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Source: Biden Weighing Sending up to 5,000 Troops to Region; Siege Tightens After ISIS Prion Break in Syria; Omicron, Olympics Test China's COVID-Free Fight; NATO Chief Holds Urgent Meetings with European Ministers; U.S. Considers Sending Troops to Eastern Europe; Environmental Groups: Volcano Damage could be Long-Lasting. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 24, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, Atlanta. This is "Connect the World".
LARRY MADOWO, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello and welcome to "Connect the World". I'm Larry Madowo filling in for my colleague Becky Anderson.
Tonight we are watching several pressure points around the world. We're learned today that China's sent dozens of warplanes near Taiwan over the
past two days. For the second time in a week, Yemen's Iran backed Houthi militants fired missiles toward the UAE and other forefront the standoff
involving Russia and Ukraine.
Russia conducting exercises here as the situation grows tenser by the day, more and all these crises coming up, including the U.S. role. But we start
with intense meetings and troops on standby. The focus over the Ukraine standoff is shifting to Europe.
Right now the NATO Chief is holding urgent talks with European Foreign Ministers amid growing fears that Russia will invade Ukraine. NATO has more
forces at the ready, and it is dispatching more ships and fighter jets to the region. U.S. President Joe Biden considering sending up to 5000 troops
to Eastern Europe, the White House is said to be in the final stages of identifying which units it will send.
The top U.S. diplomat met with both sides and briefed his European counterparts on those meetings earlier today. He told CNN what the U.S. is
trying to do to prevent an invasion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: When it comes to sanctions, the purpose of those sanctions is to deter Russian aggression. And so if
they're - if they're triggered, now, you lose the deterrent effect. All of the things that we're doing, including building up in a united way with
Europe, massive consequences for Russia, is designed to factor into President Putin's calculus and to deter and dissuade them from taking
aggressive action.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: CNN is covering the story from all angles throughout this hour. Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance is in Kiev; our
International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is in Moscow. We will also hear from U.S. Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood at the State Department
and Melissa Bell from Paris. We'll have more on the EU diplomatic front.
Let's kick things off our coverage right now with the Melissa bell and Kiley Atwood would at this hour. Melissa France is advising against non-
essential travel to Ukraine, but still keeping its embassy staff in Kiev. EU Foreign Ministers have been meeting and we could hear a statement in
this hour. But what's the latest European thinking on this standoff with Ukraine?
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: Well, today is really about bringing those foreign ministers together to try and decide what they're going to
do. Bear in mind that European countries represent the majority of NATO membership.
So finding some kind of unity within Europe on this question of sanctions and adopting that tough approach that the United States has, and
coordinating that within NATO is extremely dependent on what comes out of this meeting today.
Now, traditionally, historically, there have been divisions within Europe, on what position what stance to adopt when it comes to Russia, some
countries looking at more dialogue, more cooperation, less confrontation, others looking at acting more forcefully.
Of course, what has happened over the course of the last few weeks in Ukraine has helped focus the minds of European more along the lines of
coming down hard. We heard from Ursula Von Der Leyen back in December that Europe was looking at preparing some of the toughest sanctions; it had been
certainly tougher than anything we've seen in or since 2014.
And the consequences of any Russian action within Ukraine would be massive. The trouble is that of course, the European Union itself as an institution
does not have a table with a NATO. It has individual European countries that sit within the alliance.
But coming together within that framework in Brussels today within the framework of the European Union to try and decide what sanctions they might
consider is, of course, a crucial step to achieving that unity with a NATO that the United States has made such a central plank of its approach to
Russia.
This time we mentioned we heard a second ago from Antony Blinken, he's been speaking to the European foreign ministers urging them to come down on this
unified and hard stance towards Russia. We await a press conference that should come within the next couple of hours on exactly what's been decided.
And we should know more about the sanctions, Larry, that they've been preparing behind the scenes with much secrecy about precisely what was
likely to come out because of crucial to this, as we were just hearing from Secretary of State Blinken is the deterrent effect.
And of course, the point that once action is taken that is deemed sufficient to trigger the sanctions they come in a way that penalizes
Russia without Russia being forewarned. So we look to hear precisely how tough and how united Europeans are going to be able to be by the end of the
day, Larry?
MADOWO: A lot happening in this hour, and we'll keep everybody updated as soon as we hear something. Kylie, the U.S. State Department is reducing
staff levels at Embassy in Ukraine. But official say this is an out of an abundance of caution. And the threat to U.S. personnel of the country has
not increased in recent days. So what more do we know since Secretary Blinken returned from the region?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well listen, there's been a tremendous amount of activity since Blinken's trip to Europe last week and
then of course on Friday he is meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
[11:05:00]
ATWOOD: We have seen as you said, the State Department move to make this move to draw down some of its personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, they
are allowing those were not considered to be necessary personnel to come back to the United States if they want to.
And they are also ordering all of the family members of U.S. diplomats in Ukraine to return to the United States. So as you said, this isn't
something that happened because of a specific action that Russia has taken towards Ukraine in the last 24 hours, 48 hours or the like.
It is the totality of the situation, according to State Department officials familiar with this decision that led them to trigger this
decision to get the wheels in motion to get folks out of the country, given the possibility, as Biden Administrations have been - administration
officials have been saying over the last few days, that Russia could invade Ukraine, really at any time now.
And the other thing that is hugely significant over the weekend is that President Biden along with his national security team reviewed options to
bolster the U.S. troop presence in Eastern Europe and in the Baltics.
Of course that is done to reassure European allies that the U.S. stands behind them and supports Ukraine if Russia invades and of course, it is
also, probably first and foremost, to deter Russia from potentially doing so.
Now the Pentagon is in the final stages of identifying U.S. troops who could be deployed. If the Biden Administration chooses to do this chooses
to send somewhere between 1000 and 5000 U.S. troops to those locations. So we will watch and see for a final decision.
But the wheels are in motion in terms of the Biden Administration preparing for what could be confrontation here, continued aggression from Russia, a
potential invasion into Ukraine as last week, Secretary Blinken was continuing with diplomacy and later this week, the Biden Administration
will continue the diplomatic front as well.
They'll give Russia some written answers, some written ideas, some written concerns to work through that something that the Russians have been
demanding on the diplomatic front for, you know, a few weeks now.
MADOWO: And back to you, Melissa, you mentioned this $1.35 billion financial package of assistance, the European Union is offering to
strengthen Ukraine state building and resilience efforts. But the EU has not decided whether to ask some diplomats and their families in Ukraine to
leave the country like the U.S. and the UK. But could that change in the hours ahead? What are you hearing?
BELL: For the time being we've been hearing that Europeans were chosen for himself the EU top diplomat said they will be leaving their staff intact in
Ukraine to wait and see. But you're quite right, that one 1.3 billion euro worth of health that's being given to Ukraine by the European Commission.
So quite separate from the meeting of foreign affairs ministers that we're talking about today representing their own countries. This is the
commission this is Europe, saying to Ukraine at this very important time that it is going to help it on a financial level.
And that is important of course, Larry as well, because you'll remember that at the start of this, at least if you cast your mind back to 2014, at
the heart of the - revolution was at that association agreement that had so upset Moscow that beginning of cooperation, it wasn't really to do with
Ukraine and NATO it was to do with Ukraine and the European Union.
So an important bit of help from the EU and a strong signal sent that whatever its individual member states decide about sanctions and - right
now, Europe at stands by Ukraine and will continue to help it financially Larry.
MADOWO: Many thanks Melissa Berlin in Paris and Kylie Atwood at the State Department here in the U.S many thanks to both of you. I want to cross over
now to Kiev and CNN Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance is standing by.
We've been talking a lot about Ukraine with the second shipment of weapons coming from the U.S. into the country over this past weekend. The U.S. of
the UK asking some diplomats have their families to leave the country, the EU talking about this financial package of assistance. But what's the
feeling in Ukraine about where things stand right now, Matthew?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, in terms of the government position, look, I mean, the Ukrainian authorities
are not particularly happy with the fact that there has been this decision by the U.S. State Department to draw down their embassy and to give
permission for non-essential staff or even to order the families of diplomats to leave.
They're saying there's no read - no reason, in terms of the security situation to do that. They're calling it basically excessive, you know,
that is unnecessary. That's been the sort of tone from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. And it kind of exposes a bit of a - bit of another rift
between the United States and Ukraine.
[11:10:00]
CHANCE: They've got a close military and political and diplomatic relationship, of course. But behind the scenes, there have been
frustrations simmering away. And as the tension builds in this region in this country, those tensions have boiled, those frustrations have boiled
over and broken through and broken through the surface.
And one of them is this one of them is this idea that your country is facing an imminent Russian invasion. It - the United States and according
to all the intelligence we've seen, yet there are these tens of thousands of Russian troops that are poised on the border waiting for an order from
the Kremlin to roll across into these vast swathes of Ukrainian territory.
What the Ukrainians position is that look, wait, that's not what we see; we don't assess that that is the real threat. There have been Russian forces
there since last year; we've been under threat from the Russians since 2014.
You know, all this talk of impending war is having a material impact on the investment climate in Ukraine. It's got a much damaged economy, of course,
because of COVID because of the conflict.
It needs foreign investment, it says it's lost billions of dollars, because of all this talk of imminent war, and it's trying to play it down. And so
that's why we saw this reaction from the foreign minister day to this decision from the United States to draw down their embassy in the United
Kingdom as well.
They want talk of war to be put to one side and for the country to receive more in terms of loan guarantees, more weapons from the United States, and
in order to defend against any future threat that they say they face from Russia, Larry.
MADOWO: Matthew Chance in Kyiv for us. Thank you. And there is so much more on Ukraine. On our website, we have in depth reporting on what it's like to
be a Ukrainian soldier on the frontlines right now. The soldier is telling our CNN team an attack will happen, but they disagree and just where it
will come from.
That's on cnn.com. No casualties have been reported after the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted by the stick missiles over Abu Dhabi. It
happened in the early hours of Monday. Iran backed Houthi rebels are claiming responsibility for targeting the UAE's capital for a second time
this month.
For more than six years now, the Houthis have been battling a Saudi led coalition that includes the UAE; the UAE has designated the Saudis as a
terror group. In this video posted on Twitter by the UAE's Defense Ministry, you can see the moment an F-16 jet destroyed what's described as
a Houthi missile launcher in Yemen. The UAE says it took the action immediately after the missiles were intercepted.
Witnesses in Abu Dhabi say they heard explosions overnight. CNN's Sam Kylie is there and joins me now. Sam would discuss this escalation throughout
this past week because of Monday's drone strikes by the Houthis in Abu Dhabi. But this escalation now kind of shatters that image of the UAE as a
safe haven in an otherwise dangerous neighborhood.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's certainly the intent, Larry of the Houthis. They've been warning all week that
international expatriates. And remember the vast majority of people here are ex patriots should leave should avoid sensitive installations, should
avoid places of work, trying to create an atmosphere of terror.
And of course, it is the terror list the international and particularly U.S. terror list that the United Arab Emirates wants to Houthi - see the
Houthis return to, the beginning of this week or rather a week ago today.
The Houthi is killed three local people more than reportedly close to 100 people were killed in counter strikes in the Yemen conducted by the Saudi
led coalition. And now we've got these ballistic missiles that have been in intersected successfully by the Emiratis, the Emiratis saying that they
also strapped back in a missile launcher inside Yemen.
The big question, though, Larry is who supplied these weapons? The answer, in terms of weapons supplied to the Houthis is Iran, or at least their
versions of weapons supplied by Iran possibly modified by the Houthi.
They've got to be fired over a vast distance, perhaps up to about 1500 kilometers, Larry, so they are sophisticated weapons, they're very accurate
weapons. They are causing a degree of consternation.
But ultimately, really, this is a question of the extent to which the Iranians new arms authorized or encouraged this use of their weapons. Or
whether this is the Houthis acting independently, just at a time when the Iranians are actually trying to reach a degree of detente, both with the
Emiratis and with the Saudis. Larry?
MADOWO: Many thanks, Sam Kylie following developments for us from Abu Dhabi. The U.S. backed Kurdish led forces are tightening the siege of a
prison in northeastern Syria. The facility holds thousands of ISIS members and there's been fierce fighting there since Thursday, when militants
staged an attack to free the prisoners.
Syrian Democratic Forces say at least 27 of their fighters dozens of ISIS members and at least 15 inmates have been killed so far.
[11:15:00]
MADOWO: Hundreds of civilians, including women and children fled their homes in the area following the ISIS attack. In neighboring Lebanon, the
country's former three time Prime Minister Saad Hariri has pulled out of the political scene, throwing crisis ridden Lebanon into further
uncertainty.
In a speech a short time ago, Hariri announced his withdrawal from political life and called an all members of his party, which makes up the
country's largest Sunni parliamentary bloc to do the same.
He blames what he calls national division and Iranian influence for his decision. Just ahead, cracking down on the unvaccinated what some
governments are doing to get more shots into arms. Plus, our David Culver shows us how China's severe efforts to fight COVID are being tested ahead
of the Winter Olympics.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says England is changing its rules so fully vaccinated travelers will be able to enter the country
without COVID tests. The announcement comes two years to the day after the first COVID case was detected in Europe.
In France, a controversial vaccine past went into effect today requiring proof of vaccination for people to enter public spaces. Over the weekend
protesters express their outrage of the past and President Emmanuel Macron who promised to make things uncomfortable for the unvaccinated.
And in Belgium, clashes broke out after some 50,000 people to the streets on Sunday to protest COVID restrictions. Some other governments are trying
to figure out how to overcome vaccine hesitancy now some plan to hit the unvaccinated where it really hurts in the wallet. CNN's Nada Bashir
explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It just got more expensive to be unvaccinated in Austria. The country's parliament passed a measure to
make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all adults.
WOLFGANG MUECKSTEIN, AUSTRALIAN HEALTH MINISTER: If we want to break the circle of lockdowns, we need this law and an end to the restrictions to
protect us from the Coronavirus. And I think that's what we all want.
BASHIR (voice over): After being passed by the upper house of parliament and signed by the President Alexander Van der Bellen, the measure is set to
come into force in February, with fines of up to roughly $4,000 rolling out in mid-March for anyone who can't provide proof of vaccination.
It'll be the strictest COVID-19 law in Europe, affecting all Australians 18 and older, their pregnant women, people with valid medical conditions and
those who have recovered from Coronavirus in the past six months will be exempt.
It's a get tough tactic that comes after weeks of volatile protests in Austria by a vocal minority over Coronavirus restrictions. And many
countries facing similar resistance say they've heard enough. In Greece people over 60 who choose not to get vaccinated now face fines of more than
$100 a month.
[11:20:00]
BASHIR (voice over): Health officials say the financial leverage seems to be working. More than 90 percent of people in that group have now received
the short many in the weeks after the mandate was announced in late November.
A similar fine is set to begin next month in Italy, where people over 50 and unvaccinated by choice will also face fines of more than $100. And by
mid-February, workers over 50 must have a health fast showing that they're vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. Otherwise, they face a fine of
up to $1,700. The Italian Prime Minister justified the step saying it's mainly the unvaccinated who are straining the country's health care system.
MARIO DRAGHI, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We must never lose sight of the fact that most of the problems we have today come from the unvaccinated. Non
vaccinated people are much more likely to develop the disease and severe forms of the disease.
BASHIR (voice over): Quebec's premier also calling out the unvaccinated saying they are putting a financial burden on others and should be taxed
for that.
FRANCOIS LEGAULT, QUEBEC PREMIER: Those who refuse to receive their first dose in the coming weeks will have to pay a new health contribution.
BASHIR (voice over): Their details have yet to be finalized. The premier says the tax could exceed 100 Canadian dollars, but will not apply to those
who can't take the shot for medical reasons. Quebec has been one of the worst hit of Canada's provinces.
The premier says even though only about 10 percent of Quebec's population is unvaccinated; those people make up 50 percent of patients in intensive
care. Critics say such a penalty could face legal challenges.
CARA ZWIBEL, GENERAL COUNSEL, CANADIAN CIVIL LIBERTIES ASSOCIATION: What the worry is that it does, you know set a precedent that this is the kind
of thing that's permissible. And so you know that the same logic that applies to this measure would apply to you know, taxing people because of
certain other choices that they make.
BASHIR (voice over): After almost a year of pleading with people to get vaccinated, many European governments are losing patience with the
holdouts. French President Emmanuel Macron says he wants to piss off the unvaccinated. But a growing number of places say it might be more effective
to make them pay up instead. Nada Bashir, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: The head of the International Olympic Committee has arrived in Beijing with fewer than two weeks ahead of the games. The games are moving
ahead as planned despite concern about COVID cases inside the Olympic bubble.
Olympic organizers say there are two new COVID cases inside the bubble and four positive cases among new Olympics arrivals. That brings the total to
35 since January 4. Now authorities are making it easier to enter China by lowering the threshold to get a negative COVID test.
Two years ago, China began showing the world its ironclad measures in its fight against COVID. While some argue its methods have shown impressive
results, the emergence of the Omicron variant and visitors arriving in Beijing for the Winter Olympics are testing the Chinese government's zero
COVID policy. David Culver reports.
(BEGIN VIDOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Snap lock downs, mass testing and tracking our every move. Two years ago, this would have seemed like a
sci-fi movie. While China's methods to combat the outbreak have evolved, the containment measures remain just as fierce and relentless and
exhausting.
CULVER (on camera): Much of what is happening today in China is rooted in the action sparked on January 23, 2020. The thought of that 3 a.m. phone
call from that day still makes my adrenaline rush. Wuhan is going on lockdown. You've got to get out.
CULVER (voice over): My team and I scrambled to get to the train station. We weren't the only ones crowds already building. The world about to learn
what China's version of a lockdown look like, a city of more than 11 million sealed off.
People can find it their homes, the streets emptied, a metropolis seemingly frozen in time. Hospitals flooded with panic patients, military like
mobilization followed. In days crews built field hospitals and quarantine centers to isolate the infected the lockdown lasted 76 days.
Looking back, this was the start of China's zero COVID policy. After leaving Wuhan and returning to Beijing, my team and I continue to -
reporting isolated in a hotel room for 14 days and early sampling of what's now so familiar, quarantine and work from home can even do it in slippers.
Today in China 21 days is mostly standard quarantine for international arrivals with some Cities requiring additional time of isolation on top of
that. That's if you're able to even get into the country.
[11:25:00]
CULVER (voice over): In February 2020, Chinese officials said the U.S. was overreacting when it cut off flights from China. But today it's China
keeping others out its borders are virtually closed off.
They view the virus as an important threat, their efforts to contain it matched only by the propaganda efforts to control the narrative of how it
started. By spring 2020, the U.S. and the rest of the world were battling their own outbreaks and China returning to near normal.
Crowds began flocking to popular spots again, and in April, Wuhan came out of lockdown the desolate streets filling up once again. A packed summer
pool party shocked the then socially distance world. Today the city's economy is recovering and people no longer fearful of leaving their homes.
Though the emotional wounds and residents who lost loved ones early on, those may never heal. Health Surveillance or contact tracing has played a
major role in China's COVID control its power unchecked in cyberspace just like in the real world.
The government keeps tabs on everyone using an increasingly sophisticated digital surveillance infrastructure, flagging those who might get too close
to a confirmed case. They also set up physical checkpoints to screen people.
You pass through them to enter parks, malls, restaurants stores, the airport, a tighten control that we thought is only temporary. Even as China
rolled out its own vaccines throughout 2021 the strict measures remained and the public's fear of the virus intensified, fanned by propaganda.
Travel within China eased a bit, but every few weeks there was a jolting reminder, a cluster of new cases prompting new lockdowns and mass testing
of tens of millions entire city populations at the Olympics near sporadic outbreaks continue to surface.
Fresh images reminiscent of Wuhan's lockdown though not lasting nearly as long, leading to more unease from neighborhoods sealed off to workers
sleeping in their offices to shoppers trapped in stores. Sudden lockdown and quarantine have dissuaded many here from traveling. Two years on COVID
policies first slapped on Wuhan now replicated nationwide.
CULVER (on camera): Portraying that strategy as a resounding success, China now sees its role on the global stage with more confidence. Authorities
double down on enforcing tough measures for another Beijing Olympics that will be safe and spectacular. So they insist even as the pandemic rages on,
David Culver, CNN Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: When we return, NATO is sending more ships and fighter jets to Eastern Europe, more and the escalation of tensions over Ukraine and what's
needed to solve this conflict.
And tensions in Taiwan, its Defense Minister reports another incursion of Chinese warplanes in its air defense zone why Beijing is making itself
seen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
MADOWO: There are new diplomatic efforts planned to end the Russia Ukraine standoff even as threats of war increase. On Wednesday in Paris
representatives from France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in so called Normandy Format talks.
And unlike in recent meetings in Europe, these talks will give Ukraine a seat at the table. EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels say they want a
diplomatic solution. The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken debriefed them by a video on his talks with his Russian counterpart last week.
Denmark's Foreign Minister warns Russia will face unprecedented sanctions if it invades Ukraine. Britain's Prime Minister offered his own warning to
Russia today.
(BEGIN VIDOE CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We need to make it very clear to the Kremlin to Russia that that would be a disastrous step. And so what we're
saying is that the UK is leading on trading the package of economic sanctions, working with our partners around the world.
I'll be talking to them this afternoon this evening, talking to colleagues and other capitals in Washington. But we also need to get over the message
that invading Ukraine from a Russian perspective is going to be a painful, violent and bloody business. And I think it's very important that people in
Russia understand that this could be a new Chechnya.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: A new Chechnya Prime Minister Boris Johnson says our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joins me now from Moscow. We've had a lot
of kind of a fire hose of news really from the UK from the weekend.
The UK said that Russia had plans to install a pro Russia leader as they decide whether it wants to invade Ukraine. We've also just seen a short
while ago, the UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss saying the United Kingdom will call out every Russian attempt to subvert Ukraine. How is all this
being received in Moscow?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, this is a fire hose that's being directed at one place in particular and really one person
in particular to President Putin and the Kremlin. And Liz Truss was meeting this afternoon with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
And clearly she has reiterated the message the messaging that came from her office. And it was the British Foreign Office, that put out the messaging
about Russia trying to install or having plans to install if it invades and occupies Ukraine having plans to install a pro-Russian leader there you
have Guinea.
Mariah is the man that they said the British Foreign Office said was the person Russia had their eye on to do this. He's essentially to CNN and to
others, denied that's the case that he's got Russian sanctions on him. But this does seem to be, you know, a fire hose with the intent of dampening
any enthusiasm in the Kremlin for a possible invasion of Ukraine.
British officials, other NATO officials and leaders in the United States as well all trying to join up and send this very clear message to President
Putin to de-escalate tensions to draw down the troops that are in the region, and to and to get into conversations about what can be achievable
to address Russia's concerns.
But from the British perspective, they're taking, you know, one of the leading positions that seems at the moment and calling out what they know.
MADOWO: I want to play also for you something Nic Robertson we just had from Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO speaking a short while
ago after his own meetings with the Finnish and the Swedish Foreign Ministers, I want you to listen, they will talk on the back of that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: We have stepped up about this is defensive. And NATO is not threatening Russia. It's proportionate. And at
the same time as we step up, we also invite Russia to continue our dialogue because we already to engage in good faith in the efforts to find a
political solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: So Nic, parse that for us, so we're ready to engage diplomatically but if they want war, we're ready to go that direction as well.
ROBERTSON: Yes, this is what NATO's message has been all along that it would rather have diplomacy. But if diplomacy doesn't work, then deterrence
is the answer. NATO's not going to go to war over Ukraine. They're not going to send troops into Ukraine to fight Russian troops there.
[11:35:00]
ROBERTSON: But what they are doing is bolstering the readiness of the Baltic States, in particular Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, who feel
particularly vulnerable to any sort of growing Russian tensions around Ukraine. This is something that they felt for a long time.
And it was because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014. And annexation of Crimea that NATO stepped up and put in what effectively was a trip wire
force in the Baltic States.
A small force not permanently based hundreds of people not thousands, with ammunition with military equipment that would be sort of permanently based,
they're in hubs, this as they did in Poland as well.
And this was really to send signal to Russia at that time that this was not a go to war message. This was a defense deterrence message. But because
Russia has perceived of increasing its threat, NATO is now going to increase its deterrence presence.
And we have the Danish today saying that they will send four F-16 fighter jets to Lithuania to supplement and augment the sort of air patrols that
come out of the Baltics, Britain also has aircraft deployed in the Baltic states as well, for this reason.
So that's being supplemented and upgraded and that's what is the discussion we've been hearing coming from the White House as well, the additional 1000
to 5000 American forces that could be deployed redeployed from in Europe or come new from the United States to again, help NATO partners reinforce the
deterrence. That's the message not aggressive not going on the advance, but a deterrence message.
MADOWO: And Nic, you will not have seen this because this just came out right now President Biden will in fact, meet with the European leaders and
Russia over a secure video call at 3 p.m. today and that's in the hours ahead.
This is a significant development, the fact that President Biden is getting all these European allies together to discuss Ukraine, what could that
mean?
ROBERTSON: Yes, he'll be talking with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the French President Emmanuel Macron, the German Chancellor Schultz, and also
the Polish President Duda as well. So he'll be engaging with these very important European partners.
Poland, in particular, again, as we were saying here, you know its proximity to Russia, its history with the Soviet Union leaves it very, you
know, predisposed to wanting to make sure that that NATO deterrence message is strong.
So, you know, the more diplomacy that we see going on behind the scenes, the foreign ministers, the EU foreign ministers meeting today being
addressed, in the speech, thereby, the U.S. Secretary of State updating them on his conversation with, with Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign
Minister on Friday, bringing them up to speed from what the United States has the decisions that it's taken over the weekend about drawing down
personnel.
Remembering President Biden this weekend has met with his national security advisors, and other senior military officials in Camp David. So, you know,
President Biden has had a very big and significant update.
And clearly, you know, considerations of everything that's going on in and around Ukraine, particularly where Russian forces has been sort of put on
the table in front of him. And, you know, positions have come to and the United States moving forward.
So I think what we're seeing here is President Biden bringing, you know, the leaders of these countries, his close allies, bringing them all up to
speed. And having everyone, you know, walk forward on the messaging, lockstep together have no doubt in President Putin's mind about what's
going on, about what's going on, what the intent is, and what the offers are. The offer for diplomacy stands, and they're really hoping that
President Putin will take that.
MADOWO: Nic Robertson for us in Moscow watching what's happening there and Russia's reaction this meeting between President Biden and European allies
expected at 3 p.m. eastern, so that's just in over three hours.
We'll expect to hear more, we're also waiting on a statement from the European Union foreign ministers that are meeting in Brussels. We'll bring
that obviously out to you if we know more. Taiwan's defense minister says 13 more Chinese warplanes entered its air defenses on Monday, then -
included for the first time two J-16D electronic warfare airplanes.
It comes after Monday's announcement that Mainland China had sent more than 39 warplanes to Taiwan, and in the wake of joint naval drills in the region
by the U.S. and Japan. Paula Hancocks gives a closer look at these tensions.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Beijing has carried out frequent flights into Taiwan's air defense identification zone over recent years, and
Sunday's was the largest so far this year. 39 warplanes were involved in this incursion according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense, 34 of them
fighter jets and one nuclear capable bomber.
[11:40:00]
HANCOCKS: Now Taiwan says that it did issue radio warnings. It also activated and deployed its missile defense system. But it has criticized
Beijing for what it calls gray zone tactics, which are being used in order to put pressure on.
Now, it's always worth looking at the timing. It's very rarely coincidental these incursions. And just one day earlier, the U.S. and Japan had carried
out a large naval drill in the Philippine Sea. So just to the east of Taiwan, it's unclear exactly how close it was to the coastline, that
information not available at this point.
But what we heard from a U.S. statement is that it was part of this freedom of navigation policy, and they were doing it in order to protect a free and
open Indo Pacific region. It was significant though in size and clearly something Beijing did not appreciate. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.
MADOWO: China and Taiwan, these are just one of the crises that we're following this hour. Ahead we are going to bring in our White House
Reporter Stephen Collins, and to look at some of the world's hotspots and what role the U.S. is playing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: So we've been hearing a lot about Ukraine this hour, right, but we're also taking a closer look at some of the other hotspots around the
world, such as China's show force near Taiwan, and the Yemen's Iran backed Houthi rebels increasingly bold as they attack the UAE.
Just over a year in office, what is U.S. President Joe Biden's plan for this crisis on the Ukraine issue? CNN White House Reporter Stephen
Collinson writes that increasingly robust Western Gambit is also a risk.
It could convince Putin that he is right to warn that Russian security is threatened by the West. At the very least it could give him a propaganda
pretext to invade Ukraine. And Stephen Collinson joins me now live. Stephen, you writer until now the U.S. mostly warned Russia of dire
consequences, so major sanctions invaded Ukraine.
But now, military hardware is actually going into the region and this talk of troops actually being sent there and embassy staffs are being drawn
down. So when and what changed?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: I think you're finding what's happening is a carefully calibrated escalation up the scale. I think what
they're trying to do is to demonstrate to Putin both that the NATO will defend its members specifically in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe.
And that his Gambit his whole aim in taking Ukraine hostage is to try and roll back NATO expansion in Eastern Europe, that's a signal to him that
it's not going to be allowed whatever happens with Ukraine.
[11:45:00]
COLLINSON: But at the same time, you know, the United States and its allies are trying to do this in a way that doesn't suggest a massive mobilization,
one that could perhaps force Putin's hand, put them into a box and make it more difficult for him to climb down. So it's a subtle escalation of
forces.
Back in the United States, of course, the President is under extreme pressure from Republicans to be much tougher, they're using this crisis to
try and build on his political woes back home.
They're trying to make a case before the midterm elections November, and potentially even the 2024 presidential election, that he's weak that
foreign adversaries don't respect him. So the President has a domestic flank, to protect here as well.
MADOWO: But Republicans are always going to criticize the president. That's what they do. But there were some really odd comments from former Secretary
of State, Mike Pompeo on Fox News; he called Vladimir Putin a very talented statesman. It's almost as if he was in awe of him. And this is the same
man, Vladimir Putin threatening a war against an ally of the U.S. So what's going on there?
COLLINSON: Those were very strange comments, especially when you consider before he was Secretary of State in the Trump Administration, Mike Pompeo
was the Head of the CIA. There is, as you say, almost a tone of admiration in there, which would be in keeping, in fact, with former President Trump's
view of Vladimir Putin, with whom he appeared to kind of we kind of appear to worship as a strong man for much of the time he was president.
Mike Pompeo generally didn't follow that kind of line. So it's quite interesting, I think. But you know, you're right, the Republicans are
always criticizing the president for what he does. But clearly, they see a political opening here.
I don't think it's a coincidence that by apparently praising Putin in relation to Biden, you know, Pompeo is potentially having a look at a 2024
presidential run. So he has political motivations here as well.
But I agree with it was a very odd comment, but it isn't keeping with some of the right wing attitudes in Washington among populist conservatives,
people in the Trump base who do tend to admire Putin strength. And I think that's an emerging theme in American politics, specifically on the right.
MADOWO: There's like three major hotspots right now that must get people at the White House because concerned there is the Russia Ukraine standoff that
we've covered extensively this past few weeks, but also China, increasingly testing Taiwan in that region.
And then we have also recently from last week been talking about Iran's Iranian backed Houthi rebels increasingly bringing the war to the UAE and
threatening the UAE's security and threatening the UAE's business and tourism friendly credentials. So how can the White House handle all these
and make sure that it's showing leadership?
COLLINSON: You know those I would also add to your list, North Korea with its missile launches.
MADOWO: Right.
COLLINSON: We had ground stop of aircraft on the West Coast of the United States a few weeks ago because of a North Korean missile launch.
You know, when you look abroad, and you're a president who is under pressure at home, you often try and look for foreign policy victories.
There's nothing what Analysts usually refer to as low hanging fruit abroad. In fact, there are increasing crisis.
I think there is definitely a perception among U.S. adversaries, partly fueled by the chaotic with rule from Afghanistan, but also U.S. fatigue
after 20 years of war abroad that the United States, its presidents and its people are far less interested in engaging with the world.
Adversaries in that case like China, and Russia or North Korea will test the new president, in terms of the situation in Abu Dhabi with the missile
attacks. You know, we've been hearing some hopeful news, cautionary hopeful news from the nuclear talks in Vienna, with Iran in recent weeks.
But if these Iran back rebels are firing missiles into the Gulf, that is going to make it even more politically difficult for President Biden to
make any deal with the Iranians even if he is one available, because again, he has to worry about his domestic political situation, not just with
Republicans, but with some pretty hawkish Democrats on Capitol Hill. So it's a very difficult global situation for a president who's being tested
on multiple fronts.
MADOWO: He's being tested quite significantly. The whole world is watching. Stephen Collinson in DC, thank you. Unrest, uncertainty and a pandemic,
ahead, experts in Hong Kong say this has been the perfect storm for depression. We'll look at how the city is coping with a mental health
crisis.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
MADOWO: And we want to start with the markets one more time which Wall Street lower again today investors worrying about the Federal Reserve's
policy path potential in Ukraine. We've been covering extensively over the past two hours earnings season and inflation. Look at right now.
The big board the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 919 points there in 20, right now that's extraordinary. Stocks have been sharply lower today. The
S&P 500 is the other week keeping an eye on that. Right there is down 3.4 percent the Dow Jones industrial average that are starting now down nearly
3 percent and the NASDAQ down 4 percent.
That's down 562 percent because the 562 points because of all the correction territory we're entering after a very volatile couple of days.
We'll keep an eye on that, we'll have more details for you if anything happens that we should bring to your attention.
Environmental groups a warning the damage from the underwater volcano eruption near Tonga could be long lasting; impacts are being felt thousands
of kilometers away. Michael Holmes tells us the eruption is being blamed for oil spill of Peru.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Waves of black sludge wash up on a popular beach in Peru. This time of year it should be filled with
sunbathers. Instead, emergency crews in biohazard suits scoop oily sand into barrels to be transported to toxic waste treatment facilities.
The blackened beaches here yet another casualty of a powerful volcanic eruption under the sea, thousands of kilometers away near Tonga proves as a
tanker ship spilled some 6000 barrels of oil into the sea more than a week ago, while it was offloading the crude to a refinery.
Unusually high waves caused by the eruption were to blame for the accident. Repsol the company that owns the refinery has said it isn't responsible for
the spill, and says maritime authorities should have issued warnings about the rough seas.
The Peruvian government though says Repsol should pay for the damages and environmental emergency has been declared for the next 90 days. So far
health officials say 21 of Peru's beaches have been polluted. Dead seals, fish and birds are washing up covered in oil and fishing activities in the
area have been suspended. Local residents say they too have been impacted.
Nothing is sold this fish vendor says, the fish more than anything give off the smell of oil and people don't buy it. Environmental groups say that
cleaning the beaches with shovels and buckets is not nearly enough. And the damage to the country's rich marine life could be long lasting.
Repsol says it has deployed more than 1300 workers to the area, along with large vessels and skimmers to try to filter the oil from the ocean. The
United Nations also sending a team of experts to help with the emergency response, still few who live around here think this will go away soon.
This man says everything is toxic right now. Look at the oil stains on those stones. It's hard to clean them immediately. It will take years.
Everything here is polluted, a disaster initially caused by a force of nature.
Though some say the devastating effects in Peru could have been mitigated. And investigation is ongoing many people questioning why the ship was
unloading in such conditions and if there was sufficient warning about the dangers. Michael Holmes, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: The Coronavirus pandemic is making life tough for so many around the world. People in Hong Kong are dealing with other stresses as well. As
more people show symptoms of depression and anxiety, the healthcare system is struggling to cope. CNN's Will Ripley reports.
[11:55:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Beneath Hong Kong's bright lights, a dark secret, depression and suicide rates rising, the city's
Happiness Index falling, many in Hong Kong struggling, experts call it a mental health epidemic. One of the hardest hit groups, young people, like
University of Hong Kong students --.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I would call the worst day was that complete lack of hope.
RIPLEY (voice over): Lack of hope about the future in a city is wrought by upheaval in the past few years from the protests to the pandemic and
China's ongoing crackdown on Hong Kong's freedoms.
DR. LUCY LORD, FOUNDER, MIND HK: It's almost been a perfect storm of social change political change, and is now a pandemic and the Hong Kong system is
struggling to cope with the epidemic of mental health.
RIPLEY (voice over): Hong Kong's public health system overwhelmed. Patients with non-urgent cases are waiting from nine months to almost two years to
see a psychiatrist, the average visit just six to eight minutes. Dr. Lucy Lord is an obstetrician who suffered debilitating postnatal depression.
DR. LORD: Everybody has mental health, just like we all have physical health.
RIPLEY (voice over): She's the founder of Mind HK, a foundation focused on fighting mental health stigma. Only a quarter of those suffering seek
professional help. One in seven face a common mental disorder in Hong Kong. It's even worse for high school students, more than half show signs of
depression.
DR. LORD: Intervening early, it doesn't just save people's lives. It saves their families. It saves their relationships. It saves their careers. It
saves everything.
RIPLEY (voice over): Getting help early, the key to - recovery from a life threatening eating disorder when she was in high school.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Conversations about mental health are only really as scary as you make them.
RIPLEY (on camera): When you share your story, how often does it happen that you open up to someone and then they open up to you and say I've been
struggling to?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the time almost every time well and it's quite wonderful to see that because I'm here and I'm alive to share this story.
RIPLEY (voice over): A story shared by many in Hong Kong, only a few getting help. They so desperately need. Will Ripley, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: And what's admirable about this generation and include myself there we're much more open about our mental health and that helps other people,
especially if they need help. Thank you for watching. Thank you for joining us. I am Larry Madowo in Atlanta and that was "Connect the World". "One
World" with Zain Asher is up next, stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
