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Ukraine Marks Four Years since Russia's Full-Scale Invasion; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Admits to Some Regrets; Family Offers up to $1 Million for Info Leading to Nancy Guthrie's Recovery; Zelenskyy Speaks on Russian Invasion; European Leaders Speak on Solidarity with Ukraine; A Third of Ukrainian Children Are Displaced; State of the Union Address Tonight. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired February 24, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi. I'm
Becky Anderson. Time here just after 7 in the evening.
And we are following breaking news this hour. NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie's family is now offering up to $1 million for information on the
disappearance of their mother, Nancy.
Also on the show later this evening, Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union address with the theme, "America at 250: Strong, Prosperous and
Respected."
It comes as the war he promised to end on day one in office officially enters its fifth year today. There you see the scene in Kyiv. And we will
take you there for the very latest on Russia's war on Ukraine. And we will bring you analysis on where it may go from here.
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ANDERSON: In Ukraine's capital today, a moment of silence on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. Residents of Kyiv, somber yet
resilient, four years into a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives on both sides and, as of now, does not appear close to an end.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the European Parliament today, thanking member nations and urging them to maintain a united front against
Russian aggression. He also repeated his call for a clear date for Ukraine to join the European Union.
Last hour I spoke to CNN's chief international correspondent, Clarissa Ward, who is in Kyiv. She sat down with president Zelenskyy a little
earlier and asked him to reflect on the last four years.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We were actually able to attend an intimate ceremony during which he was presenting medals
of courage and honor to some soldiers who had served but often also to widows and orphans, relatives of those who have fallen in this war.
And you can see from this clip that we're about to play that this all takes a very heavy emotional toll and weighs on his shoulders. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: This woman said to me, "I never want to hear the word resilient again. I am so over being resilient. I am so exhausted. I am so broken."
What do you tell Ukrainian people right now who are feeling that, that they're done?
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Very difficult. It's very understandable and painful that -- we want to end this war as quick as
possible. And really, we -- each day, we do all we can.
I speak with all the partners. I try to negotiate. I'm asking different parts in different continents, help me to stop Putin but if we will give
him all he wants, we will lose everything, just everything, our houses, our lives, our families, everything, because all of us, people will have to run
away from the country or be Russians.
WARD: As the war enters its fifth year, do you have any regrets?
Do you have anything that you think, God, if I could just go back, I would do it differently?
ZELENSKYY: Yes, some elements, of course, I'm a life person. Yes, of course, there are some moments, yes but I will not tell it.
WARD: Fair enough.
ZELENSKYY: Not now, not now. I mean this. I don't want Putin to know some my weak moments.
WARD: But you've had them.
ZELENSKYY: Yes, of course. Of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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WARD: Becky, we also asked President Zelenskyy what he would like to hear from President Trump tonight when he gives his State of the Union address.
He paused for a really long time before answering, simply, "to stay on our side," clearly an emotional plea from one president to another at this very
uncertain and somber time, Becky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Clarissa Ward reporting from Kyiv.
As the war grinds on, those front lines are essentially stalled. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh uses a series of maps now to look at the evolution of this
conflict and how Russia's expectations of capturing Kyiv within days turned into this four-year battle, with no clear indication of how it will all
end.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The war in Ukraine, now four years old, is the most seismic geopolitical event since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The four maps tell you also how it's changed America's future wars forever.
First it's the moment of the initial invasion. The U.S. warned Ukraine about this and most especially Vladimir Putin thought that the capital,
Kyiv, would fall in a matter of weeks. But the opposite was true. Zelenskyy stayed to fight.
ZELENSKYY: (Speaking foreign language).
WALSH: Russians committing senseless atrocities in Bucha in Ukraine, kicking them back from Kyiv. Moscow's forces were simply not ready for a
much smaller, unprepared adversary.
Later that year, poor Russian logistics would cause them to collapse around Kharkiv and, later, Kherson, where thousands celebrated their liberation.
The U.S. has spent hundreds of billions over decades preparing for the Russian threat. Yes, they still have a nuclear arsenal. But Russia's
immediate failure showed that it can irritate but not intimidate the United States.
And the devastating strategic failure here is one of the key lessons of the war still, that the Kremlin's military proved here a paper tiger.
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WALSH (voice-over): Flush with success, lazy choices ensued and, really, Ukraine lost its main chance to defeat the Russian invasion. They planned
with their allies a counter-offensive to break Russia's land corridor down to occupied Crimea. They begged NATO for weapons, tanks, armored vehicles,
jets.
U.S. President Joe Biden was always reluctant to send better arms but agreed in almost all cases. The delay, though, deeply damaging to Ukraine's
battle plans. President Zelenskyy was persuaded to also strike, though, at the eastern city of Bakhmut, diluting the power of the offensive in the
south.
The push also started very late in the summer. Now the U.S. and NATO preferring really half-measures and kind of gleeful of how Russia had
proven so far failed to commit. And that came at a huge cost to Ukrainian manpower.
Well, this is perhaps the moment where the West ran out of ideas and energy. But Moscow did not. And across the front line for months, we would
see tiny, slow, incremental advances by Russia at immense cost, thousands dying over modest towns that ended up leveled.
Avdiivka, for instance, little strategic value but a symbol that Moscow would simply not stop. Western policy kind of ran out of ideas. They had to
hope Ukraine could keep going and realize they barely had enough for themselves, let alone to spare for Ukraine.
But Russia knew it had the people and the oil money to push ahead. And European NATO began to see the threat of sabotage and of wider war if
Moscow won.
Glimmers of hope came when an undermanned Ukraine turned to small, remotely-piloted drones to hit Russian targets and mounted a daredevil and
costly raids into Russia's Kursk region, humiliating the Kremlin's sovereignty; for sure, a rare and needed win.
Now seeing this, the U.S. and its European allies noted the scale the reserves brought to the front line by Russia still a major threat to them.
And Europe in particular realized it had to rebuild urgently its own military.
Now many thought 2025 would be the year that Ukraine did not survive. There were fears of a huge Russian summer push to take all of the Donbas. And
early on, the Trump administration proved they were far from reliable, if not actually an obstacle.
TRUMP: You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel.
WALSH (voice-over): The presidents seesawing in their relationship while Trump was keen on peace with Putin at any cost, it seemed. But an ugly
summer did not end in disaster. And Putin took one town that he coveted, chewed off a bit of another and had an unexpected win in the south.
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The reason, for the most part, Ukrainian ingenuity; drones had taken off where Ukraine simply couldn't find enough troops to fight. Banks of
operators in basements, robots delivering resupply or rescue bikes.
Russian bombers hit by hidden drones deep in Siberia. Russian losses mounted; a staggering 35,000 dead and injured in December alone, just
unsustainable.
This conflict became the crucible of learning for the Pentagon, leaving a lot of its modern arsenal obsolete. And while Ukrainian ingenuity hasn't
defeated Moscow yet, it has certainly held back the defeat of Kyiv.
Step back and you see a Ukraine constantly adapting just to survive. You see Russia unable to get the win that it needs but also stuck in a war
that's just too big for it to fail in. And the United States slowing ever more in its help and risking the world moving on without it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And for more on the big picture, do be sure to read Nick's analysis on our digital platform.
He says, "For Ukraine, the war has been a curse to survive and adapt long enough to spare Europe's borders from Russia's forces and absolve its
allies from springing into greater action.
"And for the world?
"Well, it's brought seismic evolution to the nature of warfare, the balance of global powers and to European security."
Check it all out on CNN's all access, available through the CNN app.
We are following breaking news for you this hour surrounding the disappearance of the 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. In a newly released social
media video, her daughter, NBC News host Savannah Guthrie, says her family is now offering up to $1 million for a tip that leads to the recovery of
her mom.
The 84-year old disappeared from her Arizona home more than three weeks ago. CNN's Ed Lavandera is following this story for us from Tucson.
And it a difficult social video to watch, frankly, for all of us. It must have been very painful for Savannah Guthrie herself to make.
What more did she say?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's an excruciating video to watch, more than four minutes long. And this is the
first time we've heard from the Guthrie family in more than a week. So it is significant.
And obviously the main headline in terms of the investigative efforts is this announcement of $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy
Guthrie's location.
But Becky, it's also significant on a more painful level because it's really the family acknowledging for the first time that they are
understanding that this could very well, despite all of their hope, that this could very well not be a situation that ends the way they had hoped
and prayed for.
Listen to a little bit about -- from what Savannah Guthrie released this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC ANCHOR: We need her to come home. For that reason, we are offering a reward of up to $1 million for any information that leads
us to her recovery.
All of the information about this reward and the details is in the caption below. You can call the 1-800 tipline. You can be anonymous if you want.
Someone out there knows something that can bring her home. Somebody knows and we are begging you to please come forward now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: You can feel that anguish in her voice. You can see it in her face. You can see just how much of a toll the last more than three weeks,
24 days now, since Nancy Guthrie disappeared from this neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona.
And on the investigative front, we should also point out that there has been a source, there is a source that tells CNN that the suspect that was
captured in the dramatic door camera footage.
And that was this footage that was released on February 10th, very dramatic, and obviously been one of the biggest and most important clues in
this entire investigation.
But one of those images, we are told by a source, was perhaps captured days before Nancy Guthrie disappeared, which suggests that the suspect might
have been casing reconnaissance, preparing for this abduction here in this neighborhood.
And it's really only significant because that's the first time that this has been acknowledged by an -- by a source. In this case, we should also
point out that the sheriff here in Pima County in Tucson believes that any speculation about the dates and the timing of those videos is speculation
at this point.
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He says that the videos do not have a timestamp but it is significant because investigators here have been asking for videos from residents in
this area dating back to January 1st and then some other, more specific dates during the course of January as well.
So those are the kind of developments that we're tracking on the investigative front. But the headline here this morning, Becky, is clearly
this new video from Savannah Guthrie and her family, announcing this $1 million reward in hopes that they can find out where their mother is,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you.
And we will get you more on this as we get it into CNN. We're going to take a short break. Back after this.
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ANDERSON: Let's return to what is our top story this hour, Ukraine marking four years since Russia's full-scale invasion. Beyond the geopolitics and
the battlefield maps, there is a quieter devastation.
Today UNICEF says more than 2.4 million children in Ukraine need humanitarian assistance, some living 24 hours in a hyperalert state as they
remain state as they remain under constant fire.
I'm going to get back to this. I want, though, to get you straight to president Zelenskyy, who is speaking in Kyiv. Let's listen.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: -- your personal efforts, your work and friendship, our friendship.
Thank you so much, Antonio.
Thank you so much, Ursula.
There is still much to be done. And today, Ursula, Antonio and I discussed concrete steps that can bring us closer to peace. And there is no place for
the Russian shadow fleet in European waters and no place for Russian oil and gas on European markets.
We discussed changes to E.U. legislation that would make it possible to stop Russian tankers and seize the oil they transport. And it's doable.
We also spoke about ensuring that the 90 billion loan works for Ukrainians as quickly and effectively as possible. And because Russia continues its
attacks on our energy infrastructure and our people, we discussed air defense and energy support.
Thank you for the European Commission's readiness to join to the implementation of our updated energy strategy. And we discussed this today
-- and I consider it one of the biggest decisions which are very important for us of this day of our meetings.
And we count on 20 sanctions package being strong and efficient. It must be adopted as soon as possible. And, of course, there are a lot of different
challenges.
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But we count on it. And this is the form of diplomacy Russia understands and I thank all leaders who support it. This has to be done in the interest
of all Europe. And I thank all our European friends and our partners.
Everyone in the European Union who stands on the right side of history and helps us, Ukraine and Ukrainians. And it's vital that we have started
working on the details of a key geopolitical security guarantee for Ukraine and for all of Europe.
And for Ukraine's accession to the E.U., the year 2027 is very important for us -- and I hope, doable, I hope -- so that Putin cannot block our
membership for decades. Thank you so much. Thank you for your support, for your visit. Slava Ukraine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Slava Ukraini.
(Speaking foreign language).
Sorry.
European Council. OK.
ANTONIO COSTA, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Dear Vladimir, dear Ursula, dear commissioners, on the fourth anniversary of Russia's war of aggression
against Ukraine, Europe stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian people.
Being in Kyiv today is a statement of solidarity but it is also a way to thank Ukrainian people and Ukraine for your fight for our freedom. And
today we remember, we remember the communities torn apart, the homes destroyed and the children taken away from their families.
We honor the lives lost, the soldiers, the civilians, the children. We witnessed the resilience of Ukrainian people who have shown extraordinary
strength in the face of aggression. And we reaffirm that Europe's future is tied to Ukraine's freedom.
This anniversary is not just about remembering the past. It's about shaping the future. And that future is written in Kyiv and in -- and not in Moscow.
The only path forward is a just and lasting peace, a peace rooted in international law, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the
principles of the United Nations charter.
Russia cannot be permitted to make gains at the negotiating table where it has failed on the battlefield. We welcome all the efforts, including those
by our United States partners, toward sustainable peace.
And Russia must come to the negotiation table in a serious way and accept that it will not win this war. After four years of aggression, Ukraine has
held firm and Russia has not achieved its objectives in Ukraine.
Now instead of engaging in the negotiations in good faith, Russia is intensifying its attacks and targeting vital energy infrastructure in the
middle of a very harsh winter. This is an undeniable attack on the innocent civilian population, as entire communities are left without power in
freezing temperatures.
This is unacceptable. And my message is clear. Ukraine can count on the European Union. Since the very first day of Russia's war of aggression, the
European Union has been unwavering in full support to Ukraine on all fronts -- financially, politically, diplomatically, in terms of security. And we
will continue.
And as soon as possible, I invite the European Commission to deliver on the decision taken by the European Council 18 of December, to give a 9 billion
loan to Ukraine. But our support goes beyond the immediate.
Ukraine's future is in the European Union. A prosperous, democratic Ukraine, anchored in the European Union is a security guarantee for all of
Europe and one of the key elements of the peace process.
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Ukraine has already made remarkable progress on the European reforms, even under the most difficult circumstances. The accession process is not just a
bureaucratic exercise, it is a transformation that brings real benefits to the Ukrainian people.
The technical preparations with the European Union institutions are going well and we can expect significant progress on the session path in the
foreseeable future.
President Zelenskyy, dear Volodymyr, I encourage you to continue your good efforts in delivering the necessary reforms. We will continue to support
Ukraine on its accession process. So let me end by reiterating, reiterating, you can rely on the European Union. We will be on your side
for as long as it takes.
And we are committed to building a free, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine within the European Union. Thank you, Volodymyr.
ZELENSKYY: Thank you so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Statement by the President of the European Commission.
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Dear Vladimir, dear Antonio, commissioners, today we stand in Kyiv on a grim anniversary. It
has been four years since Russia launched its full-scale war against your country.
But even in the face of this terror, the resilience of the Ukrainian people remains undimmed. We have seen four years of extraordinary courage from
your soldiers and from your citizens, whose bravery will echo through history. This will never be forgotten.
In those four years, the support from your friends and allies has been unwavering in Europe and beyond and you can count on it. Since the
beginning of the war, the European Union has provided nearly 200 billion euros in military and financial support, more than any other partner. And
there is more to come.
And let me spell out three ways of support, how our support will be maintained and how it will be reinforced.
The first one is the European Union loan of 90 billion euros. We call it the steel porcupine loan because it should give Ukraine the strength of a
steel porcupine, indigestible for potential invaders.
Let me be crystal clear -- and the president of the council also said it -- the loan was agreed by 27 heads of state and government in the European
Council. They have given their word. This word cannot be broken, so we will deliver on the loan one way or the other.
Let me be very clear. We have different options and we will use them. Now let's look at the loan itself. The first priority of the porcupine loan is
to address your most urgent defense needs. It will help to procure, to produce, to develop and to secure advanced defense equipment for the brave
Ukrainian forces.
That ranges from drones to missiles to ammunition. And the work has already started. Together with the Ukrainian forces, we have identified a first
package, a priority package. Our aim is to deliver it before Easter. It includes drones and ammunition.
And in parallel, we are working intensely on the integration of both our defense industries. We can learn a lot from the Ukrainian defense industry.
You can count on us with our well-established structures in the defense industries. So more integration is the goal.
Of course, the ultimate aim is that your soldiers will gain a decisive edge on the battlefield to protect Ukraine. And, of course, the European Union
will have access to valuable, cutting-edge innovation that is also applicable to other industries.
The second priority is to help you through this harsh winter. Invincibility tents -- we have seen it this morning; we visited one. And they have become
the symbol of the Ukrainian solidarity and the unbreakable resolve of Ukraine. In this difficult moment, let me reassure you that we stand firmly
by your side.
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The European Commission is the largest donor of energy support to a value of 3 billion euros so far. Since the start of the war we have provided over
11,000 generators and almost 1,000 delivered in January alone. But, of course, we have to go further.
And therefore, we have now a new package of 100 million euros to deliver immediate support, that what is needed right now, it's available on the
market. So far, the money was not there. So the 100 million package can immediately be invested.
And while we help you through this winter, we start preparing together with you the next winter. We will work on a new -- we call it winter energy plan
for '26 and '27. The name is Repair, Rebuild and Restart.
It will include a package of 920 million euros to stabilize Ukraine's energy system. So just to give a few examples, it will secure the steady
flow of electricity across the country. It will accelerate the decentralization of the production of renewable energy.
You mentioned how important it is. It will, of course, repair and rebuild and modernize the grids and it will repair and restart the damaged power
plants, too. Let me add that there is a lot of coordination that has to go on, because lots of in-kind support is needed. It is available.
But we have to bring it together and therefore, Commissioner Jorgenson and deputy prime minister Shmyhal will convene a energy at Ramstein in March
already in order to coordinate and have a very seamless and precise work together from both sides, Ukraine and the European Union.
It will ensure that Ukraine gets exactly the supplies and the material it needs now. Finally let me address the issue of energy security within the
European Union. The Russian attacks on the Druzhba pipeline have had a direct impact on European energy security. We condemn sharply these Russian
attacks.
I would like to thank prime minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic, for his efforts to secure and increase the transport of oil to Hungary, to Slovakia
and to Serbia through the Adriatic pipeline. And in the meantime, we ask for the repairs on the pipeline after the Russian attacks to be
accelerated.
Now our third priority is to maintain maximum pressure on the aggressor. We will soon get our 20th sanctions package over the line. Our sanctions will
keep draining Russia's revenues and weakening its war machine. And we are closely coordinating with our G7 partners for maximum scope and impact.
Dear Volodymyr, this morning we honored your fallen at the People's Memorial in Maidan Square. And today I'm also thinking of their comrades,
bravely holding the line in the trenches. They fight for peace. They fight for a better future for their children.
They fight for a simple dream of a free and sovereign Ukraine at the heart of a free Europe. So let me conclude by saying to them, Europe will stand
by you and stand with you until you have made that dream come true. Long live Europe and Slava Ukraine.
ZELENSKYY: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Glory to heroes. And we are moving on to the Q&A part and please, first question goes to Apostrof (ph).
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) Apostrof (ph). This question will be addressed to the European Commission president.
So on the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, it was planned to introduce the 20th package of the sanctions against Russia, as far as I
know. Please tell us why they couldn't be introduced.
And can we set a deadline for the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions, possibly in a reduced or changed format?
VON DER LEYEN: So the sanctions have to be adopted by unanimity. And this will not change, of course. But we have been working on 19 sanctions
packages with success. None of it was easy. We had to negotiate any package.
But from the experience that we passed 19 packages of sanctions, I'm confident that we're also going to pass the 20th one.
[10:35:07]
It's a matter of time. Of course, you're right; it has to be there as soon as possible. But as we all have the same aim to reduce the revenues for
Russia and to dry out the war chest, there's a lot of, rightly so, pressure on us to deliver as soon as possible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next question please, Bloomberg.
QUESTION: Thank you.
Madam President, Ukraine has asked to become a member of the E.U. by 2027.
Is there a way, yes or no, for it to happen?
And if so, how?
And President Zelenskyy, I have a question for you as well. You have just addressed the European Parliament today, explaining to them the importance
of having a specific date.
What is the latest you are willing to wait for a E.U. accession (ph)?
Thank you very much.
VAN DER LEYEN: So on your question, is there a way for Ukraine to become a member of the European Union?
The answer is a very clear yes. Of course. And they are -- the -- Ukraine is on a good way to become a member of the European Union. You all know
that this is a merit-based process. It has to be.
But this also means that the speed depends on the candidate country. I must say, Ukraine is outstanding in the speed of which it fulfills the necessary
reforms. These are tough reforms, not easy reforms.
You need to convince many people to go for it, to modernize the country. It's for the benefit of the country. And it is deeply impressive to see the
enormous progress Ukraine is making, despite fighting a war for their survival.
This should never be forgotten. Of course, from my side -- and we spoke about it, a lot of encouragement to keep up the good pace, the speed of the
reforms because this then, of course, leads to the merit that is yours, the accession to the European Union.
I'm confident in this process because we've seen how much Ukraine has progressed. I understand very well that, for you, a clear date is also
important. The date, you said, is your benchmark that you want to match.
You know that, from our side, dates, it's by themselves, are not possible. But, of course, the support that you can reach your goal is absolutely
clear on our side.
ZELENSKYY: Thank you very much for your question. So first of all, I think that we are -- yes, it's true that we want fast track for membership. And
we are thankful for big support and with candidate status and et cetera from E.U. institutions.
And I know that Putin will block it, block our membership in the future. I don't want for my country, our people, you know, which are -- which they
live with all these challenges during all these years of this full-scale invasion, all this war, with this tragedy.
And that's why we know we don't want to have the same what we have now. Maybe it will not be in the future. But what we have now with NATO, because
Russia will block it by themselves. They don't see Ukraine like independent country and they don't see us like a part of European family.
So that's why they will do it, definitely. But we are ready for fast track. We are ready for fast track for reforms and we do it, I think, the parallel
way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next and the last question please, "Agence France- Presse."
QUESTION: Hi, (INAUDIBLE), AFP.
First, a question for you, president Zelenskyy. You mentioned the 19 billion euro loan currently being blocked by prime minister Orban because
of the -- he says it's because of the Druzhba pipeline.
I was wondering, would you be willing to repair the pipeline in order to get the loan and, if so, by when?
And one question for you, Mr. Costa.
Do you feel like prime minister Orban crossed the line by blocking the loan after greenlighting it in December?
And if so, should that have any consequences?
Thank you.
ZELENSKYY: You want to answer?
Yes. I think that it's not the first time when prime minister of Hungary blocks something. And I'm not sure that it comes together, 90 billion and
our pipeline, because it's two different things.
First of all, pipeline was destroyed by Russia. So if Orban wants to block something financial support, he can do it for Russia. But for Ukraine, we
are not the reason of destroying this pipeline.
Then the second point is that it's not the first destroying. I'm not sure that the last by Russians.
[10:40:00]
We have images, we have everything by satellites of partners. So he destroyed, I mean Russia destroyed these pipelines several times. By the
way not only this. And another you know, broad (ph), this pipeline so they also destroy.
So it's -- I mean it's up to Orban to speak with Putin. Maybe energy ceasefire or something like this. But it can't be so that, for example,
Russia destroys, Ukraine renovate. And during renovation, we had some, not once, not once even.
But with this pipeline once, when you renovate, Russia attack again. You know it, how Russia uses these attacks on our civil critical infrastructure
when they destroy any kind of station, energy system and including such pipeline, our renovation brigade come, comes to renovate.
And then they, again, attack, just to kill people. And that's why people have been wounded.
So for what?
To renovate for what?
To lose people. I think this is very big, very big prize. That's it.
COSTA: First of all, the two things are not interlinked. Of course, when a member state have an issue with a third country, is a duty for the European
institutions to support those member states and to raise the issues with the third country.
Is what we have done with the president Zelenskyy regarding this pipeline and what we agree that, in the coming days, Ukraine will give a -- the
assessment, how many times it takes to repair this pipeline.
But in any case, first of all, as President von der Leyen said, they are an alternative from the true -- the Adriatic pipeline from Croatia to Hungary,
Slovakia and Serbia. But also they are an alternative through the Ukrainian territory.
And it's available to use. Then is not the -- they are not an issue on security energy. A completely different issue is what is the behavior of
the member state in the union.
And the behavior of a member state in the union is ruled by a very important principle of the sincere cooperation. And when the European
Council agree and take a decision, all member states need to cooperate to implement this decision. And no one is able to stop or to block or to try
to block a decision from the European Council.
Only the European Council can change the decision from the European Council. That is why I wrote to prime minister Orban, saying, that is
Hungary is violating the principle of sincere cooperation. And I urge Hungary to immediately cooperate in the implementation of the decision
taken by the European Council the 18th of December.
In the meantime, I invite the commission to use all the tools that we have in the treaty to overcome this, to avoid that everyone can try to blackmail
the European Union and to use all the tools that we have in the treaty to implement the decision from the European Council. And we have tools in the
-- in the treaty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your excellencies, before concluding this press conference, I have a small, last-minute favor. To ask we actually haven't
had a chance to have -- to take picture of your handshake in the course of the day. So if you'd be so kind, stand in front of the lectures.
ZELENSKYY: (INAUDIBLE) --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
VAN DER LEYEN: Voila (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
And this concludes this press conference
ANDERSON: Well, as the war on Ukraine enters its fifth year, the two top leaders of the European Union are in Kyiv, standing shoulder to shoulder
with the Ukrainian president, who called for a clear accession date for E.U. membership, transatlantic unity and he thanked Europe for its support.
[10:45:00]
The leaders promised a package of support and relief and said Russia cannot be allowed to make gains at the negotiating table, where it has made none
on the battlefield.
Ukraine has held firm; they said Russia has failed to fulfill its objectives. But as we were reporting before we went live to that event,
while diplomats, frankly, discuss the geopolitical realities of trying to help Ukraine, there are real lives being impacted and lost.
Consider these UNICEF statistics: more than 3,200 children have been killed or injured since the beginning of Russia's invasion in 2022 and one
in three Ukrainian kids are now displaced. Safety cited as the most common reason for fleeing. And for those in the east, this isn't four years of
war, it is 12.
And as the fighting ended a fifth year, we ask, what has this conflict done to a generation growing up in its shadow?
With us now live is Munir Mammadzade, who is UNICEF representative to Ukraine, joining us today from Kyiv.
And we thank you for joining us on what is, you know a really somber day.
From what you heard there and from what you know of the past four years is Europe doing enough to support Ukraine, sir?
MUNIR MAMMADZADE, UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE TO UKRAINE: War has upended young lives in Ukraine in every possible way. As you cited, in the four years
since full-scale invasion, one-third of children in Ukraine were -- remain displaced. We're talking about around 2.6 million children. Imagine the
scale.
So we're talking about numbers that are equal to almost population of Chicago in U.S. or more than population of Vienna in Austria, in the heart
of Europe, in E.U. member states.
But also one in three children, adolescent people that we have interviewed, have confirmed that it has been twice in their experience when they had to
flee and get displaced because of the security and education related concerns. So what we are seeing that just last --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- just last week. Let me just ask you this. You see the firsthand impact of the conflict and the kids suffering as a result.
What do the children that you've spoken to tell you that they have lost?
And, you know, given your experience on the ground as an observer here, you know, witness to this four years of loss, what are those kids that you've
met -- and I've got some video here from UNICEF, working with kids impacted.
What do they tell you that they have lost and how bad it is on the ground?
MAMMADZADE: So they often refer to not having even basic dreams. And the only thing that they think of is safety and surviving another night of
shelling or freezing temperature.
They often talk about how they miss their classrooms, their peers, their friends, because this war is stealing their childhood, a childhood that is
time bound and cannot be reversed.
Children often also share their experiences on how they miss their loved ones. Many families are torn apart, are actually separated because of the
war. Many kids have their fathers in the front line; displaced, became refugees, their extended family members.
So it's really like every little aspect of childhood is taken out of them so it impacts their education, their health, their livelihoods and their
basic dreams.
ANDERSON: We've just heard from the two top European leaders standing shoulder to shoulder with president Zelenskyy in Kyiv on this day, marking
four years of war. Perhaps the children, you know, aren't thinking about whether Europe is providing enough support but you're on the ground there.
What do you hear from those who are looking after these kids?
[10:50:00]
The parents of these kids if they are, you know, still around, what are people telling you?
MAMMADZADE: So what people are telling is that this nightmare and horror has to end as soon as possible because, they want to give their children
some level of normalcy.
That might sound a bit strange, because in these conditions, with winter, with lack of access to essential services, you can hardly talk about
normalcy.
But since entire childhood is moved to underground -- so parents and children and young people themselves really are willing to have some normal
livelihoods that will enable them to go back to routine day-to-day engagement, enjoy themselves, try to learn, try to develop and get
necessary support.
But also young people themselves -- and new generation is a great source of also power and that can take this nation forward despite all these
challenges. We have heard also top E.U. leadership and president Zelenskyy and everyone talking about resilience. I can confirm that children of
Ukraine and young people are resilient as well.
But resilience is not the strategy. So the entire world has to step up and make sure that this unjust war ends as soon as possible and childhood
returned back as I mentioned.
ANDERSON: Yes, I echo your words. Resilience is not a strategy, of course. And a U.N. poll found nearly a third of teenagers report feeling so sad or
hopeless that it stops them from doing daily activities.
Is Ukraine facing a long-term mental health crisis amongst its young youngsters?
And what does that level of instability do to a child's development?
MAMMADZADE: So for the child development, especially for early years, as we all know, it is a key stage in life that cannot be compensated in the
future. So what younger children are experiencing today, with constant stress, trauma, air alerts and sleep deprivation, separation of the family
would leave a deepest scars in their life and entire generation of Ukrainians.
The same happens to adolescents age group when young bodies and souls are trying to find themselves in the world around us. They are going through
the hardships of this reality.
And we know that 40 percent of these adolescents and young people reporting that they don't foresee prospects and positive outlook of the future for
themselves in Ukraine.
So this means that all -- we are -- what we are trying for Ukrainians right now is a danger not only because of the war but also in terms of its mental
toll and long term impact on the entire generations.
ANDERSON: Understood. It's good to have you from there, sir. Thank you very much indeed for giving us your time today on what is the, sadly, the
four-year anniversary of Russia's war on Ukraine.
We are back after this quick break. Stay with us
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[10:55:00]
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ANDERSON: U.S. President Donald Trump set to deliver his State of the Union address to both houses of Congress and to the nation later today. The
speech will be lengthy as he attempts to convince skeptical Americans that his policies are working and that the economy is heading in the right
direction.
On paper, the U.S. economy does appear resilient, with steady growth and low unemployment. That strength, though, has not translated into confidence
for many Americans.
And that is expected to be a key theme of Donald Trump's address. There is much more in terms of foreign policy that we will be listening for as well
and analyzing that after it's happened -- after that happens.
And you can rely on CNN to bring you that address live and the insight and analysis following that.
That is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. From my team here in Abu Dhabi and those who work with us around the world -- and there are a number of people who
are working hard behind the scenes -- it is a very good evening. "ONE WORLD" is up next.
[11:00:00]
END
