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Connect the World
Leader of Breakaway Regions Organize Mass Evacuation; World Leaders Tackle Russia-Ukraine Standoff in Munich; Kamila Valieva Falls, Finishes 4th in Figure Skating Final; Top Middle East Expert Speaks to CNN; Dark Legacy of ISIS Leader killed in Syria; CNN sits Down with Coldplay's Chris Martin. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 18, 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)
ANNOUNCE: Live from CNN, Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: We're in the most dangerous phase that is the assessment from one Western official as this crisis
between Russia and Ukraine heats up. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to the second hour of "Connect the World".
Get out that's a warning from the Leaders of the Breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Eastern Ukraine. Let me explain they are urging citizens
there to evacuate across the border to Russia, beginning with women, children and the elderly, citing the threat of aggression by Ukraine.
Portions of the territories are held by Russian backed separatists, we've seen a new flare up in tensions between those separatists and Ukraine. Now
this kindergarten was shelled in what is a Ukrainian controlled area in Eastern Ukraine on Thursday, and within the last hour, a Western official
warned with 110 Russian battalion tactical groups are amassed around Ukraine the crisis is in its most dangerous phase.
And we are getting a similar bleak assessment from new U.S. intelligence that says Russia is indeed preparing to invade the country. No word whether
President Vladimir Putin has given the final go ahead. Mr. Putin will get a first-hand look at that preparedness on Saturday when he oversees military
exercises that include ballistic missile launches.
Now let's just be quite clear here for his part Mr. Putin in says there are no plans to invade Ukraine instead he continues to claim that Russian
troops are withdrawing, releasing yet another video here of tanks heading back to their home base after military drills.
And again, let's be quite clear, we do not know if this is the actual situation on the ground. And all of this as diplomatic efforts continue
behind the scenes. U.S. President Joe Biden is to host a call with world leaders today to discuss this crisis couldn't be more important.
We've got fans, fans, we've got crews found across the region covering this story for us and they have huge experience in what is going on. On the
ground with their reporting over years Frederik Pleitgen is in Belarus, Nic Robertson is in Moscow, Natasha Bertrand is in Munich where the annual
security conference is going on that couldn't be more important this year.
Let's though begin with Nic Paton Walsh, who is in Poland. And we understand that you have new reporting about this current phrase. What are
you learning Nick?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: As you mentioned earlier, Becky, a Western official saying that we are now "In the most
dangerous phase". And they have been studying the battalion tactical groups on the move around Russia's borders yesterday, they were clear that about
half of those who are sort of surrounding Ukraine are within 50 kilometers today that added that another 10 BTG's they call it have turned up in the
area around Ukraine.
Now normally in a battalion tactical group, you'd see north of about 1000 troops have to be very precise. But clearly in their mind this continues to
be heading in the wrong direction, certainly, and they believe Russia could act at any particular time.
So it is part of this persistent message that we have continually heard from Western intelligence officials about the risks being absolutely
imminent is persisted over a matter of weeks now, frankly, to the point where people begin to ask when is this actually going to occur?
But the information coming out of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic's while it's often hard to work out whether they are functioning
in lockstep with those in the Kremlin who support them suggestion they want to see civilians leaving/
And in the Luhansk case, the men in those separatist areas taking up arms will add that sense of foreboding of tension. Is this a move to try as some
of the rhetoric suggested gets diplomatic processes starting all over again?
Well, frankly, they've been frozen laid to waste for years now, and these moves at this particular heightened moment of tension have many concerns.
This is essentially laying the framework for further what Western officials would call false flag act so trying to provide a pretext so that Russia can
act exceptionally high stakes moments for those separatist leaders to be making those kinds of calls Becky.
[11:05:00]
ANDERSON: So Nick as you rightly point out. We're seeing violations of this ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine, specifically shelling in Donbas, which many
in the West worry is a pretext for war. You've covered this conflict from its outset in 2014. You've provided analysis for years. What's your
assessment of what is going on at this point?
WALSH: It's still exceptionally hard to work out what in the longer run is the strategic win for Vladimir Putin to launch into the massive exercise or
invasion, which Western officials keep warning about? And they often cite the fact that he views the need for his legacy to reestablish the sort of
Soviet past or perhaps bring parts or all of Ukraine back into the fold of its eastern times hungry neighbor.
But we're at this moment now, I think we're, the exercises should be ending in the days ahead, where we're now hearing another phase of imminent
warnings from Western officials, they appear to be persistently convinced that Russian military activity is headed in the wrong direction.
And I have to say hearing, what we heard from the separatists regions today about the need to evacuate, whether or not that is done at the behest of
the Kremlin may be the thing that for Minsk some kind of action. But the question is how much recognizing the separatist areas is limited use?
Frankly, for Moscow, it means they would have to essentially own the chaos of those particular areas. And then further, more extensive moves inside
Ukraine would be, frankly, incredibly foolhardy because their inability to sustain a long term occupation over a distinct period of time.
So we're at a moment, I think, of significant peril. And it really comes down to whether Vladimir Putin has made the decision. And there are some
suggestions from people I've spoken to. I don't know if he has yet, Becky.
ANDERSON: So, Nic, you're in Moscow. Thank you, Nick Paton Walsh. Nic Robertson, you're in Moscow. We have heard from both Vladimir Putin today
and the Belarusian President standing shoulder to shoulder as it were, with his ally and pointing the blame directly at the West. Just explain what we
heard and provide some context for it, if you will?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, President Putin has said very clearly today that his troops on training exercises in his
sovereign territory and that of Belarus, which is growing stronger and stronger bond a union they're calling it are acting on their own sovereign
territory are not a threat to anyone and are not threatening Ukraine.
And repeating the narrative that they're not about to invade Ukraine. But other things President Putin has said today give life to another message.
And his said his criticizing the leadership in Kyiv for not negotiating not talking directly to the leadership of those pro Russian rebels separatists
areas in the East Donetsk and Luhansk.
President Putin has consistently over the recent weeks, cajoled persuaded tried to tell all the Western leaders that have talked to him to put
pressure on the leadership of Kyiv to talk directly to those rebel leaders. And the understanding is that he wants them to do that, because the outcome
would be to follow through his understanding of the Minsk Peace Agreement.
And his understanding of the Minsk Peace Agreement would see the leaders of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas have political representation in Ukraine's
parliament and therefore, pro-Russian influence in that Parliament, perhaps instability, perhaps, putting a block on Ukraine making a move to join NATO
in the future.
That has been President Putin's preferred method to exercise his influence and control over Ukraine. But what he has said today gives us a better
understanding of the disposition of his forces and why has them so position so intensively around Ukraine at the moment?
And he said very precisely today, that the de-escalation of his forces that has been called for by President Biden by so many leaders of NATO as a
precondition to get into talks about his own security concerns for Russia, that President Putin today saying that there will be essentially no de-
escalation until those leaders in Kyiv follow through on the Minsk Agreement and talk to the rebel leader. These were his words right now.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen "
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: -- around Ukraine should be based on fulfillment of Minsk Agreements. All that Kyiv needs to do is to start
negotiations with Luhansk and Donetsk leadership and start formulating humanitarian coordination. The sooner it starts the better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: Right. I want to bring in Fred Pleitgen at this point because as I pointed out the Belarusian President, at that same press conference. You
got an opportunity you're in -- you're in Belarus, you got an opportunity earlier, to put a couple of questions to Mr. Lukashenko. And no friend of
the West, of course, let's be quite clear. What did he tell you?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right Becky. And of course, one of the main things that the U.S.
and its allies are concerned about are those drills between the Russian and the Belarusian armies that are still currently going on.
And whether or not Russian forces will actually withdraw and go back to Russia after those drills are done, or whether Belarus could be used as
sort of a launching pad for an invasion into Ukraine? The Russians and the Belarusians have said that's absolutely not going to be the case.
But of course, the U.S. still has doubts and that's one of the things that I put to Alexander Lukashenko. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN (voice over): For the first time we're getting a close up view of some of the Russian forces the U.S. says are threatening Ukraine,
conducting massive live fire drills with the Belarusian military inside Belarus.
The U.S. says it fears this could be one of the places from which an attack on Ukraine could be launched. Belarusian strong man and staunch Putin ally
Alexander Lukashenko was combative, when I confronted him with the allegations.
ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO, BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT: Do you still believe we're going to attack Ukraine from here? Or have you already overcome this mental
block?
PLEITGEN (on camera): It's not about what I believe it's about what the United States says the United States says there's a very real threat of an
attack from Russian territory or Belarusian territory towards Ukraine.
LUKASHENKO: We have an agreement between Belarus and Russia. We have practically formed here a United Russia Belarus group, the United army that
is you might say. And this is our official position. Please take it into account as we are taking into account your position.
PLEITGEN (voice over): The drills are called allied resolve 2022 and officially at the Russian and Belarusian military standoff enemy's
attacking them. It involves tens of thousands of troops, including both countries Air Forces and Russia's dangerous Iskander missile system that
could easily hit Ukraine's capital Kyiv of about 250 miles or 400 kilometers from here. The big question Where will all these Russian troops
go when this exercise ends?
PLEITGEN (on camera): Both Minsk and Moscow say all Russian forces are going to leave Belarus once these massive exercises are finished. But the
U.S. and its allies are still skeptical and they say they'll believe withdrawal is happening once they see it.
PLEITGEN (voice over): The Biden Administration says there are now more than 150,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's borders and that an attack will
probably happen within days Lukashenko ripping into the U.S.'s assessment.
LUKASHENKO: You accused Belarus and Russia that we were to invade Ukraine yesterday. We didn't so your intelligence and billions of dollars that
you're spending on it are useless, at least admit this.
PLEITGEN (voice over): Russia says it has no intention of attacking Ukraine, but today also warned if security demands it has made to the U.S.
are not met. There will be an answer using as Moscow puts it, military technical measures.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: And of course, Becky Alexander Lukashenko has said that those Russian forces will withdraw, but he has so far refused to give a timeline
about when exactly that is going to happen. And when exactly that withdrawal supposed to be complete, Becky?
ANDERSON: Extremely important. Thank you, Fred. Natasha, let me bring you in at this point, you are in the thick of what is a meeting of key
stakeholders in Munich. This is an annual get together, where participants discuss issues of security couldn't be more important at this time. What is
said that could be extremely enlightening as we consider what may happen next? So who is there? And what's the atmosphere at this point?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, several world leaders are here the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris is expected to
meet with over a dozen of them over the course of the weekend.
And we're hearing already from the vice president who has expressed some pessimism about how this is all going down to how this is all playing out
with the Russians not really seeming to be very committed to diplomacy in that respect? Take a listen to what she had to say just a short while ago
about the prospects for diplomacy and how the U.S. would be willing to respond if Russia did in fact move to invade?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We remain the course open to and desirous of the diplomacy as it relates to the dialogue and the discussions
we've had with Russia.
[11:15:00]
HARRIS: But we are also committed if Russia takes aggressive action to ensuring there will be severe consequence in terms of the economic
sanctions we have discussed. And we know the alliance is strong in that regard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERTRAND: Now, this is a message that the United States has really tried to drive home that if Russia does, in fact make a move on Ukraine, the
consequences will be swift and severe. And also they will reinforce that posture on NATO's Eastern flank with more troops.
That is, of course in line with what Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is also here in Munich over the weekend, was saying earlier as well. He
said that, over the last 24 to 48 hours, they have also seen signs going the wrong direction here with regard to Russian aggression.
He said that they are seeing signs already of a pretext being drawn up by Russia to create that provocation that they would then use to justify an
invasion and attack on Ukraine, and that they are willing to pursue diplomacy until the very end here, but that Russia is taking all of the
steps necessary to invade on very short order.
And we are told that a new U.S. Intel assessment is that Russia is planning all of those steps to carry out that attack. If that is in fact what
Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to do? Remember, they said last week that they were drawing down their troops the Russians did.
But U.S. intelligence has also assessed that that was a deception, that that was the Russians trying to convey to the world that they were pulling
back when in fact, they were actually building up their force posture on Ukraine's borders.
So all of the signs here in Munich point to an overly -- an overall pessimistic sense of where things are going. No one is very optimistic that
the Russians are going to be engaging here in good faith, but everyone reiterating the fact that they are willing and trying to engage
diplomatically.
ANDERSON: If nothing else, a show of unity there in Munich, Natasha, thank you. And we are now just being told that Joe Biden U.S. President will
speak at 4 pm Eastern Time and is now 11:16 Eastern Time, Eastern Time, by which I mean, on the East Coast of America. 4 pm Eastern Time, Joe Biden
will speak about continued efforts to try and provide a diplomatic solution into all of this.
Despite as Natasha was just describing a relatively gloomy atmosphere amongst those gathered in Munich. Well, for the very latest on how this
crisis could involve do use cnn.com. Well, coming up on "Connect the World", a tale of two Olympics one teenage girl breaking records and one
breaking down. Their stories are just ahead.
And the army on standby is fierce winds pound United Kingdom what officials are telling people about staying safe. And later, I talk to Middle East
expert tells us why he thinks talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal are at what he calls a pivot point. We'll ask how those talks are progressing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: Two teenage girls, one, ski and one skater have become the dominant stories at the Beijing winter Olympics. Eileen Gu, winner of a
record breaking three freestyle skiing medals. Two of them gold has become the darling of her adopted nation of China.
While the circus surrounding Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva as the Head of the IOC, the International Olympic Committee vowing that he will
punish those responsible for her taking banned drugs and the international skating union now says it will consider raising the minimum age for
competition to 17.
Many are wondering if all the media attention, expectations have just been too much for the 15 year old Valieva to bear. Well, CNN's Selina Wang has
been tracking Valieva's story from Beijing and she joins us now live.
We were discussing this as a team earlier on; it was so disturbing to see the pictures of 15 year old Kamila Valieva as she broke down during her
competition yesterday and then afterwards and clinging on to a teddy bear.
It just shows how young she was. And one can only consider what she's going through. It is pretty unusual see the Head of the IOC making the sort of
comments he made with such anger and frustration, certainly in public, isn't it?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is Becky, and I was there at the press conference. And these were candid sobering words. He wasn't pulling any
punches when he was talking about what the responsibility here is on the adults around this young girl because as you say she's only 15 years old.
And when I was sitting there in that arena, watching her stumble and fall, it was absolutely heartbreaking. It was incredibly painful to watch. She
entered these games as the favorite to win gold.
She was supposed to go down in history as the first woman to land a quad at the games. But instead, this doping scandal has overshadowed her phenomenal
athleticism. It had the whole world wondering why she was allowed to compete at all, a devastating story indeed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WANG (voice over): With a quick frustrated wave Kamila Valieva ends her final competition in Beijing with stunning disappointment the 15 year old
Olympian from Russia bearing a cheerful face in our hands as she walks off the ice.
After a performance riddled with stumbles and falls, one of the world's best figure skaters placing fourth in the women single skate, it is a
crashing end to a week marred by scandal for Valieva after it was discovered she tested positive for a banned drug less than two months ago.
Speaking the morning after even the President of the International Olympic Committee appeared distressed by what happened on the ice.
THOMAS BACH, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: I was very, very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on TV. This pressure is
beyond my imagination.
WANG (voice over): Her two teammates is taking the podium for golden silver instead and Japan winning bronze.
ANNA SCHERBAKOVA, LADIES SONGLES FIGURE SKATING GOLD MEDALIST: I saw from her first jump how difficult it was what a burden it was for her.
WANG (voice over): Had Valieva been among the top three medals of wouldn't have been awarded until the doping investigation around her concluded, her
first place when in the team competition, already delaying that event's metals.
MADISON HUBBELL, TEAM EVENT FIGURE SKATING SILVER MEDALIST: I don't think that it's fair to any of the athletes who meddled that. We have to, you
know forego that Olympic moment.
WANG (voice over): As a scandal overshadows the Olympics and exposes the alleged dark underworld of Russian figure skating. The world anti-doping
agency is investigating Valieva's entourage, including her Coach, Eteri Tutberidze, known as a powerhouse behind Russian figure skating with a
reputation for brutal training regimens. When Valieva came off the ice crying, Tutberidze asked her, "why did you let it go? Tell me'.
BACH: How she was received by her closest entourage. With such what appear to be a tremendous coldness. It was chilling.
WANG (voice over): As the probe continues Valieva's participation, stirring outrage worldwide. The weight of the scandal it seems too much for the 15
year old skating star to bear.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WANG: And Becky, you heard there the IOC Head Thomas Bach, he had compassion but he did not express accountability. I asked him the IOC is
calling Valieva a protected person, she's a minor. But what has the IOC done to actually protect her.
And he deflected the question saying they're waiting for this investigation to play out. But a lot of critics would say that IOC here is part of the
problem.
[11:25:00]
WANG: The IOC along with its related organizations, they could have taken stronger action against Russia in the past so that perhaps we would not be
in the situation we are today Becky.
ANDERSON: Selina Wang on the story. Thank you. Well, a man in Ireland is being killed by a fallen trees storm units pounds Britain with gale force
winds said is putting millions of people across the UK under a red alert warning.
Now the army is on standby for what could be the UK's most dangerous storm in three decades, officials describing it as a threat to life. People have
been urged to stay at home. Now Eunice is the second powerful storm to hit the UK this week.
And there is plenty of travel disruption, I'm afraid especially at London's Heathrow and that London city airports the Netherlands also telling people
to stay home and storminess limiting operations at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for example.
CNN's Nina dos Santos is by London bridge and the river Thames, she joins us now live. And many flights cancelled gale force winds army on standby, I
mean; you know this is frightening stuff. What's going on where you are at this point? And what do you understand to be the situation with regard
what's happening at the airports and on travel at this point?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, Becky, what we know is that the London fire brigade is in the last hour or so declared an
emergency because of the amount of calls that it's been getting from people to deal largely with dangerous items.
So they're flying around, so debris from say scaffolding or building works and so on and so forth or pieces of roofs that have been torn off and
buildings across the capitol.
The winds aren't the strongest here. In fact, they're recorded earlier on this morning just off the Isle of Wight off the coast of the Isle of Wight,
which is an island in the south of England at 122 miles per hour.
And then storm units lashed the south western moved further up, we're now passing the British capitol and heading up towards the northeast. And
that's where, as you said, it's also affecting parts of the Netherlands other countries on the other side of the north sea too.
Now city airport which is not far from where I am had to suspend flights earlier today. I can say that my producer Lauren Kent, noticed a plane in
the sky just a few moments ago, meaning that perhaps planes are starting to make their way back over London.
But it's been a terrible time for any families trying to get back from the half term holidays Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport urging people to check
before they set off on their journey because there are dozens of flights that are canceled at this point. And Storm Eunice as you said, still hasn't
left the British isles. Becky?
ANDERSON: Thank you. Coming up on "Connect the World' and do just know that we will keep you bang up to date with what's going on with that. Well,
coming up, my one on one conversation with cold place front man about their magical concert in Dubai and their dreams of a cleaner tomorrow.
And the Iran nuclear talks making any headway I'll ask a top middle east expert why he says they are at a pivot point.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching "Connect the World'. It's half past eight here in Abu Dhabi, this show from our middle east broadcasting hub,
of course. Leave now that is the warning from the leaders of the breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
They are urging citizens to evacuate to neighboring Russia bringing with them women, children and the elderly, citing the threat of aggression by
Ukraine. Now portions of the territories are held by Russian backed separatists shelling has increased that this is the aftermath of a
Ukrainian kindergarten.
That was hit on Thursday. Russia says it's still pulling back troops after military drills, U.S. insists that just isn't true. And a new assessment
from U.S. Intelligence indicates that Russia could attack Ukraine in the coming days.
A senior U.S. official called the Intel bleak. And smartcard is in Mariupol on the sea of Azov. And there will be viewers who say, well, have we not
been here before? And they might be right to ask that. But Alex, increasingly, it does seem that the hours ahead will be absolutely critical
in this Russia Ukraine crisis. Explain why.
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Becky, we have Ukrainians who say we've seen this before. But the fact is we haven't seen this level
of Russian troops surrounding Ukraine on three different sides.
We heard from the U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE today saying they're almost 200,000 Russian and Russian affiliated forces many of those tens of
thousands of those in those two breakaway enclaves that you just mentioned, they have not been under Ukrainian control for the past eight years.
They have been backed by Russia. And now we have the leaders of these two, so called republic saying to their citizens, it is time to evacuate, there
is a Ukrainian offensive. Ukraine is putting troops and weapons on the border.
That, of course, is not true. And so the reason that this is so concerning, is because there is an expectation that if Vladimir Putin decides to invade
Ukraine that he will come up with some kind of pretext, some kind of excuse to justify it. So is this the excuse that he believes that Russian ethnic
Russians and Russian speakers in this in these breakaway republics are under threat? We don't know. Of course, we hope not.
But this is coming, as you say at an alarming time with a significant spike in the ceasefire violations along that so called line of contact, which is
just about 25 kilometers away. There were 60 of them yesterday, including the shelling of that school. And that is more than at any time almost in
the past four years. Becky.
ANDERSON: Alex, thank you. That's very latest for you. Our reporting, of course continues hour by hour. We have the best team in the business on
this story. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak about this crisis again about five hours from now.
We do know that he is speaking to world leaders today. He will also be keenly monitoring developments in Vienna as Iran's nuclear talks could be
getting closer to reviving the 2015 deal, that senior EU official says parties doing the negotiating could reach an agreement in a and I quote
here "a week or two'.
But the official says loose ends remain the Iran nuclear deal abandoned by the Trump White House in 2018. Tehran and the U.S. have resumed indirect
talks in Vienna to try to revive the deal with world powers.
Well, our top middle east expert says he would like to see a U.S. congressional letter suggesting Washington won't abandon the nuclear deal
again. He says it wouldn't have to be legally binding, but it would help Tehran garner support among the Iranian population.
And Vali Nasr joins us now. He's a professor at the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies as well as Foreign Policy Advisor and the
Author of the Dispensable Nation. I'll add to that a regular guest and friend of this show.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: You say that, you know, a letter, which doesn't need to be legally binding, but something that suggests that if a deal is on the
table, that President Biden can get this through congress with congress's support is important, because you say, it would help garner support among
the Iranian population.
I assume by which you mean those who are heavily in support of the very conservative side of the government and the authorities there, because many
Iranians, of course, just want to get this deal done, right.
VALI NASR, PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: It's true, they want the deal done, but they don't want
to deal that would be reversed very quickly. And it's actually an Iranian foreign minister, who's asked the congress to write such a letter, largely
because Iran has not been able to persuade the Biden Administration to provide any kind of guarantees.
So he publicly told the financial times that is a political letter that at least stating, a sentiment that the congress would stick by this deal,
would provide political cover in Tehran to enter into the deal.
Largely because Iranians are very worried that as soon as the Republicans get the upper hand in congress or the presidency, they will do what
President Trump did. And then there's no point in signing a deal, it's going to be reversed very quickly.
ANDERSON: Because some sort of guarantee that this isn't going to be as you say, you know, just reversed. Should there be a new Republican President
and certainly a Republican Congress going forward is what the Iranians want to see. So let's step back, where are we at with this deal? It's not just
about guarantees, is it? What do you believe is the position at this point? And what does this deal look like?
NASR: Well, there's actually two tracks. There's a technical track in Vienna, where they are negotiating step by step centrifuges, set stockpile
sanctions, what's going to happen? And as you mentioned, there are loose ends and potentially could resolve.
And then there's a political issue in Tehran and Washington, namely, even if there is a technical agreement in Vienna, can you sell it back home? So
the Iranians asked the U.S. congress to help by saying that they would abide by this deal going forward, and the Republicans did exactly the
opposite.
They said, we guarantee you that once we're in power in congress, or we take the presidency, we're going open this deal, and we're not going to
abide by it. That public statement makes it very difficult for the Iranians now to tell their own population, that, look, this is a good deal, because
the Republicans have already said that they will not abide by it.
And they're not seeing the Biden Administration, having any pushback against congress. And then in Washington, this has created put a lot of
pressure on the Biden Administration, how are they going to come back home in two weeks' time with any kind of a deal, where the Congress has already
said the Republicans have already said that they're going to reject it, regardless of its content.
ANDERSON: Vali, we're going to have you back. It sounds as if we are at least motoring towards some sort of conclusion to this in the next week or
so. It's enormously important that we have this discussion on a regular basis now, because your insight and analysis as ever is extremely important
to our viewers for the time being. I thank you very much indeed.
NASR: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Well, just ahead after what the U.N. calls genocide at the hands of ISIS, the Yazidi people wait for justice. We've got a special report for
you coming up after this, do stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: Of course, global attention at the moment is fixed on the Russia Ukraine standoff. But the world still facing other challenges and a
possible resurgence of ISIS, I'm afraid is a big one. The recent U.S. raid that killed top ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi shows the
militant group is still a menace. And justice has been slow in coming for the Yazidi people.
They suffered mass killings and sexual violence after ISIS swept into their historic homeland in northern Iraq in 2014. The U.N. has called that
genocide. U.S. President Joe Biden says al-Qurashi was the driving force behind the atrocities. As we now hear from CNN's Jomana Karadsheh.
(BGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Most hadn't heard his name until the U.S. President declared him dead after a U.S. special forces
raid in Syria this month. But those documenting ISIS's crimes had been investigating Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi, A. K. A Hajji Abdullah, long before
he became the group's leader in 2019.
An exclusive CNN report in 2017 revealed one NGO secret mission to hold ISIS accountable for its crimes. Investigators from the Commission for
International Justice and Accountability, CIJA collected evidence in Iraq and Syria, part of a western government funded effort.
BILL WILEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY: Hajji Abdullah was a heinous individual he was involved in
mass murder, he oversaw the program of enslaving Yazidi women and females. He himself took a slave who we believe was a 12 years again our evidences
he took that a girl as his third wife.
KARADSHEH (voice over): According to CIJA, Hajji Abdullah was the main architect of one of the worst crimes of our time, the genocide of Iraq's
Yazidi minority. Justice has been painfully slow for people who've lived through the unspeakable.
Thousands are still searching for loved ones who disappeared nearly eight years ago. For others, the wait is over. The anguish is not as they buried
remains identified in some of the mass graves exhumed by U.N. investigators.
Malice is still waiting, every day she says she cooks a little extra food. Maybe her husband will be back. Then reality strikes. She hasn't heard from
sides since ISIS dragged him away along with other men from their village in 2014.
There's a permanent sadness imprinted on her face, testament to the chilling cruelty she and her three children endured. For more than three
years, Malice says she was an ISIS slave from Iraq to Syria for a few dollars, bought and sold in a market with her children.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They used to constantly assault and beat us. They forced us to do everything. To this day, my children don't sleep well at
night. They live with fear in their hearts.
KARADSHEH (voice over): When -- use of Qurashi's killing broke, his photos circulated on Yazidi survivor groups online. Mela says she recognized a man
she says she saw three times in 2014. They called him Hajji Abdullah.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He ordered they take all the men from our village. He took my husband and my father in law. He hit me and my children. He ordered
them to separate the women, the old ones, the young ones, the pretty ones and those with children.
They put us in the back of pickup trucks like kettle. Until we got to Syria, we did not know where our children were. We could only hear their
cries.
[11:45:00]
KARADSHEH (voice over): Malice says his death was good news. But she had hoped he and others would have faced justice in court then executed so they
could get a taste of the kind of hell they put Yazidis through.
Establishing specialized courts in Iraq or elsewhere to hold ISIS members accountable has been a long and complicated process tied up in politics and
jurisdictions. But the road to justice for Yazidis is now beginning.
In November, a German court sentenced ISIS jihadists to life in prison, the first ever ISIS member convicted of genocide. For Malice, her struggle is
not only for justice, it's about survival. Now, like countless other Yazidis, whose towns were destroyed and life shattered, she remains
displaced, forgotten.
This little caravan is the only home her little girls have known. Life is so hard, she says, recounting how her husband was ripped away from them is
just too much. But she has to be strong, she says, for her children. She's all they have left.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Jomana is with me now here in Abu Dhabi. That's quite a powerful piece that you've put together there. What sort of support are the
Yazidi's getting at this point?
KARADSHEH: Well, they're getting some support, Becky, but if you speak to members of the Yazidi community, they tell you, it's nowhere near enough.
You know, there are so much they need.
I mean, when you imagine what they've gone through, what they've lived through, the deeds are just so many. You know, we talked about justice and
accountability and post conflict, you know, how important that is for anyone to be able to recover and move on; they're going to need that.
And it's taken so long, but there's glimmer of hope it's headed in that way. But then you also they need the support to literally rebuild their
homeland, rebuild their homes; these women need to get back on their feet to support their families.
And they're living in this state of limbo. Thousands living in these IDP camps, the Iraqi government did pass a law called the Yazidi Survivors Law,
a landmark law. But then you talk to critics, and they tell you it's great on paper, and it's not being implemented.
And then you've got also this psychological trauma Becky that they're living through. And they need so much support after going through sexual
slavery. And then you've got the violence that they've gone through. I mean, the needs are enormous. And as activists would tell you, Becky, they
don't need pity. They don't need sympathy. They need support.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Well, it's, it's good to have you on and it's an important story. Thank you very much indeed, next on "Connect the World'
Coldplay returning to the stage for the first time since the pandemic, more on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, I'd be surprised if any of you out there haven't heard of the band Coldplay. But what you might not know about them is just how
passionate and committed they are to the environment.
Over the years the band has aligned itself very closely with climate action and advocacy coordinating its own targets with the U.N. sustainable
development goals. Yep, all of those values are very much shared by those at Expo 2020 in Dubai which is where Coldplay decided to perform its first
concert ahead of their upcoming world tour.
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: So I thought why not get the rock star and front man himself Chris Martin together with the mastermind behind Expo Reem Al Hashimy to
talk about sustainability and music. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice over): Coldplay performing paradise under a sky full of stars and intimate yet powerful performance under the glittering Al Wasl
dome and Expo 2020 in Dubai. This was that first concert since the start of the pandemic. And for the lucky fans who managed to get tickets. Some would
have called it magic.
CHRIS MARTIN, LEAD SINGER, COLDPLAY: I know a lot of you have come from a long, long way away. And a lot of you have flown in. I know a lot of you
have been through traffic and COVID tests and wearing masks and all the stuff you have to go through these days. In some ways, it feels like the
beginning of a new chapter. So thank you for thank you for being here.
ANDERSON (on camera): How does it feel performing live again? And how did the pandemic affect you as an artist and as a person?
MARTIN: I think when you see like a dog that's had a limp for a bit be released into the park again, that's what it feels like for us. We're just
like, oh, we're back. And it was a bit more gratitude than ever.
I think everybody anyone is in any kind of entertainment feels more gratitude for the interaction with people because we never had it taken
away before. I mean, I love all our audiences all over the place. But this was right up.
ANDERSON (voice over): The seven time Grammy award winning band had said they put touring on hold back in 2019, as they worked on how they can make
their concerts more eco-friendly. And it was their focus on sustainability that caught the attention of Expo 2020 organizes.
REEM AL HASHIMY, DUBAI EXPO 2020 BUREAU DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Coldplay does so many good things for the environment and for the planet. And that's what
we've tried to do at Expo is really design all of our programs around people and planet. And that's why 192 countries have come here and the
dome, which represents a sense of inclusivity and really bringing everyone together.
MARTIN: You know this, there are conferences around the world, which you don't read about where people gather and look at new arms technology and
new missiles and new ways of killing and hurting people.
So this is a beautiful opposite to that where there's all these pavilions telling us how the world can be better and kinder and cleaner and greener,
altogether. And that is really cool. So we're proud to be here. Right now we're sitting under the biggest solar panel thing I've ever seen. It's
wonderful. It's all this power coming from all this building is powered by this thing above, right?
HASHIMY: Yeah. And all of the water in this building comes from the atmosphere as well. Anything extra goes into the grid.
MARTIN: Yes.
ANDERSON (on camera): You don't need me keep going.
HASHIMY: Yeah, I think so.
ANDERSON (voice over): Last year, the UAE became the first country in the gulf region to commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Around the same
time, Coldplay made a similar pledge to keep its upcoming world tour music of the spheres as sustainable and low carbon as possible, cutting their co2
emissions by half compared to previous tours.
ANDERSON (on camera): Tell us about the music of --.
MARTIN: Starts in a few weeks in Costa Rica. We're trying some new things with how the show is powered and how people can, how we can do certain
things with people's ticket money. And I don't want to sort of talk about it too much ahead of it because if it doesn't work, then I'll feel really
bad.
But we're trying. The whole show is powered from sustainable, renewable fuel rather, from batteries and solar and cooking oil and people powered
things. There's bits of flooring that create power by being jumped on kinetic flooring. If you like Coldplay songs, and you like jumping up and
down.
ANDERSON (on camera): Go to Costa Rica.
MARTIN: Yeah. You'll have a nice time.
ANDERSON (on camera): Touring emissions, though, obviously, including flying are as high as they get.
MARTIN: Yep.
ANDERSON (on camera): So I know you've taken some flak for saying you will, for example still fly private if you feel the need. How are you going to
make this pledge work?
MARTIN: Well by not over pledging. So I've said to you, we're not all the way there yet. If you want to criticize us, you're very welcome to we're
still not perfect. We never be perfect. But we're going to keep trying. That's okay; we're doing the best we can.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON (on camera): Can you see the music industry taking a lead in sustainability do you think?
MARTIN: Well, that's why I think there's a link with what -- expo is trying to do and us is that we're trying to prove that being more eco-friendly can
be profitable. So that those businesses or people that always say, well, we can't afford to go clean, go clean or go green, that we can prove what
actually can.
So it's not a purely charitable exercise, we're trying to prove that capitalism can be a bit more compassionate and eco conscious.
HASHIMY: We at expo, I really tried to do the most we possibly can with this platform that we've had the privilege to host and the responsibility
of doing something of this scale at this time.
We are trying to demonstrate that each of us has a responsibility to make an impact. It doesn't matter if we get to that finish line. What matters is
that we exert ourselves, we inspire each other, to be more responsible, respectful, and to frankly to live more of an impact.
ANDERSON (voice over): And making an impact is exactly what Coldplay plans to do for the foreseeable future, says Chris Martin. When it comes to new
music, there is an end in sight. Coldplay's first debut studio album came out in 2000. And it's lost we'll release in 2025.
MARTIN: We have three more albums left to make studio albums. And after we finished those albums, we'll keep touring. And we might make music and
other ways in other configurations and stuff.
But in terms of think of it like the Harry Potter books, they finish after Deathly Hallows. And sometimes the story has to come to a close. And that's
just what's happening with our studio album stores.
ANDERSON (voice over): Over a quarter of a century since it was formed, the band remains one of the most successful of the 21st century. But as that
part of that journey may be coming to an end, the global superstars say they will be embarking on a new journey as champions for the environment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, I'm just into CNN. We are hearing details on an explosion in eastern Ukraine. Donetsk, authorities say a vehicle was blown up close
to their headquarters. Now this happened in the center of Donetsk in a region controlled by Russian backed separatists.
The blast originated near the building that houses the separatist government. I want to get Nick Paton Walsh who is in Poland, covered this
conflict from its outset in 2014 has been in and out of this region for years. Just explain the significance of what we are hearing and assess what
you think the consequences are at this point.
WALSH: What's important, Becky, as you mentioned, this is an area not only controlled by the separatists that are backed by Moscow, it's the
information that emerges from it is controlled by them too.
And at this point, they are talking about a vehicle that blew up outside their main the next people's republic headquarters. And I was there in 2014
is the main administration building in the center of the nets.
And it's outside that where video shows a vehicle that appears to have been blown up. The DPR as they're called official channel says at about seven
o'clock, a car was blown up outside and the blast wave was heard across the city.
They say that emergency situation, vehicles have been there and they asked people across the area to remain calm vigilance, and also stop moving
around the city. This of course comes a matter of an hour or so after a wider call by the Head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin telling people to telling
citizens to suggesting that they should leave the area altogether and head to the safety of neighboring Russia.
So all of this leading up to a sense, I think of real concern and fear inside those separatist held areas. We've seen them in the past, using
information correct or other ways to manipulate events around here. And I think certainly, while it's always hard to tell whether or not this is done
with the behest of Moscow, it certainly feeds into a very tense situation Becky.
ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh on the story. Let me hand you over to my colleagues Zain Asher for "One World' with more on the continuing crisis on
the border.
END
