welcome to our show. european and north american leaders are gathered in washington to kick off the nato summit. a central topic will be the war on ukraine and the possible path to nato membership to the country. vladimir zelensky emphasised the need for a defence and security to help counter deadly extracts from russia and reduce civilian casualties. joe biden vowed to add ukraine announcing plans to supply new defences to ukraine in an opening speech at the summit. the us and other allies will send at least four patriot systems according to a new joint agreement. mr biden also sent this wanting to russian president vladimir putin. all president vladimir putin. all we allies president vladimir putin. fill we allies knew before this war

putin thought nato will break. today nato is stronger than it has ever been in its history. when this senseless war began, ukraine was a free country. today, it is still a free country and the war will and with ukraine remaining free and independent country. russia will not prevail!— will not prevail! ukraine will revail. will not prevail! ukraine will prevail. the _ will not prevail! ukraine will prevail. the north - will not prevail! ukraine will prevail. the north atlantic. prevail. the north atlantic critic on a good organisation was founded 75 years ago after the end of world war ii by the us, canada and several western european nations as a collective security alliance against the soviet union. nato has expanded its goals over the years including tackling climate change and sub attacks. since the invasion by russia, sweden and finland havejoined the allies and it is expected ukraine will as well but not all nato members agree on the country's membership. john bateman spoke to chris goons about the summit. we have 32 world leaders in town, a very

big moment for nato, for the us and the relationship with ukraine. if there is one outcome from this summit, what should it be?— should it be? unity in the face of russian _ should it be? unity in the face of russian aggressive. - of russian aggressive. president biden has a remarkable record on engaging and supporting nato. we have grown in a debate to new members recently. many of us in the senate would be engaging directly with the prime ministers of different countries and welcoming a new premise from the united kingdom but if there is one critical outcome from this week is commitment to support ukraine, commitment to support ukraine, commit to increase defence spending, commitment to better co—ordination and to the vision of north atlantic security at the heart of nato._ the heart of nato. how far should that _ the heart of nato. how far should that pledge - the heart of nato. how far should that pledge go? i the heart of nato. how far| should that pledge go? we the heart of nato. how far - should that pledge go? we know president zelensky would like a timetable and a formal invitation to nature. when it should it — invitation to nature. when it should it happen? _ invitation to nature. when it should it happen? different| should it happen? different nato nations have different views on that. i think

initially getting ukraine into the eu is a criticalfirst step because there are reforms they need to make, improvements in armed forces and integration, in my view, sooner rather than later. it is important to stop putin's aggression in the end he will only stop it is clear when all of us are united to prevent him from overrunning ukraine. . , ,, . prevent him from overrunning ukraine. ., , ,, . ., ukraine. that perspective from senator chris _ ukraine. that perspective from senator chris goons. _ ukraine. that perspective from senator chris goons. from - senator chris goons. from another perspective we spoke about more defence systems. sabrina, one of the factors discussed is a pathway to nato membership for ukraine. it has been called a bridge to membership. can you give us an idea what that bridge looks like and how long or short that pathway is?— pathway is? thank you for havin: pathway is? thank you for having me _ pathway is? thank you for having me on. _ pathway is? thank you for having me on. i— pathway is? thank you for having me on. i do - pathway is? thank you for having me on. i do not. pathway is? thank you for l having me on. i do not have pathway is? thank you for - having me on. i do not have an exact time to provide on went ukraine will become a nato member but what the president

has said as so many members of this administration along with nato allies, it is not a matter of if but when. we are committed to ukraine's long—term security. they also have work to do to gain membership into the alliance and it is not a us decision, this is a decision made by now 32 countries, part of this alliance but again, as you mentioned, this is a bridge to thatjoining nato but i do not have an exact time not. do that joining nato but i do not have an exact time not. do you understand _ have an exact time not. do you understand perhaps _ have an exact time not. do you understand perhaps some - have an exact time not. do you understand perhaps some of. have an exact time not. do you. understand perhaps some of the frustrations on the ukrainian side? we spoke with the speaker of the ukrainian parliament. we want this to happen soon. he said. want this to happen soon. he said- yes. — want this to happen soon. he: said. yes, and we totally understand but they are also in the middle of a war and have to meet different requirement that nato doesn't require of all of its members and membership does take time. —— doesn't require. our commitment to ukraine is enduring. we want to see them

be part of this membership and you saw the commitment and then reaffirm it in washington with some happening today. there is no question about whether ukraine will become a nato member and i do not have a time to provide. it is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when and where working with them and our commitment remains strong for the short term we are providing military assistance and in the long—term as well. we spoke to the chair of the foreign affairs committee and they said that success has been held up by weapons systems and there are restrictions of being able to fire into russian territories. ukrainians are essentially fighting with their hands behind their back. what is your response to that? i will push back on that notion. what the ukrainians have attack

in long—range capabilities provided by other nations. while there is a focus on this there are other capabilities that have. in terms of what the us has put conditions around, look, there is this cross—border crossfire is that we have permitted the ukrainians to use, especially when russians are firing from positions within russia towards ukraine. we are seeing ukraine being incredibly successful and effective on the battlefield and i think it is important to remember that during the entire time that we were not able to provide ukraine packages or military assistance due to the fat congress did not give us a supplementary funding, russia made a very incremental gains, very small gain so ukraine has been very successful on the battlefield and continues to push russian forces back in the south and the ease. that push russian forces back in the south and the ease.— push russian forces back in the south and the ease. at the same

time, south and the ease. at the same time. hungry's— south and the ease. at the same time, hungry's prime _ south and the ease. at the same time, hungry's prime minister, l time, hungry's prime minister, a nato ally, was holding talks with the russian leader and the chinese leader and is calling for a ceasefire, for that to be an important topic of discussion. would the us support such talks at the summit?— support such talks at the summit? ., , ., , ., summit? that is really for ukraine to _ summit? that is really for ukraine to decide - summit? that is really for ukraine to decide the - summit? that is really for l ukraine to decide the future summit? that is really for - ukraine to decide the future of this war and if they are ready to sit down at the negotiating table. that is not for us to dictate. what doing at the pentagon is making sure ukraine has whatever they need for the short—term and long—term to be successful on the battlefield. that is our focus and to your question, it is really up to ukraine to decide when they have these conversations and what that looks like. president zelensky arrived _ what that looks like. president zelensky arrived to _ what that looks like. president| zelensky arrived to washington on shoes on a mission to boost military support from western allies. in a speech on the sidelines of that summer, he called for more assistance.

similarly, now we can protect our citizens from russian attacks if we make a step forward and allows us to destroy russian military aircraft on their bases. this will also yield an instant result and we are waiting for these stamps. and we can significantly limit russian actions and push the occupy out if american leadership assists us with the necessary deep strike capabilities against russian military and logistics in our ukrainian crimea. those remarks follow _ in our ukrainian crimea. those remarks follow a _ in our ukrainian crimea. those remarks follow a missile - in our ukrainian crimea. thosej remarks follow a missile strike that killed more than a0 people in kyiv and left the countries largest children's hospital in ruins. will leaders have condemned the attack, including the british prime minister and the british prime minister and the us president. while the kremlin denies targeting civilians in the straight, mr zelensky says russia must be held accountable. james

waterhouse has more from the scene and you may find some of the images in the report upsetting. "oh, my god," she says, "i don't know whose hand thatis, "i don't know if my daughter is alive." the frantic seconds of a mother looking for her child. a russian missile had just hit the hospital where her daughter had been receiving dialysis. after a relative eternity, she finds her alive, with a few scratches. after being reunited, we meet them at the hospital her daughter was transferred to, where they returned to those haunting moments. translation: i told my husband on the phone. —

"i don't know if i'll survive and if our daughter is alive." i had debris falling on me in the basement and my child was upstairs on the second floor. i didn't know what was happening to her. it seemed we would be buried alive. translation: i fainted. when i opened my eyes, i saw ceiling right next to my face. i was praying my mother was alive. it's a view you wouldn't have seen yesterday — for a ukrainian emergency worker, demolition is firmly part of thejob description. kyiv has strongly rejected moscow's claim this was caused bya ukrainian air defence missile, saying it has evidence it was russian and deliberately launched. this attack has posed difficult questions for ukraine. several cruise missiles hit their targets in the centre of the city and,

as far as kyiv is concerned, the need for air defences has never been greater. missiles do terrorise, but thus far they haven't weakened ukrainian resolve, but if the risk to life increases, that will only impact morale. valentina, a nurse, was working here when the attack happened. she tells some of the hospital's 600 or so patients now can't access critical care. translation: here we help children - with complicated diseases. it is a horror for ukraine and for everyone. we ask the world to stop this war, to stop this nightmare for our children not to suffer. large scale missile strikes are common in war—time ukraine, but this one has especially caused political shockwaves because of who and what it hit. kyiv wants to convert this western shock into more military support. james waterhouse,

bbc news, kyiv. around the world, and across uk, this is bbc news. two other headlines in the uk. a drunk driver who killed an eight—month—old baby has been jailed for 17 years. he was taking pictures of himself behind the wheel when he crashed into another car on the ai in county durham. he was travelling at more than iao miles an hour and breath tests were three times over the legal alcohol limit. sir keir starmer addresses parliament for the first time as prime minister following the landslide victory. the speaker of the comment has also been selected while the prices are swearing in more than 600 mps has begun. —— speaker of the comments. an electronics company does and says he plans to cut around a thousand jobs in the uk, nearly one third of its workforce, in a major restructuring programme. the firm known for innovative take on household

appliances is based in wilts with offices in london and bristol. you're watching bbc news. as he was presidentjoe biden took to the world stage, house and senate democrats met improper to discuss the future of his election campaign is a number have raised fears about his mobility. it was muted today than yesterday. we saw the combative exchange between some members of the american and the press secretary. there are journalists here who feel the white house has not been fully honest with them about the president's health, something the press secretary has denied. at these briefings, you can ask any questions you want and at the white house very much wanting to be focused on the nato summit. it is a big

moment for president biden to show he is a world leader but of course it is a big test questions are still dominated ljy questions are still dominated by concerns and questions about his health and they wanted clarification on a neurologist who had visited the white house several times this year, clarification on the letter that president biden sent out saying he is staying in the race. we had close dominated by house democrats have been more vocal about president biden and if consent and the senate democrats who, while they were not explicitly been calling for mr biden to stand out, they have not been coalescing around him either. the concerns are still ongoing in terms of mr biden's health and the questions that a lot of the press feel are not being answered. but as far as the white house are concerned, coming out of that press briefing, it is time to move on. they believe that there are more people in the democratic party who arena that can bob

move on, president biden is running, and of story, as opposed to those who want mr blunden to prove himself more. there is no doubt this week? nato summit, he will be holding a press conference later this week, will be usually scrutinised and pretty much every step he takes in everything he says will be looked at more closely than in as ever been before. let's talk about those questions with my guest tonight, chief election and campaign correspondent and molly ball, senior correspondent at the wall streetjournal. i will start street journal. i will start here streetjournal. i will start here in the studio. what is your reporting telling you about where democrats stand right now? we have seen senator michael bennett come out and call for president biden to bow out of the race?— out of the race? senator bennett _ out of the race? senator bennett might _ out of the race? senator bennett might be - out of the race? senator bennett might be doing| out of the race? senator- bennett might be doing that but those who have real political capitol with president biden are not urging him to get out

of the race. there is widespread frustration among my democratic sources around president biden's handling of the debate and they wished that he was better prepared, well rested, but there is an acceptance that he is the nominee. what has been made to democrats that have a different view that someone else should step up is that anyone who has talked to president biden privately say he is more insistent than ever, that he has been counted out before in the 1970s, no—one thought he could win in 72, everyone thought his career was over in 87-98 thought his career was over in 87—98 when his presidential campaign flamed out. people thought he was a terrible politician in 2007 and 2008 and only to be picked as vice president, so he has this innate sense of confidence despite the debate that carries him ahead, and it is really part of the american political history. read one of the great books on politics — what it

takes — and biden barrels ahead and maybe he is making the wrong calculation but he has decided publicly and privately that he is in.— that he is in. molly, do you see anything _ that he is in. molly, do you see anything changing - that he is in. molly, do you see anything changing that| see anything changing that calculation at this point? absolutely. i think the situation is fluid because so many democrats continue to harbour these doubts and, indeed, it may even be a majority of democrats. certainly, it is a near majority of the democratic base, according to the polls, have lost confidence in biden as their nominee and many of the democrats coming out and publicly saying that they are with biden harbour these concerns privately and behind the scenes and i think a lot of them are continuing to watch and wait to see whether there is a further decline in the polls which have already declined in the couple of weeks since the debate, and what biden continues to look like as he continues to step out into the spotlight. in particular,

the spotlight. in particular, the press conference he is scheduled to have as part of the nato summit will be closely watched. he gave a very vigorous speech today and that gave a lot of democrats some comfort, but they are still worried that it is just not a tenable situation for the next several months. so, there is a desire not to damage the party given that the president has, as bob correctly said, made it quite clear that he will not go without a fight, but many democrats are not happy about where things stand and would like him to either reconsider or do something more to prove that the debate was in fact an aberration because many of his public appearances since then have similarly not inspired confidence. it have similarly not inspired confidence.— have similarly not inspired confidence. , , confidence. it is interesting - if i can confidence. it is interesting - if i can just — confidence. it is interesting - if i can just come _ confidence. it is interesting - if i can just come in - confidence. it is interesting - if i can just come in here - confidence. it is interesting - ifi canjust come in here - i i if i canjust come in here — i was— if i canjust come in here — i was in— if i canjust come in here — i was in new— if i canjust come in here — i was in new hampshire talking at people _ was in new hampshire talking at people at the bread arrow diner. _ people at the bread arrow diner, and it was so

interesting to me as a reporter, because in washington, all of these people with their ownjobs on washington, all of these people with their own jobs on the line. _ with their own jobs on the line, senators, house members, they— line, senators, house members, theyare — line, senators, house members, they are very much panicked and alarmed — they are very much panicked and alarmed by the polling because they think they could get washed out. but voters who i encountered, especially older voters. — encountered, especially older voters, older democrats in new hampshire, said "the party has decided — hampshire, said "the party has decided. let'sjust stick hampshire, said "the party has decided. let's just stick with it" — decided. let's just stick with it" there _ decided. let's just stick with it." there is a reluctance to have — it." there is a reluctance to have what _ it." there is a reluctance to have what the voters believe would — have what the voters believe would be a civil war in the party— would be a civil war in the party if— would be a civil war in the party if you had some kind of free — party if you had some kind of free for— party if you had some kind of free for of— party if you had some kind of free for of the convention and biden— free for of the convention and biden clearly seems to sense this among his own coalition, this— this among his own coalition, this sense _ this among his own coalition, this sense that they are are going — this sense that they are are going to _ this sense that they are are going to stick with him. he went— going to stick with him. he went on— going to stick with him. he went on cable television and said — went on cable television and said "if— went on cable television and said "if you want to run against _ said "if you want to run against me, running against me" — against me, running against me" he _ against me, running against me." he knows people like gavin newsome — me." he knows people like gavin newsome and the governor of michigan have no interest in is being — michigan have no interest in is being seen as protests of the democratic party. they are looking _ democratic party. they are looking towards 2028 and trying

to shore — looking towards 2028 and trying to shore up this campaign. molly. _ to shore up this campaign. molly, let's talk about the other side of the equation because donald trump has been holding a rally in miami tonight. we are expecting his vice presidential pic perhaps monday next week at the convention. at the moment, it appears down to be three people — senator rubio, senator van's and senator burgin. do you have and senator burgin. do you have a sense of where things might fall? ., ., , fall? no, ifi did, iwould be breaking — fall? no, ifi did, iwould be breaking that _ fall? no, ifi did, iwould be breaking that big _ fall? no, ifi did, iwould be breaking that big scoop. - fall? no, ifi did, iwould be| breaking that big scoop. that is a situation that remains a somewhat fluid. as we have long experience with reporting on donald trump, he makes his own decisions and keeps his own counsel and he is being lobbied by advocates for all three of those men and possibly some others besides. i think no—one would be surprised if he chooses to go in another direction at the last minute simply to show that he can or because that is the mood that he is in. he has said a few times that he already knows what direction he is going to go in. i have been reporting

this week on senatorj.d. vance who has been in elected office for less than two years but who some of you as being on top of that shortlist for vice president. when and if trump does make a choice it will give us a sense of how he sees his movement and his potential presidency, but i don't think anyone really knows at this point exactly who it is going to be. �* , a, , point exactly who it is going tobe. a ., point exactly who it is going tobe. ., , to be. as molly noted, it is alwa s to be. as molly noted, it is always fluid _ to be. as molly noted, it is always fluid with _ to be. as molly noted, it is always fluid with former i always fluid with former president trump. in 2016, i remember making calls to grocers _ remember making calls to grocers people close to chris christie _ grocers people close to chris christie. they all thought that christie — christie. they all thought that christie or gingritch would be the peak— christie or gingritch would be the peak but it ended up being indiana— the peak but it ended up being indiana governor mike pence. this— indiana governor mike pence. this time, _ indiana governor mike pence. this time, people sense to senator— this time, people sense to senator vance and other contenders, they are all feeling _ contenders, they are all feeling relatively good but trump _ feeling relatively good but trump is a showman. love him or hate _ trump is a showman. love him or hate him. — trump is a showman. love him or hate him. he _ trump is a showman. love him or hate him, he is somebody who

comes— hate him, he is somebody who comes out— hate him, he is somebody who comes out of the television business, reality tv. he said this— business, reality tv. he said this week— business, reality tv. he said this week he was to do it at the — this week he was to do it at the convention with as much fanfare — the convention with as much fanfare as possible. he said he might— fanfare as possible. he said he might announce a senator rubio in florida — might announce a senator rubio in florida and he did not but this— in florida and he did not but this gives _ in florida and he did not but this gives you a sense that he wanted — this gives you a sense that he wanted to— this gives you a sense that he wanted to happen at the convention in milwaukee and campaign sources tell me they are just — campaign sources tell me they are just fine right now letting the democrats fight amongst each — the democrats fight amongst each other. the democrats fight amongst each other-— each other. there is so much more to _ each other. there is so much more to talk _ each other. there is so much more to talk about _ each other. there is so much more to talk about but - each other. there is so much more to talk about but we i each other. there is so much i more to talk about but we have run out of time. bob, molly, thank you for your insights tonight. really appreciate it. now to some other news — israel continued its military offensive in gaza on the eve of renewed truce talks in qatar. 29 people were killed after an airstrike on a school in gaza. it hit the hate at the school. israel says it is looking into the incident. it comes a day before ceasefire negotiations

are expected to continue. egyptian media is reporting that an egyptian security delegation and us central intelligence authorities will be in attendance but ours our correspondence explains this could put those talks in jeopardy. many palestinians sought shelter at the school in high newness and it seems many were there when this missile struck. there is a physio that more than a dozen people dead and others injured being treated at the local hospital. 0ne others injured being treated at the local hospital. one of medical sources said more than 50 people had been treated so far and the nature of their injuries means that the number of dead could well increase. this operation in the city of khan yunis started about a week ago. the israeli military say they have been keeping this up and tens of thousands of people have fled the fighting there in this recent operation that started. the israeli military say they are looking into

supports but we have seen four attacks on schools in the past four days and in the previous three cases, the israeli military acknowledge they hit these places, saying they were home to hamas fighters and politicians and also hamas police officers. they say they seek to minimise civilian casualties in all of their operations. hamas is saying this sort of operation and the number of people dying means it is really undermining prospects of a peace deal, a ceasefire in which some hostages may well be released. there are talks that are going to get under way tomorrow in doha. as it stands, no imminent signs of any sort of breakthrough. just before we go of breakthrough. just before we 9° �* of breakthrough. just before we go — europe's new rocket blasted off on its first successful flight, successfully sending satellite into orbit.

it marks a new start into restoring independent european access to space. it comes a year after its predecessor ariane 5 was retired leaving europe with no independent way to launch satellites and the setbacks were partly to do with the severing of ties with russia over ukraine. that is our programme at this hour. thank you for watching bbc news. do not forget to head to our website for all the latest headlines and analysis from our correspondence around the world. we're back here at the top of the hour. tune in. hello. thanks forjoining me. well, it does feel like summer has come to an abrupt end. or perhaps it never started in the first place. and more rain clouds on the horizon for the rest of this week, but here's some good news, at least it's not going to be raining all the time. i want to show you the big picture first and where the jet stream is relative to the uk. here it is over the next few days. to the south of us.

now north of the jet stream, we generally have cool air. south of the jet stream we generally have warm air. notice where it is over the coming days — to the south of us. that means we get that air stream from the north and with a rippling jet stream. we also have weather patterns heading our way and, in fact, a lot of rain to come in the coming days, particularly across northern parts of the uk. in fact, the northeast of scotland in the next 2a hours, particularly soggy with this weather system here. that rain unrelenting here, particularly in the northeast highlands, in grampian. to the south by the end of the night, i think, just a few scattered showers, but it is relatively humid air, so that means that the temperatures aren't dropping particularly low overnight, say 1a degrees first thing in the morning. now here's wednesday, low pressure to the north. so that rain that i mentioned, in the north and the east of scotland, the met office is pointing to 20—30mm of rain quite widely. in the extreme case it could be double, even triple that. so really, really wet

across this part of the world. to the south, scattered showers, maybe some thunderstorms. but i think come the afternoon there will be some sunshine in the south of the uk. and that, of course, is good news for wimbledon because the weather has been dreadful. however, there is a rain symbol there for wednesday. that's to indicate the showers we should have in the morning, but come the afternoon it will be better. now, high pressure is close by. it's just in the wrong position. we're on the edge of the high, so that means that the winds are coming in from the north. so really cool air sliding across the uk with showers and again rather a lot of cloud. look at the temperatures. 1a in aberdeen. we might squeeze 22 or 23 in the southeast of the country, if there will be some prolonged sunny spells, but the outlook into the weekend really says it all. it's that mixed bag and it is on the cool side forjuly. bye— bye.

pa ls pals raises hope of an interest rate cut. , ., ., . rate cut. -- jerome powell. we assess the _ rate cut. -- jerome powell. we assess the impact _ rate cut. -- jerome powell. we assess the impact on _ rate cut. -- jerome powell. we assess the impact on us i rate cut. -- jerome powell. we | assess the impact on us energy

industry. thank you forjoining me on business today. the chair of the us central bank appeared on capitol hill on tuesday for his second yearly report to congress. erin delmore has more detail on his testimony, including clues on where interest rates are heading. four monthsjerome powell has said he and other top committee members are waiting for inflation to head to the target before cutting interest rates. it has made its way to the testimony again today but they were close that times are changing. jerome powell said the us economy is no longer overheated and acknowledge that the once red—hot labour market is cooling. just the kinds of things that would pave the way for future rate cuts. it does not seem likely that the next policy move will be a rate increase. policy move will be a rate increase-— policy move will be a rate increase. ~ ., ., ., ~ , increase. we do not take things like that of— increase. we do not take things like that of the _ increase. we do not take things like that of the table _ increase. we do not take things

like that of the table but - increase. we do not take things like that of the table but that i like that of the table but that is not the