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any moment now we expect to see president biden welcome one of america's strongest nato allies to the white house. >> the meeting is russia's invasion of ukraine is just beyond the one-year mark. the pentagon has announced another $400 million aid package for kyiv. phil mattingly is live. we'll start with you and what you know about the president's meeting with chancellor schultz. >> it's a critical meeting and sounds like something with of meeting when it pertains to this war with the allies and alliance that's been together. it stead very fast. there is probably no more critical leader at this point than chancellor schultz. this is a relationship. the two leaders get along quite

well. no staff component between the two leaders who have been critical to an alliance that has produced a significant evolution in terms of the types of weapons, the capabilities that they provided over the course of the year. there have been points where the germans haven't gone as far and throughout there has been one through line and that's been president biden's efforts to maintain the unity that has kind of been so steadfast. that is included when it came to providing leopard tanks. the president, even though he was initially against it, said he would be willing to provide ta tanks on the u.s. side. when you talk to officials in the leadup to this meetings, the coordination and what it means for the europeans and nato allies going forward is critical, essential. if you take a look at the aid pact released today by the u.s. has inside of it, it not major

new weapons capabilities and weapons systems, it's the nuts and bolts of what the ukrainians need in this moment at in time to maintain, ammunition for artillery, the types of tools that can repair vehicles. it doesn't seem like big picture items. the defense industrial base not just in europe but also in the u.s. has been winnowed over the course of the last year. a big part of the conversation between the two leaders today, guys. >> military experts have been telling us it not necessarily the tanks and the planes that ukraine needs right now. it is the ammunition that they need. let's go to kyiv. security of the systems is going to be coming. where it goes is going to make a big difference here. it could be compromised. there's a critical bridge, the last remaining route out of the

city was blown up. >> reporter: that's right. it difficult to resupply the men still in the center of town. they tell us it is a matter of time. we heard it could take two days, could take 20 days. the question is how long they can hold out on the russian troops that have been flooding in. a huge question about the 4,500 civilians trapped. there have been more pleas for more ammunition. there will be a retreat at some point westward but what we're seeing also even as the fate of bahmut hangs in the image. these images of a russian fighter jet taken down from the ukrainian military. we we're also seeing reports on russian state media.

that is significant. it shows us that the ukrainian air defense systems as much as they need the patriot systems that are to come online shortly and ukrainian forces are being trained on even now have already seen an extraordinary improvement in their air defense systems. it is several hundred russian fighter planes they say they've taken down now and they point out that every russian fighter plane on their territory is a legitimate target. that was just over when it comes to the air defensive there's a lot more to do, but this is one of the signs that it has improved and it is working. >> russia's offensive has been under way, we're told, since early this year. melissa bell and phil mattingly, thank you both. joining us to discuss further analyst kim dojer, senior managing editor at requesting the military times" and general

peter zwack. germany is arguably the most important player here aside from the united states. it's europe's largest economy and has been criticized for hesitating in providing some of the higher scale military assistance. obviously they've increased their aid and they are sending those leopard tanks. with the president of the united states, is there concern going into it that germany may remain hesitant in the months ahead? >> this is the chance for the chancellor to explain directly to biden why he dragged his feet on the leopard tanks which delayed the u.s. announcement it would send in abrams tanks. germany like biden,a sense, is facing a situation where the german people are growing

reluctant to continue supporting this war in that their own fears seem to be rising, fears the war could spill over into the rest of europe, fears that any sort of nuclear confrontation could literally blow into their country and that kind of thing means that in some senses scholz's hands are tied. he has to make a good argument before every tranche of aid he hands out. biden is facing the same thing and yet biden must also be asking -- the u.s. has given roughly two times as much as all of europe combined in terms of aid to ukraine. he has to be asking germany what else can you ante up. >> and what would be most crucial now, general, as we talk about what's happening in bakhmut, the description there is that it is an urban style of warfare, that ukrainians, they say they're committed to it, but

president zelenskyy says not at any cost. what do they need? and is bakhmut more of a strategic win, or is it something of a momentum win, a symbolic win for russia? >> victor, bakhmut is important -- i would say it is at the tactical operational level important for the ukrainian defense, but i think for russia and ukraine, this is a fight that has really evolved into something symbolic and we remember sort of against odds ukrainians held on to bakhmut through the period of the 24 february one-year anniversary. putin basically got no trophy win, no win to show moscow for that. i think tactically, yes, it's a lot of significance.

however, if the ukrainians decide to make a tactical withdrawal, it's not a strategic withdrawal, the russians pulling back from keherson was strategi. if they do, they will fall on defense lines. yes, it will make links between towns in that area more challenging, but it is not the end of the war in the donebas bt the russians also in the back butte/donbas area have the russians in a bit -- excuse the metaphor -- of a bear hug. so what becomes most important near term nuts and bolts -- artillery. artillery rounds. 155 millimeter artillery rounds, more stingers, which will knock down low flying jets that intimidate pilots to come in and support.

it's a tough fight. the ukrainians have exacted their toll. they held it through this critical period, and, yes, it's hard to gave up by they gave up ma mariupal. >> they have not to exhaust military in its counter offensive which is suggested to happen some time in the spring. kim, another issue that will come up and is probably coming up in the hours ahead in the conversation between the president and scholz and we've been talking about it at great length here is china. the united states is showing they have intel, that china is seriously thinking about providing lethal aid to russia. it's not just the united states that can hold any leverage over

china, it's europe and arguably partner. >> germany needs china for a trade and vice versa. what the biden administration has talked about is one of their key ways of trying to influence china to bring them together in terms of market strength and say china, if you want our business you have to follow internattionl norms. this could be a way of saying if you want our business you are not going to arm russia in this continuing invasion. it is also a chance for the two men to talk about those m-16s, just as an aside, that keep coming up. biden did have a chance to have a one-on-one with zelenskyy where assurances would have been made, promises likely made that if you give us these jets we won't use them to attack russia and escalate the war.

that perhaps is something that biden would feel most comfortable explaining to scholz one-on-one. >> we just learned the attorney general, merrick garland, has made an unannounced trip to ukraine. this comes after we saw the treasury secretary, janet yellen, make an unannounced trip there as well. we saw and learned during her trip that there were $10 billion of aid through september that has been pledged to ukraine, humanitarian aid. we'll see what comes out of the trip from attorney general merrick garland. just getting that in. general, on china and their value, just the inverse of the question i asked about what the ukrainians would need, how would what the russians want and what the chinese are potentially, if they are, able to or willing to offer lethal aid, how would those reconcile? what do you think china is willing to give if they are?

>> i think china, xi jinping, they're at an inflection point. they've been called out in many ways as we called out the russians before last year's invasion. the world is watching. i don't know if the chinese, as interwoven as kim talked about with germany, the eu and the rest of the world. if it's worth, now for the world watching, for them to go and join iran as pariah nations, a pariah nation that is an ongoing vicious invasion. i think the chinese are in a hard spot. they probably have been supplying chips and low-level technologies but not weapons f.

they start supplying, the russians could use ammunition, too. they could use drones and things like we're reading about. i think this puts china in a terrible position as interwoven in the world as they are and, again, everybody is waiting and watching. >> it would be harder for the world, though, to decouple from china's economy in a way that wasn't for russia and obviously as we mentioned germany is china's largest trading partner in europe. going back to the news we are just now getting the attorney general has made an unannounced trip to ukraine, we're getting a statement there that he has held several meetings, and reaffirmed the united states determination to hold russia accountable for crimes committed. it will be interesting to see there have been a lot more pressure and we had seen action in terms of president zelenskyy and his government trcracking dn on investigations and more focus coming from the united states on where that money is going. so i wonder if there will be some meetings on that front as

well. kim dozier, general peter zwack, thank you. >> thank you both. well, the judge in the alex murdaugh trial sentences the disgraced attorney to two consecutive life sentences for killing his wife and son. up next, we'll speak with the lawyer representing the victims of murdaugh's alleged financial crimes. plus -- >> holy [ bleep ]. >> where is it going? >> that way. >> tornadoes, golf ball-sized hail pummeled parts of texas and louisiana and another round of severe weather on the way. we have details. when y you have chronic kidney disease. there are places you'd like to be.. like here. and here. and here. not so much here. if youe been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease

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and you're not tired anymore, and your anxiety, everything is gone. it's definitely worth trying. it is an amazing product. president biden is currently meeting with german chancellor olaf scholz at the white house. let's listen. >> everyone in? chancellor welcome to the oval office , to the white house. a lot has changed since the last

you were here. as a matter of fact, if i'm not mistaken, you were here in february of 2022 and russia was amassing its troops, 185,000 troops on the ukrainian border and we made it clear we would respond and we made good on that promise. i mean that sincerely. it's made a world of difference. and together we make good on our promise. you stepped up and provided critical military support. i would argue that beyond your military support, the moral support has been profound. and you've driven historic changes at home. increase in defense spending and the energy sources, has not been

easy. together we work lock step to provide critical security in ukraine and from everything from what we've done in the lock step, artillery, armored tank, air defense systems. and we've been together throughout this. you helped ukraine meet its basic needs like food, health, heating and you continue to maintain pressure on putin and is undercutting his ability to fight this war and as nato allies we're making the alliance stronger and more capable. you've heard me say before when i talk to putin a couple months before that, more likely to get the natoization -- excuse me, of europe you were pushing for, the nato-ization of europe and has had that effect in terms of

what's happened. a lot has happened since last year. we have a lot to talk about and i look forward to our conversation. >> thank you for having me again. let me just say this is a very, very important year because of the very dangerous threat to peace that comes to russia invading ukraine and it's really important we organize in lock stem and we made it feasible and give to ukraine during all this time. i think it is important we give the message we would continue to do so as long as it takes and as long as it is necessary and that we are ready as long as it is necessary, and i really

appreciate the very good cooperation between the two of us, our governments and the united states and germany and europe. and transatlantic partnership is in good shape today and this is thanks to your leadership. i'm happy to be here to talk with you. >> well, thank you. >> all right, so we had there in the oval office president biden meeting with the german chancellor, olaf scholz. of course they have just had the beginning of this meeting. let's go down to cnn's chief white house correspondent phil mattingly and evan perez and cnn pentagon reporter oren liebermann. let's pick up where we left off in our last conversation to the two most important figures when it comes to the lethal aid, the support for ukraine and the arc of germany's support. we were talking 13 months ago

helmets they were offering and now sending tanks. >> it's dramatic, seismic to some degree, and a shift based on the last seven or eight decades in terms of the posture of germany when it comes to how they operate on the defense side of things and that has been driven in large part by the relationship between chancellor scholz and president biden. obviously germany very cognizant of what the russian invasion means for europe and the continent. the transatlantic relationship has been critical and that's where the president was going with his remarks talking not just about the defense assistance which the u.s. and germany have been incredibly aligned and clear points of tension, like we discussed when it came to tanks. the president ensured chancellor scholz got what he needed to enable the unity to continue to some degree but the way things have moved over the course of the last 12 or 13 months, despite very real issues on the domestic side and politically,

very clear on the energy side and obviously in terms of the evolution of the weapons systems and what they've been willing to provide, maintaining over the top a very clear umbrella of maintaining unity, staying steadfast in that. that was why what chancellor scholz said was so important in making very clear as he has repeatedly but doing it once again as there are a lot of murmurs about how is this going to end? there needs to be an end game. these discussions need to start, making very clear, as he has, they are with ukraine as long as it takes. there's no end game in sight right now and that could be a very long time. once again reiterating that as he sat next to president biden. >> and thus far, oren liebermann, the bulk of the military aid has been coming from the united states, obviously more economic stress on europe given their proximity to the fighting and taking in a lot of refugees as well. evenly though germany has agreed to send these tanks, europe is scrambling to find about 62 of them needed that they promised to the ukrainians.

the united states agreeing to another $400 million worth of aid just today. there's increased pressure, as we all know here at home for accountability and sort of a deadline as to a possible end in sight. talk about that part of the story and what more europe can or cannot do. >> reporter: the u.s. has really tried to set the pace here and keep up the drumbeat of making sure assistance keeps on going to ukraine. you saw that just today, $400 million. in terms of new capabilities, there was something called an armored vehicle launched bridge, a base of a tank that can use a 60-foot bridge to cross some sort of terrain, and then as well as ammunition. we've seen this before, the ammunition ukraine needs to stay in the fight. this is the u.s. trying to set the pace as it has over the course of the past year. you're right that other countries, germany in particular especially at the beginning of the war, have faced criticism for not doing enough and then questions over how much more can

they do, how much can the industrial base produce to keep up with the demands of a protracted ground war in ukraine. these are profound and difficult questions to answer that not only does president joe biden need to face as he tries to keep europe and nato united but, of course, german chancellor olaf scholz and other leaders need to face down as they look at the possibility of this stretching out. you hear calls from capitol hill. more oversight on the ukraine aid side. there are questions how much lodger longer the u.s. will be willing to send millions if not billions of dollars at a time over to ukraine and all of that on top of the fact you heard it from both biden and scholz, nobody sees an end game in sight. russia has not indicated any willingness to back off of this which means there is a challenge to keep that aid flowing and that's part of what the u.s. and biden trying to make clear they will keep doing as they work to keep everybody united as the challenges will only grow as this draws out and draws out longer. >> we learned a few moments ago

about the attorney general's surprised, unannounced visit to western ukraine. tell us about it. what have we learned? >> reporter: this is part of a visit the attorney general is trying to show some support for the efforts to prosecute, to investigate russian war crimes during this war in ukraine. he was there as part of this united for justice conference. you saw -- i think we have video of the president of ukraine along with the prosecutor general of ukraine, a number of other countries sent their representatives to this conference this is garland's second time in ukraine. the last time, last june, he went just to the border between poland and ukraine where they announced this formation of a team designed to look into and investigate russian war crimes. well-known prosecutor he spent

his career chasing down and investigating nazi war criminals over the decade. he is now leading this team that is helping the united states and the fbi and the justice department trying to help find these war criminals and bring them to justice. that's what this visit, we understand, is about. the importance of having the attorney general go there after the president went to kyiv and you saw the treasury secretary go there in the last few days is an indication of what the administration is trying to show as part of a broader effort to show support for the ukrainians. >> we saw the vice president say the united states is accusing russia of committing crimes against humanity as well. phil mattingly, evan perez and oren liebermann, thank you. can help your business get a payroll tax refund,

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disgraced south carolina attorney alex murdaugh has been sentenced to life in prison for the murpdders of his wife and youngest son. twice he maintained his innocence during sentencing. >> i tell you again, i respect this court, but i'm innocent. i would never under any circumstances hurt my wife, maggie, and i would never under any circumstances hurt my son, paul-paul. >> the judge said this was one of the most troubling cases he's ever seen because of the former

lawyer's status in the local leagual community. >> you practiced law before me and we've seen each other at various occasions throughout the years, and it was especially heartbreaking for me to see you go from being a grieving father who lost a wife and a son to being the person indicted and convicted of killing them. >> cnn's diane gag llagher has been following this story. convicted in just a few hours. diane, we heard from one of the jurors today. what did he say? >> reporter: yeah, victor, from the time they were charged to the time they told the clerk

they had a verdict just about three hours. according to that juror, it actually took far less time to come to the conclusion that alex murdaugh was guilty of murdering his wife maggie and his son paul. in the end about, the one thate recorded of his friend's dog just minutes before the state says he was murdered, that captured his father's voice at the kennels and we heard witness after witness identify alex, that made alex murdaugh get on the stand and admit to the jury that his alibi was a lie. that is what the juror said convinced him of his guilt. he said alex's testimony which, by many attorneys, was praised because of his skill in a courtroom, his ability to sit there for 14 hours and talk about all of this, the jurors said he didn't buy any of it.

>> a good liar but not good enough. >> i didn't see any true remorse or any compassion or anything. >> reporter: he cried a lot on the stand. >> he never cried. >> reporter: he never cried? what do you mean by that? >> all he did was blow snot. >> reporter: did you not see tears? >> no tears. >> reporter: how did you not know he was not crying? >> i saw his eyes. i was this close to him. >> reporter: now the prosecutor who did the reply close told my colleague wes brewer that he wanted to say this was all tragic and sad but he finished with god bless bubba, the dog with the chicken in its mouth that forced alex murdaugh to call for him. without that dog and that video, it is possible that alex murdaugh would not have been convicted.

>> dianne gallagher, we've heard they will be filing for an appeal in the next ten days. we'll follow that. thanks so much. two of murdaugh's defense attorneys sat down with randi kaye to explain why they decided to have murdaugh take the stand in his own defense. >> the thinking of it at that point in time what is there to lose? they've heard about all of his financial crimes. they really hadn't heard why he committed the financial crimes, and they needed to hear about his drug addiction. by putting him on the stand i think the jury also got to see his emotions about maggie and paul, which are very raw and real. >> joining me to discuss is state lawmaker and attorney who represents about ten victims of murdaugh's alleged financial crimes. good to see you. thank you for joining us. it took the jury just three hours to find him guilty of both murders. the judge sentencing him to life in prison. your reaction?

>> honestly, i was surprised the jury came back that fast. i'm not surprised by the verdict. i was thinking we would still be here about this time today waiting on the jury to give us their decision. judge newman did what i thought he was going to do and he basically fried alex murdaugh like a catfish. two consecutive life sentences sends a very strong message. alex murdaugh was a black eye to you're community, to the legal profession and a black eye in the courtroom because even with his life and other people getting answers on the line, he still lied to everybody, the jury included. >> what does this mean for your clients going forward now? >> well, my clients, i spoke to a couple last night after the verdict came in and they were excited. they were happy. they still want justice in their cases. they're victims as well.

it was great to see alex, albeit some recorded, practiced statement of i lied, i misled clients, they want him to own up to what he did to them. look a mother in the eye and tell her i stole from your son when he suffocated to death in the nursing home. i understand when you can't bend over or turn your head and i stole from you and i'm going to accept the consequences for that. that's what they want. >> he's facing 99 charges of criminal crimes -- financial crimes. the same judge will be presiding over those cases. what do you expect to see coming out of those cases? >> well, here is the thing. alex can stay in prison, die, be reborn and he's still stuck there for another lifetime. he's running out of money. he's been convicted now. i don't know that his family will help pay for his lawyers or an appeal.

the question is, is alex going to force every single victim he stole from to go through this same ordeal we went through, another trial? i can say whether it be judge newman or another judge, if convicted on any of those counts, he's going to get maxed out on each one as well. >> is there money, though, available for your clients assuming he is convicted? >> i mean, the only thing that will work when you deal with alex murdaugh at this point you have to get complete justice, complete accountability. we still have civil claims against him and now the estate of both maggie and paul have civil claims as well. our goal is to pursue alex, and if that means at the very end of the day he has nothing left except his body and the uniform they issue him, we are perfectly fine with that. >> the judge said he wouldn't call for a mistrial.

as you know the defense attorneys said they will be filing an appeal in ten days. from your perspective is there any grounds for an appeal to be given? >> as far as any appeals talk, the only thing i can say is alex murdaugh had a state senator, he had jim griffith, they put up a defense for him. it's my understanding there were times when alex didn't even want to listen to his lawyers because he thinks he's smarter than everybody else and he acts like he's smarter than everybody else. no real concerns about any appeal. i think they will file it just because they have to. i don't see it going anywhere. i don't think he'll have any success. he cannot run -- if you hear -- you can't run from accountability anymore. >> justin bamberg, thank you for your time. >> thank you. there is a growing divide within president biden's party

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- [announcer] do you have an invention idea but don't know what to do next? call invent help today. they can help you get started with your idea. call now 800-710-0020. tennessee became the first state in the country to restrict drag show performances. the bill signed yesterday limits performances on public property considered harmful to minors, to shield children from seeing the performances. violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and repeat offenders a felony. in addition, the governor banned gender affirming medical care for minors even if the child's parent approves. a drag performer is the assistant director and the program director for trans, nonbinary support services.

this legislation, and i'm talking about the drag bill first, the sponsor says it's not targeting drag performers, it's not banning public drag performances. instead, and i wrote this down, making sure children are not present at sexually explicit performances, sexually explicit has a legal definition from the department of justice, but do you interpret this as banning public drag performances? >> absolutely. and thank you for having me, victor. absolutely. this is just another bill in a long line of bills that are just an assault on the queer community here in tennessee. this bill absolutely is intended to criminalize drag in public spaces. this is not about children. >> some people may know about

drag brunches, people going out to them, bringing their friends and family. how will this law change the drag community in tennessee? >> the thing about drag, it typically is held at an adult venue, a nightclub or a bar, so typically those shows may have adult content but nothing crossing the line into sexual. we have laws in place already that prevent that sort of -- from it going into that sexual realm. this is going to take -- it's going to take money out of the pockets of the drag performers, many of whom this is their only job, this is their only source of income. it's stigmatizing queer art and

queer culture, which is the purpose. because they want people to think sexual. they want people to think that queer people are nothing but sexual, which is their hang-up. >> which is interesting because one of the things -- and i read the law, that i have a question about the interpretation of the word performance because the law groups what they call male and female impersonators with topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers and strippers. all of the rest of those are actions and designed to be drag usually is not, but to characterize drag, just being in drag as a performance does simply appearing in public in drag then count as a performance? do you see what i'm asking here? what's my interpretation. >> i do. and we do have many drag

performers have that concern. but even past that, i'm a trans person. depending on who is reading that law, they may determine that i am a female impersonator. i have trans -- part of my job is working with trans people and i'm answering these emails with all this anxiety of, you know, i'm a dancer. i'm a dance instructor. does what i do count? am i going to be arrested for dancing in public because i am not -- because i'm seen as a female impersonator? but if i've got my air pods in, like i frequently do, and i'm just jamming out as i'm going through, you know, the grocery store, does that count as a performance? am i -- so it's just -- >> yeah, yeah. >> we're scared that not only is this going to limit our access

to art, but also to life. and i think that's the point. they're trying to legislate us out of existence. they're trying to make it so we can't leave our homes. >> let me ask you this, as the governor was preparing to sign this bill, someone asked him about a photo from his yearbook in 1977. this is governor bill lee, he's the one in the pearls. he calls this light-hearted. he is there at some high school event. his office elaborated in a statement to the "daily beast" says the bill protects children from on scene sexualized entertainment and any attempt to conflate this serious issue with light-hearted school tradition is dishonest and disrespectful to tennessee families. your thoughts? >> i would argue that conflating

drag with, you know, interest is ridiculous. i don't know when the last -- well, i mean, obviously, governor lee's been to some sort of drag event. but i don't know the last time he's been to a drag show and seen what a drag show really is. what they're doing is they're just taking these examples that they're finding and they're blowing everything out of proportion. it's just another attack. but it's also a distraction. like all of this is distracting from all these other really important things that the tennessee legislators and governor lee honestly should be paying attention to, but we're worrying about drag queens. >> no hormone therapies, surgeries, puberty blockers, and we know from a study published, 82% of trans individuals have considered suicide. 40% have attempted it and the rates are highest among trans youth. thank you so much for your time.

>> thank you. anger, fear and frustration in east palestine, ohio, as families confronted the norfolk southern rail company one month after that toxic train derailment. we'll have the latest from east palestine ahead. no matter your purpose, at pnc private bank we will wowork with you every step of the way to help you achieve it. so let us focus on the how.. just tell us - what's your why?

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republican-led bill that would strike down a controversial washington, d.c., crime law. the bill received support from only 31 democrats in the house. the senate is expected to vote on it next week. a vote that has many democrats political right now. >> tom foreman has been watching all of this play out. tom, what does the bill actually do and why is it so divisive? >> the bill is fairly straightforward. they're rewriting the criminal code for the district. they took a more progressive rather than punitive approach, reducing maximum sentences for things like robbery and carjackings, expanding jury trial requirements. a more progressive view. big fight at the city level. but then it goes to president biden where he said, you know, i'm going to back what the city wants to do here. then, then -- republicans

started making a lot of noise about how this is soft on crime. they put forward legislation and he does an about-face. and he says i don't support changes the d.c. council has put forward such as lowering penalties for carjackings. if the senate overturns this, i'll sign it. it's created an uproar with democrats. >> and how are democrats responding? >> in a variety of ways. in the senate some of them who are mindful of this notion that they don't want to be seen as soft on crime, they will vote to repeal it. but there are other groups who are saying, look, all you're doing is cow tying to republicans here. and the district shod