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CNN Live Event/Special
Biden On Global Challenges: America Is Back At The Table; Biden Agrees With Putin On U.S.-Russia Ties Being At Low Point; Biden: China Must Be More Transparent, Follow International Norms; Leaders Wrap Up Three Days Of Meetings In Cornwall, England; Knesset In Session As Crucial Vote On Coalition Looms; Macron Under Fire For Comments On Northern Ireland; Eriksen In Stable Condition Following Collapse On Field; Biden, First Lady To Meet With Queen Before Leaving UK. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired June 13, 2021 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In addition, we also agreed to tackle corruption, which is a threat to societies everywhere. I pointed out in a conversation I had with one of the leaders of -- well, actually with China and that was -- it was a request for me not to try to -- when I was asked what I was going to be doing after being elected, I said we're going to reestablish the strength of American relationships so we can be counted on again - alliances, and suggested that, well, maybe you shouldn't get the Quad, meaning, India, Japan, Australia, and the United States working together.
And maybe you shouldn't be pushing on strengthening the European Union to deal with the West not just to have -- and so on. And I said, for an American president to -- every president to be sustained, or prime minister, has to represent the values of their country. And I pointed out -- and I mean this sincerely, we're unique as a country.
We're built on -- we're unique in a sense that we're not based on ethnicity or geography or religion; we're one nation that said we organized on an idea. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal. It sounds corny, but it's real. And any president who doesn't act consistent with what the raison d etat for the nation is cannot be sustained that -- the support of that country.
And so what we were able to do is we know that corruption undermines the trust in governments, siphons off public resources, makes economies much less competitive, and constitutes a threat to our security. So we're going to work together to address issues like the abuse of shell companies, money laundering through real estate transactions.
And we've agreed that we're going to work together to address cyber threats from state and non-state actors like criminal ransomware networks, and hold countries accountable that harbor criminal ransomware actors who don't hold them accountable.
And over the past few weeks, the nations of the G7 have affirmed that democratic values that underpin everything we hope to achieve in our shared future, that we're committed to put them to work: One, delivering vaccines and ending the pandemic. Two, driving substantial, inclusive economic recovery around the world. Three, in fueling infrastructure development in places that most badly need it. And four, in fighting climate change.
The only way we're going to meet the global threats that we're -- is by working together, and with our partners and our allies. And I conveyed to each of my G7 counterparts that the United States is going to do our part. America is back at the table. America is back at the table.
The lack of participation in the past and full engagement was noticed significantly, not only by the leaders of those countries, but by the people in the G7 countries. And America is back in the business of leading the world alongside nations who share our most deeply held values.
And so the bottom line is, I was very pleased with the outcome of the entire conference. And, you know, I noticed there was a lot of coverage of my individual comments made by my colleagues about how we were all getting along together. But the truth of the matter is we did. It wasn't -- I felt it wasn't about me, but it was about America. I felt a genuine sense of enthusiasm that America was back at the table and fully, fully engaged.
And now I'm going to be heading off to Brussels, to NATO. And the same -- many of the same people are going to be at that table. And, in NATO, and to make the case we are back as well. We do not view NATO as a sort of a protection racket. We believe that NATO is vital to our ability to maintain American security for the next remainder of the century. And there's a real enthusiasm.
I made it clear -- and I pointed out, and I thanked them, you know, we -- Article 5, "An attack on one is an attack on all." Well, what Americans sometimes, don't forget, remember what happened on 9/11. We were attacked. Immediately, NATO supported us. NATO supported us. NATO went until we got bin Laden. NATO was part of the process. And I want them to know, unlike -- whether they doubt it -- that we believe NATO and Section 5 is a sacred obligation.
[10:05:00]
Bottom line is, I think we've made some progress in reestablishing American credibility among our closest friends and our values. Now, why don't I take some of your questions? And I'm told, Jonathan, I'm supposed to talk -- recognize you first.
QUESTION: Well, I appreciate that, sir. Thank you very much. Mr. President, Vladimir Putin -- thank you. Vladimir Putin, who you'll be seeing in a few days in Geneva, said just a couple of days ago that he believed that U.S.-Russia relations were at a low point. In what concrete ways could your summit change that?
And then, secondly, on the same topic, you have said previously, and in the run-up to the summit, that you would be unafraid to call out Russia's disruptive actions, like cyber hacks, Ukraine, election interference, but you're not having a joint press conference with Putin. Why not take the chance to stand side by side with him and say those things to him with the world watching?
BIDEN: Well, let me make it clear: I think he's right that it's a low point, and it depends on how he responds to acting consistent with international norms which, in many cases, he has not.
As I told him when I was running and when I got elected, before I was sworn in, that I was going to find out whether or not he, in fact, did engage in trying to interfere in our election, that I was going to take a look at whether he was involved in the -- a cybersecurity breach that occurred, et cetera. And if I did, I was going to respond.
I did. I checked it out. So, I had access to all the intelligence. He was engaged in those activities. I did respond and made it clear that I'd respond again.
With regard to -- I always found -- and I don't mean to suggest that the press should not know -- but this is not a contest about who can do better in front of a press conference to try to embarrass each other. It's about making myself very clear what the conditions are to get a better relationship are, with Russia.
We're not looking for conflict. We are looking to resolve those actions which we think are inconsistent with international norms, number one. Number two, where we can work together. We may be able to do that in terms of some strategic doctrine that may be able to be worked together. We're ready to do it. And there may be other areas. There's even talk there may be the ability to work together on climate.
So the bottom line is that I think the best way to deal with this is for he and I to meet, he and I to have our discussion. I know you don't doubt that I'll be very straightforward with him about our concerns. And I will make clear my view of how that meeting turned out, and he'll make clear how -- from his perspective, how it turned out.
But I don't want to get into being diverted by, did they shake hands? How far did they -- who talked the most, and the rest. He can say what he say the meeting was about, and I will say what I think the meeting was about. That's how I'm going to handle it.
QUESTION: OK, thanks.
BIDEN: I'm sorry, I'm going to get in trouble with staff if I don't do this the right way. Jennifer Jacobs, Bloomberg.
QUESTION: Thank you, sir. On China, you -- sorry -- China seems to be to doing exactly what it wants to do with regard to Hong Kong, with regard to Xinjiang, with the South China Sea, and many other issues, despite pressure from you and from allies. The final language in the G7 communique does have some mentions of China, which is different from past years, but I know it's not as tough as you and your team wanted it to be. We saw a draft of the communique, and it's not quite as tough.
So why isn't it as tough? There isn't very much action in it. There's some calls for China to be respectful. But why isn't that communique a little bit tougher? Are you disappointed in that? And what can you do to change some of these actions by China?
BIDEN: Well, first of all, I think it -- as you know, last time the G7 met, there was no mention of China. But this time, there is mention of China. The G7 explicitly agreed to call out human rights abuses in Xinjiang and in Hong Kong, explicitly.
Two, to coordinate a common strategy to deal with China non-market policies that undermine competition. They've agreed and that's underway now how to do that. Three, to take serious actions against forced labor in solar, agriculture, and the garment industries because that's where it's happening. And they've agreed we will do that.
To launch -- what I said earlier, I really feel very strongly, I proposed that we have a democratic alternative to the Belt and Road Initiative, the Build Back Better. And they've agreed to that, and that's underway as the details of that. We agreed that we'd put together a committee to do that and come up with that.
[10:10:04]
And thirdly, that we are going to insist on a high-standards ever to be for climate-friendly, transparent alternative to the Belt and Road Initiative. And -- but, in the meantime, we're going to move forward.
Look, I think it's always -- let me put it this way. I know this is going sound somewhat prosaic, but I think we're in a contest, not with China per se, but a contest with autocrats, autocratic governments around the world, as to whether or not democracies can compete with them in the rapidly changing 21st century.
And I think how we act and whether we pull together as democracies is going to determine whether our grandkids look back 15 years from now and say, did they step up? Are democracies as relevant and as powerful as they have been?
And I walked away from the meeting with all my colleagues believing that they are convinced that that is correct now too. Not -- I shouldn't say now, not just because of me, but they believe that to be the case. And so, I think you're going to see just straightforward dealing with China.
And again, we're not looking -- as I've told Xi Jinping myself, I'm not looking for conflict. Where we can cooperate, we'll cooperate. Where we disagree, I'm going to state it frankly, and we are going to respond to actions that are inconsistent.
For example, we talked about trade. It's one thing to talk about whether or not our agricultural policy makes sense. It's another thing to say, by the way, you're demanding that if I do business with your country, I've got to give you all my trade secrets and have the Chinese partner have 51 percent of that? No. Not us. QUESTION: So, are you saying, Mr. President, are you satisfied with what came out in the communique?
BIDEN: Yes.
QUESTION: Or do you wish it were tougher? Do you wish there was more --
BIDEN: Yes.
QUESTION: -- action on China?
BIDEN: I think there's plenty of action on China, and there's always something that you can -- I'm sure my colleagues think there's things, today's think they can improve that they wanted. But I'm satisfied.
Steve Holland, Reuters.
QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Just to follow up on Jennifer's question: The communique cited a variety of fronts on China, everything from human rights, the origin of the COVID virus, Taiwan. What do you think China needs to do to ease tensions?
BIDEN: I think China has to start to act more responsibly in terms of international norms on human rights and transparency. Transparency matters across the board.
And I think the idea that -- for example, one of the things I raised and others raised -- I wasn't the only one who raised this at the G7 -- is that we don't know -- we haven't had access to the laboratories to determine whether or not -- and I have not reached a conclusion because our intelligence community is not certain yet -- whether or not this was a consequence of a -- from the marketplace of a bat and, you know, interfacing with animals in the environment that caused this COVID-19, or whether it was an experiment gone awry in a laboratory.
It's important to know the answer to that because we have to have access -- we have to build a system whereby we can know what -- when we see another transparent -- lack of transparency that might produce another pandemic. We have to have access. The world has to have access. So we're trying to figure out, at the G7, whether we could put together an international basis upon which we could have a bottom line with what the transparency accounted for.
QUESTION: And you mentioned that the argument behind the scenes, that you had not mentioned China in three years in one of these communiques. What did you argue behind the scenes to try to bring people to the point where they got?
BIDEN: To answer that question -- there's no way to answer without sounding self-serving. Let me just say this, I just laid out what I thought was the need for us to be consistent to protect our economies and to see to it that other struggling economies, who needed help, got the help and were not held captive by other nations. But you might ask that to others. I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but I --
QUESTION: Certainly (ph).
BIDEN: And Wall Street Journal, Andrew?
QUESTION: As you said, the G7 countries committed to send 1 billion coronavirus doses overseas, but the World Health Organization says 11 billion doses are needed.
BIDEN: Yes.
[10:15:05]
QUESTION: How are you going to bridge that gap? Will the U.S. commit to send additional doses overseas? And given the gap, is it actually realistic to end the pandemic by 2022?
BIDEN: It is -- it may take slightly longer than -- worldwide. But the United States is going to continue. I think there's a possibility, over 2022 going into 2023, that we would be able to be in a position to provide another billion -- us. But that's not done yet. I only -- I've been very careful, as I've dealt with this pandemic, to tell you what I know and say what I thought could be done, and when I've announced that I've gone and done it.
What I don't want to do is be getting too far ahead in suggesting that we can do things and I can do thing -- the United States can do things that I don't have done yet. So, I -- there was a clear consensus among all our colleagues at the G7 that this wasn't the end.
We were going to stay at it until we're able to provide for the needs of the whole world, in terms -- because, look, it's not just the right thing to do. And from a -- how can I say it, from a moral standpoint. But it is also the correct thing to do in terms of our own health, our own security. You can't build a wall high enough to keep out new strains. You can't do that.
And so, I think this is going to be a constant project for a long time. And there may be other pandemics. We, again, setting up a system whereby we can detect -- before it gets out of control -- one, a pandemic, that may be on the horizon, a virus, is important.
So, we are not going to -- as long as there's nations in need that -- being able to be vaccinated, we, in fact -- not only that, we've been engaged in helping -- which I've made clear, and most of our -- my colleagues understood it, I mean, they understood it -- knew it from trying it themselves.
This is a gigantic logistical effort. It's one thing to send nation x, x number, y number of vaccines. It's another thing to have the people that can actually get it in somebody's arm. And so, we are also providing the ability for other countries to manufacture their vaccines. We've all agreed on that.
India has the capacity to do that. They don't have the material capacity thus far to do the manufacturing. But there's a lot going on to provide, not only to, quote, give vaccines, but to provide the ability of the countries in question to produce their own vaccines. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) last question.
BIDEN: I'm not going to answer anything. No, I'm joking. Last question. Peter Alexander, NBC News.
QUESTION: Mr. President, thank you very much. About Vladimir Putin and your meeting this week, as you're well aware, the U.S. has been slapping sanctions on Russia for years for its malign activities, and Russia has not stopped. So what specifically will you do differently to change Vladimir Putin's behavior?
BIDEN: Well, first of all, there's no guarantee you can change a person's behavior or the behavior of his country. Autocrats have enormous power and they don't have to answer to a public. And the fact is that it may very well be, if I respond in kind, which I will, that it doesn't dissuade him and he wants to keep going.
But I think that we're going to be moving in a direction where Russia has its own dilemmas, let us say, dealing with its economy, dealing with its -- dealing with COVID, and dealing with, not only the United States, but Europe writ-large and in the Middle East.
And so, there's a lot going on where we can work together with Russia. For example, in Libya, we should be opening up the passes to be able to go through and provide food assistance and economic -- I mean, vital assistance to a population that's in real trouble.
I think I'm going to try very hard to -- it is -- and, by the way, there's places where -- I shouldn't be starting off on negotiating in public here. But let me say it this way, Russia has engaged in activities which are, we believe, are contrary to international norms, but they have also bitten off some real problems they're going to have trouble chewing on.
And, for example, the rebuilding of Syria, of Libya, of -- you know, this is -- they're there. And as long as they're there without the ability to bring about some order in the region, and they can't do that very well without providing for the basic economic needs of people.
[10:20:10]
So I'm hopeful that we can find an accommodation that -- where we can save the lives of people in, for example, in Libya, that consistent with the interest of -- maybe for different reasons -- but reached it for the same reason -- the same result.
QUESTION: I want to ask you about a comment that Vladimir Putin said today. But why do you think he hasn't changed his behavior in spite of everything the U.S. has done to this point?
BIDEN: He's Vladimir Putin.
I'm not going to get into much more than that because I've got to sit down with him. And I'll be happy to talk to you after that. But -- QUESTION: But he said -- then, just to conclude -- today, he said that
Russia would be ready to hand over cyber criminals to the United States if the U.S. would do the same to Russia, and an agreement came out of this meeting coming up. So, are you open to that kind of a trade with Vladimir Putin?
BIDEN: Yes, I'm open to if there's crimes committed against Russia that, in fact, are -- and the people committing those crimes are being harbored in the United States, I'm committed to holding them accountable. And I'm -- I heard that; I was told, as I was flying here, that he said that. I think that's potentially a good sign and progress.
Thank you all very, very much everybody. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: May I ask sir if --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, guys. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- (INAUDIBLE), the European allies. Can I ask a question about the European allies?
BIDEN: I'm going to get in trouble with my staff. Yes, go ahead. But pretend that I didn't answer you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much, sir. You have often said repeatedly that America is back.
BIDEN: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the same time, you've kept in play some Trump- era steel and aluminum sanctions. And I wanted to ask you, when you're having these conversations with European allies who are very concerned about these sanctions, how do you justify that? And what are your plans for --
BIDEN: Hundred and twenty days. Give me a break. Need time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you guys. Thank you so much. Thank you, guys. Thank you.
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Leaders have now wrapped up three days of meetings and we just heard from the U.S. President Joe Biden holding a news conference. Before leaving the G7 summit, he's on his way to meet with Her Majesty, the Queen in Windsor. The President, the U.S. President Joe Biden, they're very clearly reiterating the message that he came with to Cornwall, which is that America is back and that it is ready to cooperate with its allies.
It was also a big promise to the world's poorest countries, as we just heard there, that the U.S. would provide hundreds of millions of doses of the COVID vaccine. We also heard from Boris Johnson a little bit earlier, saying that G7 leaders had pledged to donate in total more than 1 billion COVID vaccine doses.
On a related issue, all these leaders called for a new study into the origins of the coronavirus. Their final statement spoke out against human rights abuses in China. This is something that was echoed very much by the U.S. President Joe Biden in that news conference that you just heard.
And as well, we heard Joe Biden talk about his upcoming meeting one- on-one with Vladimir Putin in Geneva, that the Russian President is right to say that relations with the United States are at a low point. And that essentially, it is down to the behavior of the Russian leader. He spoke on China, as well as other issues.
Arlette Saenz, our White House Correspondent is here with me to unpick a little bit. A lot going on and a lot addressed in this news conference by the U.S. President. The U.S. President saying he was overall satisfied by what was included in the final communique on China that there were areas of agreement there between the G7 leaders and the United States saying, well, China wasn't even mentioned in previous communication over the last several years.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESONDENT: Right. So President Biden believes that even having that explicit reference to China in this communique is a sign of progress. Now, the -- what the communique says is calling out human rights abuses that China has participated in, it doesn't have an action that is taken specifically to those human rights abuses.
But the President saying that just simply mentioning that and having this forceful case against China is really enough. Now the President also really hammered in on the point that China needs to be more transparent, specifically when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You've heard that the G7 leaders agreed that they're needs to be a more thorough invest -- WHO investigation into the origins. And Biden's specifically said that the investigation needs to find whether the virus originated in a lab or whether it came from an animal and he has said that the labs in China and China -- Chinese government have just not been transparent enough.
[10:25:21]
Now, the President has insisted that they will be straightforward in dealing with China and the way that the G7 leaders came together in this communique, President Biden said he was satisfied even though we know there were some disagreements in some of those meetings over exactly how's forcefully to go after China in this.
GORANI: And the central message really, it seems in all of the issues that Joe Biden cares about is, and he said this, I think we're in a contest with autocracies. Can democracies compete with them in the 21st century?
SAENZ: Yes, and that is the main argument that he came into this G7 summit, trying to push is that democracies can win over autocracies. Now this comes as democracy is under threat back home and around the world. So it's an interesting argument to be -- for him to be making at this time when some people look at the United States and see turmoil when it comes to our democratic institutions.
But ultimately, the President believes that coming to this G7 summit, that he is working with the other -- the world's other largest democracies, to have that show of force against adversaries like China, and also Russia. And he will now be heading over to that NATO and E.U. summit, where he is hoping to also press on this message as he is trying to say democracies will prevail in this fight against autocracies.
GORANI: Arlette, stand by. I'm going to go to Nic Robertson, our Senior Diplomatic Editor, and many of our viewers in the Middle East will have picked up on a few things that the U.S. President said, namely about Libya and rebuilding Syria.
Many in the Middle East, when -- specifically when Russia was helping the Syrian regime, assault civilian areas where rebels were operating, were very disappointed during the Obama administration that there hadn't been more forceful U.S. action to prevent those things from happening, especially when a red line was crossed with the use of chemical weapons.
Now, Joe Biden has said that perhaps there are areas where the U.S. and Russia can work together, specifically on that Russia had on its plate many challenges, including rebuilding Syria. I didn't quite understand what he meant by that. Did you Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know, if we go back and talk here about Libya, as well, because he mentioned that three times and that's just been surprising because that really has dropped off the U.S. agenda for a long, long, long time, it is beginning to get back to a more stable form of government that a long way to go.
We know that Russian mercenaries have been fighting in Libya and this idea that in Russia and -- in Libya and in Syria, Vladimir Putin has bitten off more than he can chew is a narrative that we heard before. I think it sort of goes back to the Obama era, that eventually Russia is going to seek help from the international community, because the only way it can get to extricate its troops from essentially what would just be continuing terrorist attacks, with going away at them in both countries.
But the only way it can get them out is to have a humanitarian rebuild. And to have a humanitarian rebuild, you need outside players, whether that's -- its financing coming from middle -- rich Gulf states, or the United States and others. You know, liberty, if you think about it, it was 2011 when the United States, as part of NATO, back NATO's campaign to oust Muammar Gaddafi. It didn't get involved in the bombing, but it's supported in other ways.
And then really, as far as Libyans fail and many others, United States just sort of turned its back on Libya, and the country really did fall apart. And Russia did go in there, like they went into Syria, because they saw an opportunity. Now, whether President Putin is going to buy on the idea that the United States is going to come riding in over the hill to help him out, I'm not sure that something Vladimir Putin is going to take at face value.
He's invested blood and treasure he would see in both countries, perhaps more publicly in Syria, so why give up all that investment to have the United States come back and get involved now on potentially their terms.
But that seems to be, in essence, what President Biden is talking about there that Putin has a need. His economy isn't doing so well at home. And these overseas adventures in Syria and in Libya are costly, and therefore, he'll want to get out and he will need help. You know, Vladimir Putin may just turn around and look him in the eye and say, excuse me, Afghanistan, because the United States is getting out after 20 years, that costs a lot.
[10:30:02]
And the United States needs to refocus elsewhere. So, I'm not sure how much that arguments going to play with Vladimir Putin, but it's certainly one that we've heard before.
GORANI: Right, certainly, and he was asked why hasn't Vladimir Putin changed his behavior despite some of the pressures put on him and the U.S. president replied, he's Vladimir Putin. So, that was one of the last things that the President said before heading back onboard Air Force One on his way to meeting the Queen this afternoon, and then on to Brussels and Geneva.
Thanks to Arlette Saenz and to Nic Robertson. Stand by we'll get back to you both.
After the break, Israel's longest serving Prime Minister could soon be out of a job. The key vote that will decide Benjamin Netanyahu's political fate, we're live in Jerusalem, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 12- year grip on power could soon be coming to an end. A special session of Israel's parliament is underway the Knesset. Party leaders have been addressing the Knesset before they are set to hold a vote of confidence on a proposed coalition that does not include the Likud Party. That is the party, of course of Benjamin Netanyahu. Now if passed, right wing leader Naftali Bennett will be sworn in as prime minister.
CNN's Hadas Gold is following the latest developments and she joins me now. She joins me now from the Knesset to actually. So talk to us about the expectation, the coalition, it needs a majority of the votes in the Knesset for that coalition to be approved and for a new cabinet and a new government to be sworn in Hadas.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Hala. But it's been a bit of a combative and dramatic start Naftali Bennett who is set to become the prime minister if this coalition manages to pass the competence vote later today, tried to give a speech just about in the last hour, but he was met with hecklers from both Netanyahu's Likud Party as well as other right-wing allies when he was barely able to get a sentence out and actually some members of party (ph) are even kicked out of off the floor by the speaker because of their actions.
Now, Bennett deviated a bit from his speech addressing the heckler saying that he's proud that in such a democracy that they are allowed to express their opposing views, but said that such dramatics as such fighting is what led to the political paralysis that led to four elections in the past two years. Listen to a bit more of what Bennett had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[10:35:04]
NAFTALI BENNETT, ISRAELI PARLIAMENT MEMBER (through translation): Two times in our history. We lost our Jewish Home, exactly because leaders of the previous generation refused to sit with one another.
I am proud to sit with people with different opinions. At the decisive moment, we took responsibility, we took responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: Now, Bennett promised this would be a government that will work for everybody. And more importantly, will just function after two years without even a state budget. He also addressed U.S. President Joe Biden thanking him for his support of Israel during the conflict last month with Hamas led militants in Gaza and said that this new government will work very hard to work on a bipartisan level.
Here is -- Mr. Bennett, Mr. Bennett. He says that, sorry, that's Naftali Bennett who just passed by, he's just there. Actually, in his speech, he addressed Joe Biden, the U.S. president, thanking him, like I said, for Israel support or for the support of Israel during the conflict with Hamas and Gaza.
And he said that they will work in a bipartisan way with both Republicans and Democrats to try to deepen and expand the relationship. But he said he warned against a return to the Iran nuclear deal showing that even though this may be a new government, some things will still stay the same.
Now, Benjamin Netanyahu went up soon after Bennett and attacked Bennett saying calling him a fraud and he can't believe anything that Bennett says that said it that even though Bennett will work against the nuclear deal that you shouldn't believe him, he called him a fake right winger. He give us -- Netanyahu give us a sense of what Netanyahu as the opposition leader will look like. And he promised that they will work hard to topple this new government, when you call a dangerous new government even warning in English, that we'll be back soon. Hala.
GORANI: All right, we're seeing Benjamin Netanyahu, we anticipate is the outgoing Prime Minister leaves the Knesset chamber. What happens next? When does the actual vote take place?
GOLD: So, right now, the leaders of the other parties will be given the opportunity to speak then there will be a debate and a vote on the new speaker of the Parliament, and only then will the actual confidence vote take place. So, we could be maybe an hour two hours away from that actual confidence vote. Now, if they managed to pass a confidence vote, then the new government will immediately be sworn in. And will be bringing an end to Netanyahu is run as the longest serving Prime Minister of Israel.
GORANI: All right, actually, I am sorry, it's my mistake. He was not leaving the chamber. He just sat back down if the images I'm seeing are live images coming into us, and I believe that they are -- Hadas Gold, we will be coming back to you as soon as we see some of those party leaders take to the podium, and certainly when the vote take place, as we are all very much looking forward to -- looking forward to the results there that emerges in the Knesset. Thanks very much.
Back to our coverage of the G7. Leaders have wrapped up three busy days of meetings focusing on critical issues of the day, including climate change, the response to the COVID pandemic and relations with China. That last subject raised some serious disagreements and post Brexit tensions also hung over the talks. The summit was something of a reset for U.S. President Joe Biden who was eager to strengthen ties with allies after four years of Donald Trump. Mr. Biden held a news conference a short time ago. Here's some of what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've just wrapped up what has been an extraordinary collaborative and productive meeting the G7. Everyone at the table understood and understands both the seriousness and the challenges that we are up against, and the responsibility of our proud democracies to step up and deliver for the rest of the world.
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GORANI: Well, the French President Emmanuel Macron, is coming under fire for comments he allegedly made during a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday. UK media reported that Macron suggested that Northern Ireland is not fully part of the United Kingdom, as suggestion British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab calls offensive.
Let's turn now to CNN's Melissa Bell, in Brussels for more. All right, so we -- President Macron gave a news conference, what did he did he say? Did he address that reported Raab (ph) with the UK?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He did Hala, but really playing down its significance explaining that these misunderstandings were essentially small details that people made big facets of but were not the meat of the matter. And on the contrary, speaking about the substantial efforts and agreements that had been reached be even over some of the contentious issues and so of the questions there had been a pretty positive reflection of what had been said. But a reminder also Hala, and I think it's worth as soon as the French president the fact that although this new help has been promising getting back It seems by the G7 to the rest of the world, the European Union really felt that it was very far ahead of the game on this accusing at the time both the United States and Britain of playing with vaccine nationalism.
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So, here was what Emmanuel Macron had to say on that specific point Hala.
GORANI: OK, Melissa Bell, thanks very much. And Melissa we'll be getting back to you soon for a preview of the NATO summit which is taking place in Brussels where you are.
A quick word on the Euro 2020, the Danish player who collapsed on the field Saturday is now in stable condition, thankfully. Official say Christian Eriksen send greetings from the hospital to his family and teammates. He collapsed during a game against Finland in Copenhagen.
Alex Thomas has more news for the Euro -- from the Euro 2020. Alex, if -- there you are sorry, I had another voice in my ear. But there you are I see you. Alex talk to us first about Christian Eriksen and the latest from Euro 2020.
ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, that is the latest Hala. That's we've seen a social media statement from the Danish Football Association saying that Eriksen is still awake and talking again on Sunday. It's continuing to recover well, staying in hospital clearly the after monitor is heart, where can exactly what went wrong, likely some form of cardiac arrest, which is different to a heart attack, which you do get sometimes warning signs about a blocking of the arteries.
Cardiac arrest is all about the electrical rhythm of the heart. And when that gets disturbed, it can be fatal.
Clearly, the medical emergency protocols in place in Copenhagen on Saturday worked. There was a defibrillator next to the medics, so him getting in chest compressions, they managed to resuscitate him. As he was stretch it off, there was a photo of Christian Eriksen's eyes open, his hand on his head and that gave everyone huge relief because the shot was palpable.
I'm actually at Wembley Stadium in London Hala for the opening game of England's Euro 2020 campaign, the leading (INAUDIBLE). It's eerily quiet because there's only 20,000 fans in a 90,000-seat stadium.
But it was much the same atmosphere with shock when Eriksen collapsed and was treated on the pitch for so long, thankful to find out that he's OK, because this celebration of 60 years of European football championships was being held across 11 cities across Europe, it would have felt a very, very damp squib if we'd seen a player die because of cardiac arrest on the pitch, which we sadly have seen in years gone past that is very rare. Everyone very, very thankful Eriksen is well and making a recovery in hospital. Hala.
GORANI: Yes, we covered the collapse. We were -- there was so much concern because medic spent a lot of time on the field they're attending to him. And thankfully, he's awake and stable.
Thanks very much Alex Thomas. We'll be right back.
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GORANI: We've been bringing you up to the minute coverage of the G7 summit in Cornwall, England and it's been a packed three days of talks. Leaders have been wrapping things up with comments on climate change, relations with China and with each other, and the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Some analysis now, George Papaconstantinou is a U.S. professor at the European University Institute, and a former Greek finance minister. Thanks for being with us. He's with me via Skype from Athens.
First off, let's talk about --
GEORGE PAPACONSTANTINOU, FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: Thank you.
GORANI: -- the global economic recovery. Because this COVID pandemic, obviously, it has wrecked the economies of many countries around the world, many countries still very much in the midst of trying to deal with this horrendous viral outbreak. Where do you see the global economy going in the next few months? What will it take to get things back on track?
PAPACONSTANTINOU: We're seeing signs of recovery everywhere. But I think we also understand very well that the pace of recovery, especially in the developing world, will depend very much on how quickly vaccination comes through. If you remember back at the end of 2020, we were hoping for a faster recovery. And then we had the second wave of the pandemic.
So, I think this is why it's very well positioned that that the G7 summit, as one of its main announcements is the decision for 1 billion vaccines for the developing for poorer nations, because we all understand that if that does not happen. And if we have a recurrence of new variants, for example, then overall economic growth globally will suffer in the next year.
GORANI: How is a recovery from a pandemic different from a recovery from a typical depression, economic depression? In what ways? Is it quicker? Does it snap back quicker? Or does it take the same amount of time?
PAPACONSTANTINOU: In principle should be quicker, because during the pandemic, we voluntarily stopped a lot of economic activity once the reasons for that (INAUDIBLE) firms, pick up their global value chains, production and trade resumed. So one would expect a faster recovery than you would, for example, after the global financial crisis, and indeed, the first signs are in that direction. But there's a big caveat in that, which is that there is no continuation of the pandemic through additional variants.
And this is why health comes before economics here. I think it's clear that G7 countries and beyond have done the right thing in terms of economic policy. they've pulled all the stops in terms of fiscal policy and monetary policy, much better responsible for adding in the global financial crisis, the eurozone crisis, but we're all at the mercy of what happens on the health front, that does not resolve itself, then the economic recovery will suffer.
GORANI: Are you concerned at all about inflationary pressures? We're seeing consumer price index barometers in major countries creep up worryingly.
PAPACONSTANTINOU: No, I'm not, I think that it is perfectly normal to expect an increase in prices after the kind of depression that we have had the last year. But let's make a distinction between a one off increase in prices and increasing the rate of inflation. These are two very different things.
I tend to agree with those economists that say that we will have prices picking up, but will won't have it sustained increase in inflation. And if we do, central banks are there to be able to, you know, hike up interest rates, which are at remarkably low level. So, even if there is a bit of inflation coming up, and central banks are forced to raise rates a little bit, that's not necessarily a terrible thing, because they -- we started a really, really low level.
GORANI: We are now seeing a recovery in many countries, as you just said, but if, for whatever reason we start seeing new variants for us further shutdowns. What is your biggest concern there in terms of the global economic recovery?
PAPACONSTANTINOU: Well, we've already we've had hope stashed last year over faster recovery. Remember, at the beginning, we're talking about V shape recovery, then it ended up being more of a like a W shape. So, you know, a double and triple dip is always a concern. And basically, uncertainty is what kills economic recovery.
If you have uncertainty feeding back through new variants, and we don't have the tools in place to take care of those, that's going to be a big drag on growth. And that's why I think it's -- again, not just the vaccine, the pledge for additional vaccines but also the pledges to make sure that there is more support for faster -- go faster from research to medicines for keeping trade routes open when it comes to protective equipment, and all those things which hurt us in the beginning of this pandemic.
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It's important that the G7 signaled in a very real sense their willingness to go in that route. And this is a very different G7, because the U.S. is around the table and the U.S. is willing to play ball with the rest and to cooperate internationally, whereas the previous administration was just not in that frame of mind. PAPACONSTANTINOU: George Papaconstantinou, thanks very much, a former Greek finance minister, the author of the book, A Game Over The Inside Story Of The Greek Crisis. Thanks for being with us.
President Biden is set to meet with Queen Elizabeth in a matter of hours, we'll have more on that. And the Queen's long history of meeting with many, many U.S. presidents, after this.
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GORANI: Just a few hours from now the American President Joe Biden and the First Lady will take tea with Britain's Queen Elizabeth. Along the honor tradition, the couple met the 95-year-old monarch at a reception in Cornwall on Friday. But Mr. Biden did not meet the Queen in 1981. Sorry, did meet I should say the Queen in 1981 back when he was a senator. But now when -- as a sitting president, this would be a first.
CNN's Max Foster is in Windsor, for us with more on what to expect this afternoon. Hi, Max.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Hala. Look, it's not a formal state visit but it'll have a lot of formality. A lot of ceremonial you'll see a guard of honor. You see the national anthems played up in the quadrangle that you've seen before. And then they'll go in for their tea, who knows what they'll discuss.
They never reveal details of this, I mean Donald Trump has ever revealed the details of these conversations. They discuss Brexit at that time. I don't think President Biden is likely to break that protocol, he's more traditional, more experienced on the world stage.
He's not the Anglophile that Obama was or Reagan or indeed, Trump was. I don't think he's more he has closer links with Ireland. But what's interesting there is arguably the Queen's most successful state visit was to Ireland herself, where she was the first monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland.
And she very much confirmed the peace process between the nations. So that might be something they discuss. I doubt we'll discuss the (INAUDIBLE) although President Biden has sort of stepped in to defend Meghan Markel in the past. He'll know that that's a sensitive topic up on the hill here, Hala.
GORANI: All right. So, you're saying it's not a state visit in the formal sense but what kind of pomp and circumstance will we witness this afternoon?
FOSTER: So if you remember the first time Donald Trump came, he was, he famously walked in front of the Queen in that slightly awkward moment which wasn't entirely his fault to be fair, as Prince Philip would have normally guided the head of state through that. He wasn't there at that time, but it will look very similar.
[10:55:03] So, you'll see the Grenadier Guards in that bear skins marching around basically in the quadrangle, and then you'll hear the bands playing the national anthems. So, a lot like have quite a formal occasion. But this is really just a (INAUDIBLE). What are they put on for visiting head of state. The state visits are much grander affairs, of course, with carriages and processions. It's not quite that. But you have got the tradition of the tea of course. You can't have a visit without a cup of tea.
GORANI: Of course not. Thanks very much. I'm Max Foster, and we'll be catching up with you a little bit later for more on the U.S. president's visit with the Queen.
I'm Hala Gorani, live from Cornwall, England. And I'll be right back with another hour of special coverage of the G7 summit.
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