at least for paul whelan and evan gershkovich. what will change now? not been energetic, forceful and attached to penalties and i think we need to step up our side of this argument. this is actually truly important. 0ne actually truly important. one way to do that is in the case of the people responsible for the death of novelli and perhaps in the case of people who are holding gaskets and paul whelan and kara—murza to start to look at the application of the magnitsky act so that the people, the actual people, the guard, the prison supervisors, the whole system in russia up the chain of command, if these people died or are harmed on their watch them they are responsible and they would be subject to sanctions under the magnitsky act and that's something we should be doing now, in the case of those responsible for the death of navalny and threatening now so that we tried to protect the american citizens that are in russian custody as well as mr kara—murza. custody as well as mr kara-murza.- custody as well as mr kara-murza. . , , , kara-murza. finally, b

and vladimir putin recently referred to paul whelan you know, we are looking at that we're looking at that he is looking for a deal. we don't really have any of their guys. there might be somebody that was caught in germany that we might want to swap there. you think vladimir putin feels any pressure at all? does he care about any condemnation at all, dana? >> dana: i don't think he cares about much of anything. in fact, you were just talking with peter doocy about the munich conference taking place right now. kamala harris will be there. >> of course, you know information like this from russia you have to take it with a grain of salt. who knows when navalny really died? was it yesterday? i don't know. or did they hold this information to announce it as the munich conference gets underway to remind everybody who putin thinks is in charge in europe. >> ainsley: that's a good point. if you think about the timing of this. the elections are in march. the nukes going to space. that's been a front cover news story. that was news part of all of our coverage yesterday so you are louisville ri

paul whelan? >> yeah. keep them a russian jails and keep killing people outside russia. >> so then another reporting, i'm maria pevchikh, obviously a close ally running the investigations unit for navalny's foundation, said that the us wanted the us those two prisoners were included, paul whelan and evan gershkovich. >> but you're getting out why do you think navalny died when he did and i know you heard again maria pevchikh single. he he died the de that this was supposed to be announced today, that it was supposed to be happen. we don't we don't know the details on this. and what what actually was about to happen or not. but why do you think navalny died that day? >> i think not one that died that day because he presented a clear cut alternative to put some put your wanted to break him to crash here and you talk the failed putin realized that navalny was going to challenge him, as long as he's alive. so he puts it decided that it's better to kill navalny and just to get rid of this problem by the name na

was alexey navalny, about to be released in a a prisoner swap with two americans, former marine paul whelan and wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich, aides of the anti-corruption activist, revealing negotiations that were apparently in the final stages for a russian hitman in german prison right before navalny died under suspicious circumstances. and that arctic penal colony plus the landmark case before the us supreme court, they could theoretically drastically change what you see on your social media media feeds. it would essentially discouraged content moderation, perhaps even allowing the most vile stuff under the banner of free speech onto your phone and laptop welcome to the lead. >> i'm jake tapper. we start today with our 2024 lead because we're just hours away from the opening of polling sites in the very first battleground state primary this is a state that delivered the white house to joe biden in 2020 is set to play a similarly important role this year tomorrow voters in michigan will head to the polls to cast their ballots in both the gop and democratic primaries on th

it is unacceptable that evan gershkovich and paul whelan still languish in russian prison on baseless charges. >> carley: evan gershkovich is in good spirits, he has been detained since march of last year, accused of espionage. ambassador is also calling for release of paul whelan, who has been jailed since 2018, he was arrested on espionage related charges and earlier this month -- detained after raising funds to support ukraine. her boyfriend believes vladamir putin could be using her as a pawn. >> they were saying toy moo, she was like so calm and yes, i'm russia, i'm going home, i'm fine. >> do you think eventually there will be a prisoner swap for her? >> the fact that russia made this public makes me believe that that is a possibility, this could be -- i don't know. i'm hopeful. >> carley: she became a u.s. citizen in 2021, if convicted, she could spend 20 years in russian prison. >> todd: rebekah refers to this as hostage diplomacy, it is horrible. >> carley: state department says even if you miss your family and you are an american or russian american citizen, do not go to rus

it got her out, left paul whelan behind, and gershkovich, and open season from the dictators for americansund the world because it works for them. >> aishah: let me ask you about the sanctions package on friday here in responsible to the death of alexei navalny. back in 2021, the president had said in the same room with vladimir putin that there would be devastating consequences for moscow if navalny died. well, he has now died, and the president was asked about this the other day and he said well, that was three years ago. and the russians have faced consequences. what consequences, congressman, have they faced because they continue to invade ukraine, and they continue to do things to americans like this ballerina. so, what sanctions that we have already tried have worked? >> right. yeah, apparently announce new sanctions. my position is enforce the sanctions that were already there. look, russia is selling just as much oil out to the europeans and international market, they are just doing it through china and india, and the europeans hypocritally are buying it, and you have biden's l and

paul whelan, remember him?ity executive and retired marine has been jailed in russia since december of 2018. and we have just learned that russian american ball reena karelina raising $51 to support ukraine. i mentioned that the ambassador to russia talked to everyone yesterday. here's what she had to say. stand by. >> when the kremlin uses lies as bargaining chips, real people suffer. the plight of u.s. citizens wrongly detained in russia remains a top priority for me, for my team and for the entire u.s. government. it is unacceptable that evan gershkovich and paul whelan still languish in russian prisons on baseless charges. >> steve: all right. joining us now is ben domenech, fox news contributor. he is down in south carolina right now. ben, you know, we see them as political prisoners, essentially. what does vice president see them as? >> well, there are two categories here, steve. it's basically prisoner who can be traded, as we saw with brittney griner and viktor bout, the arms dealer, a pawn that can be

jails, like wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich, accused of espionage former us marine paul whelan, serving 16 years for spying. >> i am innocent of any charge. >> the us says both are unlawfully detained and has been negotiating for their release including early talks on navalny, one western official tells cnn, but the kremlin has regularly hinted it wants back this man a former fsb agent, vadim krasikov serving a life sentence in germany for killing a chechen dissident the valleys team accuses the kremlin, have simply taking the opposition leader off the negotiating table by kylian allegations, the kremlin denies putin on shortcut dalip on, yet he was clearly communicated to putin of the only way to get krasikov is to exchange him for navalny >> hold on. stop. putin. i can't tolerate navalny being free. and since they're willing to exchange krasikov in principle then i just need to get rid of the bargaining chip >> no person in other words, nope problem ruthlessness that saw alexey navalny's poisoned with nerve agent novichok in 2020 recovering only to be arrested and imprisoned

it's not just the young woman region taken who is a dual citizen but evan gesh go vich and paul whelanhe former marine who was taken years ago. president trump ought to have a sense of responsibility about american citizens and what he's doing in the most brazen and shameful fashion is trying to suggest that united states is like putin's russia. since when have we been assassinating our opposition candidates in this country. when have presidents of the united states been wanting to take out political opponents through poisoning or through imprisoning them, the equivalent of arctic penal colonies. what president trump is degrading the united states. i don't understand how people don't call him out for this. >> so we hear from trump supporters at rallies, though, questions about aid to ukraine. is what he is talking -- is he planting seeds that last, even if joe biden wins the election? >> of course he is. he's also, frankly, parroting the kind of propaganda we've. having coming out of russia more than a decade now. since russia made moves against ukraine which goes back a considerable p

and paul whelan remains a prisoner. griner was released in exchange for victor boot. this appears to be again, the request that it has been made in return. for evan's release. whether or not that happens remains to be seen. but from the point of view of the russian president with just over a month to go before elections, this is a good propaganda coupe. if you had any questions about who this served, look at the amplification of it made the last 12 hours. by russian propaganda media outlets. >> thanks so much. melissa bell in paris. >>> ukraine's top general is out of a job after president zelenskyy officially fired him on thursday. the general has clashed with volodymyr zelenskyy over mobilization plans. he drew anger describing the wars a a stalemate last year. but the general is more popular than the president. for more, we are joined by an adviser to ukraine's ministry of strategic industries speaking with us from kyiv. thanks for being here with us. from your perspective, why do you think he has been replaced? >> good morning. the president of ukraine is the supr

not evan gershkovich or paul whelan.and it would be her dream to dance in their theater, i would never let her do that. >> carley: this ballerina could be used for a future hostage exchange. if you are there, you should leave right now, sound advice. leticia james threatening to seize donald trump's assets if he doesn't pay the massive fine from his civil case. the former president responded on fox news and cheryl casone is covering it all. >> todd: in indiana, two parents looking to supreme court for help after state removed their son from his home because they did not use his preferred pronoun. former prosecutor breaks down their case next. (♪) i've got to go. ok. bye. mom! (♪) -thanks mom. -yeah. (♪) (♪) you were made to dream about it for years. we were made to help you book it in minutes. do you have a life insurance policy you no longer need? now you can sell your policy - even a term policy - for an immediate cash payment. call coventry direct to learn more. we thought we had planned carefully for our retirement.

pete: along with paul whelan and evan gorsuch and a new york judge fining president trump more than $350ting u.s. attorney general matt whitaker joining us on the constitutionality or lack there of with this move. why would i use kayak to compare hundreds of travel sites at once? i like to do things myself. i can't trust anything else to do the job right. kayak... aaaaaaaahhhh kayak. search one and done. why choose a sleep number smart bed? can i make my side softer? i like my side firmer. sleep number does that. now, save 50% on the sleep number limited edition smart bed. plus, free home delivery when you add any base. ends president's day. (♪) your ancestry is so much more than names and dates. (♪) c'mon! it's the story of your family - then and now. a story that made your name mean something. a story you're still writing. so discover your heritage. preserve your traditions. represent all that makes you, you. (♪) [coughing] copd hasn't been pretty. it's tough to breathe and tough to keep wondering if this is as good as it gets. but trelegy has shown me that there's still beauty and bre

gershkovich remains behind bars on claims of espionage which he denies as does former marine paul whelans week moscow court denied gershkovich's latest appeal. >> no american citizen should consider traveling to russia for any research, period. >> and after opposition leader alexei navalny died in a russian jail friday, the u.s. ambassador to ukraine warns the stakes are higher now. >> based on the way putin treats his own people, it is of great concern how putin treats also american citizens. >> the state department says because russia does not recognize dual citizenship, that will make cases like karelina's much more difficult. if convicted she could face 20 years behind bars. mike? >> alex hogan live in london, alex, thanks a lot. william la jeunesse will bring his interview with care lien naps boyfriend tomorrow. >> mike: tonight we begin a conversation with ukraine. bret baier met with volodymyr zelenskyy ahead of the two year anniversary. bret has an interview from ukraine. >> mike, good evening. welcome to kharkiv, ukraine i'm standing in front of the northern apartment buildings.

additionally, secretary of state antony blinken, announced he spoke to wrongfully detained former marine paul whelanay. whelan you'll recall has been in russian custody since he was arrested in 2018 on allegations of suspicion of spying. he then in 2020 was sentenced to years in jail. blinken said the united states's efforts to bring home whelan as well as other wrongfully detained americans continue every single day. a state department spokesperson added that whelan's release is top priority not just for the secretary but for president biden as well. we should also note that wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich is coming up on a year being held in russia. >>> elsewhere in the washington the supreme court is giving special counsel jack smith until tuesday to respond the former president trump's in the immunity case. the former president asked to halt a d.c. circuit court ruling that rejected his claim he's immune for criminal charges for his actions in the lead up to the january 6th insurrection. trump filed with the supreme court yesterday to put a hold on the appeals court ruling and keep

about a dual national when you know we have other citizens who are americans who are in russia, paul whelan, evan who the u.s. has been actively engaged in trying to secure their release. americans, do not spend time in russia now as they try to learn more details about this specific case. >> kelly, i imagine russia is facing some potential sanctions. >> reporter: we expect by friday to hear from the administration on a new set of sanctions on the second anniversary of the war in ukraine and the death of alexei navalny. we're told it will likely include issues that relate to the life's work of navalny, his efforts at anticorruption and could be targeted at the russian military and industrial base, the intention is to try to put economic pressure on russia, that has been happening during the two years of the war, but this would be another demonstration of that to get putin to change his conduct. >> kelly, thank you. >>> time now for today's money minute. breaking news from boeing. >> stanley is facing a class action lawsuit over its popular cups. bertha joins us now. >>> boeing announced tha

i wanted to ask you about -- russia has jailed several americans, notably, former marine paul whelan,sian citizen from los angeles who is accused of treason for, supposedly, raising funds to support ukraine. is there any way to take away the incentive to jail foreign citizens, particularly, americans? or does putin feel like there is not a check on that at this point in time? >> i think he feels, absolutely, he has free reign within russia. he is right. what will the united states do about it? i think it is no accident that the murdaugh -- murder of navalny, and i have no doubt, it was murder. the murder of navalny came days after putin was speaking to tucker carlson, and the only meaningful question that tucker carlson asked putin was about evan gershkovich. putin did something strange. he said, basically, confessed, to an assassination that the russian stated carried out in germany, in 2018. now, we do know this happened, but he had never acknowledged it. this is, to my knowledge, the only russian assess and who has been caught, and jailed. this is why he is in german prison. german

government it is unacceptable that evan gershkovich and paul whelan still language in russian prisonsan we do to get these americans out? >> i pray for evan and pray for paul. paul was there when i was in office secretary of state. we have a whole bunch of tools that we can use but, pete, if you talk about a minor incursion into ukraine being okay, if you allow afghanistan to fall in the way we did, and get 13 american service members killed, those are the kind of things that encourage this very kind of hostage taking. and then when you pay a billion dollars to get each of our folks out of iran, i'm thankful they are home to their families, but you have now set a market price for taking american hostages. you have to demonstrate american power. all of its tools. and those are the things i'm glad the ambassador met with them. you should talk and meet with these wrongfully detained persons. the only thing vladimir putin understands is power. this administration simply refuses to use it, pete. >> pete: or retrade butchers for wnba players who we are glad too have back but we trade butche

fred pleitgen, cnn wouldn't tell this germany you secretary state antony blinken has spoken with paul whelan marine detained in russia for more than five years. now, reassuring him of efforts which continue to bring him home our intensive efforts to bring paul home continue every single day and they will until he and evan gershkovich >> and every other american wrongfully detained it's back with their loved ones. >> this is at least the third time blinken has spoken with whelan who was detained in moscow in 2018 on espionage charges the state department says whelan has been wrongfully detained state department says the us also been trying to secure the release of whelan and gershkovich, a wall street journal reporter who is also detained in russia on spying charges. ahead here on cnn, word of a coalition government in pakistan. why supporters of former prime minister imran khan will not be pleased to be a headliner. was vegas. that's what i want to do >> vegas, the story of sin city premieres sunday, february 25, day ten cnn from need the dot >> didn't need it. now so many ways to save life

underway to exchange navalny and two unnamed americans which presumely could be evan gershkovich and paul whelannd navalny in exchange for a russian hitman, a russian military operative who's in a prison in germany for killing a chechnyaen leader in 2019. and vladimir putin through these intermediaries was going to have this exchange but that in the 11th hour, right as the deal was supposed to go to its next stage, it was in the final stages, that's when alexei navalny suddenly and mysteriously died in prison. and what navalny's team is saying is that this was putin's attempt to put the name of the operative out there, to get the west to agree in principle that they would be willing to free him from this german prison in exchange for navalny. putin decided he didn't want to do that. he didn't want navalny out, he personally hated him too much, and therefore decided to have him eliminated after he achieved the idea or concept that his operative could be freed from a german prison. german authorities have responded saying they can't confirm this. nbc news has not been able to confirm this and the

. >> do you think evan gershkovich or paul whelan are in more trouble than they were last unique. >> i think everybody is. putin has shown he doesn't care. if he's ready to kill alexei navalny, they made a documentary about him that won an academy award, person in russia, it shows that putin doesn't care about anything. and i think that his assassination, and that's what it was, a political assassination, in front of the whole world, is a way of putin showing absolute sort of defiance and disregard for any thoughts that we have about what's normal, what's reasonable and what's right. >> bill browder, thank you very much for joining us. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >>> coming up, a duel u.s. russian citizen who has been living and working in los angeles is still being held on treason charges in russia. her boyfriend is now pleading for her release. he'll join us in a moment. >>> plus, a ban on social media for kids under 16 just passed the house and senate in florida. what is in the bill. we'll talk to a cosponsor of the bipartisan legislation. >>> but first, donald trump has bragg

confirm or deny the claim, we put forward a proposal in early december to secure the release of paul whelan and evan gershkovich. >> we have long called for the release of alexei navalny, and that was our position. >> meanwhile, as diplomatic tensions keep escalating, moscow issued a new warning to the west, saying a military confrontation would be, quote, inevitable if nato sends troops to ukraine. >> today we face the most dangerous and unpredicted security environment in decades. >> on tuesday, nato secretary general jens stoltenberg said they have no plans to deploy military assets in ukraine. at this time. in london, stephanie bennett, fox news. >> well, staffing shortages at hotels are expected to push travel costs even higher as the wall street journal reports, hotels across the u.s. are increasing pay for staff to keep up with wage inflation and to lure in hires after the pandemic . hotels are expected to shell out $123 billion in compensation this year. that's up more than 20% from 2019. and experts say to cover the expense, consumers are going to have to pay more. many hotels are

also there's paul whelan, a former u.s. marine who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020, also for alleged espionage. he also denies the claims. for your health this afternoon. researchers from the u.s. and china say women who exercise regularly have a significantly lower risk of an early death or even a fatal heart event, even more so than men do. who do the same thing, engaging in at least 2 and a half hours of weekly. of a regular physical activity lowered a woman's mortality risk by 24% meant saw a 15% reduction in risk. women also had a 36% reduction of risk for a stroke or heart attack them. there in acts of peers. virtual reality appears to be attracting an unexpected demographic. senior citizens. researchers at stanford university along with teams from a company called mind immersive study. people ranging in age from 65 to 103 from 17 senior communities around the country and the participants were able to choose their vr experience is like calling parachuting watching a stage performance or the sitting somepla

americans, but we can only assume that one of them at least would be evan gershkovich, the other paul whelan very last minute putin reneged on the deal and alexei navalny was killed in prison. that is what she is suggesting, but so far we've not been able to confirm that. german officials have said they can't confirm it, and the kremlin is denying. >> of course, it is out there. thank you for addressing it. if confirmed, it makes this even more heartbreaking. richard engeltion, thank you for your reporting. >>> up next on "ana cabrera reports," more on the breaking news from the top of the hour, donald trump appealing his civil fraud ruling. what are his legal chances and what happens to that rising price tag? g price tag? (torstein hagen) in my simple world, there are only three things that matter in human beings. first, they have to be kind. kind. second, they have to be honest. and third, they have to be hard-working. it's very simple. wherever you are in the world, when you come to a different culture, you meet people of very different backgrounds, but you find out that they have the sam

citizens in russian prisons, freed people like evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter, and paul whelan, a former us marine. but this is the first time that the vowel need team has come out publicly and said, at admitted that alexey navalny was being discussed and was sort of part of that negotiation more than that. they say that the negotiation i'd reached the final stage just the day before alexey navalny was pronounced dead at that arctic penal colony. and what navalny's team are saying is that he was essentially taken off the negotiation table by the kremlin to prevent him being freed, prevent him being swapped, being killed. of course, that's something kremlin have categorically denied that described allegations that they were having to do this, that as obnoxious. i've spoken to the kremlin over the course of the past day and they said they got no idea. they or heard anything about this proposal or this all this agreement being made about swapping navalny. nevertheless, it is potentially we've seen there there are some, some confirmation that you'd have been telling us about about

potential with forced us secretary state antony blinken has confirmed he recently spoke with american paul whelan, reassuring him usf, it's continue to try and free him from a russian prison our intensive efforts to bring paul home continue every single day, and they will until he and >> evan gershkovich and every other american wrongfully detained. >> it's back >> with their loved ones >> this is at least the third time blinken has spoken with the former marine who was detained in moscow in 2018 on espionage charges. the state department says whelan has been wrongfully detained by moscow the state department says, do you said we're trying to secure the release of whelan and evan gershkovich, a wall street journal reporter who was also detained in russia for spying us defense secretary. now out of hospital, ed working from home lloyd austin was admitted for a bladder issues sunday, treated without surgery he's expected to return to the pentagon later this week also had surgery for prostate cancer in december, without informing the president. this time we're told the white house was informed the m

humanitarian foreign aid for civilians in gaza us secretary of state antony blinken says he spoke with paul whelan on monday, who's been detained in russia for more than five years now intensive efforts to bring paul home, continue every single day. and they will >> until he and having gershkovich and every other american wrongfully detained back with their loved ones >> this is at least the third time that blinken has spoken with the former marine who was detained in moscow back in 2018 on espionage charges. the us state department says whelan has been wrongfully detained state department also says the us has been trying to secure the release of whelan and evan gershkovich a wall street journal reporter who was also detained in russia >> on spying charges now powerful nor'easter blanketed parts of northern united states in snow as you can see, on tuesday, it was new york's no, yesterday in two years with more than eight centimeters falling in central park, other areas around the city saw even more build up their conditions made travel difficult as well as you might imagine, more than 250 car acci

now her arrest comes as other americans, paul whelan and evan gershkovich and dual u.s. russian citizen i'll sue kurmasheva are also serving time in russia. paul and evan have been designated as wrongfully detained by the us state department cnn's matthew chance is live for us in russia's capital and matthew, the state department says that russia does not recognize dual citizenship. how does that affect the u.s.'s ability to gain information about carolinas case what it makes it much. more difficult because normally if you're a us citizen and you come to rush out, it will be with on a visa. and that means that you'll still seen as a us citizen when you here. if you get arrested like kasenya carolina has been it means that the automatic situation is that diplomats get consular access to you. but when you come in on your russian passport, you regard it as a russian citizen. even if you've got a us passport or any other kind of passport doesn't matter. you came into russia on a russian passport is because they needed and that means as far as the russians are concerned they,

you've got paul whelan, you've now got this person who is in custody following the protests and vigils for navalny. there are now hundreds apparently, and people who are detained as well what is the endgame here? >> we'll put needs to continue to show strength at home. he needs to show that he's basically teflon that there's no hope for rescue to those who think there'll be a change in russian politics or that he will mellow to try to compromise with those who are an opposition. so instead he doubles down on being stronger showing that he can basically put his thumb up at the united states and the rest of the western world, whether it's ukraine or whether it's the treatment of our citizens in his country. >> you heard president biden making the comment, calling him a crazy sob is he crazy or is this strategic? i mean, i guess the two are not mutually exclusive, but when you look at this, it doesn't strike me as somebody who is having knee-jerk reactions. >> know putins, neither crazy, no, actually reckless. he's very much the product of his own conditioning. he was a kgb cold war era v

we have paul whelan, the ex-marine. we have a teacher from the now closed american school in moscow. we have americans who are in prison in russia and whom were trying to get out. and so i think this will be a very delicate balance for the biden ministration is to react to navalny's death. >> i'm so glad you bring that up because all of that hangs in the balance all options on the table, it sounds like from the president, what do you think that can mean? >> i mean, there are always more sanctions personal sanctions, other sanctions, but they only go so far you know, but putin has already been indicted as a war criminal and can travel to most countries in the world so there's actually a limit to what the us can do we can clearly prevent other russian officials from traveling here, but we've already done that with most of them. are options that are less limited >> it seemed like we heard the president hinting at that that a lot has been done since he made is threatened. 2021. alexey navalny, angela had openly spoken about

aides, the russian opposition leader was set to be part of a prisoner exchange alongside americans paul whelan and evan gershkovich. we're going to go live to moscow lead with jake tapper, cnn today it >> for meet the traveling trio, the thrill seeker, the soul searcher, and if the explosion florida each helping to protect their money with chase last card isn't keeping this thrill seeker down, lost her card. now off the vibe, the sole searchers finding his identity and helping to protect. >> oh, >> yeah. >> the explorer. she's looking to dive deeper all while chase looks out for her, because these friends have chased alerts that have checked tools that help protect one bank that puts you in control. >> chase, make more of what's yours >> hey, you've seen in this war the main one. you're telling me you can get direct tv, got good stuff, and you don't need a satellite dish are used to love doing my business on those things. one sick pigeons, then vicious kept the rain off our beak we just have different priorities is on satellite free directv never thought i'd see the day or lifespans are quite

evan gershkovich, that wall street good to report and former marine paul whelan. and we know that the russians want back this basically fsb hitman vadim krasikov, who is being held in a german prison after murdering a dissident in a park in berlin but what's new, according to navalny's team, alexey navalny and former opposition leader of course, late opposition leader. is that alexey navalny was part of this negotiation. how this has been rumored before, but this is the first time that navalny's team has come out and publicly said that part of that swap negotiation involved alexey navalny's at the maleness team are also saying that that explains why he died in his penal colony. they of course accused vladimir putin of ordering his death. there's been a rejection of that from the kremlin. but basically they're saying that the night before he dies, the negotiations were in their final stages, and then the next day on the 16th february, he was pronounced dead. and so that's the latest extraordinary allegation coming from the navalny team. i should say there's been no

she was the wall street journal reporter, and paul whelan, a former us marine. those talks have been underway for some time, but this is the first time that we've heard publicly at least it was rumored, but publicly that alexey navalny was also part of those talks. so that's what navalny's team are saying. they're saying that negotiations had got to a point that there were a final the final phase, just the day before alexey navalny was pronounced dead inside his arctic penal colony. and the allegation coming from the valleys team is that in order to sort of torpedo those negotiations and torpedoes swap the kremlin killed alexei navalny to essentially take that chip of the, off the table and negotiating table. again, that's something that kremlin have pushed back on categorically deny, in fact, but nevertheless it is an interesting twist in this very tragic saga about the death of alexey navalny matthew chance live from moscow. thank you so much so cnn has exclusive reporting on a key part of former president trump's legal strategy it involves pitting the two jud

us marine veteran paul whelan, still behind bars, having served more than five years at a russian prison camp. cnn's matthew chance is in the russian capital of moscow. and matthew, how will the kremlin likely respond to these new sanctions coming from the us? >> well, the russian foreign minister sergei lavrov has already given an initial response when he was asked about the possibility of more sanctions from the us, he said, i didn't think about anything about them at all. i mean, look, russia has obviously criticized the sanctions regime. that's been ratcheted up over the past several years by the united states and others the international community. but it's now at the most heavily sanctioned country in the world. and it's unlikely more sanctions, unlikely to have a significant impact, any impact at all, perhaps on the country's policy. it's certainly not going to encourage the kremlin. the expectation is at least to do more to show more clarity when it comes to what happened to alexei navalny especially after his own mother, ludmilla navalnya, has traveled 2000 miles or so to the ar

at least two in russian jails with looking at evan gershkovich of the wall street journal, and paul whelan is a former us marine who are being held accused of espionage. but it's only now that alexey navalny's team has come out and said that publicly and they've said that those negotiations were in the final stage, just the day before alexey navalny, the late russian opposition leader, was pronounced dead. at his arctic penal colony of course, their allegation is that was the kremlin that killed him so that he wouldn't be swapped and he wouldn't be freed and and let go. there's been of course, a rejection of that from the kremlin. they've called allegations or anything to do with this as obnoxious and they've confirmed to me within the past few hours, they've got no knowledge of this kind of deal, this kind of negotiation also hasn't been corroborated by the americans. of course, have been engaged with russia to try and forge a swap deal with moscow, or by the germans either. but nevertheless, it is another twist in this very tragic side we've got involving letting navalny one other small

citizens in russian prisons were talking about evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter, and paul whelan former us marine, and others as well. but this is the first time that navalny's team has come out publicly and said that alexey navalny, the late russian opposition leader, was part of that negotiation and could have been swapped if he hadn't died suddenly in the arctic penal colony. in fact, his team saying tonight that negotiations to have him swapped were in their final stage, just the day before he was pronounced dead. and of course, navalny team, blaming the kremlin for that, saying that basically the kremlin killed him because they didn't want him to see him freed. they wanted essentially take him off the negotiating table. now spoken to the kremlin about this over the course of the past several hours. first of all, they categorically deny any connection with his death, and also they say that they've got no knowledge of any negotiations to have alexey navalny's swapped. it hasn't been corroborated either by the united states or by the germans, but nevertheless, it is a fascinati

there are several americans now, including paul whelan, the former marine evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter, who are now in russian custody. and there's some concern and some analysts making the point that these people could be being gathered in preparation for some kind of negotiation and to use as leverage in negotiations with the united states in the future. >> matthew chance, we do appreciate your reporting under difficult circumstances. thank you so much for the work you're doing there. >> okay. >> so black texas student suspended for months over his hair of this fight is now going to trial and it's getting underway. we'll take you there. >> candidate john edwards cheated on his cancer-stricken wife, had a baby with his girlfriend and then tried to pass it off as a campaign staffers kid we're here to get your side of the story. >> united states of scandal with jake tapper, new episodes sunday a nine on cnn. >> i did have hearing aids from another company. i was just frustrated, almost gave up with miracle year. it's all about service. they're personable, they're

people like evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter, and paul whelan, a former us marine, who's in prison on spying or for spying in russia or something, of course that he denies in exchange the russians want this fsb hitman, who's serving a life sentence in germany for killing a chechen dissident vadim krasikov is his name, but it's only today that navalny's team have come out publicly and said, yes, indeed, navalny was part of those negotiations and could have been involved in a prisoner swap. in fact, they say the gaucher patients to release navalny as part of that swap were in the final stage the night before he was pronounced dead in his arctic penal colony. and so obviously that's something that they say is related. what they say is that putin the russian president, couldn't face the fact couldn't face the idea of swapping navalny. and so he took that negotiating chip, chip and that that's their words off the table the kremlin, we should say, have categorically denied any involvement in alexey navalny's death. and i've spoken to myself earlier today and they've said

is over there wrongfully detained for doing his job as a journalist for the wall street journal, paul whelan has been over there for years now, are jenny hansler has done incredible work interviewing him, his his situation. they have been top of mind for biden administration officials trying to figure out a way to strike a deal to bring them home. how does this latest arrest and detainment kind of impact all of that, if at all >> it's really hard to say right now what's happening is there are negotiations. i mean, they are a target. the us and russia. but the problem is, russia has certain people that wants to get out. and according to what i guess we know this point, there's one particular prison in germany, a russian hip man, who obviously belongs to the security services in russia that russia wants out. so i think it's really pretty transactional here. they want to trade these americans for people that they want. and if the united states can't do that or will not do it, then there's not going to be any deal with the russians are really playing hardball at this point now, yeah, and transac

evan gershkovich from the wall street journal, paul whelan, a former marine along with them in exchange for that russian national you just mentioned vadim krasikov, who is basically suspected of being a an fsb hit man. he murdered a russian distant in a park in berlin and is in prison for murder. in germany but this is the first time that navalny's team has come out publicly and said, yes navalny was part of the negotiations in fact, those negotiations had reached a a final stage the day before he was pronounced dead in that arctic penal colony. and what van is team is saying is that that explains why he was killed there saying that he was killed because basically the kremlin wanted to take him off the table as a negotiating chip. but look, i've spoken to the kremlin in the past couple of hours and they've told me they've got no awareness at all nothing about any such deal to swap navalny. it hasn't been confirmed either by either the us, all by the germans but nevertheless, this still an extraordinarily extraordinary twist in this tragic saga that's been playing out over the past few d

notably paul wheeldon, the ex marine imprisoned since 2018 -- paul whelan. evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter, he will mark one year in march. and my colleague, she went back to the russian federation last summer on a private trip to visit her frail and elderly mother, thinking that in this society where mothers are cherished, that she would be safe. but according to vladimir putin, others are not apparently so cherished and safe. there she said since, with multiple charges piling up. please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers, and if i may make this special plea to you, we are hoping will get the same designation that has been awarded to paul and evan. that is, the determination by the u.s. state department as wrongfully detained. it increases resources and increases the probability that she and others will come out in a prisoner swap. we want all of them out. an application of the fullest energy and all diplomatic resources. it's my view that the united states is doing a good job, but it is not the right and full job until people

wall street journal, held on charges of espionage, which he and his employer deny former us marine paul whelan is also imprisoned in russia on espionage charges, which he vehemently lead denies. it's gotten to the point where the white house is telling americans in russia to leave now, and the state department warns, if you are considering traveled to russia for any reason, do not do it. i don't think we can say that anymore clearly, just how dangerous is it for an american in russia right now, you have a target on your back. now americans are being viewed as bargaining chips by terrorist organizations and terrorist regimes like putin >> now the problem with the us trying to bargain with putin is that the us really doesn't have any high-level russian spies in its custody. one russian who putin really wants back, vadim krasikov, a former colonel in russia's intelligence services. he's serving a life if sentence in germany for murdering a chechen fighter there, wolf, interesting i, brian todd reporting for us, brian. thank you very much. also tonight, ukraine is disputing russia's claim. it capt

some time that alexey navalny was part of a negotiation to swap prisoners in russia, us versus paul whelan, evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter for a russian national, being held in a german jail he's been sentenced to murder there. he said to be an fsb hitman are basically what spin what's come out now from navalny's team, this is the late russian opposition leader, is that alexey navalny was now they're publicly saying he was pulled part of that negotiation that he was going to be swapped as well in exchange for those american citizens. and that russian national in that, in that german prisoners, the first time they've come out and publicly said that they're also saying that this could be the reason why alexey navalny died. of course, navalny's team accused the kremlin the ordering his death. in that prison. basically, they're saying that the night before he died, that negotiations to swap him were in the last stage and then in the morning or the next day, he was pronounced dead and they're saying, you know, he was basically killed to take him off the table as a negotiatin

this morning, russia is responding after sector of state antony blinken said that he spoke with paul whelan, who has been detained in russia since 2018 our intensive efforts to bring paul home, continue every single day and they will >> until he and having gershkovich and every other american wrongfully detained it's back with their loved ones. >> this is at least a third time that blinken has spoken with the former us marine who is detained on espionage charges, which he vehemently denies, and the state department says, whelan has been wrongfully detained the us also says it wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich is also wrongfully detained in russia and the united states says it has put a significant offer on the table to secure the release of both americans this morning, russia's declining to comment on those negotiations and right now, defense secretary lloyd austin, making his first public appearance since he was released from walter reed medical center, you seem right there. he's speaking at a military alliance meeting supporting ukraine. austin was released from the hospital y

paul whelan, etc.. some people want us to focus on why we should be standing up to somebody like putin. to put it in a larger perspective of our global role, not just what the united states has taken upon itself, liberating palestine in 1918, russia is a major global power. it is not just a regional power as former president obama once said. mitt romney was correct although at the time much more joked about when he said that russia will have a political fall. russia is still the largest country by landmass which means that russia extends not just from europe but also down into central asia, afghanistan and also to the asia-pacific. russia itself emerged on the international stage in the early 1900s by trying to invade and capture the korean peninsula. it is only been 100 years since that time in the 1900s to north korea assisting russia currently with the war in ukraine because the war in ukraine has taken on global dimensions. we have north korea providing ammunitions. we have iran providing drones whi

. >> let's not forget, congresswoman, the journalist held for a year now, and paul whelan for five years -- >> from michigan. >> that's right, charges of spying. he spoke to secretary blinken by phone this week. still americans being held in russia as we absorb this news of the apparent death of alexei navalny. i'm glad you raised the point about your colleagues in the house. some potentially your future colleagues in the senate, who sort of twisted themselves in knots, i guess, just in fealty to donald trump or in opposition to joe biden, however you want to look at it, to praise a guy who kills his opponents, who is killing civilians as we sit here right now in ukraine, who is an authoritarian. is it politics or do they believe vladimir putin is someone to be looked up to? >> yeah, i don't know. i think in the era of trump, people are looking for the autocratic leadership. trump leads in a way that is, you know, kind of my way or the highway. he's been very clear about what he's going to do if he wins again. he says, i'll basically run as a dictator. he is telling us what he is going t

. >> and paul whelan still sits in the russian gulag. his family waiting for him to be returned home. >> and donald trump continues to make the death of alexei navalny about himself. >> but not about the man who killed him. not about vladimir putin. he refuses still to condemn vladimir putin. >> who poisoned him once and it didn't work. finally he killed him. in a town hall that aired on fox new last night, he was asked about the money he owes after massive fraud in new york state and he said it was a form of navalny. trump did call the opposition leader very brave while answering a separate question, but again, failed to condemn russian president vladimir putin who most believe to be behind navalny's death. take a look. >> even if you appeal, you got to put up escrow money. that is a lot of dough. >> it is a form of navalny. it is a form of communism or fascism. navalny is a very sad situation. he is very brave, a very brave guy. takes horrible thing. but it is happening in our country. we are turning in to a communist country in many w

paul whelan, he's been held for more than five years at this, point in russia on charges of spying forydon -- spoke to anthony blinken this week by phone. there are still americans being held in russia as we absorb the news, and navalny. i'm glad you raised the point to put your colleagues in the, how some of them, potentially, your future colleagues in the senate to twisted themselves and knots, and fealty, to donald trump. the opposition to joe biden, however you want to look at, it to praise a guy who kills his opponents, who's killing civilians as we sit here right now, who is an authoritarian. how do you explain that. is it just politics, and vladimir putin is someone to be looked up to? >> i don't know. i think, you know, in the era of trump, there is a lot of people who are looking for this autocratic leadership. trump leads in a way that is, you know, kind of my way or the highway. he has been very clear about what he will do if he wins again. he says i will run as a dictator. he's telling us what he will do. therefore, there is kind of a style that appeals for some people in t