to evacuate. People were simply living in their houses and they're not threatened by anything.
In parallel, we were asked to organize the evacuation of citizens from a number of cities, which for the time being are under the control of the
nationalist battalion. And of course, we were also asked to provide alleged humanitarian goods from Ukraine to (INAUDIBLE) Kherson. This also looks
cynical towards the inhabitants of the cities because at the moment, these regions are under the full control of the Russian Armed Forces.
And their populations are continuing to live peacefully and have everything that they need, including humanitarian assistance from Russia, which has
arrived to different regions of Ukraine. 500,000 tons of it. Madam president. We are also particularly concerned that the Ukrainian radicals
are continuing to hold hostage as human shields more than 1500 foreigners in a range of cities.
We are working around the clock with the relevant diplomatic agencies on this issue.
Foreigners have having very severe problems when trying to cross the border, when they're trying to leave towards Europe. We're talking here
about -- we're talking here about citizens from a range of different countries, including African countries. We've also -- we also draw your
attention to a public statement by the Senegalese representative of the African Union on this issue.
We are shocked by news of the inhumane attacks by nationalists on student accommodation, which has among other things caused the death of Indian
students. With regard to the safety of U.N. personnel in Ukraine, and for us, this is one of the priorities. Currently the Russian Troops are
guaranteed -- have guaranteed the exit from Kiev of 180 U.N. personnel.
[16:00:05]
NEBENZYA: When the need -- when necessary, this support will continue.
END
