in a chinese back deal, this is despite china's pledge to start building new co plants abroad. and the ease energy watchdog saying it's breeching you law and the rule. activate air pollution, most system coin laundry. we have a system that serves to protect operators who do not meet their obligations regarding environmental protection. but here when i talk about environmental protection, i'm talking about human lives is the few remaining residents build. a new plant will add to their misery and the drive, the power will drain the town of the last few people still left laura about a man the al jazeera. ah, he wants to heal robin doha, reminder of all top stories. the u. k. prime minister has apologized after leaked video, showed senior officials joking about a christmas party during uncovered $900.00 lockdown. forest. johnson has repeatedly

denied any rules were broken. a senior adviser has resigned. j buttons that sending us troops to defend ukraine from russia is not on the called vladimir putin in buttons, but virtually on tuesday, concerns mount russia's trip build up on the border with ukraine. the u. s. ward. moscow would face severe sanctions if it invades russia. denies it has any such plans. and he has defense chief general dipping rather than 12 other officials have been killed in a helicopter crash that came down in the new get it district in the state of terminal, not or in the south of the country. one person survived and an investigation is underway. elizabeth parent has moved from the capital new delhi. the indian air force confirmed the news of the death twisting with deep regret. it has been ascertained that general rollin, mrs. medulla cut out and 11 persons on board died and what they call the unfortunate accident. they were 14 people on board. the military helicopter 13,

including bethany roberts wife, died, and one person is being treated in hospitals. now, the administrator of the district of mill get us and lauder where the crash took place has said that the identity of the bodies will have to be confirmed through dna testing because of the severe burns that they suffered. sure, so seen sworn in as the new german chancellor and he's replacing anglo merkel whose leading office up to 16 years. shots of incoming coalition government has probably to suffer efforts against climate change and the pandemic drug make a 5. the says it's covered, $900.00 vaccine is able to and it same with neutralize the on the chrome variant after 3 days is the company says 2 days is still off a protection against severe illness, but the booster remains the best course of action. thanks for the headlines. more news in half the next. it's inside story to stay with us. mm.

do not invade ukraine. the u. s. president has warned of russia and threatened further sanctions. the jo biden's virtual summit was let in putin ended without a breakthrough. so did it do enough to prevent a new conflict in europe. this is inside school. ah. hello and welcome to the program and has them. secret fears are growing of a possible russian invasion of ukraine. tens of thousands of its soldiers have amassed along ukraine's border along with the russian military hardware. u. s.

intelligence agency say a multi front offensive could happen early next year. on tuesday, president joe biden used a virtual meeting with russian president vladimir putin to issue a warning bite and threatened more economic sanctions. if russia were to invade. putin called nato's presence in ukraine, a red line which threatened russia security. he asked for guarantees of no further nato expansion eastward will bring in our guests in a moment. but 1st, this report from our white house correspondent, kimberly how with a massive build up of russian troops, new ukraine, shared border, and u. s. intelligence indicating an invasion of ukraine could happen early next year. u. s. president biden met virtually with russian president vladimir poo. good to see you again. the pair spoke for 2 hours. who denies russian tends to invade ukraine calling it fear mongering,

but the u. s. president made clear today that if russia did tough economic sanctions would follow. i will look in the eye and tell you as president biden looked, president putin in the eye and told him today that things we did not do in 2014. we are prepared to do now. that reference is to the russian annexation of crimea from ukraine, that prompted us sanctions. biden also told putin the u. s. was prepared to assessors militarily. we would provide additional defensive material to the ukrainians above and beyond that, which we are already providing. and we would fortify our nato allies on the eastern flank for its part. russia is seeking assurances from the west that ukraine will not become a member of the north atlantic treaty organization, something the ukrainians have pursued for years. the u. s. national security advisor reiterated ukraine can associate with whoever it wants. when analyst

believes joining nato is unrealistic, it ought to be cleared them and we're not coming to the rescue. so you get to have to live with nest russia. are you a security guarantee? there were also questions about the controversial nord stream to pipeline which runs from germany to russia and whether it could be used as leverage and discussions over ukraine. the white house says it will pressure the german government to stop it. if russia invades the biden administration, will continue to work with its european partners promising a coordinated response. should russia ignore their warnings? president biden. we'll also speak with ukraine's president lensky on thursday. kimberly hell get al jazeera, the white house. ah, well let's bring in our guest now to talk more about this in bel grade. we have victor ali, which lead experts at the center of factual politics in silver spring. maryland,

melinda harring, deputy director at the atlantic councils eurasia center. and joining us from kia alexi heron, professor of comparative politics at key of marya academy, a warm welcome to each of you. so melinda, harry, let me start with you. then no break loose from this virtual meeting. but cards were laid out on the table from both sides or were they? that's right. i think the word i would use is impasse. some analysts are saying that that the crisis has been resolved temporarily. i think that's flat out wrong when you read the statements, when you parse the statements from the white house and from the kremlin, you could very different of portraits of what happened yesterday. we know the president biden did 3 things. he said that the u. s. would impose strong economic measures in tandem with its allies. if russia were to invade ukraine, the u. s. would send more defensive material and the u. s. would fortify nato

allies on the eastern flank. it also looks like the u. s. will joined the minsk agreements. these are the stalled peace accords. the u. s. has not been party to these agreements, and i think russia hadn't really wants the u. s. to join in. it would be an opportunity to revitalize these discussions. but when you read the statements, but moscow and the united states want very different things that the point that jumps out me to me the most is that moscow is, is saying they're, they're engaging. and what about is them? they're blaming nato. and they're blaming key of for the aggression. they're not taking responsibility. this crisis is far from being result. victor, a leverage in belgrade. i'm sure you want to respond to some of that, but i want to ask you as well. russia has said that these fears about a russian invasion are unfounded. if that's the case, what a president puts his intentions over ukraine and what's behind the, the troop build up near its border with ukraine? well, a master full scale invasion of ukraine is simply not in russia's national interests

. first of all, russia does not really have the resources to maintain massive swabs of territory and the people in ukraine for a long period of time. secondly, russia is really not interested in massive new political and economic sanctions levied against it by the united states, by americans, trans atlantic allies and other partners around the world. the roches economy is not in the great shape as it is in you. economic strength over that magnitude is simply not i would repeat, not in a rush is national interest. thirdly, on a lie, crimea, which has a predominantly ethnically russian population and where people are really wearing support. they were supportive of russia all along on like crimea. most the other

stories of ukraine are not as enthusiastic about, about the russian state. so russia would find more opposition there to its presence. all that being said, the kremlin understands that for well, what moscow is really concerned about is the increase in western military presence in ukraine inc, and increase in military cooperation between ukraine and the united states. on one hand and ukraine and with europe and capable some of the other hand it is all moscow is also concerned about the use over new military systems. and technologists such as the by iraq are the ones that have been in use in ukraine in recent months. russia is also concerned that it's policy towards ukraine designed to get green one form or another back into russia. your interest has not

been working. so by making these tough moves and by tougher than got its rhetoric. moscow is trying to squeeze out confessions from the west, especially from the by the white house. it is hoping that the bite in white house will, will give in, at least on some points, moscow understand full well that nobody is going to give it a written guarantee. is that no, you might need the members are going to be accepted. but russia at least once some concessions as far as military the construction, the possible construction of military bases, american, british, or others on the territory of ukraine. russia, he is that as a red line, russia would like to limit the military cooperation between ukraine and its western partners as a whole. all right, we can get into some of that a little bit later, but i want to get your perspective on this. now this summit was generally seen as,

as constructive by the united states and russia. ultimately, nothing was resolved, and ukraine's fate still hangs in the balance elects they had. and how are they likely to view this in here? well, i think 1st of all, oh, there was a strong statement from the u. s. president, and this is a very, very important president. and he's the advisors. he said about potential and not only so also vestos talking in general, you know, the u. s. a 's they are seeing now, to guess it would be increased economic sanctions against russia. and this is very, very important. and for me to put you in all this talk. so basically that's what you would like to hear because we're really afraid of russian aggression. again, i would like to remind you to your viewers in 2014,

nobody expected the rational dec because ukraine at that time was known l. a state. so we were hoping it would never imagine putting would and next crania was in don't boss. and then actually, and that's a free the wrong medication. so nobody expected that fortune will send troops, great regular troops. but it happened, it happened without any late involved. so we'll do that later. basically you throw, you create. so that's why i would definitely weak affairs and i would like to stress one again, that at this point there are no military, not nathan military. no natal soldiers? no, they don't the styles. so basically there's no threat to rush, but jim is trying to undermine ukraine to death. belies ukraine, to split ukraine,

to split a p and alice prose, the united states. and that's what we are grateful. so we hope it won't happen. and basically, um, basically present, bye bye, send a good signal up. belinda herring. it was mentioned there in, in, in our report report from kimberly, how can about economic sanctions? you mentioned some of that as well. one of the things that was mentioned was this nord stream to pipeline that's running between russia and germany, and that could be used as leverage the object sullivan. the u. s. national security advisor certainly made mention of that. he said is, it's leverage for the west, because if let me put in, wants to see gas flow through that pipeline. he may not want to take the risk of invading ukraine if things were to come to that they'd been altering to pipeline would be suspended, wouldn't what,

what i mean is that something that's obviously worked into the u. s. calculations on this has an it's and just respond to that you can yes, sure, absolutely. nurturing to is definitely on the table. there's a couple, a couple of different options. when you read the sullivan statement, he refuses to go in to what was actually discussed. but we, we know that, that the germans will cancel nordstrom to if, if russia does invade of the steven the, came out, was very interesting. i, it says over and over again that the u. s. and its allies are willing to consider options that they have not considered before. so that probably means sanctions against big russian state banks and investment agencies. it probably means a broadening of sanctions to maybe potentially areas like mining metals and shipping and state own companies could be in there. and then it could possibly mean using the cutting off access to the swift banking system. and that's sort of the nuclear option nor stream to though is, is

a big deal. and it's one odd that that was definitely discussed yesterday. according to the ukrainians. there are 94300 russian troops near ukraine's border in there in the northeast. there in the east and they're in crimea, and we saw on friday us intelligence a declassified some estimates the end. and we think the u. s. government thinks that russia will increase it true. it's true numbers to a 175000. and that invasion could come as likely as january 2020. i disagree with with victor. victor made a quite a powerful case that, that invading ukraine is not in russia's national interest. well, i think that there's a case to be made that, that it's serious this time. victor victor's right. we don't know if putin has made up his mind. this may be an elaborate ruse. he may be putting huge pressure on ukraine in the united states to given at the negotiating table. that's entirely possible. but vladimir putin may be thinking about this decision in

a different way. he may decide that the benefits outweigh the costs and he may invade. and this time, if he does, it will be different than it was in 2014. in 2015, he would use in soldiers. they would be in russian regalia, and he'd use the russian air force. so i see 4 reasons why put might go in 1st is that putin is an aging autocrat, and he's thinking about his legacy and seizing ukraine. could bolster is image is a great leader. when you look at the rhetoric coming out of the kremlin, they're talking about stalin in yvonne. the great that's how he thinks of himself and he end to be a great russian leader means to take, i take territory. second, i think good looks at the map of the world and he sees an opportunity. 2021 was a really good year for him. gas prices are up. there's no one to stop him. he sees weakness everywhere, and this is his chance to take you crazy. he wants to, let's, let's put, let's put some of that back to, to victor than in belgrade. i mean,

puts in as might no secret of the fact hasn't a, that he's always seen on this as a historical wrong that ukraine became an independent states a back in 1991 with the, with the collapse of the, of the soviet union. and that ukraine must be in his mind if not part of the russian state and part of russians sphere of influence. and the end of this is mrs and manufactured crisis that has been entirely engineered by vladimir putin. what he say to that, well, fortune may believe that, but we have, he and that throughout the last 2 decades of his rule, russia has not been able to change the cal kilo's, the political calculus, the political balance in the ukraine in its favor. so in 2000 and just just a brief go back to the history of 2004. the 1st ukranian

might done when russia was interested in the one outcome. and western states were interested in an other outcome of the election of the presidential elections at that time. and russia was unable to sustain its to get in case of the elected you shaneka, who was a pro, what more pro western candidate 110 years later. so 10 russia had 10 years to do something about that situation. and yet in 2014, when a new crisis emerged with western powers being on one side of the equation, the russian on the other russia, again last ukraine. and it was in the reaction to the loss of the reaction to the, to the depot. the fact of young court, which was ukrainian president, that time being deposed and replaced by a more pro western government, was a response to that, that russia in next crimea. because russia,

in a way justifiably believed that had it not taken those steps in crimea. the black she fleet, that is so central and so strategic to russia is military plans in the black sea area would have been asked to leave. and then russia here that the western ladies would be invited into to be waste there. so for russia, it was a way knowing that it can last ukraine in 2014. and it was a way to at least save crimea as a host of its black fleet, and also to save face in moscow itself because had russia abandoned crimea, it would have, she has domestic full out both among bushes loyalists in russia. and the in russia is in russia's military rings, which she call me as a strategic football outpost. so after that,

after 20147 years have passed, and the russia, despite all of its efforts, has not been able to change the calculus, changed the equation in its favor in the ukraine. ukraine is getting closer and closer to the width. so the ex, like what we saw in april, which was a similar situation when the western western intelligence sources reported that russian troops were messing along. the crazy borders were sounding alarm bell alarms. and nothing happened after that. geneva, after the geneva talks between by them and in switzerland. all right, so let's get with him is using these pressure points to, to get some confessions is not interested in a full scale war you created, which will be kept us traffic for us. let's put some of that to elects they had and then russia last ukraine in 2014 your response to that.

yes. and also ukraine. why? because which is that neutral you create before 2014 majority of ukrainians believed in our french friendship partnership with russia. supporters of the go with the side store and next crania, that's what happened basically if people do compared to what saddam hussein so that the same set weight is ours to which it is saying we're saying, you know, korea is our so i have a next by the way, despite the fact that he's in a muslim natives to korea, but their views were totally ignored by, by russia. so yes, as a result of russia's actions last, ukraine, that's through what we are free or now is not only lunch military offense. we also free over so called limited military offense because pollution may try to

cease one or 2 strategically important. see, this is the new create, like the in february, 2015 when, despite the cease fire, despite all the promises which russia di to invest and partners, russia can i, you know, if i could do a regular and see if i could just jump in here for a moment, let's see if, if, what, what kind of assistance would you be wanting from, from the united states and the west if it's not in the form of, i mean, if, if russia were to invade ukraine, if you believe if it's not in a form of direct military assistance in the form of troops, because ukraine is not a nato man, but what, what other assistance would you expect? well, i seen said if you cannot make sense to increase the economic sanctions, we should be applied. not only in case of large military offense,

but also if you would stock a limited military offenses, a should also be apply and we need defensive weapons. we need defensive weapons. so also to reforms the ukranian army. so that's important. it's a long time strategy for us. yes, we understand that natalie is not going to fight for us, but support those amendments and the increased economic suppliers, armaments and the column essential is that would be good, very important. and final, i would like to stress again, there is no freedom of navigational, la ukrainian ships cannot move to the us or sea, which is share, see with russia as it is a rational ukrainian, trina on it, but russia way, a late as well. so you, graham, she was a, may not n as a, so see, you know, so i think it should be on blog as well. all right,

melinda. factor back to you on this guy? yes, i was just crazy. i agree with the let say, but that's not strong enough. i don't think that the package that president biden laid out yesterday, you know, we were not privy to all the details, but the details were privy to. i don't think that's enough to deter putin. i don't see why the united states isn't fortifying nato allies on the eastern flank right now. there's no reason why we shouldn't be doing that. i think the united states it it yesterday. sullivan said that we have a pipeline to the ukrainians and we're sending it. we're sending weapons through that pipeline fabulous. but if these estimates are right, and the russians are considering an invasion of partial invasion or full invasion in january, february, once the weather permits it, once tanks can move more freely, we got to get stuff there now and getting a big weapon, expensive weapon systems that are there now is difficult, there's a military theorist. his name is dr. t. x ham's. and he has some very interesting

ideas. he says that ukraine should be using autonomy drone storms. it should be thinking about ideas and minds and lining that the northern border to prevent it evasion and make it as difficult for russia as possible. and getting ready for a guerrilla warfare is a very interesting article on the lena council website that i come in to your readers. all right, um, before we go, i think we got about a minute or so a left and i'll give will. what's probably going to be the loss would on this, to you, victor, a lay which in belgrade. well look, ah, the situation in the foreground war in 1000, in the early 1000 ages, is very well known around the world, including in russia. when you go to europe, who, when admiral american, teen, and was the cat, divergent new city, dictate the version of that time decided to wait the full balance in the hopes of reason, his ratings in his full engravings in argentina. the result of that was not only

the collapse essential collapse of the invasion of full glance, but also here is full in argentina. that is also is well known in russia to brush understands that nate, though the united states and the sellers are not going to go have to carry with russian forces in ukraine. but it also understands that the economic damage that new political and economic sanctions, massive sanctions, europe by the united states, where they are part would be a subject for russia that we're going to leave it there. thanks very much to all 3 of you were out of time. good to have you with us, victor leverage melinda herring and alexi hard on thanks so much for being on inside story. and thank you. as always for watching from you can see the program again. any time just go to our website as a dot com. and for further discussion, go to our facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash a j inside stored. you can also join the conversation on twitter handle. there is at a j inside story for me hasn't seeker and the whole team here,

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with mm mm. this is al jazeera ah hello, hello robin, you're watching the out. is there a news our life, my headquarters here in doha coming up in the next 60 minutes now will be consequences. occur goes in both those rules were broken. the u. k. prime minister, paula.