Before, After Look at Donetsk.
BOLDUAN: The U.S. is considering sending weapons to help the Ukrainian army in its fight against pro-Russian rebels. Secretary of State John Kerry is headed to Ukraine this week to meet again with President Poroshenko. The subject of arms is sure to come up.</s>BEN RHODES, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: We don't think the answer to the crisis in Ukraine is simply to inject more weapons and get into that type of tit for tat with Russia. We think the answer is to squeeze Russia, apply pressure on Russia, try to get them to the table with those separatists so we can see a peaceful de-escalation.</s>BOLDUAN: With that in mind, we have a remarkable exclusive look this morning for you inside that situation spiraling out of control. It's coming as fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies, rebels trying to take more ground, and the United States now considering sending lethal aid to Ukraine to try to help.</s>BERMAN: This is a look at why some in Washington say that help is now urgently needed, the before-and-after look at the destruction at Donetsk once really proud new international airport. Just months ago, it was fully functioning. Look at that, look at the difference. Now what we're about to show you is just utter devastation left in its place. Nick Paton Walsh had an exclusive look, a tour of this airport if, it can even be called that anymore. We warn you, this report does contain some graphic images.</s>NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nowhere has the fighting been fiercer in the worst war to hit Europe since the Balkans than here, the Donetsk International Airport.</s>PATON WALSH: Ukraine's Army is still shelling here.</s>PATON WALSH: Despite being pushed out of this former stronghold two weeks ago by these Russian-backed separatists, themselves heavily armed, this is their form of airport shuttle. (on camera): We're moving now in an armored car towards the new terminal of the airport, territory which the separatists have taken but is still regularly under fire from the Ukrainian military. (voice-over): We pull into the airport long-term underground parking. (on camera): Occasionally shells are still landing here. (voice-over): The fight here killed hundreds as Ukrainians used service tunnels. The men claimed these bodies were left in the Ukrainian retreat. The last call for passengers on this walkway passed months ago. These pictures from three years ago showing how it used to sparkle. (on camera): Hard to imagine how just six months ago we were here flying out of Donetsk, it was then a state-of-the-art international terminal. Just look at the destruction and how this symbolizes how far eastern Ukraine has fallen.</s>PATON WALSH: Mortars often fall here. So we move fast.</s>PATON WALSH: They used to call this the new terminal, opened two years ago for football fans coming to see the European championship.</s>PATON WALSH: But that new-found European optimism has evaporated. The war here is entering a new phase, with the heaviest of weapons and the random shelling of civilians, in which victory has become more important than its spoils.</s>PATON WALSH: These men blame Barack Obama for this devastation. Russia blames NATO for fomenting this war. NATO says, nonsense, and that many of these fighters are actually Russian regular army. Blame, hatred and charred remains everywhere. But Ukraine's bright hopes of modern prosperity, the gate is closed. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Donetsk.</s>BERMAN: The gate is closed. There's nothing left. Those are amazing pictures to see.</s>BOLDUAN: To see just a bit of evidence that there even was an airport that existed there at one point. Otherwise, it's in absolute ruins.</s>BERMAN: You wonder what happened to the people, all the people living in that region.</s>BOLDUAN: Just a symbol of that whole region. Thanks for joining us today.</s>BERMAN: "Legal View" with Ashleigh Banfield starts right now.