michael holmes in kiev, thank you so much. jim sciutto, i want to discuss the dual tracks that are going on. on the one hand, the united states, as elise has pointed o out, is trying to offer some off ramps to vladmir putin. the united states and nato talking about sanctions. the russians responding with their own idea. they say they would ban u.s. and europe countries and seize assets if sanctions are imposed. what does the united states see with these threats and counter threats? >> it is two sides of the same coins, the carrots and the sticks. they have the off ramp, including the idea of sending observers into eastern ukraine. president putin and others have said that ethnic russians are under threat. they are calling for our help and demanding rescue. we will send observers in and they will take a look at the situation and see what can be doneme done. back up. at the same time, also saying that our patience is wearing thin. if russia does not pull back to its original positions, we are going to start imposing costs. you h

michael holmes is live for us this morning. michael, bring us up to speed. what's the latest? >> reporter: yeah, christine, yeah, things are moving along here and at quite a pace, really, when you consider it. crimean application is in to join the russian federation. of course, vladimir putin signing a decree accepting that. it's all part of the procedure. the russian parliament, the duma is going to vote on the 21st, friday. and as you mentioned, vladimir putin to speak to the duma at 3:00 local time. that's in less than five hours from now. also moving along, those sanctions that we heard announced yesterday by the european union and the united states. they are sinking in, although at least one target said he was proud to be on the list. he said that it showed his service to russia. now, of course, those sanctions are really phase one. they do take time to bite. there will be more sanctions as this escalates along. now, also, the new crimean leaders are dealing with the realities of being independent or joining the russian federation, if indeed it does head that way, all sor

michael holmes is live in simferopol this morning. michael, good morning. what's the feeling like there this morning? >> reporter: a bit of a hangover, i imagine when it comes to the reality, rosa, of what to do now. it is the morning after the night before huge celebrations of the result of a referendum whose result was never really in doubt. and now, of course, if they're going to go ahead with this, the russian duma meets on friday to decide whether they accept crimea's decision to join the russian federation. they almost certainly will. today there's a delegation of crimean politicians headed to russia to work out exactly how to do that. you mentioned the fallout from this internationally. eu foreign ministers are meeting in brussels. you can expect them to be discussing sanctions as well. and of course, if this all goes ahead, rosa, you're talking about synchronizing two separate places. crimea gets 80% of its water from ukraine. the power, the gas, the telecoms, the banking, the military. and even if you look at crimea on a map, it's not actually join

michael holmes, cnn, crimea. >> in moscow, russian president vladimir putin is being seen as a hero, a tough leader who stood up to the west, he brought crimea back to mother russia so his approval ratings in recent weeks have surged. fred, with so much popularity at home, so much domestic support, why would mr. putin simply stop now at crimea? >> well, exactly. it's within of the things he's been saying is that he does not intend to move russian forces into anywhere else. doesn't intend to move russian forces into the east of ukraine, but certainly it doesn't appear as though western sanctions or western backlash is something that factors very much into his calculation about what he's going to do politically or militarily. there was a gigantic rally here in moscow last night to celebrate crimea becoming part of the russian federation. of course, in russia's view, there's no other country that's actually recognized that yet. but it was a massive rally that came right after vladimir putin's speech. and as you say, the approval ratings speak their own language and also one of the numbe

>> all right, michael holmes for us. erin, the follow question, this could all hinge on a crucial meeting in d.c. this week. who is coming in to talk face to face with president obama? >> reporter: well, deb, the interim prime minister of ukraine is coming on wednesday to meet with president obama. part of that meeting is simply to legitimize him on a world stage and also especially in the eyes of russia. now, that referendum that you referred to, the interim prime minister of ukraine has said that is not legitimate. president obama agrees with him. as do a number of european leaders. and they'll likely talk about how to address that if that vote moves forward and what happens next sunday. ukraine also wants to hold elections in may. president obama will likely talk about how to implement those elections, carry them out, and the assistance that the united states will provide. ukraine wants to hold direct talks with russia. they will talk about how the united states can help facilitate that. also russian president vladimi

michael holmes live now from the crimean region. so, michael, what has it been like today?orter: yeah. hi, fred. yeah, we're in the regional capital of crimea. we've had words from the prime minister of crimea, the controversially appointed prime minister of crimea, that preliminary results will be announced pretty quickly, perhaps an hour after the closing of polls. right here in lenin square in the center of the city you can probably hear a concert is under way celebrating the very predictable results on this referendum. you see a very pro-russian crowd as the crowd swelling down below and now amongst that crowd is our nick paton walsh, who join us now. nick, gives us a sense of what it's like down there. >> reporter: there is a remarkable scene of celebration here. we're about 40 minutes away from the polls closing and about an hour-plus until we hear those preliminary results. no real doubt as to what they're going to say, that crimea has voted to become part of russia. that's what we anticipate, and very little could get in the way of that result unless the government

russian president vladimir putin defended the crimea vote -- i want to bring in cnn international's michael holmesine. michael, what are you hearing about possible movements by pro-russian forces in crimea, the ones who took over crimea? >> reporter: yeah. not really movements, per se, deb. but there's definitely more of a presence, a buildup, if you like. some ukrainian military insulations that remain blockaded by armed and uniformed pro-russian men. there's certainly been an increase in recent days in things like roadblocks manned by a rather odd assortment of men. some of them in uniform, some not. but many of them armed to the teeth. you see cars being searched, people intimidated, having their papers examined, their luggage searched. remember, this is not while crossing an international frontier. this is while in ukraine. just in crimea. now, we also have confirmed that six ukrainian television stations have had their signals blocked in crimea. and replaced with russian television. you could call that an information monopoly going on. deb? >> so they're keeping people out, people who don't -

cnn's michael holmes is in crimea. details from a call between president obama and president putin. we are told that president obama told president putin the results of this referendum will never be recognized. do you think that warning makes a difference there, has it spoiled the mood at all? are people worried about consequences? >> reporter: absolutely not on the ground here, jim, no. here in the crimean regional capital, it's been quite a night of partying. there were thousands of people, the party has just broken up. the recommend namentds remain. they'll have sore heads tomorrow. several thousand were hand. they were chanting, meaning crimea is russia. and they sang the russian national anthem with great gusto, and the fireworks went off. as you said it was the most unsurprising referendum result you can imagine but it's only recognized by crimea and russia. everyone else in the world said it's invalid and nobody is going to take much notice of it. the next steps are pretty crucial. the russian duma, the parliame

we'll get the latest from our michael holmes live from kiev. what can you tell us? bring us up to speed this morning, michael. >> reporter: yeah a couple of things to bring you up to date on christine. first of all, we've just gotten word there's been an announcement that in crimea in ten days from now, there is going to be a referendum in which the people of crimea as we said the majority ethnic russian there, are going to be asked whether they want to become an autonomous region within the russian federation or whether they want to become an autonomous region within ukraine. that's going to be a vital question and how it's answered could determine how this all goes. there has been speculation that that would have been an out if you like for this if they were to become a more autonomous region within ukraine, and perhaps, have their own local regional government that would be probably pro-russian. but if they respond that they want to become an autonomous region within the russian federation that raises a whole new ball game. so that was just announced. that's going

michael holmes is live in simferopol this morning. michael, what's the feeling there today?> reporter: yeah, it's the morning after the night before, john, i think you can say. the square behind me, lenin square was heaving with people celebrating a referendum result that was also predictable. it's very quiet here today, cold and blustery and a public holiday and virtually no one down there now, probably digesting what comes next. the crimean parliament has been meeting in emergency session. they're trying to work out what they're going to do. they're going to send a delegation to moscow. meanwhile, eu foreign ministers are meeting in brussels, the u.s., too, considering its options when it comes to sanctions. one of the big things, of course, is how do you do this? you've got to combine two places, really. 80% of crimea's border comes from ukraine. all of the electricity, the gas, the banking, the education system. all of this is going to take a long time to sort out. it will also be very expensive. and the russians are going to have to pay for it, and their economy has its

>> all right, michael holmes in simferopol in crimea this morning. on between russia, ukraine, the united states, the european union showing no sign of thawing this morning. our thanks to michael for that report. >>> all right, at the oscar pistorius trial in south africa this morning, a crime scene photographer is on the stand answering questions about what he saw at the home where pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend. he testified that there was blood on the walls near pistorius's bed, some distance from the bathroom where the smooting took place. >>> an alleged wanna be al qaeda terrorist in custody after being arrested near the canadian border. 20-year-old nicholas toussaint appeared in a courtroom on monday, accused of trying to get to syria to join an al qaeda-linked terror group. he is now charged with attempting to provide material support to foreign terrorists, and if convicted, he could face 15 years in prison. >>> federal prosecutors say self-described 9/11 mastermind khalid shaikh mohammed should not be allowed to testify at the trial

to kiev and cnn's michael holmes.ng the phones seems like every day we get another press release of who the president's been talking to. now we're getting russian press releases, as it were, about phone calls to david cameron in brittany and in germany angela merkel. is this beginning of a solution or is this a pr stunt? >> reporter: well, think they're getting out ahead the same as everyone else does. we've heard david cameron and others put out releases when they've had words with vladimir putin. this time we're seeing the kremlin get out first with their version of how it all went. he spoke with angela merkel, david cameron, the british prime minister, and essentially the line after he made it clear to both that the steps being taken by crimea's authorities are in his view based on international law and in the world's of the kremlin's statement aimed at procuring the le jgitimate interest of the population. but the tensions continue. this afternoon several thousand russian activists descended on a government buildi

michael holmes is there and has been talking to people in kiev.the developments very, very closely. what do they think of the crisis? we will talk about that next. [ male announcer ] right now princess cruises is offering a seven day cruise to alaska or the caribbean from just $549. that's seven days to either marvel at mayan ruins... savor the very best local flavors... or sail in glistening glacier bay. with a cruise line voted best in alaska. a seven day cruise to alaska or the caribbean from just $549. call your travel agent or 1.888.book.now for this limited time offer. princess cruises, come back new. . >> from violent and barricades to a somber memorial, the capital city of kiev has been the centerpiece for a revolution for the new government. protesters are camping out in independence square and michael holmes is there live in the square and michael holmes has been talking to all kinds of people and they are watching the developments closely. what are they telling you? >> they are. this is a somber mood. they are still here. you talk to th

michael holmes, cnn, kiev, ukraine. >> the drama still continuing to unfold. that's it for me.for watching. i'm wolf blitzer in washington. let's step into the "crossfire" right now with hosts paul begala and newt gingrich. guys? >> wolf, conservatives are here in washington right now holding auditions out at cpac. >> and fortunately for us they're auditions for scenes in the "star wars" bar scene. >>> coming up on "crossfire," a republican casting call. >> we don't get to govern if we don't win. >> it's time for a little rebellion on the battlefield of ideas. >> conservatives are shopping for our next president. should she be worried? >> four americans were murdered at benghazi. with all due respect to hillary clinton, it does make a difference. >> on the left, paul begala. on the right, newt gingrich. in the "crossfire," a hillary clinton supporter and a clinton detractor. who can beat hillary clinton? is she really going to run? tonight on "crossfire." >>> welcome to "crossfire." i'm paul begala on the left. >> i'm newt gingrich on the right. in the "crossfire" tonight, gues

. >> michael holmes for us there. and coming up, you know him as the man who broke the water gate story. why his actions may be linked to world war ii. >>> putin has denied russian troops in crimea. carl bernstein wrote the book. he joins us now. >> i'm not sure i understand that he is scarier than we can fathom. it is a complex situation. let's go to what we think we know and what is contextual. i think it is a hard story to get a handle on. there is so much happening so fast. you say he seems to be doing this as he go is along. he did this under the vail of his and his country. i'm not in his head. i'm told that been one of the things that struck him is that he seems to be making this up as he goes along that he has started with a real game plan. he said that the russian federation would not be taking crimea again and then he changed that. he has been all over the place in terms of what he said and what is happening. i think the thing that we need to know cus focus on right now putin and obama, they are talking past

it's a very dangerous situation. >> michael holmes in simferopol. ank you. >>> we continue on, top of the hour. i'm brooke baldwin. some news into cnn as it pertains to this missing flight, because now we know the u.s. officials say they have reviewed those cockpit conversations between that missing malaysia airlines flight 370 and the air traffic controllers. here's the news -- nothing suspicious. nothing suspicious. this comes as investigators say they too have found no dirt on the pilots of flight 370. we are also learned that a search of their homes, their e-mails, and even that at-home flight simulator that that pilot had, seen here, have turned up nothing suspicious. so, that said, the question, who reprogrammed this plane to go so far off course? a law enforcement official telling cnn that this plane's flight path was deliberately altered through the flight computer, making it almost certain that someone inside the cockpit with aviation knowledge programmed flight 370 to make that sharp left to go west. we keep showing you on the animation, fo

our correspondent, michael holmes, is on the scene. is sensitive day, michael? >> reporter: wolf, it is interesting. the fog has rolled back in here as it has for the last couple of days after clearing out for a few hours today. the people down in the square behind me in independence square, they are still there. the barricades are still up. the speeches are still being made. prayers are being said. the national anthem is sung with regularity. there are prayers going on right now behind me. it is interesting, wolf, today, saw a lot of people from here and in kiev. outside of the capital coming in with their cameras very well-dressed. all that sort of protested tourism, taking photographs honoring those that have died in these protests. the fears still exist here and angered too at what has happened in crimea and what continues to happen there and the fear that were things to spread into other parts of eastern ukraine. the politicians keep talking in europe and elsewhere, they are just waiting to see what happens next. the ukrainian parl

michael holmes is in the crimean capital. ere this morning and we have also talked about the mood in moscow and kiev. what can you tell us from there and what people are feeling as they look ahead to the results from this referendum? >> reporter: we are expecting a huge crowd out here in the next few hours. probably about four, five hours now, it will be packed. they have been testing out the music, blaring. thank goodness it is down at the moment. it is going to be a celebration of a vote that everyone knew the result before the polls have even closed. we are at a polling station earlier today and the people there were universally -- except for one lonely voice as saying they were voting pro-russia. and everyone has known all along that's the way the folk us will go. despite the fact that most of the world will see it on this referendum and says it is illegal and illegitimate and it won't count. in russia they say it is very legitimate and will very much count. >> let me ask you about something. there was -- as we understand

our michael holmes is live in kiev this morning? michael, what are you hearing on the ground there?krainian government saying. over the past days we've heard talk from the american president and the russian president. where do the ukrainians fit into this right now? >> reporter: yeah, there seems to be a lot of talking going on, john and not a lot of resolution. here in independence square, the barricades as you can see are still up. there are people in there, those protesters at the center of everything days ago when the violence took place. they say they're not going anywhere until elections which are planned for may take place. they don't trust the system themselves. but the parliament's about a kilometer, less than a mile away from here. and they are meeting today to try to discuss what they can do to help the soldiers, ukrainian soldiers east of the country. crimea in particular. no resolution on that at the moment. european ministers are talking with each other. there are going to be foreign ministers here in kiev to talk to the local government, interim government, here. ther

michael holmes is live in simferopol in the crimea region. what's it been like today? >> it's been very orderly, candy. we're out and about earlier, the polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time, it's now 5:00 p.m., a thousand polling stations are around this region of ukraine. ukraine it still is for the moment. 1.5 million ballots went out. we were at one polling station, everyone said they were voting to rejoin the russian federation. obviously a controversial vote. our other crews have been out and about in the region and there have been unusual practices going on, one must say. one of our crews saw two ballots being put into the box by one person and nick peyton walsh said earlier a lot of people were showing up at a polling place with no basically proof of who they were, other than a passport and a vote was taken pong the people at the polling place, whether they would be allowed to vote. most of the time they were, indeed, allowed to vote. not what you would expect the u.s. or elsewhere but all along a foregone conclusion in three hours when the polls closed, pretty

michael holmes, cnn, kiev, ukraine. >>> so it's interesting.day who has been at a university who said we talk so much about, you know, the language, russian versus ukrainian, territorial, and she said it was really the generational difference. those who are younger because it's only been an independent nation since '91. those who have only known it that way really don't want crimea to go the way of the russians versus the elder population who see it so differently. >> it's really good to hear the people themselves speak because we've heard so many leaders on both sides. military officials and what have you. >> what about the people in the neighborhood trying to live their lives and go to work and take care of their kids. that's important. >> especially the young. war is old men talking and young men dying. you see these young people in the streets fighting for this supposed future. they'll be the architects of it. they're going to inher fit. we haven't been really hearing from them until now. >>> coming up next on "new day," the mess around mal

. >> michael holmes in kiev on the ground there. thank you michael.utin made yesterday. that the local ukrainian people, they're the ones that are asking for russia's help, that they needed help, that they felt threatened. and here's a key part, that who was on the ground, who's moving in, not russian forces. he argues that the armed men controlling crimea, they're actually local self defense forces. let's bring in anna in crimea. we heard what vladimir putin said. we know u.s. and european allies have said this is false. what are you seeing on the ground? >> reporter: well as far as the russian troops go, obviously putin has said they're just local militia. that is false. our crews can confirm that they are russian forces. they're flying the flags. they have the license plates on their cars and trucks. and some of the young soldiers have actually said that they are russian troops. vladimir putin, he's not telling the truth over that one. as far as the people here in crimea are concerned, yes, they do want the russian troops to come and save them. tha

holmes is distinguished fellow. long distinguished career not just here at heritage but also with the state department. michael o'hanlon, research director at brookings institute is incredibly well-respected and very knowledgeable on these issues. so i am so thrilled that the three of them volunteered to do this i will ask them each to stick to 10 minutes and we're going to go, i think maybe, kim, chris and then mike. and then i have two questions i want to put on the table. then we will try to get as many questions as he possibly can in before the end of the hour. thank you so much for coming. without further adieu i'm going to kick it over to kim to start. >> thank you, jim. thank you all of you for coming here today. chris, good to see you. i would like to offer a few preliminary observations what i think the ukrainian crisis means for united states foreign policy in general and particularly on the perceptions of president obama's handling of foreign policy. basically i have two points i will be making. first point, looking at the unfolding of events there and particularly the reaction from the obama admini