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Half of U.S. Faces Dangers Storm of Ice, Snow and Cold; Danish PM in Greenland; First Trilateral Talks Between Russia, Ukraine, U.S. Underway. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired January 23, 2026 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: -- the lines of cars trapped here. So, her warning is certainly warranted there given what we have in the forecast. You're seeing right here that the ice accumulation expected for a large swath of the country. And as you just heard the mayor said this is for everyone, right, not just people here in Washington. Make sure your devices are charged. Get your shovels ready. Get your salts. Your flashlights ready. Make sure you have the batteries get prepared because this could be a monster storm.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And she says she's requesting the D.C. National Guard to be deployed to come in and help out with all of these things that are about to unfold right here in Washington.

BROWN: Yes.

BLITZER: And this community is not used to this kind of a monster storm by any means, but they're gearing up for what's going to be really a situation of hell.

BROWN: Yes, that's a good way to put it. All right. We'll be right back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Breaking news this morning, nearly half of all Americans are in the path of a major winter storm right now. It's coming to life in the Rockies and will hammer all the states except Florida as it plows eastward.

BROWN: And the storm will dump a trifecta of misery dangerous amounts of snow, ice and bitter cold. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar has been very busy there in the weather center tracking all of this. How are things shaping up for this weekend, Allison?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, right. Yes. Well, a lot of the reason we're even having such a widespread system at dealing with the cold is because the cold air that's in the Midwest is going to gradually spread southward, into places that wouldn't normally see such cold temperatures.

But look at how bitter cold it already is across the Midwest, when you take into account the temperature and the wind, you're looking at a wind chill right now of minus 55 in Duluth, minus 45 in Green Bay. It feels like minus 31 in Chicago. But as we mentioned, that cold air is going to gradually make its way southward, putting that cold air in place, so that by the time that low-pressure system arrives you could be looking at mostly rain or even snow for some of these locations.

[10:35:00]

Now, once we get to this evening, you're already going to start to see that changeover take place in Oklahoma and Texas, then eventually into Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky as we make our way through the day on Saturday, eventually getting over into the Carolinas, Virginia and much of the Mid-Atlantic by the time we get to very early on the day on Sunday.

We also start to see more of that snow spreading across areas of the northeast, including New England as we make our way into the latter half of the day Sunday. And then we start to see some of it changing back over into rain across portions of the southeast. So, some of these areas are going to get a little bit of everything. But when it's all said and done, some areas could see well over a foot of snow.

BROWN: All right. Allison Chinchar, that's a lot. Thank you.

BLITZER: Good information. Also happening now, Denmark's prime minister is in Greenland meeting with her political counterpart there. It's coming after President Trump announced a framework a, quote, "framework" of a future deal on the Danish territory. Trump says the deal will give the U.S., quote, "total access for defense." Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: To be able to do whatever we want. We're all going to work together. And actually, NATO is going to be involved with us. And we won't have any expense because we're not going to have expenses, other than building the Golden Dome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is in Nuuk, Greenland for us right now. Nic, what about -- what are you hearing about this meeting?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, in with Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the Greenlandic prime minister, they met, they had about a half an hour meeting, and then they did something you just don't see very often these days in modern politics. These two prime ministers walk the streets of Nuuk. They met with young schoolchildren, with their parents, with their guardians. They went to a meat market here, the traditional meats of Greenland, look like whale and seal meats in the meat market, and they came up here.

Right now, they're in the building behind us here. John, you may be at a swing round and catch a shot of that building. But this is a building here in the center of Nuuk. It's called Nuuk Center, but it has here government offices. And right now, the pair of them are inside those government buildings. We're waiting for them to come out of the front door there.

We've been trying to ask what new details do they have about this new deal bearing in mind the Greenlandic prime minister told us yesterday he didn't have details about the deal yet. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, had a meeting with the NATO secretary general this morning before coming here. He reaffirmed that Denmark was committing more resources to firming up and strengthening the Arctic security with NATO, but details about what's in that agreement, or what President Trump says matching it to what they understand, we've been asking that question. We're standing here waiting to ask that question again, Wolf. And so far, we don't have big solid answers. Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Nic Robertson on the seat for us in Greenland, appreciate it very, very much. Pamela.

BROWN: All right. Wolf, let's bring in Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania. She's on the Foreign Affairs Committee and was part of a bipartisan delegation that recently traveled to Denmark. Thank you for coming on, Congresswoman.

So, you heard Nic really lay this out that President Trump told reporters that the framework deal on Greenland would allow the U.S. to do, quote, "whatever we want" and that more details would be released in the next couple of weeks. How do you respond to this?

REP. MADELEINE DEAN (D-PA), FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Well, I think you know I was in Greenland excuse me I was in Copenhagen and met with the two prime ministers. I was part of a CODEL that was both Senate and House, Republicans and Democrats. And this is exactly what we suggested, come up with a framework for this president to get him back from the ledge of claiming military action against a NATO ally.

We were in such a dangerous and precarious place. The president took us there. And what he got in this framework of a deal is nothing. These are things that Denmark had asked all along. We used to have as many as 20 bases on Greenland, we're down to one. They have said for years, please, come back, reinvest. This is a strategic location. We the United States knows that and they know it in terms of Russia and China. So, the president got nothing really. They allowed him to save face, I suppose.

BROWN: That's what I was going to ask. So, you see this as a way of saving face. Because when you were there in Copenhagen you were actually pushing for this idea of give him a framework as a way to save face?

DEAN: Yes, as a way to save face. And pull back from the extraordinary moment of threatening a NATO ally, mimicking -- or you know, minimizing what they have done for us. You just heard him last night with BBC saying, I don't know if NATO allies would be here for us. Well, they were when the only time Article 5 has been triggered, who was there for us? Our NATO allies. They fought and bled and died alongside us.

[10:40:00] I thought it was interesting that they were visiting with the children. One of the most impressive things and deep pressing things that we learned while we were there and met with Greenlandic members of parliament, they said their children are going to bed scared at night. Are the Americans coming to get us? It was chilling to me. So, I can see why the two prime ministers are meeting with schoolchildren.

BROWN: Tell me more about those conversations and whether you were able to reassure them that that wouldn't happen.

DEAN: That was really, I think, part of our mission, was to say, we are your ally, we are your friend, we recognize our 75 years as founding members of NATO. We will always stand by your side. And we do not understand the president's threats or ambitions around Greenland. And now, he has backed off of that.

The other thing that we learned, and we wanted to learn, this was a CODEL led by Chris Coons, Senator Coons, and Senator Tillis, was, what is the immediate threat right now to Greenland? There is not an immediate threat right now. We all agree with the strategic importance of the location.

BROWN: You brought up NATO's Article 5, and I want to pivot to talk a little bit more about that and what President Trump said during his Davos speech. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It's a war that should have never started, and it wouldn't have started if the 2020 U.S. presidential election weren't rigged. It was a rigged election. Everybody now knows that. They found out. People will soon be prosecuted for what they did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: OK. So, you were an impeachment manager in the wake of the January 6th attack. What goes through your head when you hear President Trump saying that on the world stage in 2026?

DEAN: It's madness. It's absolute madness, and all of our allies know it. I was there yesterday as Jack Smith testified before judiciary. I was seated next to Harry Dunn, the four officers who have really become the face of what happened on January the 6th. As Republicans, are complicit with this president's continuing lies.

Think of the madness of saying that the election was stolen and saying it on that world stage. It's utter madness, and our allies know it. And what has happened --

BROWN: What do they say to you about it? I mean, what are you hearing privately from the allies overseas?

DEAN: What they're saying is they do not understand this president. They really wish to. They said, we consider the American family our big brother, so how have you turned on us? But how is it he's still talking about that election? And he is aided by -- you saw the members of judiciary yesterday, aided by members of judiciary, that they cannot -- you saw one of the congressmen today interviewed, cannot say that Biden won the election. They cannot say that Trump lost because he will turn on them.

They're following a madman, and it is very damaging to our reputation, to our respect. We were there to say, we will be your ally. We were before Mr. Trump, we were in the interim, we will be afterwards. But the respect and trust is damaged.

BROWN: It was notable, though, because the chairman, Jim Jordan, a Republican, a big Trump ally, said on a few occasions that Trump won two elections, not three. So, I --

DEAN: Oh, he's got the math.

BROWN: -- did want to point that out. But just to follow up with you, do you have concerns that President Trump's continued lies about the 2020 election could sow doubts among voters in the results of this year's midterms?

DEAN: Well, of course that's what he wants to do. And by pardoning all of those who attacked the Capitol, as you pointed out, I was an impeachment manager. I was also there on January the 6th and was hauled out in a gas mask. That is exactly what he's doing. He and his courtiers are sowing lies so that people will not trust this upcoming election. We're going to have to fight back on that. But he's going to do everything in his power to say things were stolen.

BROWN: What are you doing to prepare for that? I mean, you know, I think when Trump sowed doubts before the 2020 election, people just kind of thought, oh, well, you know, this is just what he's saying. And then he really took it to the extreme, right? We saw it through the evidence. So, he is sowing doubts about the 2020 election. As we look ahead to this upcoming election, what are you doing as a member of Congress to prepare in light of what we've experienced in the past with January 6th?

DEAN: Well, I'll tell you, you know, I come from Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is going to be the keystone state yet again. At the top of the ticket is Josh Shapiro running for re-election as governor. And we have four seats, at least four congressional seats, that I'll be working hard for. I'll work hard for my own re-election in suburban Philadelphia.

But I'll be working hard to flip the seats of Republicans in Pennsylvania who, like some of the folks you just mentioned, still can't say that Mr. Biden won the election. Still can't say it. Cannot say the words out loud that Trump lost the interim election. We'll be fighting for the truth.

[10:45:00]

BROWN: Congresswoman Madeiline Dean, thank you very much for your time.

DEAN: Thank you. BROWN: Wolf.

BLITZER: And thanks for me as well, Congresswoman. Appreciate it.

DEAN: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coming up, happening now, a key meeting in Abu Dhabi. It appears, for the first time, officials from the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia are getting together in person to discuss the war. The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States standing by to join me live right here in the Situation Room.

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BLITZER: We're, of course, still following that looming massive winter storm heading towards so much of the United States. A lot more coming up on that, but there's other important news we're following this morning as well. Right now, for example, negotiators from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia, they are meeting in Abu Dhabi for the first known talks involving all three countries since Russia invaded its neighbor nearly four years ago.

[10:50:00]

This comes a day after President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow for more than three hours, a Kremlin aide calling those talks, and I'm quoting now, "exceptionally substantive," but warned that, quote, "Without resolving the territorial issue, one should not count on achieving a long-term settlement," end quote.

Joining us now is Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna. Ambassador, thank you so much for joining us. I know there's a lot going on. What is your sense right now how these talks in Abu Dhabi, these trilateral talks for the first time, are going? Is a peace agreement in reach?

OLGA STEFANISHYNA, UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Thank you for taking your time and having Ukraine covering, Ukraine topic being covered in media. That's very important to us.

So, yes, indeed, yesterday after the meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy in Davos, it was announced formally that the meeting on a trilateral basis will start in Abu Dhabi. Teams are still gathering for the meetings, both on Ukrainian and American side.

And I think this is a very important and the right moment for this kind of format of meeting, because first, we formed a solid ground between the negotiating teams at the level of Ukrainian and American negotiating teams. We have formed a solid ground of our defense. And now, at this point, while it's absolutely obvious that the Russian energy terror will not have any significant result, we are able to talk on a trilateral basis.

BLITZER: As you know, Ambassador --

STEFANISHYNA: So, we are pretty optimistic.

BLITZER: Well, let's hope the optimism is warranted. As you know, Russia is occupying still occupying around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory recognized under international law as part of the sovereign Ukraine. Moscow insists your country should surrender the four regions in question. Is Ukraine seriously considering conceding any of the sovereign Ukrainian territory to Russia?

STEFANISHYNA: Well, I think that's very important what you said, the territory in question, that the question to that territory was only from Russian Federation and without any ground for that. We never had any territorial disputes with the Russian Federation. We have never been claiming or reclaiming any parts of the territory.

Let us recall that it's almost 30 years ago since -- 35 years ago since Ukraine left Soviet Union without a drop of blood and any military conflict. So, this is the baseline we have to understand. But at the same time, they're facing enormous losses, and this territory could be a zone frozen -- of a frozen conflict. We can speak about the ceasefire.

But you know, breaching the law once will not make it a law again. Justice is what's important, and now we're talking about the fair and just solution. And this is the subject for a discussion on a trilateral basis. Otherwise, if there will be other unjust solution even considered on the table, there would be no formal negotiations at all.

So, we're speaking about a just solution which will not only enable us to sustain the level of our territorial integrity, but also a solution which will stop killing Ukrainian civilians. Because the war is not now only military to military, it's the Russian attacking Ukrainian people. Dozens of millions of people are without water and electricity right now in the coldest winter in decades.

BLITZER: You mentioned when the Soviet Union collapsed and gave up Ukraine and other former republics of the Soviet Union, they gained their independence. As part of the deal with Ukraine, as you well know, and I'm sure you remember, I was in Moscow at the time covering all of this for CNN, the Ukrainian government agreed to Russia's demand that Ukraine give up its then nuclear arsenal, which was very significant. Was that a mistake?

I would look back on that all the time, wondering if Ukraine had kept that nuclear arsenal, Russia almost certainly would not have attacked Ukraine. But what's your thought looking back on that historic moment?

STEFANISHYNA: Not only Ukraine left the Soviet Union, and Soviet Union fell without a drop of blood on our territory, in four years after that, Ukraine indeed gave up its third world largest nuclear potential, and this was to remain sovereign, to remain European, to go back to its European roots and identity of a free and democratic nation. And even this didn't work for Russia.

[10:55:00] So, the only lesson we've learned, that you can never ever trust somebody, Russia's promise, or even sign. That's why we're talking about security guarantees. That's why we're talking not only about reaching the agreement, but also forcing its implementation. And here, where the leadership of the United States is vital, because it would not only be the agreement on the peace in Ukraine, there will be President Trump's peace deal, and he would definitely be interested in securing it in the best possible way.

BLITZER: The new Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, thank you so much for joining us.

STEFANISHYNA: Thank you. Thank you for having us.

BLITZER: And there's more breaking news we're following, Pamela.

BROWN: That's right, a former Olympic snowboarder who is also one of America's most wanted fugitives has been arrested. We'll wait an update from FBI Director Kash Patel, and of course, we'll bring that to you live. We'll be right back.

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