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Kremlin Says, European Summit on Ukraine Not Aimed at Achieving Peace; Trump to Address Congress on Heels of Heated Zelenskyy Dispute; U.S. Set to Impose Tariffs on Canadian, Mexican Goods at Midnight. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired March 03, 2025 - 10:00   ET

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

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[10:00:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, global fallout. European leaders rallying around Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. President Trump remaining defiant since that fiery Oval Office meeting. New reaction from the Kremlin, weighing in this morning.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And selling his agenda. President Trump preparing for his address to a joint session of Congress, but a new poll finding most Americans believe he has not paid enough attention to the country's most important problems.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in The Situation Room.

An emboldened Kremlin lashing out big time this morning. It says Europe's emergency summit to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not aimed at achieving peace. And even more remarkably, Russia is saying Washington's new tensions with Ukraine show the U.S. is now coming into alignment with Moscow.

Tomorrow, President Trump will address a joint session of the U.S. Congress and America's traditional allies are increasingly worried about U.S. loyalties. They will be hanging on every word.

Let's, first of all, go live to CNN Reporter Alayna Treene. She's over at the White House for us. Alayna, has the White House responded yet to the latest comments coming out of the Kremlin?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: We haven't heard a direct response to the Kremlin and what they've been saying, Wolf, but what we have heard is more defiance, really, and support and defense for what the president did on Friday and the vice president in the Oval Office. Just this morning, we actually heard from National Security Adviser Michael Waltz was saying -- you know, agreeing that, you know, perhaps the Zelenskyy does not want peace, something we heard President Donald Trump say, and also continuing to double down that Zelenskyy needs to do more in order for them to move forward with a peace deal. Take a listen to how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MIKE WALTZ, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: What we don't have right now is President Zelenskyy saying, I am ready to take the steps necessary and have the conversations necessary and make the compromises necessary to end the fighting, go to a ceasefire, some permutation of.

What we essentially heard was he's not ready to talk about it as all as though, you know, grinding this war forward for the years to come is truly an option, and it's not.

So, we're ready to have those conversations. We had it with the Russians in Riyadh. We're ready to have it with the Ukrainians and then engage in shuttle diplomacy. But we need to hear that latter piece from Zelenskyy, and we need to hear it publicly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, Wolf, I also had the opportunity, along with some other reporters, to catch up with Waltz after that here at the White House, and he said that he encourages Europe to move forward with Ukraine in trying to find a peace deal as well, kind of the first we've heard on that, following that summit this weekend.

But, clearly, there are still major questions about where the Trump administration and the White House goes from here following kind of that falling apart and dressing down of Zelenskyy on Friday.

BLITZER: Alayna, what can you tell us? So, what are you hearing about President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow night?

TREENE: Well, look, they still want to keep some of this a surprise, and I'm told they're still working through the speech when I talked to White House officials about it this morning, but one is, I'm told, they're going to have a heavy emphasis on his domestic policy and agenda looking forward, but then also, Wolf, you know, wanting to highlight what they're arguing are his successes during his first five weeks in office.

Now, we did see the president kind of, you know, preview a little bit on social media this morning. He wrote this. He said, quote, tomorrow night will be big, I will tell it like it is, so really just trying to you know set the stage. But, you know, one key question, of course, is, and I know this from just you know two years of covering the president on the campaign trail, is sometimes you have a prepared for speech and then Donald Trump gives a different one.

A lot of eyes, of course, though not really also watching what he is going to say about domestic policy but specifically how is he going to address the global stage and how will he frame, what rhetoric will he use in talking about Russia and Ukraine, just given, you know, the far different kind of rhetoric we've heard him use recently as it relates to Ukraine as we compare it to that of former President Biden.

[10:05:09]

Wolf? BLITZER: We will, of course, all be watching. Alayna Treene over at the White House, Alayna, thank you very, very much. Pamela?

BROWN: All right, Wolf. Let's take a closer look now at all of this. Joining us now is Republican Congressman Mike Turner of Ohio. He sits on the Armed Services Committee. Congressman, thanks for joining us.

REP. MIKE TURNER (R-OH): Pamela, thanks for having me.

BROWN: So, let's dive right into it. Not surprisingly, Russia is dismissing this European emergency summit. It was a remarkable show of support for Ukraine. How important was that gathering? Just two days after that Oval Office blow up?

TURNER: Well, as has been reported, this was a planned gathering, and it certainly is important, and it certainly is consistent with what Donald Trump has said what the U.S. policy has been, that the Europeans need to pull together, show increased support and increased contribution to Ukraine and to the cause for Ukraine.

But I think what's also important here is that, you know, the Europeans needs to you know, to counsel Zelenskyy having just come off of this failed minerals and economics deal. You know, President Zelenskyy showed up in the Oval Office for what was supposed to be a signing ceremony for a minerals and economics deal. And he inappropriately turned that into a debate over American security guarantees as a precondition for, you know, peace negotiations. He should have concluded the deal that he had negotiated. He flew here to sign that deal. And instead he caused it to be a debate and it was a lost opportunity for him.

BROWN: There's certainly a debate over who started this debate, right? Because it was the vice president, J.D. Vance, who initially you know, pressed him and then, you know, it devolved from there. Do you think that perhaps that deal should have been signed before he was -- that pressure was put on him? I mean, what do you think?

TURNER: Well, I think Zelenskyy should have been focused on why he came. And, you know, certainly, I think there's -- you know, in the tenor and tone that was in the room, there's plenty of blame to go around. But Zelenskyy came here with a sole purpose, and that was to stand next to the president of the United States, walk out with a deal that he had negotiated. He would have elevated Ukraine and walked out with a deal that was to the benefit of Ukraine and to the benefit of Zelenskyy.

He would have been able to stand next to President Trump and walk out with an elevated relationship between Ukraine and the United States. And instead he made the whole event about what is an impediment to the peace negotiations, and that is his concept of wanting a precondition of American security guarantees before peace negotiations. That's a cart before the horse. He should not be asking for those, a demand of security guarantees before peace negotiations.

BROWN: You said there was a lot of blame to go around. What do you mean by that? TURNER: Well, certainly the tenor in the room, what was not the tenor that, that should have occurred. However, President Zelenskyy should have been focused on the goal and objective of what he could have achieved for Ukraine.

BROWN: And I think, you know, Europeans are clearly looking at this in terms of the emergency summit. They certainly rally around Zelenskyy in a renewed way after the meeting regardless of them trying to figure out, you know, how they're going to move forward given this U.S. dynamic.

You are the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. You've been a vocal advocate for robust military aid to Ukraine. Let's share what's on your website. As you say, as this administration -- you know, this is happening as this administration distances itself from Ukraine. You say, quote, when we talk about support for Ukraine, it's not just about dollars and cents. It's about our shared values. If Putin continues unchecked, he will not stop at Ukraine. Authoritarianism cannot win.

So, that's what's on your site. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the U.S. is now largely aligned with Moscow. Does that concern you?

TURNER: First off, it's absolutely not true. I mean --

BROWN: But why is Russia saying that? That's Russia's perception. Does that concern you?

TURNER: Right. So, Russia can say what it wants. Russia remains the evil empire. They're the ones who are killing an unbelievable number of Ukrainians. They are the aggressor here. And everyone, certainly the Europeans, the United States, have stood against their aggression.

President Trump has -- and even in the Oval Office, he said, you know, this killing needs to stop. The goal here is peace, both for the Ukrainians and really for Europe. That is the goal, and I think it is achievable.

BROWN: So, given your view, do you think Trump should be tougher on Putin then? Because as I just said, Moscow thinks the U.S. is realigning with it. There are people here in the country who believe the U.S. is now realigning with Russia.

[10:10:00]

TURNER: I think he is. We're continuing to provide arms --

BROWN: What examples do you have of that?

TURNER: Well, first off, he is the first to provide lethal weapons. Remember, Obama would not provide lethal weapons to Ukraine. I mean, we had Poroshenko, the president of Ukraine, was on the floor of the House begging for lethal weapons. He said, I cannot win a war with blankets. And President Trump was the first to send lethal weapons. Those lethal weapons were used to repel Russia's tanks as they were trying to descend on Kyiv. So, that's true. So let's start with that. BROWN: But I'm talking about this administration. That was a --

TURNER: They're continuing, right? They're continuing to provide lethal weapons right now. What the Trump administration is doing is trying to bring everyone to the table. They've just now brought the Russians to the table to begin the discussions to say, let's begin peace negotiations. That's incredibly important.

The goal that just occurred at the White House was bring Ukraine and the United States together in an economic deal so that Ukraine and the United States could stand together. President Trump and President Zelenskyy could sign an economic deal that they could take forward. And then begin these negotiations to end this terrible war.

BROWN: Just very quickly, though. The New York Times is reporting Trump is meeting with some of his top national security aides, and they're going to discuss whether to withhold some of this aid to Ukraine after what happened on Friday. I mean --

TURNER: That should not be the case. We have got to continue to support Ukraine, but Ukraine has got to come to the table in a meaningful way so that these peace negotiations can go forward and that the United States has a shot of ending this war.

BROWN: All right. Congressman Mike Turner, thank you so much for your time.

TURNER: Thank you.

BROWN: Wolf?

BLITZER: Pamela, we're getting some breaking news right now coming into The Situation Room, German police say at least one person was killed and several others injured after a car slammed into pedestrians in the city of Manheim. One suspect has been arrested.

Germany's federal government says a large-scale police operation is now underway and issued an extreme danger warning for the entire city. The country has been rocked by several other ramming incidents in the past few months, including a Christmas market attack that killed six people.

BROWN: And still ahead, right here in the Situation Room, we are joined by Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. She spoke to Zelenskyy just before that tense Oval Office exchange. What he told her.

BLITZER: And later, we'll ask the U.S. commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, about growing fears from Americans about the prices that all of us are about to pay and the question involving the stability of the economy.

Stay with us. You're in The Situation Room.

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BLITZER: New this morning, the Kremlin is now accusing the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of trying to keep the war going. And some Trump allies are now calling for Zelenskyy to resign following that fiery Oval Office meeting.

Let's get reaction right now from Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Senator, thanks very much for joining us.

I know you had a chance to actually meet with Zelenskyy just before that hostile Oval Office event took place. What's your reaction to what's going on?

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): Well, first of all, welcome. I'm glad to be on the new show, pretty exciting, your first day.

BLITZER: It's The Situation Room, just a new time.

KLOBUCHAR: A new situation. Yes. So, I thought that meeting that we had before I went over to the Oval Office with Republicans and Democratic leaders couldn't have gone better. He was in good spirits. He was excited to sign the mineral deal. People gave him, I think, good advice. And it was just a very positive moment. It felt like in the wake of the. And the British prime minister and the French president coming and their pledge to send troops to actually enforce whatever agreement comes out of it. I thought we have a new beginning.

So, of course, I was appalled by what happened at the White House. I still there's a chance of a reset?

BLITZER: Who do you blame for that disastrous (INAUDIBLE)?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I watched that tape over and over again, even the body language. President Zelenskyy is just simply explaining that Putin can't be trusted in a deal, something Republicans have acknowledged day in and day out, and that we have to make it as airtight as possible and have troops besides Ukrainian troops enforcing it.

J.D. Vance, I was appalled by what he did because he berated Zelenskyy, a man who has put himself out there, went down to a street corner the day of the invasion and said, we are here and has never wavered. Not with the Ukrainian people, not with the world. And for him to act like Zelenskyy has never said thank you, I have been in his presence, public meetings, private meetings, he says thank you all the time.

And this is someone who has stood up for his country. His Ukrainian patriots have held the line. They have shed their own blood. They have buried their own and they have stopped Vladimir Putin from marching right through Ukraine into the rest of Europe.

BLITZER: Do you think as some have suggested that Vice President Vance and the president deliberately wanted this to explode the way it did?

KLOBUCHAR: I don't know. They seemed that they were excited and this deal is something that President Trump wants. So, I think they did plan to berate him for grandstanding on T.V. I don't know if they knew it would get this out of hand but we are where we are and I have appreciated Secretary Rubio has actually said that there may be an opening for a reset. That is my focus, is how can we reset?

And with what happened in Europe this weekend, I think that's positive, they're going to Brussels, they come to a deal, and maybe we can still sign the minerals agreement and go from there.

[10:20:06]

BLITZER: Do you have confidence in the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, your former colleague?

KLOBUCHAR: I have confidence that cooler heads have to prevail here. He could be one of them to say, we need to get this on track. I don't care if you're a Democrat, Republican, Trump supporter, not Trump supporter. It is in America's best interest to come from strength and not surrender.

BLITZER: As you know, even some of the -- some U.S. officials are now vilifying -- even as some U.S. officials are now vilifying President Zelenskyy, leaders in Europe, allies of the United States, are embracing him. Can Europe deliver on a peace plan without significant involvement from the United States?

KLOBUCHAR: We need the United States in the agreement simply because we have been providing a lot of the military expertise and the weapons. However, people should know the European countries, NATO, has gone from six countries spending 2 percent of their budget on defense to 23 countries doing that. They have given over $50 billion in military assistance, over $100 billion overall. They are in this big time pledging troops.

So, this is going to be a combined effort, but the United States must be part of it, if anything, for our standing in the world when we stand up for democracies. We don't want to be on the side of Iran and North Korea and Russia and China. We want to be on the side of our allies, which are over 50 percent of the economy when combined with the U.S. as opposed to Russia, which I think is at 2 percent.

BLITZER: I want to look ahead to tomorrow night and President Trump's joint address to Congress, which I assume you'll be attending, right?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, yes.

BLITZER: Because some Democrats have suggested maybe they'll want to boycott that session, but you're going to be there.

KLOBUCHAR: I will. I'm in leadership and I believe the leaders will all be there, yes.

BLITZER: As you know, the Democrats have tapped freshman Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan to give the Democratic Party response to Trump's speech. How should Senator Slotkin counter the president's address, especially coming from a state he won last November?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, let's also remember she won it at the same time. That's because she has a phenomenal background in the military. She is someone that gets it from the Midwest perspective. So, I think what our response must be is, number one, he promised a whole bunch of people That voted for him and actually voted for me and Elissa Slotkin as well.

He said, I'm going to bring down costs from day one. What do we see? We see egg prices wholesale up 23 percent, lumber prices up, coffee prices up. And all of the things he's done, including these tariffs on our allies on Canada and Mexico, can bring them up even more.

So, I think that he better. Take some responsibility for making this his priority, and that includes healthcare, and that includes housing and the like. And also stop this search for money everywhere to give billionaires tax cuts, and then start making these cuts out of Medicaid, you look at what the House budget is, or firing people that are working on protecting our nuclear stockpile, or working on avian flu. This is not the direction that people want to go in, and 66 percent of Americans already say that he's not doing enough on costs.

BLITZER: Senator Amy Klobuchar, thanks so much for joining us. We hope you'll be a frequent guest here in The Situation Room.

KLOBUCHAR: I'm excited about it. Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank you very much.

BROWN: We certainly do.

All right, and still ahead, we're joined by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as tariffs loom for neighbors to the north and south while he calls the situation fluid as uncertainty around prices weighs on businesses and consumers.

We'll be back.

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[10:25:00]

BROWN: The clock is ticking with new sweeping tariffs against Canada and Mexico set to go into effect tomorrow. An additional 10 percent tariff on China is also on the table. The commerce secretary says that right now the situation is fluid and President Trump will determine exactly how much those tariffs will be, but we're hoping to get some more details here because we have the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, joining us now. Secretary, thank you so much.

So, what more can you tell us about these expected tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and what the timetable is, immediate or phased out?

HOWARD LUTNICK, COMMERCE SECRETARY: So remember, these tariffs were set because the border was wide open, we needed to close it, and we want our trading partners to close it. Why are we building a wall when the most important trading partner to Mexico and Canada is America? They should be more respectful to us. They should be stopping caravans. And that's what the president set these tariffs about. He said, stop the flow of immigration, and stop the flow of fentanyl killing our people. 75,000 autopsy deaths of fentanyl in America, it's got to stop, and the president is trying to make sure that Mexico and Canada stop it.

BROWN: Right. But you even said in a previous interview, I just saw that you talked to Tom Homan, he said that they're doing a good job on the border. So, what's changed over the last 48 hours and what specific details can you tell us about these tariffs?

LUTNICK: Okay. So the Mexicans and the Canadians have done a nice job on the border, meaning you have illegal crossings at their lowest level ever. So, that's pretty -- they're doing a good job. So, that's why the president has to decide. Fentanyl deaths only down less than 15 percent. We really need to save Americans' lives. And the president really cares about saving Americans lives. So, they've got to get the fentanyl down. And that's really attacking the cartels and getting this down.

So, that's why it's fluid. The president has to say, I appreciate what you have accomplished, but you haven't accomplished enough, and that's what we're going to be talking about all day today.

BROWN: So, is it going to be less than 25 percent then, since they are doing more at the border as part of this agreement then?

[10:30:01]

Is that to be expected? It would be less than that?

LUTNICK: Well, I'll be sitting across the table from the president pointing out that they have done a good job on the border.