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Ukraine Security Guarantees In Focus Amid Push To End War; China Closely Watching Efforts To End War In Ukraine; Freed Hostage On Life After Captivity: "I Feel Guilty"; Trump Ramps Up Attacks On Smithsonian Museums, Exhibits Too Focused On How Bad Slavery Was; Hurricane Erin Prompts State Of Emergency In North Carolina; Firefighters Injured By Ruptured Gas Line Explosion In North Carolina; Missed Wallet Returned To Retired Autoworker 10 Years Later. Aired 2- 2:45a ET

Aired August 20, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:32]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world, and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, will they or won't they? The White House is touting preparations for a one-on-one meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents. But Moscow is non-committal.

Seizing the moment. China is watching what's unfolding between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin for an opportunity to shake things up.

Also:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIYA COHEN, FORMER HOSTAGE: I feel guilty by myself. When I eat, I feel guilty. When I get shower, I feel guilty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: More than 500 days, CNN speaks exclusively to a freed Israeli hostage about his terrifying time in captivity.

Plus, lost and found. The heartwarming story behind this beat up wallet.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. The White House says plans are now underway to get the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to meet face to face in hopes of finding a path to peace.

But so far, Moscow is refusing to commit to such a meeting. U.S. President Donald Trump, who sat down with both leaders in the past few days, says he thinks it would be better if Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet for talks without him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I understand accommodations for that meeting are underway. The president has spoken to both leaders about this, and both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The Kremlin, though, has yet to make any firm commitments. Russia's Foreign Minister says meetings between top officials must be prepared with the utmost care.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages in order to prepare for the summits. This is the kind of serious approach we will always support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: In the hours ahead, NATO military leaders are set to meet to discuss Ukraine as Russia's attacks continue unabated.

In fact, Russia launched its largest aerial attack since July on the same day Trump and Zelenskyy met at the White House.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny is following all the developments from the White House.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: President Trump and the White House still making plans for a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, although the Kremlin has not yet agreed to this meeting. Now, the president making clear that it was his idea for this one-on- one meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I had a very successful meeting with President Putin. I had a very successful meeting with President Zelenskyy. And now I thought it would be better if they met without me just to see. I want to see what goes on.

You know, they had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship. And now we'll see how they do and if necessary, and it probably would be, but if necessary, I'll go and I'll probably be able to get it closed. I just want to see what happens at the meeting.

ZELENY: And those were the president's words in a new radio interview on Tuesday evening, making clear that he believed a one-on-one meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy would be better before he joined them.

Of course, all of that is still very much an open question. Now some potential locations the White House is saying for a meeting, should it happen would be possibly a Switzerland, possibly even Hungary. The Middle East, also a possibility. Even the United Nations in New York City, they're having their general assembly, their annual fall meeting, just next month. That's also one possibility.

But so many questions are still hanging over all of this. Security guarantees are chief among them.

Now President Trump saying on Tuesday he will not put American troops on the ground. That is a bit of a reversal from what he said Monday, when he did not rule out that possibility.

However, air support, he said, is something that he will still consider.

So, so many questions still hanging over all of this, even as fighting continues in Ukraine.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joining me now from Berlin, New York Times Chief Diplomatic Correspondent in Europe, Steven Erlanger, good to have you with us.

[02:05:00]

STEVEN ERLANGER, NEW YORK TIMES CHIEF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT IN EUROPE: Thanks, Rosemary. Nice to be here.

CHURCH: So, after Monday's high stakes Oval Office meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, along with European leaders, the White House is now insisting that Putin is willing to meet with Zelenskyy, but the Kremlin isn't committing to those bilateral talks. Will Putin ever agree, given he doesn't recognize Zelenskyy as an equal? And the longer this drags on, the more ground Russia gains on the battlefield.

ERLANGER: Well, I think they're very reluctant to do it. I was very amused by Lavrov, who is a very good Foreign Minister, however cynical saying all these meetings have been really well prepared, except, of course, the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska, which wasn't very well prepared.

But still, I think Putin is very reluctant to see Zelenskyy. He would see Zelenskyy to sign a final peace treaty, which I don't expect to happen either, and he might see him if Zelenskyy were to surrender, but the only reason he'd see him is if -- is if he really believes Trump is about to somehow punish him, and then, OK, he'd be willing to put up with it. But I think they're in no hurry. And I think this -- it was interesting to hear this idea of the U.N. General Assembly, they could do a sort of pull aside there, but that's at least a month away.

But the idea of a big media opportunity Putin-Zelenskyy, I think, well, put it this way, I don't think the Kremlin wants it unless Trump really, really pressures them to do it.

CHURCH: And Steven, what did European news outlets make of these talks in the Oval Office, particularly the key topic of security guarantees for Ukraine, of course, the overall optics of their leaders meeting with Trump?

ERLANGER: Well, on one level, there was, you know, a lot of positive feeling, the Europeans had gotten their act together. They were defending their principles, their red lines, defending Ukraine, making the argument that Ukraine security is also Europe's security.

And then there was the undercurrent of, oh my god, this is so humiliating that we all have to go rushing to the feet of the king and listen to him and have to praise him the way his own cabinet does. But we're all doing it for a good reason.

So, that's the second part, the security guarantee thing. I'm very skeptical. I don't really even like the word guarantee, as you know, when you buy something, most guarantees have lots of opt outs, and sometimes you don't really have a guarantee at all if the United States isn't prepared to really engage on them.

First, let's be honest, the Europeans haven't been willing to fight for Ukraine. So why would they be willing to fight for Ukraine down the road?

And secondly, all of this depends on a peace treaty. All of it depends on a settlement. All of it is conditional on Vladimir Putin agreeing to end this war. And frankly, I don't see that happening.

CHURCH: And by Tuesday, the U.S. president reverted back to falsely blaming Ukraine for starting the war in various interviews and on Fox News, he talked about the warmth and decent feeling between himself and Vladimir Putin. How's all this being received in Europe, and how dangerous is talk like that?

ERLANGER: Well, it's kind of going it's -- we're going into cycles of Trump demotion, and Trump has never liked Zelenskyy. He has always liked Putin. He thinks he and Putin have a great relationship and can do a deal. I don't know what kind of deal they think they could do, because, frankly, the trade between the two countries is quite small. I'd rather have him do a great deal with Putin on Strategic Arms Control, which is beginning to fall away, and other major issues like that.

But he doesn't like Zelenskyy. He really has bought into the Putin narrative that if Ukraine would only just give up its territory, this would all be fine, and Ukraine really sort of belongs to the Russian world. And why is it being so difficult.

At the same time, it is worth saying Donald Trump sincerely wants to end the war. And he has said over and over again that after a settlement, Ukraine -- sovereign Ukraine should be safe within what's left of its borders.

CHURCH: Steven Erlanger in Berlin, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate your perspective and analysis.

ERLANGER: Thank you. CHURCH: Well, China is keeping a close eye on the negotiations over

Ukraine. Experts believe Beijing is looking for cracks in western unity and eventually for an opening to launch an invasion of its own.

[02:10:03]

CNN's Will Ripley explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As U.S. President Donald Trump poses for talks with Ukraine's president, China's leaders see something very different, opportunity.

Observers of Chinese leader Xi Jinping say, what's at stake is nothing less than reshaping the world order, perhaps even tilt the balance of power toward Beijing.

When it comes to Russia's war in Ukraine, China's official position remains objective and impartial, even promoting peace talks. But on China's tightly controlled social media, comments like these are meant to cast doubt on America's traditional alliances, and they're being allowed to go viral.

Trump doesn't give a damn about Europe. Trump loves Putin so much, he did everything he could to become president just to protect him and keep him safe.

A popular pro-Chinese government researcher predicts cracks in the Western alliance will continue to deepen. NATO's role will be weakened. The E.U. and Japan will continue to be marginalized, and Ukraine is destined to be the biggest loser.

All of it rattling nerves here in Taiwan. A small island claimed but never controlled by China's communist leaders.

VANESSA CHEN, TAIPEI RESIDENT: It does make me feel a bit worried, like I cannot predict what Trump is going to do. And I think compared to the Ukraine situation, I do feel like we are like one of the items on the list that can be traded for Trump's -- for his own good.

RIPLEY (voice-over): I do worry that Taiwan's security will be traded away, he says, but I also believe there will be other ways for Taiwan to protect itself.

Trump claims President Xi personally promised not to invade this island democracy, at least while Trump's in office.

TRUMP: He told me, I will never do it as long as you're president. President Xi told me that. And I said, well, I appreciate that. But he also said, but I am very patient and China is very patient.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Taiwan's government says it's continuously committed to improving its self-defense capabilities. Recently holding its largest ever military drills, putting billions U.S.-supplied weapons on full display. Chinese commentators certainly took note when Trump cozied up to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin in Alaska, saying NATO's role is shrinking and the west is fracturing, something Xi Jinping may have predicted even before Trump's reelection.

We dug up this Russian state media footage from the Kremlin more than two years ago. Xi is on camera telling Putin, change is coming that hasn't happened in 100 years. And we are driving this change together. The world is bracing for what comes next.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (on camera): Observers say Beijing is definitely watching for an opening here. Trump's warm approach to Putin could weaken unity between the U.S. and Europe, some fear, and that is something that China would welcome. And it could give Xi Jinping more room to maneuver here in Taiwan. Beijing has vowed to take this island democracy by force if necessary.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

CHURCH: Still ahead, in an exclusive interview, CNN's Clarissa Ward sat down with released Israeli hostage, Eliya Cohen, who endured more than 500 days in Hamas captivity.

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[02:17:55]

CHURCH: More than 24 hours after Hamas said it accepts a cease fire proposal, there's still no word publicly from Israel. But Israel's hostage coordinator texted families of hostages still held in Gaza that negotiation efforts are taking place around the clock.

The Israeli official acknowledged the family's concerns, but says the talks require full confidentiality. The cease fire proposal put forward by Qatar and Egypt calls for the fighting to stop for 60 days, along with the release of about half the hostages living and deceased.

The Trump administration appears to be taking some credit for Hamas agreeing to the proposal. The White House claims President Trump's statements on social media calling for Hamas to be, "Confronted and destroyed, pushed the group to say yes to the deal."

Eliya Cohen endured Hamas captivity for more than 500 days after he was taken hostage from the Nova Music Festival on October 7th back in 2023. In his first interview with foreign media since his release earlier this year, Cohen details the harrowing experience to CNN's Clarissa Ward. And a warning there are graphic images and descriptions in this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: I feel guilty. I feel guilty by myself. When I eat, I feel guilty. When I get showered, I feel guilty. When I go to the hospital to check something, I feel guilty because I know what they go through right now.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eliya Cohen has been free for six months, but he's still imprisoned by the knowledge that his fellow hostages are not.

Eliya and his girlfriend, Ziv Abud were at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. When rockets started raining down, they ran to a shelter only to come under attack by Hamas militants.

COHEN: In this road, the first grenade inside. And the grenade explode and killed the most people in -- at the entrance. At that moment, I jump on Ziv and I told her, Ziv, I love you. I took dead bodies and I cover me and Ziv to survive. They came inside and they start to shoot. And then I got shoot in my leg.

[02:20:19]

WARD: What's going through your mind in this moment?

COHEN: I really start to pray to God, to tell him, God, I love you, please keep me alive. And they came inside. And when I opened my eyes, I saw them film us with big smile. And when I came out of the shelter, so I saw so many people with RPG, with grenade, with Kalashnikov, with a lot of tools to kill people. They were so high for me. I saw them. They laugh, they sing like crazy people.

WARD (voice-over): Eliya was bundled onto the back of a truck and taken to Gaza. Also, on that truck, Israeli American Hersh Goldberg- Polin. His hand blown off trying to throw a grenade out of the shelter. The pair would later be held together for a short time.

COHEN: We took a lot for three days. After three days, they told him that, Hersh, wake up. You go to your mother, it's happy day. You go to your mother, be happy. And he gave me his book. He got some book in English. I didn't know to speak English before.

WARD: You didn't know how to speak English before?

COHEN: Yes. He didn't know, not speak English before. He told me, take it from me because I go home. Keep it for you. So, it really gave me power to continue because I saw to myself that Hersh came back home, maybe he will come to my mother and to my father to tell him that I'm alive and I will be OK.

WARD (voice-over): But Hersh never came back home. He was executed by Hamas along with five other hostages.

COHEN: So, for me, it was difficult because I really love him. We were for three days, but it felt like we were friends for 10 years.

WARD: I'd love to get a sense from you of the bond between hostages.

COHEN: The experience there and the connection of us, you know, the situation made us really connected. We really love each other.

WARD (voice-over): Most of Eliya's captivity was spent deep in tunnels alongside fellow hostages Or Levy, Alon Ohel and Eli Sharabi. He says he went an entire year without brushing his teeth. At one point, surviving on a single can of beans shared between them each day.

COHEN: I can tell you about a lot of situation that they came and really tried to do any torture to laugh on us. Like --

WARD: Mind games?

COHEN: Yes, like mind games. You can call it mind games. After something like eight months without mattress, without nothing, we slept on the floor.

They came with big smile. And little us, we have big good news for you. We gave you mattress, but we have bad news, we gave you just three. So, check who slept on the floor and -- who will sleep on the floor and who will sleep on the mattress. And we look to each other, you know, nobody want to continue to sleep on the floor after so many days, we tired.

One of the hostages, his name is Alon Ohel, and that's still there. He came and told to the terrorist, give them mattress for them, I will sleep on the floor.

WARD (voice-over): After 505 days, Eliya was finally released, reunited with his parents and his girlfriend, Ziv, who he had assumed was killed in the shelter.

COHEN: And then I met Ziv, and it was like dream. For a week, it felt like dream. I look at her and I told her, Ziv, I can't believe you are here.

Because she survived.

WARD: And now, you guys are getting married, is that right?

COHEN: I can tell you. That's in the news.

WARD (voice-over): Since his release, Ziv is always by his side.

COHEN: She want to join us.

WARD: She wants to join us? OK.

COHEN: Yes.

WARD: Let's put a microphone on you. I mean, Ziv, did you ever let yourself imagine that moment while you were waiting for Eliya?

ZIV ABUD, ELIYA'S GIRLFRIEND: No, not really because I was scared. I never let myself to imagine this moment because I don't want -- I didn't want to fall, you know? I told to myself, I believe just when I see that Eliya across the border to Israel with -- you know, with soldier, and this is the moment that I look and told myself, OK, now you can breathe.

[02:25:19] WARD: In an interview with Israeli media during the cease fire, Eliya

said that he worried that if the fighting continued, it would be, "A death sentence for the hostages." In our conversation, he was very careful not to criticize Prime Minister Netanyahu or his plan to occupy the whole of Gaza. But other hostage families have been more outspoken about their fears.

Clarissa Ward, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: U.S. President Donald Trump says the nation's top museums in Washington are too focused on the negative parts of American history, including slavery. Details coming up after the break.

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[02:30:29]

CHURCH: The U.S. president is increasing his attacks on the Smithsonian Museums. Donald Trump is accusing them of being too focused on highlighting the negative parts of American history, including "how bad slavery was." The campaign to rid cultural institutions of so-called woke agenda is similar to his crackdown on universities across the country. CNN's Kristen Holmes has more.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump escalated his attacks on Smithsonian Museums today in a Truth Social post, posting this, said the Smithsonian is out of control where everything discussed is how horrible our country is, how bad slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been. Nothing about success, nothing about brightness, nothing about the future.

Now, there are a lot of reasons for concern over this post. We know that this comes after President Trump ordered a sweeping review of Smithsonian Institutions, and I want to read to you a portion of the letter of why they said that they were ordering this review. They said that this aims to ensure alignment with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.

Now, there were no specifics as to what exactly they were going to remove from these various Smithsonian Museums, but there was a lot of concerns that this would be an effort on the White House's part to try and whitewash history, to try and get rid of some of the parts of history that are uglier like slavery, but the things that make America, America. Now, this post essentially to many is going to confirm that that is what the White House is looking to do, particularly when he is mentioning their slavery and saying essentially, that these museums do is paint slavery in a negative light. And it's unclear how you would have slavery in a museum and not paint it in a dark or negative light.

It was obviously a very dark time in American history, but again, is part of what is the fabric that makes America the country it is today. So lots of concern already, lots of pushback, particularly now that we're seeing a little bit more in terms of specifics of what President Trump is trying to do when it comes to those Smithsonian Museums.

Kristin Holmes, CNN, the White House.

CHURCH: Just ahead, how a random Facebook message and an unexpected reunion gave a retired auto worker renewed hope in humanity. Back with that in just a moment.

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[02:37:46]

CHURCH: Much of the U.S. East Coast is seeing dangerous surf conditions from Hurricane Erin and destructive waves and storm surge could reach North Carolina's outer banks in the day ahead. The state's governor declared a state of emergency Tuesday to free up resources ahead of the storm's impact. Erin is just shy of Category 3 strength. And while landfall is not expected, coastal flooding is still a concern. Bermuda could also be impacted by rough seas and tropical storm-force winds later this week.

Elsewhere in North Carolina, a ruptured gas line injured several firefighters and sent debris flying. Smoke and flame shot into the air after a car crashed into gas lines for a veterinary center that's under construction. Fire crews were evacuating people from the building when the explosion took place. Police say the driver fled the scene, but was later arrested and showed signs of impairment.

A retired auto worker in Michigan has experienced a reunion he never expected with a wallet he lost more than 10 years ago. Richard Guilford was repairing a car on a Ford factory line when his wallet fell out of his shirt pocket. He said he and his coworkers searched dozens of cars hoping to find it with no luck. The wallet was a Christmas gift from his sons. It contained $15 in cash, his work ID, driver's license, lottery tickets and gift cards worth $275. Guilford says he never expected to see it again, but just a few days ago, he received a Facebook message from Chad Volk in Minnesota, asking Guilford if he'd lost his wallet. Volk had found it in the engine bay of the car he was repairing, safe and sound. Volk mailed it back to Guilford who says the act of kindness "restores your faith in humanity." Love it.

Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. "World Sport" is coming up next. Then, I'll be back at the top of the hour with more "CNN Newsroom." Do stay with us.

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