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Biden Agrees To Have Summit With Putin In Principle; Satellite Pics Show Increased Russian Activity Along Border; Australia Re-Opens To Tourist After Two Years. Aired 10-10:45a ET

Aired February 21, 2022 - 10:00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:24]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice over): President Biden agrees in principle to meet with the Russian leader if he holds off on

invading Ukraine. That appears to be a big if. We're live in Moscow, Kiev, and the White House.

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In a small town called New York in Eastern Ukraine, and a short flight for a mortar bomb from

rebel territory, Slavyansk Street.

ANDERSON: Well, the reality on the ground in one small town in Eastern Ukraine caught not just in the crosshairs of current tensions, but by eight

long years of conflict there.

And Queen Elizabeth test positive for COVID just as England is set to fully relax restrictions. Just how concerned is the world Paris -- Palace. We're

live in Windsor.

(on camera): I'm Becky Anderson. It's 7:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi from our Middle East programming hub. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. Well,

diplomacy to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine still on the table. But the reality on the ground painting a very different picture as the Russian

president issues new warnings and new accusations against Ukraine. The latest for you this hour.

Vladimir Putin leveling withering criticism after meeting with his Security Council pointing to what he claims are violations by Ukraine of the Minsk

agreement aimed at keeping peace in separatists regions of Eastern Ukraine. Also saying he is now considering a request from pro-Russian leaders there

to recognize them as independent. Today's meeting coming after U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in principle to a summit between the two

leaders.

Could that summit happened before Russia potentially invades Ukraine? Well, new satellite photos show increased Russian troop activity along Ukraine's

north eastern border. Also notable, Russian troops due to leave Belarus after completing joint military drills are staying put. President Putin

also throwing NATO back into the conversation today warning that Russia would face a substantially increased threat if Ukraine joins the alliance.

So, we are connecting you to all of what are these fast changing developments. Nic Robertson is in Moscow for you. Matthew Chance in Kiev,

and Jeremy Diamond is at the White House in Washington. Nic, a big focus from Mr. Putin and other Russian officials today. What's going on in the

breakaway regions of of Eastern Ukraine? What did we hear from President Putin? What were the key takeaways?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I think there are a couple of key takeaways. The big one on the sort of big issue of the

potential of a conversation a meeting even with President Biden, President Macron of France has been intermediary and Putin said, look, I asked

Macron, if I'm going to meet with President Biden, what is it new that the Americans have got for me because he outlined all the things that aren't on

the table right now, which is every demand they pretty much that they have about NATO.

So, the implication from Putin was that so far, there's nothing on the table to induce me to have the meeting with President Biden. Sergey Lavrov,

his foreign minister, who has been speaking or is due to speak with the French Foreign Minister Yves Le Drian later today, said that in his

conversations with Le Drian, he would raise that question. So, Lavrov, the foreign minister didn't seem to have a clear answer.

So, in terms of what would -- what would engage President Putin in that extended opportunity of diplomacy with President Biden, that didn't seem to

be much on that track, although things may happen behind the scenes, but on that important issue of the separatists leaders in Donbass calling for a

defensive cooperation with Russia or to be recognizers that have their independence recognized. We heard from a number of speakers there.

Kozak who's been the interlocutor in talks with Ukrainians and French and German officials recently, saying that essentially the Ukrainian government

no longer has an interest in Donbass, that it believes its issues are between Russia and Ukraine, that it has no interest in talking to the lead

-- the Separatist leaders there in Donbass which has been a demand of Russia and therefore no interest in the Minsk agreement.

[10:05:15]

ROBERTSON: And the former president, former Prime Minister Medvedev saying that in his opinion, Ukraine no longer needs the Donbass. So, in this real

sort of theatrical environment of President Putin calling on his security chief, his defense chief, his principal players, if you will, in this -- in

the ongoing situation at the moment, calling on them to get their opinions, all things that we've heard before.

But at the moment sounding as if they are directing President Putin. And this seems to be the way he likes to go with last week Sergei Lavrov being

asked by the President, should I go ahead with diplomacy? And Lavrov saying yes, we should go ahead with diplomacy. Today asking all these officials

what should I do? And the answer coming back is Ukraine not so interested in Donbass?

So, are we -- is the President being teed up here to make a decision in the short order to grant and respect the independence of Donbass that the

leaders are calling for or this -- or this military assistance that they're calling for. It's not clear. President Putin could leave this moment

hanging, but that's what it was directed towards and certainly for a domestic audience too.

ANDERSON: What's the perspective from Moscow. And Matthew, claims and counterclaims about what is going on on the ground on both sides of the

Ukrainian border? Just bring us bang up to date and explain what we are hearing at this point.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, I mean, obviously, we're talking about a period of heightened tensions, where

you've got reports from both sides of ceasefire violations across the line of contact in Donbass in Eastern Ukraine. That's, you know, got much, much

worse over the past 48, 72 hours. And, of course, you know, the Ukrainian military have been accused of lobbing a shell into Russian territory which

had a border outposts.

There have been -- they denied that, there have been, you know, other claims as well. You know, plus, the fact we've had all this intelligence

indicating that Russian troop movements have changed in a sort of more aggressive manner, they've moved out of their bases into field positions

which is what you'd expect to see if an attack was imminent. And of course, the intel that came to us over the weekend, an order had been given to

those ground commanders from the higher ups in Moscow for the attack to take place.

And so clearly, a military option for Russia, is on the table. It's a button that Vladimir Putin man will make the final decision can press

whenever he wants. But I think what was really interesting about that scene that we just witnessed, which was a rebroadcast of a tape version of the

Security Council meeting inside Russia is really, really telling because these highly choreographed sort of public displays, public glimpses inside

the inner workings of the Russian state gives a pretty good indication usually of which way the Kremlin is intending to go.

It's that them dipping their toe in the water and saying, well, what if we do this? And so, what came out of that clearly is that they are preparing

the possibility or the option of recognizing those rebel Republic's in the east of the country. That would be if they do that, and they won't be able

to do it until the paperwork has been filed until there's a bill in Parliament that's been approved, et cetera, that would have to be signed.

But if they do do it, it would be a significant development because it would mark the end of Russia's attempts to try to control Ukrainian

politics by using proxy forces, by using its political contacts in the east. The Minsk agreement, remember, was an attempt essentially, to make

Ukraine a federal country in which there would be an autonomous region of these Donbass Republic's that would have a say in the Ukrainian Parliament.

Because Russia controls those Republics. It would therefore give Russia the sort of de facto veto on Russia -- on Ukrainian policy preventing it from

joining the European Union, eventually joining NATO or anything like that. That's been something they've been trying to implement for the past seven

years, since the Minsk agreements were actually signed at gunpoint, at the end of the main hostilities, in the -- in the war, the civil war in the --

in the east of the country.

The rebels, of course, backed heavily by by Russia towards the end in particular. And if they give up on that, if they say, look, we're going to

recognize these Republic's instead, that marks a -- an acknowledgement by the Russians. But that strategy has failed. And so, it would mark a new

phase in this -- in this -- in this crisis, in this relationship between Russia and Ukraine, which will be very different.

ANDERSON: That's fascinating. Let me bring in Jeremy who's at the White House. President Biden has said that in principle, he agrees to a summit

with Mr. Putin with conditions.

[10:10:02]

ANDERSON: Now we've heard the perspective from Moscow that President Putin not convinced that there is actually anything new to be discussed at this

point. What's the view from the White House, Jeremy?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we do know that the White House has confirmed that the President has agreed in principle to

have this meeting with the Russian president, but make them no mistake. They are not optimistic here that this meeting is actually going to happen.

Instead, we are continuing to hear top White House officials and other national security officials within the Biden administration making very

clear that all indications are that Russia is proceeding with an invasion.

And if indeed an invasion happens, that meeting between President Biden and President Putin would be completely off the table. As with a meeting on

Thursday that scheduled between the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken. If there is not an invasion

by Thursday, that is -- that meeting between the foreign minister and the Secretary of State is where the details of a potential Biden-Putin summit

that would be discussed is is what we've been told.

And really, ultimately, while the White House says that they, you know, all indications are that this invasion is proceeding, they want to show that

they are still committed to a diplomatic process. That there is still a diplomatic off ramp even if, as we have been reporting, it is true that

Putin has given orders to commanders to proceed with plans for a military invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. once has been saying that we are committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moments and invasion begins. That was the statement from the

White House Press Secretary. They are also making clear how costly and how bloody a Russian invasion would be. Here's the National Security Adviser

Jake Sullivan just this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLILVAN, UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Well, we believe that any military operation of the size, scope and magnitude of what we

believe the Russians are planning will be extremely violent. It will cost the lives of Ukrainians and Russians, civilians and military personnel

alike. But we also have intelligence to suggest that there will be an even greater form of brutality because this will not simply be some conventional

war between two armies.

It will be a war waged by Russia on the Ukrainian people to repress them, to crush them, to harm them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: And that is an unmistakable message there from the National Security Adviser. And this is part of the broader U.S. attempts overall, to

make clear what Russia is doing here. As you see this Security Council meeting by Putin, these are all things that the U.S. has said Russia would

do before an invasion, laying out these kinds of false pretext for movement of Russian troops into Ukraine, as we just saw there between Putin and his

top advisors.

And that's why Jake Sullivan this morning also saying that the prospects of a diplomatic resolution to this conflict are "diminishing hour by hour."

Becky?

ANDERSON: Jeremy Diamond is at the White House. Nic is in Moscow. Matthew is in Kiev. To all of you, thank you. The threat of a Russian invasion is

worrisome. Of course, for those living near the border with separatists controlled territory. CNN's Senior International Correspondent Sam Kiley

traveled to a small Ukrainian town where rebel forces are just a short distance away.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KILEY (voice over): In a small town called New York in Eastern Ukraine and a short flight for a mortar bomb from rebel territory, lies Slavyansk

Street. After eight years of war, so close to the front line, homes here are almost worthless. These houses haven't been smashed by war. They've

been destroyed by the poverty conflict brings. Torn down and sold as recycled bricks and tiles. Locals tell us that these houses sell for about

70 bucks.

(on camera): This is the end of Slavyansk Street. Now just down there is the checkpoint and beyond that is rebel-held territory. And in the last

hour or so we've heard at least eight explosions.

Lily is three. She's out amid the shelling with her mom lending a hand. Playing with the family pump through a gate riddled with shrapnel holes

from a shell that landed before she was born. Her parents tell her that the latest barrage is Thunder, but it is something to worry about.

LIUDMILA PONOMARENKO, RESIDENT OF NEW YORK, UKRAINE: She does not understand. But very soon she will understand, because she is three. So we

are now thinking about whether we stay here.

KILEY: Andrey is a rescue worker. He's acutely aware of the surge in recent shelling. According to Ukrainian authorities, there were at least 70

strikes along the frontline that Saturday.

So what kind of life do you think your daughter's going to have?

ANDREY PONOMAREKNO, RESIDENT OF NEW YORK, UKRAINE: How could I know? There is no stability in the country. I'm doing my best to provide all that's

needed. But still, I can't change reality.

[10:15:06]

KILEY: The increase Russian-backed rebel shelling the kill to government soldiers on Saturday is being seen as a possible prelude to a Russian

invasion. Perhaps along this very street. Across the road, Maxim draws water from a well. This community is sliding back into the 19th century.

And fear bears down on everyone.

Is there much shelling?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There, you hear it.

KILEY: You've had this for a long time. Are you feeling frightened now though?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm scared. Very scared.

KILEY: But many living in Ukraine's New York are trapped by these war time blues.

A. PONOMAREKNO: Where shouldwe go? Why? Nobody cares. And where should we get money to live and rent? So that is why we are staying in this house.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, Sam Kiley joins me now form Kharkiv in Eastern Ukraine. And your report, Sam, revealing, frankly, the grind of life in an area that

leaders have been squabbling about for the last eight years. I mean, they've ratcheted up the the rhetoric of late. But to those who live there,

believe their lives are really front and center in this high-stakes game of diplomacy. Do they genuinely feel that people care about them?

KILEY: No, I don't think they do at all. These are Russian speaking people who live separated from their friends and neighbors by the so-called line

of contact. Effectively, a frontline you heard in that report, some of those detonations that they live with, day in day out. In one of the

locations we saw, the -- we was showed a shell that was fired by Ukrainian government forces some years back that landed in one of the -- one of their

gardens.

Didn't kill anybody but did some damage. And the people there are absolutely convinced that they are barely even acknowledged as existing,

let alone being pawns in a wider game of geopolitics. They just want to go back to their lives. They want to be able to frankly leave that area, they

are trapped by their own poverty. And they are living in fear of an escalation in the fighting.

Iit's very sharp contrast to that area to where I'm standing now. That's only about three hours drive away or so, Becky. Maybe a bit longer before.

And here, half an hour drive to the Russian border where very substantial forces are known to be massing as -- according to U.S. intelligence claims,

even forces that have been put on notice to move, to invade this city of a million and a half people but this city feels like a bustling and frankly

pretty wealthy European hub of I.T. and intellectual activity.

There are 40 universities here. It's like a giant Oxford if you like. Very different, very, very sharp contrast between the kind of haves in places

that are lucky enough to be away from the frontline in that war and the have nots. But the dire warnings coming out of the United States,

inevitably are going to start affecting communities here and even in Kiev when they're talking in the United States about possible attempts to even

capture the Ukrainian capital, Becky.

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Sam, thank you. Sam's reporting there that we've just been discussing. And we'll -- we can get you bang up to date on the very

latest on what is going on with regards Ukraine, Russia. The Web site, of course is there, cnn.com. Includes why the Donbass region of eastern

Ukraine is at the crux of the current crisis. Now, Vladimir Putin's unproven allegations of genocide in Donbass are stoking the conflict. That

is cnn.com on your computer, or through the CNN app on your phone.

All right. Ahead on the show, Israel among several countries easing their rules around COVID. What you need to know as a tourist whether you're

vaccinated or not. And fortress Australia is now welcoming all vaccinated tourists. We'll talk about the impact, the reopening expected to have on

the country's economy and on people's lives.

Plus, messages of support for Britain's Queen Elizabeth after Buckingham Palace announce she has COVID. Taking a very short break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:21:41]

ANDERSON: Israel is among a number of countries loosening coronavirus restriction. Starting March 1st, it is letting all tourists enter

regardless of vaccination status. Now, this decision comes after Israel has seen in the Prime Minister's words, a consistent decline in morbidity data.

Well, CNN's Hadas Gold is in Jerusalem. Travelers then will not have to -- have had a vaccine. Will they need to be tested for COVID? And how is the

loosening of these regulations going down locally?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, all tourists will still need to take a PCR test before takeoff and upon landing. But these news rules are

huge changed to the last almost two years of restrictions. That has meant almost no tourists have been coming into the country. Now for the past few

months vaccinated tourists have been allowed in but they need to show proof of vaccination, they had to upload forms.

And all these prevented sort of roadblocks for tourists. And so, even though tourists were technically allowed in in Jerusalem, which is normally

a tourist hub, we really haven't seen the same number of tourists coming in. So now, all of the restaurants, the hotels, the tour operators are

really hoping that these new rules will mean that they will start seeing that influx of tourists coming in again.

Doesn't matter their vaccination status as long as they take a PCR test before takeoff, and upon landing, they can finally come back into Israel.

Now the (INAUDIBLE) of tourism has cost the Israeli economy a lot of money. According to the Ministry of Tourism since March 2020, at -- this has cost

the economy at least $7 billion. Actually, the year before the pandemic it was a record year for tourism for Israel.

At least 4-1/2 million visitors. It was an 11 percent increase on the previous year. There was a lot of hopes for the years 2020 and 2021 when it

came to tourism and that all came to a grinding halt. Like so many other countries around the world. Now this decision to allow unvaccinated

tourists into the country came because the COVID numbers are falling. They had a rapid increase and now they're having a rapid decrease.

Now at the end of January, there was a record high of more than 80,000 positive cases in one day and that wasn't counting the scores of home tests

that people were taking. Now there's about a seven-day average of just around 90,000 cases. And other COVID restrictions are coming to be lifted

now including the fact that school children -- school children will no longer be required to take twice weekly rapid test in order to stay in

school. Becky?

ANDERSON: Hadas Gold is in Jerusalem for you. Thank you.

Australia, another country now welcoming back all vaccinated visitors. It's been nearly two years since Australia imposed some of the world's strictest

travel rules and people finally getting to see their loved ones once again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON (voice over): Well, clearly, this reopening is about so much more than the economy. But the Australian government has launched a $29 million

ad campaign to attract tourists back. The tourism Minister says he thinks they are going to see a very, very strong rebound or least that's what he

hopes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Hong Kong meanwhile, reporting record numbers of new cases. The city of seven million or over 7500 new COVID infections on Monday. Now you

are looking at a brand new isolation facility under construction on a cruise terminal. A top official said the city is in full scale combat to

contain what they describe as the fifth wave.

[10:25:08]

ANDERSON: We are now one step closer towards a return to normality. That declaration coming from the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He is set

to lift England's remaining legal COVID restrictions including self- isolation rules for those who test positive for the virus. He plans to hold a news conference outlining his "living with COVID plan" in the coming

hours. Well, the Prime Minister points to scientific advancements and what he calls strong protections from vaccine rollouts that offer a chance to

get daily life he says back on track.

Well, this announcement comes one day after Britain's Queen Elizabeth tested positive for the virus. Buckingham Palace says the 95-year-old

monarch has what it calls mild, cold-like symptoms and she's been able to take home what are described as light duties. Let's get you to CNN's Royal

Correspondent Max Foster who joins us live from outside Windsor Castle. There are of course deep reserves of affection for the Queen across the

U.K. and the world.

And those who support her will be quick to say she's had a tough time over the past five months or so with health problems and family controversy.

What is Buckingham Palace saying at this point?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they think she's not asymptomatic. She does have symptoms with mild symptoms. You'll also

remember last week, we saw the Queen meters of senior military members and she was unable to move. So, I'm told that's more about stiffness than an

injury. But under those current U.K. regulations, she is expected to isolate. So she is isolating with cold-like symptoms and also this

stiffness.

So, can't be very comfortable for her. But the Palace very keen to emphasize that she is still well enough to work. So, yesterday afternoon,

she sent a note to the British Olympic team, for example, congratulating them. We're expecting her to speak to the Prime Minister on her regular

weekly audience today. I'm sure there'll be some images released over the course of the day. If they're not, then that might be a concern that we've

got no reason to think that she isn't able to carry out these light duties that the palace is saying she's committed to.

Keep calm and carry on. It's very typical the Queen, isn't it? Aand how she got it? Well, you know, there's a breakout basically according to sources

within Windsor Castle. And that is a symptom, I guess, of the fact that things are loosening up here. She had been very closely protected for a

couple of years. She didn't get COVID. But maybe it was inevitable as things opened up the age of 95. It is a bit of a concern and she is being

watched but they're not overly concerned here.

ANDERSON: Max Foster is outside Windsor. Thank you, Max. Windy Windsor, it sounds today. Still ahead, Ukrainian citizens learning to protect

themselves in case the threat of war becomes reality.

Plus, we'll get you live to Kiev for reaction to reports that Russia's military buildup isn't slowing down.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:30:29]

ANDERSON: Let's get you to London where the Defense Secretary is making an urgent statement to Parliament regarding Ukraine.

BEN WALLACE, BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY: There are now more than 110 Battalion Tactical Groups massed around Ukraine's borders with Russia and

Belarus.

In addition, in the Black Sea Fleet there are two amphibious groups, nine cruise missile-equipped Russian ships and a further four cruise-missile

capable vessels in the Caspian Sea.

In the last 48 hours, contrary to Kremlin assurances, we have seen a continued increase in troop numbers and a change in force disposition,

moving from holding areas to potential launch locations.

All the indicators point to increasing numbers and readiness of Russian forces. And -- not surprising to many of us -- the pledge to withdraw

Russian troops from Belarus at the end of their joint military drills on 20 February was not carried out and the exercise has now been extended until

further notice.

Complementing this troop build-up has been the proliferation of false flags operations, propaganda stunts, and Russian news outlets carrying fictitious

allegations.

These are not the actions of a Russian government fulfilling its repeated declarations that it has no intention of invading Ukraine.

In fact, we have seen over the last few weeks the Russian playbook being implemented in a way that gives us strong cause for concern that President

Putin is still committed to an invasion.

I believe he is in danger of setting himself on a tragic course of events, leading to humanitarian crisis, instability, and widespread suffering --

not just of Ukrainians but also of the Russian people.

Russians, like many of us, know the consequences of military interventions. The Soviet Union in Afghanistan, the first war in Chechnya, these are just

two of the examples that Russia faced where too many young men returned home in zinc-lined coffins.

And the government therefore urges President Putin for the sake of his own people and even at this eleventh hour to rule out the invasion of Ukraine

and recommit to a diplomatic process for us to address the perceptions of the Kremlin.

Over recent weeks my (INAUDIBLE) the Foreign Secretary and I have engaged in numerous engagements with our international counterparts, including my

own visit to Moscow to meet with Defence Minister Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov.

We have made clear our determination to uphold the defensive principles of NATO and to defend the right of sovereign countries to make choices about

their own security arrangements.

As the Russian government itself has signed up to, states and I quote, have "an equal right to security. We reaffirm the inherent right of each and

every participating state to be free to choose or change its security arrangements, including treaties or alliances".

That statement, Mr. Speaker, was signed by the Russians in 1975 in the Helsinki Final Act, in 1995 in the Budapest Summit Declaration, in the 1999

Istanbul Summit, and most lately in 2010 at the Astana Summit.

We urge Russia to stick to its commitments that it has openly made and signed up to over the years.

My counterpart, Minister Shoigu, repeated to me in-person that Russia has no intention of invading Ukraine and while we take them at their word, we

must judge them by their actions.

At our meeting, I also took the opportunity to address the proposals in Russia's draft treaty because while this is not a return to normal U.K.

relations, it is important that as Europe -- one of Europe's biggest military powers, the U.K. maintains strong lines of communications with

Russia, in order to avoid miscalculation or the risk of inadvertent escalations.

I also continue to speak regularly to my Ukrainian counterpart, Minister Reznikov, as we continue to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Since 2015, the U.K. has responded alongside the likes of Sweden and Canada to Russia's previous illegal occupation of Crimea with defense capacity

building, including training and reform.

And, as I announced to the House last month, Mr. Speaker, we took the decision to also provide lethal aid to Ukraine.

This now means that alongside the United States, Canada, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and the Netherlands, the United Kingdom has not just spoken

but acted.

I am pleased with the efforts being made by a range of European leaders including President Macron to find a way through, as we must remain

resolute in our commitment to NATO's formal response to the Russian draft treaties, which all NATO members signed up to.

Intimidation and aggression, however, must not be rewarded.

We should be under no illusion. The Russian forces have now massed on Ukraine's borders 65 percent of all their land combat power.

[10:35:09]

WALLACE: The formations present and the action of the Russian state to date not only threatens the integrity of a sovereign state, but undermine

international law and the Democratic values in which all of us in Europe so strongly believe.

The Foreign Office has now relocated the embassy further west in the country, and as two weeks ago advised all U.K. nationals should leave

Ukraine via all means possible.

The Ministry of Defense will continue to monitor Russian actions, support Ukrainian defensive efforts, and contribute to NATO's response measures.

We continue to hope, Mr. Speaker, President Putin will relent and pull back from invasion, but we must prepare ourselves for the consequences if he

does not.

I will update the House as I have continue to -- I have done so in the last few weeks, both in the Chamber and to colleagues online. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) the Secretary of State, John (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Defense Secretary has been busy in recent weeks, so I welcome his statements today.

ANDERSON: Well, you've just heard from the Defense Secretary for the U.K., Ben Wallace saying that all indicators suggest a build up of Russian

forces. And he says given the false flag operations, the British Defense Minister has strong calls for concern that the Russian president is on

course for a military intervention. He calls on Vladimir Putin to paraphrase him here but think again.

Nic Robertson is in Moscow. Clarissa Ward is in Kiev. And let me start with you, Clarissa there on the ground in Ukraine. Does anything that Ben

Wallace has just said take us any sort of further down the line and trying to work out where we are at ahead of this meeting, in principle promised

between Joe Biden, the U.S. President and Vladimir Putin? Is -- has anything changed at this point?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't think anything's changed, Becky. And I would actually say that Ben Wallace's

differ a tiny bit from the U.S.'s in terms of the degree of certainty which they put on the idea that Russia will go about on with this invasion. We

heard the National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan talking on NBC News this morning saying it was going to happen in the coming hours or days.

It would be incredibly bloody and repressive and ugly and mass civilian casualties. The wording used by Britain's Defense Minister was slightly

more restrained. He talked about having a strong cause for concern, which is not the same thing as near certainty that this would in fact, go ahead.

But the view from here in Ukraine is that things don't look good. And particularly they don't look good in the far east of the country and those

breakaway republics, where there have been a number of what Ukrainian officials would call false flag operations today.

The Russians accusing Ukrainians of shelling a border post in Rostov in Russia, also accusing Ukrainian saboteurs of trying to cross the border and

clashing with the Russian military saying that they managed to kill five Ukrainians in that battle. And that two Ukrainian military vehicles came in

to try to attempt some kind of a rescue to which the Ukrainian authorities said simply show us the bodies, give us the names, show the proof.

The Ukrainian foreign minister also coming out and saying that Russia must stop this fake factory, but it's clear at this stage. And I'm sure Nic will

elaborate on this more when he talks about what's happening on the Russian side of the border, that this all feeds very neatly into the narrative that

Moscow has been sketching out for some time that these Russian speakers, many of them Russian passport holders are in imminent danger of a massive

attack and facing atrocities at the hands of Ukrainian forces. So, you know, from the Ukrainian perspective, that is ominous indeed.

ANDERSON: Well, to your point, let's get to the view there in Moscow at the end of what has been another busy day of talking and of claims and counter

claims. Nic, what is the view in Moscow?

ROBERTSON: Yes. I think the day's not yet done, Becky, because as we were all earlier on watching President Putin have this big show of having his

Security Council and we were wondering before because he's teeing himself up to make a decision here or be guided, you know, have the audience have

the Russian population, feel that President Putin is being guided you know, by what all his ministers and security chiefs are telling him.

The show, if you will, the program concluded abruptly, very abruptly. With President Putin saying and we'll make a decision today. And we understand

that the decision who's talking about is the decision whether or not to recognize to do what the separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk are telling

Donbass, are asking him for and to recognize their independence. So, it does seem as if Russia resort -- is poised to do that and will remember

that just over a week ago, the Duma, the State Parliament here voted to do just that.

The Parliament already has had a vote, and it was going to President Putin to make -- to take the final decision on that vote. So the indication is,

he may be about to make that decision to the point. Absolutely, Clarissa was making that, Ben Wallace saying it as well, that Russian news anchors

are playing up these fake reports to try to gin up greater public support in Russia for recognizing the separatists or whatever move President Putin

next takes.

It all that whole narrative that is being confected, if you will on Russian state media. The national -- Putin Security Council meeting televised at

length is all part of that -- all part of that imagery. And at the moment, driving in one direction, Ben Wallace there speaking about 65 percent of

all of Russia's land forces lined up around the borders of Ukraine right now. A very strong military posture.

And it does seem at the moment as if President Putin is getting to the point where we may see additional Russian forces cross into the Donbass

region. He hasn't said it. They haven't done it. It's understood by the Ukrainian leadership that some of that is happening already and has been

for some time, but we could be getting towards that point, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Moscow, Clarissa is in Kiev. Clarissa Ward, thank you to both of them -- to both of you. Hoping for peace, bracing for

war, the White House maintaining that Russia could launch an extremely violent attack on Ukraine in the coming hours. One U.S. official says the

latest intelligence indicates Russian military preparations have not slowed down now.

You know, because we've been reporting this in the past couple of hours that President Biden has agreed in principle to a meeting with President

Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, no word yet when that could happen. We are going to take a short break. World Sports up

after that. This though is a two-hour show. I'm Becky Anderson with CONNECT THE WORLD. So back 15 minutes from now. Stay with us.

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