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Zelenskyy Set To Meet With European Leaders At London Summit; Interview With Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY); Interview With Former U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price; New Details Revealed In Gene Hackman, Wife's Tragic Deaths; Trump Campaign Promise: War Between Ukraine And Russia Would Be Over On "Day One" Of Presidency; Where Republicans Stand On Ending Russia's War On Ukraine; Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Enters Race For NYC Mayor; "Twitter: Breaking the Bird" Premieres March 9th at 10PM ET/PT. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired March 01, 2025 - 17:00   ET

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

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[17:00:30]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jessica Dean in New York.

And tonight Europe is rallying behind Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer embracing Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street this afternoon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I want to thank you people of the United Kingdom. Such big support from the very beginning of this war. Thank you, your team.

And I'm very happy that his Majesty, the King, accepted my meeting tomorrow. And I'm thankful that you organize such summit for tomorrow. And we are very happy in Ukraine that we have such strategic partners.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: The U.K. announcing plans today to speed up a $2.8 billion loan for Ukraine. This, of course, just a day after that fiery exchange in the Oval Office between President Trump and Zelenskyy.

Tomorrow, the Ukrainian president is set to meet with European leaders in London. And let's go there now.

CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, is in London with more details. Nic, as you noted last hour, Keir Starmer isn't known for being super -- big hugger or very affectionate.

But he did everything he could to really telegraph how supportive he and his government, his country are of Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, there was a big sort of choreographed moment right in front of the cameras, and it lasted a while. And that really signals when Downing Street does something like that, when Keir Starmer walks out and does something that he doesn't normally do, which is a big hug, walk down the street and give a big hug to a visiting leader. It's symbolic. It's sending a message.

And President Zelenskyy spoke after their meeting and described the meetings as significant and warm. I mean, warm was definitely not the feeling that he had in the White House yesterday. So you know, I think he was making a point there.

And he also made a couple of other points that I think are significant. He talked about the fact that he was happy to have and pleased to have a partner who shared the same vision for security and stability for Ukraine going forward.

And so the way that he's describing this and the meeting in these warm, friendly terms, and that he's got a leader here who he says that they share the same direction and understanding of what should happen to Ukraine; that it should have security guarantees going forward; that it should have a lasting peace; and it should have a peace that is a fair peace.

All these sorts of pieces of language that we heard reflected by the prime minister's spokesperson at Downing Street when they described the meeting.

This is in stark contrast to what -- to what happened yesterday, and I think it is part of a reset and clearly an important part of a reset if the United States is to be engaged by the Europeans, which is what the Italian prime minister is saying should happen.

And the British prime minister will be having a one-on-one with Giorgia Meloni when she comes to be part of that bigger European meeting -- European leaders meeting that's happening in London tomorrow.

So all of this feels like something of a reset for Zelenskyy. You know, we're not at a reset in his relationship with President Trump, and we're not at a reset in the shock that Europe is feeling again about the way the White House is handling Ukraine specifically and Russia as well.

So it's a step in that direction. But it is a single step tonight.

DEAN: All right. Nic Robertson in London with great reporting there. Thank you so much for that.

I want to go now to CNN senior White House producer Betsy Klein, who is joining us from West Palm Beach, Florida for the Trump of all of this.

So one day later, Betsy, the question is what are Trump's allies, what is the president thinking and saying about all of this?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Well Jessica, the White House so far today has just been amplifying messages of support from top Trump allies, including those on Capitol Hill.

Members of the cabinet, as well as White House officials sending multiple emails today citing rave reviews for how President Trump handled that Oval Office meeting with President Zelenskyy.

[17:04:47]

KLEIN: However, Vice President J.D. Vance is vacationing in a remote ski town in Vermont. And we did see some protests today lining the streets, including one protester who held a sign that said "Go ski in Russia, traitor". So very notable there.

But remember that back on the campaign trail, President Trump campaigned on the idea, in part, that the U.S. is spending too much on support for Ukraine in its war against Russia now three years on. And support more broadly by Americans for this war has waned over the past three years.

Of course, President Trump views this from an economic standpoint and really sees himself as a deal maker who wants to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.

We saw him take steps toward that as he initiated those talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And then, of course, welcoming President Zelenskyy into the Oval Office on Friday for that meeting that just devolved into raised voices and so much tension.

It was ostensibly aimed at signing a deal on critical minerals between the U.S. and Ukraine. Of course, they walked out empty-handed, a breakdown in diplomacy.

Trump and his top aides huddled in a separate room after the press left the room, and his aides overwhelmingly advised him that it was time for the talks to end.

So Trump dispatched his national security advisor Mike Waltz to tell the Ukrainians they were no longer welcome at the White House. But his harsh words for Ukraine continued today. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE WALTZ, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: He's clearly solely focused on believing he needs to fact check and correct every nuance. You know, it's like a -- it's like a, you know, an ex-girlfriend that wants to argue, you know, everything that you said nine years ago. Rather than moving the relationship forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Trump is now claiming that Zelenskyy doesn't want to make peace, which of course, Zelenskyy is disputing.

But of course, what we are seeing is Trump more broadly reimagined the role of the U.S. in the world and really changing U.S. alliances abroad. Of course, diplomats say that tough talks, heated discussions between

world leaders happen all the time. What's so unprecedented and historic is that all of this took place in full view of the White House press corps.

Trump, for his part, a master of stagecraft, said he thought it was going to make great television.

The question now is what happens between this relationship with the U.S. and Ukraine, whether it can be salvaged and what happens to the future of U.S. support for the war-torn country, Jessica.

DEAN: Yes, there are certainly many, many questions.

Betsy Klein in West Palm Beach, thank you so much for that.

I want to continue our discussion now with New York Representative Nicole Malliotakis. She's joining us. She's on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Republican Conference assistant whip.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for being here with us. I want to start there where we just left off on this topic of Ukraine and what comes next. I know your district has a very large Ukrainian population.

I want to get your thoughts first on that explosive meeting at the White House yesterday.

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS (R-NY): Well obviously, it took a disappointing turn of events. And I -- as people, as you said, I have a large Ukrainian population and those in my district and I think all Americans and people around the world want to see peace. We want to see a ceasefire. We want to see an end to this horrific, deadly war.

Look, the American people have spent about $175 billion to support Ukraine, and we've done so very generously.

But the prior administration seemed to do so blindly, without having a plan, without having a strategy.

And I believe the Trump administration here is trying to move the ball forward to get us to a place where we can have peace. Again, not just -- it's not just the money. It's the hundreds of thousands of innocent lives that we've seen perish. It is the millions of Ukrainians who have lost their homes that they've become refugees.

And so it is in the best interest of everyone to get both parties at the table. And President Trump, being the dealmaker he is, attempted to do that.

And the economic partnership that was being offered here, I thought was very important and very critical for Ukraine. It shows a strong strategic partnership between our two countries and in many ways, this economic partnership becomes a strategic partnership, but a security partnership as well, because we would be again invested in Ukraine. And I think that that would be in itself a major deterrent to Putin. And so hopefully this can be fixed and we can see these parties come

together. And more importantly, at the end of the day, we can see a ceasefire and an end to this war.

DEAN: The president did call President Zelenskyy a dictator. He later said he didn't remember doing that. But he has really refused to call out Vladimir Putin and his actions.

[17:09:51]

DEAN: One of your Republican colleagues in the Senate wrote today. She said -- Lisa Murkowski, "I'm sick to my stomach. The administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world."

Do you believe President Trump has held Putin accountable for invading Ukraine? And is Lisa Murkowski right? Are you concerned about that?

MALLIOTAKIS: Look, I don't -- I don't agree necessarily with that sentiment. I believe that President Trump is trying to take the side of Ukraine here, and that is why he offered this type of deal. He offered this type of economic partnership that would -- that would not only help the United States, because we are in desperate need of critical minerals to compete with China for the things that we need here, semiconductors and other things.

But he was offering a way out for Ukraine, and that is so incredibly important, I think. I think it was a missed opportunity, quite frankly, from President Zelenskyy to not take that opportunity.

And I don't -- I think that that's the most important thing here is that he recognizes that this war is at a stalemate. They will continue to lose young Ukrainian lives. They will continue to see the Ukrainian people be refugees if we do not put an end to this war.

And this was the best option -- it was the best option presented, by the way, of any leader in the world. We don't see any of these European leaders, and I know you showed the clip earlier of this meeting taking place in the U.K.

Very nice words, nice photo, but at the end of the day, who else is trying to get both sides to a table to negotiate? It is only President Trump that is doing that, and I hope that this can come back together.

DEAN: And Congresswoman, I do -- I do hear you on that point. But he also kicked Volodymyr Zelenskyy out of the White House and got into a shouting match with him in the Oval Office. I mean, do you think that that's the appropriate way to treat an ally?

MALLIOTAKIS: Look, I don't -- I don't -- I don't think the other way that Zelenskyy expressed himself either, it seemed very not appreciative of what we were trying to accomplish here in the help that we've been giving him over the last few years.

DEAN: And so what was he to do to? Just sit there and smile? I mean, I am genuinely asking how you think this gets back on track. MALLIOTAKIS: He was -- he was coming here to sign a deal. This was an

understanding that that was the purpose of the meeting, to sign the economic arrangement that would have been a benefit to both of our nations and would have shown the world that the United States and Ukraine are together, that we're moving forward with an economic relationship, and that we're going to bring both sides to the table to get a ceasefire and peace and end this war, something that no other world leader has been able to do over the last three years.

DEAN: I also want to ask you about a couple of things that are happening. You've got a few things happening on Capitol Hill right now.

There is a potential government shutdown looming. You have said that that a bill -- that any bill is going to need bipartisan support. Some of your Republican colleagues, though, don't -- aren't going to support a bipartisan bill.

Where would you say things stand now? Are you optimistic that you all can get there and avoid a government shutdown?

MALLIOTAKIS: Well, look, the president has indicated he wanted to do a continuing resolution, which means that they would actually be continuing the funding levels that President Biden had last signed in. And we can -- should be able to get easily seven Democrat votes in the Senate to support that.

And as always in the House, it would have to pass a bipartisan support as well, because you probably would lose some Republicans.

Now, I'm not sure if that's going to be what happens here or if we'll see the Democrats try to leverage and get more to deliver their seven votes.

I think we shouldn't be playing games here with the government shutdown. Generally speaking, the Democrats have overwhelmingly voted with us to avert the last few government shutdowns. So I imagine that they would if they have the best interest of everyone to do that.

But I'm not sure if they're going to try to leverage it and we'll have to see how this whole thing unfolds. But one thing is for sure that it will require bipartisanship to get it done. And as a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, I'm committed to ensuring that that happens and that we avert a government shutdown.

I've been through about four or five of these already, and this is only my third term. I think we can get it done again.

DEAN: Yes, it is incredible that it keeps -- it keeps coming up like this.

I also want to ask you about the compromise that will have to happen amongst congressional Republicans, amongst themselves to advance the president's agenda.

You all in the House passed this blueprint, in part calling for some $880 billion in cuts from federal health and energy programs. And there is concern that you can't get to that number without making cuts to Medicaid, which is overseen by that -- by that committee. Are you comfortable with that?

[17:14:50]

MALLIOTAKIS: Well, this was obviously a very big issue for me. And I made it clear that we need to make sure we're protecting our seniors, our disabled, children with disabilities and our vulnerable citizens that rely on the program.

I was able to get assurances from the president as well as the Speaker, that we were not going to impact beneficiaries who meet the eligibility requirements and also that the reimbursement for New York state would remain at 50 percent, that it would not be lowered. That was critical to protect my hospitals.

With that said, I also point out that Kaitlan Collins the other day also said that there's about $100 billion a year in waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid system. We're talking about $88 billion a year, $880 billion over ten years.

So there's plenty to go after in terms of waste, fraud and abuse. And we got to get these Medicaid fraudsters off because what they're doing is they're actually hurting the very people that this program was meant for.

And with a $37 trillion debt, which we need to get control over our fiscal responsibilities here, we have to make sure that these programs don't go bankrupt in the future. And the best way to do that is to make sure they're going to the people who are actually eligible for them.

DEAN: Yes. And so it sounds like your red line is making sure that people who are eligible, rightly eligible, continue receiving those benefits. There are no cuts to those benefits, right?

MALLIOTAKIS: Absolutely. And that is exactly what the Speaker and the president has said as well. And that's what we need to stick to and make sure that that happens.

DEAN: All right. Representative Nicole Malliotakis, thanks for your time. We really appreciate it.

MALLIOTAKIS: Thank you.

DEAN: While reaction to Friday's clash has been mixed here in the United States, the response has been nearly jubilant in Russia with that Oval Office spat bringing Putin closer to his goals of reshaping the world order and America's place in it.

Tonight, we're talking with a former State Department official as we learn about Moscow's efforts to expand its spy program here in the U.S., looking to recruit federal workers who recently were fired.

[17:16:53] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DEAN: The European Union's top diplomat says it's time for a new leader of the free world, saying it's quote, "up to us Europeans to take this challenge".

This as European leaders prepare to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy tomorrow during a summit in London where they're going to try to figure out what's next for the war-torn country following yesterday's explosive clash with President Trump.

And joining us now, former State Department spokesperson under President Biden, Ned Price. Ned, thanks so much for being here with us.

I first just want to get your thoughts just on the juxtaposition of what we saw in the Oval Office yesterday compared with what Keir Starmer, the big bear hug he enveloped Zelenskyy in today outside of 10 Downing Street and just how he went to great pains to telegraph his support.

Just your thoughts on how very opposed American policy is right now with that of one of its closest allies, the U.K.

NED PRICE, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: Jessica, you couldn't have a more starker pair of reactions. Look, what we saw yesterday, it was disconcerting, it was almost painful to watch. And I unfortunately have subjected myself to watching this several times.

As someone who has worked in and around the Oval Office over the course of many years, as an American who reveres the office precisely because it has been the venue where presidents of both political parties over the course of successive decades have protected and promoted liberty and freedom and democracy, and gave meaning to that very term that you heard from the European leader, the leader of the free world, that is not at all what we saw yesterday.

In fact, we saw quite the opposite yesterday. I think what we saw yesterday was an ambush. And I think it was in many ways a premeditated ambush. Not to, of course, support our partner who is being subjugated and subjected to brutal aggression by its larger neighbor to the east, but rather to score political points.

And I think what you've been discussing over the course of the past hour, the ways in which the White House is really touting this as President Trump putting America first and doing away with the approach the Biden administration took is Exhibits A through Z of the way they are trying to squeeze as much political juice out of this.

This is a warped worldview unfortunately, where President Zelenskyy is in some ways, according to President Trump's own mind, responsible for his first impeachment, that so-called perfect phone call, and a warped worldview in which President Putin rather than be the bully that is invading his next-door neighbor, is a fellow victim.

Because again, in President Trump's mind, they went through the so- called Russia hoax together. He spoke of a sense of camaraderie with President Putin and displayed a sense of antagonism towards President Zelenskyy that we haven't seen.

And we saw quite the opposite today, as you said, from the prime minister himself in London. But I think also more tellingly, from the citizens of the United Kingdom. They came out in force to the streets to welcome President Zelenskyy's motorcade, to show their support, to show their enthusiasm for him.

That is the response that the president of Ukraine should have received from the White House as well.

[17:24:48]

DEAN: And Russian officials were reportedly gob-smacked by what happened in the Oval Office. Russia clearly quite happy with how things have turned.

That relationship between Putin and Trump, how would you characterize it at this point? And what do you think that does for the national security of the United States?

PRICE: Well, you're right. Moscow is, of course, jubilant over what they've seen over the course of the past 24 hours. Americans are reckoning with this. Our European allies and partners are reckoning with this.

In the Kremlin, they're rejoicing and they're rejoicing for one simple reason. There is a recipe that the American government knows, our European allies know, and the Kremlin knows for ultimately achieving and securing Ukraine that is victorious. That is to say, a Ukraine that is prosperous, that is sovereign with the means and ability to defend itself going forward.

And there are three elements to that, each of which is fundamental, but one is much more important than the other. Very quickly it is forms of assistance, security assistance, economic assistance, humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.

It is costs and consequences on Moscow, that is to say, the sanctions, the export controls, the other economic and financial measures that the -- that the West and our partners and allies have imposed on Moscow.

But three, and this is the most important leg of the stool, It is a sense of unified sense of purpose, a sense of unity across the Atlantic, across the Pacific, countries standing with Ukraine, standing against this brutal aggression that we've seen from the Kremlin.

Without that unity, it gives Putin a sense that he has an escape hatch, that he has a way out of this, that the pressure will be relenting and that he will be able to make peace on his terms.

And those terms, of course, will not be favorable for Ukraine, but also they won't be favorable for the forces of democracy and liberty and freedom around the world.

If Putin ends up victorious, it will, of course, be a victory for Putin. It will, of course, be a victory for the North Koreans who are fighting alongside him.

But it will be a victory for every autocrat and would-be autocrat the world over, including in China as President Xi is watching very closely as he thinks about his next steps vis-a-vis Taiwan, his next steps vis-a-vis our allies and partners in the Pacific, with whom he has territorial disputes.

These lessons will be learned. They will be internalized by autocrats and despots around the world.

DEAN: And the Trump administration and his allies, some of whom I've talked to today, have said -- they make the argument nobody else on earth can broker this deal. No one else on earth can get everybody to come to the table and try to get a peace deal. That this is just kind of how it has to go to get to peace. Do you agree with that assessment?

PRICE: Jessica, I think we have to define peace. Virtually any American president could impose peace on these parties if peace entails surrender. If peace entails essentially a ceasefire, telling the Russians, telling the Ukrainians stop fighting. Stop where you are, lay down your arms.

I think we have to think of a ceasefire as tantamount to surrender. That is because a ceasefire is not the same thing as a just peace -- a just peace that distinguishes the aggressor, Russia in this case, from the victim Ukraine in this case.

If a ceasefire were imposed on both parties, it would cede some 20 percent of Ukraine's territory to Russia. It would send a very clear signal to Putin that his aggression has been rewarded. He is getting something in return for it.

And I think perhaps even more concerningly it will send a prospective message, both for Putin but also for despots and autocrats around the world, that there will be no cost. There will be no consequences for this type of aggression, really a type of aggression that we thought was nearly banished with the end of the Second World War when countries came together and said there are certain rules of the road, big countries cannot bully smaller countries. Might does not make right.

We will live together, respecting our sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Putin is flaunting all of those things.

And if a ceasefire aka a surrender is imposed, all of those rules will be out the window. It will be open season for leaders like Putin once again.

DEAN: All right. Ned Price, thank you for your time. We really appreciate it.

PRICE: Thank you.

DEAN: Tonight as police investigate why Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy died, we are getting new details from the couple's relatives and longtime friends about the days before their deaths.

[17:29:30]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:33:54]

DEAN: Investigators are revealing new details in an Oscar-winner, Gene Hackman, and his wife Betsy's deaths this week, as family and friends mourn their loss.

Police now say data from Hackman's pacemaker shows he was likely deceased nine days before those bodies we're found in their Santa Fe home. And that mummification was present in both.

They also report there were no signs of poisons, carbon monoxide leaks or foul play. But the circumstances are what they call suspicious enough to warrant a thorough look.

CNN's Josh Campbell has the latest now from New Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Significant new details tonight in the death of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his 65-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, after their bodies were discovered inside their New Mexico home.

Investigators now say it is very likely the 95-year-old actor died over a week before he was found.

ADAN MENDOZA, SHERIFF, SANTA FE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr. Hackman's pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on February 17, 2025.

CAMPBELL: The Santa Fe sheriff says tests have also confirmed that Hackman and Arakawa both tested negative for carbon monoxide.

[17:35:05]

There's also new information released about several items seized by police from Hackman's home. Two green-colored cellular devices, three medicines, a thyroid medication a medication used to treat high blood pressure or chest pain, and Tylenol.

Also, records from MyQuest, a medical diagnostic service and a 2025 planner.

MENDOZA: We'll be analyzing cell phone data, phone calls, text messages, events, photos in the -- in the cell phone to try to piece a timeline together and then hopefully make a determination of what may have happened to -- to both the individuals. CAMPBELL: Their bodies were discovered Wednesday inside their Santa

Fe, New Mexico, home. Deputies considered the circumstances suspicious enough to warrant a thorough investigation.

MENDOZA: I think I'm pretty confident that there is no foul play, just based on the lack of -- of evidence of foul play. But we, of course, were not ruling that out.

CAMPBELL: Deputies found them during a welfare check request from two maintenance workers who told police they had not been in contact with the homeowners for about two weeks.

Investigators say the 95-year-old actor was found on the ground in a mud room. Arakawa was found on the ground inside a bathroom next to an open prescription pill bottle, with pills scattered around.

A German Shepherd dog was also found dead near her body inside a crate. Officials say a toxicology report could take some time.

MENDOZA: It could be a month or three months or longer, in my experience.

CAMPBELL (on camera): And in addition to waiting on toxicology reports, investigators are also waiting to get into the cell phones they seized at Gene Hackman's home.

They say that could contain critical information to help them build this timeline about when the couple actually died.

They say they may have to reach out to other agencies in order to try to get into those devices.

Josh Campbell, CNN, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DEAN: Americas support for Ukraine's war has certainly shifted in the three years since Russia's invasion. We are running the numbers on just how much and how that may be influencing the White House's strategy. Harry Enten is here, when we come back.

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[17:41:43]

DEAN: On the campaign trail, a recurring promise from then-Candidate Trump was he would end the war between Ukraine and Russia on his first day back in the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: And I'll have that done -- I'll have that done in 24 hours.

After we win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled.

I will have that war settled between Putin and Zelenskyy as president- elect, before I take office on January 20th.

That is a war that's dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You said that you could make that deal before you take office. Do you still think you can make that deal?

TRUMP: I -- I'm going to try.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: But after the fireworks in the Oval Office, it may be even more difficult to end the war anytime soon.

CNN chief data analyst, Harry Enten, joining us now to run the numbers on this.

Hello, Harry.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Hello.

DEAN: Obviously, any negotiations to end this war are complex. But tell us where Republican voters stand on ending the war.

ENTEN: Yes. I know a lot of my Democratic friends couldn't believe what they we're seeing in the White House yesterday between President Zelenskyy and President Trump.

But I think a lot of Republicans we're cheering President Trump on. And I think this gives you an understanding of what exactly is cooking on that side of the aisle.

Republicans on the Russia-Ukraine war, look at this, want a quick end of the war? But Russia still keeps the captured land from Ukraine.

Look at this. Look at the majority of Republicans, 74 percent, three quarters of Republicans, near unanimity on that particular subject, compared to just 25 percent who say that they support Ukraine's fight, even if it means a longer lasting war.

The bottom line is this is it's very clear, very, very clear that Republicans want an end to this war. They are willing for Ukraine to give up that land that Russia currently has.

They do not want this war extended. And I think what we saw yesterday in the White House was a clear illustration of that Republican point of view. Donald Trump representing Republicans well on this issue.

DEAN: And so what is the trend line, though, on how Republicans have felt about the war ending? ENTEN: Yes, I mean, sometimes I just go, oh, my goodness gracious. You

see a trend line just sort of jump out at you off the screen. Right?

So Republicans who want the Russia-Ukraine war to end, even if Russia keeps the captured land, you go back to August of 2022, which is 46 percent of Republicans. You look, by October of 2023, it was 55 percent of Republicans.

But again, look at where we were by the end of last year, and 74 percent of Republicans.

My goodness gracious. This is the type of trend line that leads to what we saw in the White House yesterday, whereby Republicans have changed their point of view on this war tremendously from where they we're two years ago, let alone three years ago, back in august of 2022.

The bottom line is that Republicans want this war to end, even if it means that Russia keeps the captured land from Ukraine -- Jessica?

DEAN: It is an incredible trend line that you map out there.

What about Republican feelings toward Vladimir Zelenskyy?

ENTEN: Yes. I mean, again, what we saw yesterday in the White House is just a clear illustration of where Republicans are on this issue.

Republicans on Zelenskyy doing the right thing when it comes to world affairs, 67 percent back in 2022 believe that he will do the right thing, compared to just 32 percent said he wouldn't.

[17:45:05]

Look at where we were by last year, though, 55 percent. The clear majority say that he won't do the right thing. He won't do the right thing.

So yesterday, in the White House, I think a lot of Republicans felt that there was an illustration of that compared to just 34 percent. Look at that, a 33 point drop from where we were in 2022. He said he will.

The bottom line is, I think yesterday confirmed the priors for Republicans who believe Zelenskyy will not do the right thing when it comes to world affairs.

DEAN: And what about how Republicans feel about the U.S. role in helping Ukraine?

ENTEN: Yes, again, I mean, look at that, look at -- look at this trend line. Look at this. GOP who say the U.S. backs Ukraine too much when it comes to the war. Back in February of 2022, it was 6 percent.

Look at where we were by last month, 62 percent of Republicans say the U.S. backs Ukraine too much. Again, I think they'd be big fans of what they saw in the White House yesterday -- Jessica? DEAN: Yes. And lastly, Zelenskyy tried to make the point yesterday

that what happens in this war will eventually matter to the U.S. but do Americans feel that way?

ENTEN: Yes. Do Americans feel that way? Do Republicans feel that way? GOP on the Russia-Ukraine war outcome matters a great deal to life in the U.S.? Back in March of 2022, it was half of Republicans, 50 percent. Look at where we were by last month, just 15 percent.

Again, Republicans will agree with Donald Trump. They disagree with Zelenskyy on this particular issue. That's just a story of a change. Republican Party -- Jessica?

DEAN: It certainly is, Harry Enten, and you lay it out with all those numbers. Thank you so much for that.

ENTEN: Thank you.

DEAN: The man who left New York's governorship in scandal just a few years ago now hoping to mount a big time political comeback. But Andrew Cuomo is jumping into an already crowded campaign for mayor of New York. We'll talk more about it when we come back.

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[17:51:25]

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ANDREW CUOMO, (D), FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR & NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: It won't be easy, but I know we can turn this city around. And I believe I can help. And that is why I announce my candidacy today for mayor of New York City.

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DEAN: That is New York's one-time governor, Andrew Cuomo, who appears to be hoping the controversy surrounding New York Mayor Eric Adams could give him the opening he needs to unseat Adams.

The former governor announcing his new campaign today, nearly four years after he resigned from office. Eleven women accused him of sexual misconduct, allegations he still denies.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino joins us now from New York.

Gloria, a number of officials are reacting to Cuomo's announcement. What are you hearing?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jessica, the response has been fierce and it has been swift, especially among all the other candidates that are already running in this Democratic primary.

There's over six candidates that are already challenging Mayor Eric Adams. And all of them have put out strong responses to Andrew Cuomo announcing today that he is joining the race. All of them very ready to remind New Yorkers and remind voters of what

drove him out of office and all of the scandals that took place while he was governor, not just the ones that resulted in his resignation.

So we are about to see a very different stage of this primary race, the election. The primary election is in June. The general election is in November.

And the big question for several weeks now has been whether or not Andrew Cuomo was going to throw his hat in the ring. And he made it official today by that video announcement announcing that he is joining the race, reintroducing himself to New Yorkers, or at least trying.

He certainly is someone who enjoys near universal name recognition after serving as the state's governor. And he is trying to say that he is the person in this, that that is needed in this moment.

Now, I've spoken to several of my sources who are close to Cuomo, and they've told me that that is exactly the reason why the former governor is doing this now.

He believes that the city is in a moment that requires his leadership, and he sees an opening where he could potentially unseat the incumbent Mayor Adams and -- and take city hall.

It would mean the beginning of an incredible political comeback if he's able to pull it off.

As you noted at the beginning, Jessica, he resigned from office in 2021 after 11 women accused him of sexual harassment, something that he continues to deny.

So he made his announcement today. He hit the campaign trail, stopping by a union hall here in Manhattan. He also visited a restaurant in the Bronx.

And we are expecting the former governor to likely hit the campaign trail again tomorrow. We're waiting to get those details.

For now, the one person we have not yet heard from so far is the current mayor, Mayor Adams -- Jessica?

DEAN: We wait to hear from him.

All right. Gloria Pazmino, thanks so much for that update.

A new CNN original series chronicles the creation of what was once one of the most loved social media sites in the world, Twitter.

In 2006, a group of tech visionaries teamed up to build the platform, and in just a few years, it transformed how people connected with each other all around the world.

You'll see interviews with some of those closest to Twitters development and behind the scenes moments. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were a real mix of actual anarchists and people who were dreamers, like people who believed in a world that could be created through the Internet.

[17:55:07]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More than half of the team knew how to juggle.

Yes, we have a lot of jugglers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that this speaks to their counterculture kind of backgrounds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you just start up the play is the work and the work is the play. These are the people I'm laughing with all day long. I'm working through problems, and it's really fun and challenging to solve the problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This chaotic, disruptive culture of people who stayed till 3:00 in the morning at the office and wrote fantastic code. We were the most social people in the startup world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was there someone who was -- who was skilled in the ways of the pinata? I think it was.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was lively. There were a lot of characters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to run actually.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I was maybe the boring one. We were writing ideas on whiteboards. Kind of typical small startup where you show up every day and you try to invent the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: "TWITTER, BREAKING THE BIRD" premieres next Sunday night, March 9th, at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific only here on CNN.

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