one job of 50000 bloom's sour on sho. in southern france, the annual battle of the flowers parade in the states. back. a 150 years. holiday decorated flor float sa, part of a 2 week carnival which runs until next weekend. ah . alright, let's get a round up. top stories on the cranium president is appealing for a cease fire in the following 2 days, a sustain shelling on the front lines while a damage zaleski is calling on russia's president to choose a place where the 2 leaders could meet bell roost as russia is extending its military deployment, they're fighting, growing tension near the ukraine border. around 30000 russian soldiers have been carrying out exercises in belize. andrew simmons has more where hearing the, the tutoring was very much pointing that the issue of the ukrainians

actually declaimed attacking the to break away republics. the separatists then micron in turn was saying just the opposite that it was actually the separatist naming attacks on ukraine. so whether or not they'll get a breakthrough anesthesia is unclear, will get a development on the whole issues involved in an adverse war. this is totally on clim. police had arrested dozens of people in the canadian capital auto. as 3 weeks of disruptive protest came to a halt. thousands of truck drivers and the supporters had blockaded the center of the city. the protest began in response to covey. 19 of vaccine mandates, but turned into a demonstration against prime minister just in trudeau, australia's opening its borders after nearly 2 years to fully vaccinated tours. visitors who are not double. jack will need a travel exemption to enter and will have to corn to the government. close the

country off to the rest of the world in march 2020 in a bid to control the spread of covered 19 britons. queen elizabeth has tested positive for covered 19 buckingham palace, saying the 95 year old monic is experiencing mild symptoms and will continue with her duties. police and the poor have fire tear gas to disperse protesters rallying against the u. s. funded infrastructure program, which will say some demonstrations were injured during the march in the capital camp and do a u. s. corporation is providing $500000000.00 in grants to help pay for power lines and road improvements in the poll. critics say the deal undermines the countries laws and sovereignty does all the headlines you're up to date. we're back in half an hour right now. on al jazeera, it's inside story. ah,

they were supposed to stop conflict in eastern ukraine, but the men's agreements have been repeatedly violated since 2015. with the threat of a russian invasion and the accord still provide a path to peace. this is inside story. ah hello and welcome to the program. i'm how much am jerome political leaders and diplomats say they're working hard to prevent a russian invasion of ukraine. the so called misc agreements keep coming up in their discussions. they were signed in belarus to try and secure

a ceasefire between ukrainian government forces and russian backed separatists in eastern ukraine. the 1st version and 2014 fail to take hold. so a 2nd, a court called minsk, too, was signed the following year. but both sides accuse each other of breaking the agreement. at least 14000 people have been killed and fighting during the past 8 years. monitors from the organization for security and cooperation in europe or o s. c e have reported hundreds of ceasefire violations a day. despite this many diplomats insist the minsk agreements are the only way forward, secure peace. the means agreements remain the only framework endorsed by this council in resolution 2020 at 220. 2, for a negotiated peaceful settlement of the conflict and eastern ukraine, gave me phony, i missed your foolishly kiss, doesn't comply with the mince agreements, refuses to establish a direct dialogue with the nets and live hands undermines the agreements to

introduce changes in the constitution and exclusive statute of dumbass local elections and the amnesty all key issues of the minsk agreements showed them was law regarding the possible recognition of the so called don yeske and the hans people's republics of the russian. duma of a let remind once again of the ukrainian position which has never changed. if recognition is approved, russia will exit the means, ke agreements, defacto and according to the loris well, with all the consequences to come to must. the men's 2 agreement contains 13 points . 9 are designed to end the armed conflict and ukraine, while the other for address the political impasse between kev and the pro russia rebels. the agreement calls for the removal of heavy weapons hostage exchanges release of political prisoners and the pull out of all foreign armed groups. it also sets a roadmap for political dialogue. this includes giving the donnette scandal hands

regions. some devolved powers and holding elections there. but russia once special status for the regions before returning the border to keep control. russia maintains it was only a facilitator and not part of the conflict inside ukraine. so it is not bound by the terms of the agreement. ah. all right, let's bring in our guests in moscow. andre cartoon off director general of the russian international affairs council in give me hi lo, winette ski associate professor of sociology at national university of keg. he have mom, he law academy in istanbul. matthew bride's a senior fellow at the atlanta council and former national security council official at the white house. a warm welcome to you all and thanks so much for joining us today on inside story. me. hi lo, let me start with you. why haven't the minsk agreements worked and what are the

problems inherent in them? well, there is one very simple thing that is in the midst agreements that was agreed to in the 1st minute. second meant that russian troops must lead raining soil, simple as that until such time as russian troops have not left the gregory soil, there is very little to talk about with respect to men. there's a requirement for a local election. there's a requirement for changing the constitution better, but none of that can be done until such time as that territory is occupied by russian forces. and today to talk about men's, cuz quite frankly, completely ludicrous. because we have almost $200000.00 troops on our borders expected to be invading the rest of ukraine anytime soon. so i mean quite frankly, mens is well effectively dead and, and it was put, it was basically killed by the kremlin bike not when, when basically well decided to ignore the basics of the,

of the agreement. and that was to withdraw russian troops at andre bye, by most accounts. the minsk agreements essentially were dead on arrival. they have not worked from your perspective, can they be reworked? can they be modified in a way that the process would work going forward? and if so, how well i think that early sticker the, we should probably focus saw on the so called military package within the misc agreements, which implies the 1st 3 points of the agreement signed the 7 years ago, festivals, table and de verifiable cease fire. a 2nd was the roll of heavy weapons and 2 of those tanks in oil c, monitor emissions in don boss. if they're able to comply with the 1st 2 points of the miss grims that would already be event a significant progress. later on we can move her to the political agenda, reach,

she will probably have to be modified. oh, or are dated. but of course that would require a consent of all those who signs in his agreements. matthew, there are a lot of diplomats right now that are saying the minsk agreements are really the only path forward when it comes to trying to de escalate this crisis when it comes to the united states. they've had very little involvement in this process. how much can the us get involved now? will probably can't get involved directly in the mince group negotiations because at least russia, france, and germany who are the ones that kind of, you know, where the, where the leaders along with ukraine or the participants. they don't want us to participate. i think ukraine would love the u. s. to be involved in the negotiations, but there is not a direct role for the united states. but of course, there's a huge indirect role for the united states. first and foremost by rallying nato and

maintaining a solidarity right now in an attempt to deter further russian use of military force against ukraine. and it's important to know that this threat by russia to use force is negotiating tactic. it may be a genuine threat to re invade ukraine as well, but it's a negotiate, it's a piece of negotiating leverage, a very important piece. the goal, however, of russia i think, is not really against uminski agreements finalized. but of course, russia's objectives, as articulated by president putin are much broader than the men's agreement. and they all have to do with pushing back nato into its pre 1997 borders and carlo it looked earlier. like you wanted to jump in. i'm going to let you do that, but i also want to ask you, are officials in kiev worried that the west is going to try to use this russian threat to strong arm ukraine into accepting moscow's version of the men sc agreements? ok, well i want to say 3 things that i'm going to be very brief about. first of all, people in ukraine are, and officials in ukraine are worried about being invaded the west at the moment,

helping us. and we are very grateful for the military, economic and political aid, diplomatic aid that is being provided. quite frankly, one of the reasons that has not invaded the country on mass yet has to do with the fact that there is western support. so that, quite frankly, we're not concerned about the west somehow leaving a dr. agreement at the end of the day. everybody's working towards avoiding a further invasion. my. the other thing that i wanted to say to my american colleagues, frankly, that the goal is to try to stop nato with cetera, which has made it very clear what you want. the whole natal thing is quite frankly, just i mean, it's a diversion at the end of the day. what do you want to control? ukraine? would you want to re, re establish greater russia? he is the gatherer of the russian land. this is what he's about. and ukraine is

something that is an absolute requirement to prosecute 100 years ago said russia cannot exist without ukraine. and that is something that is continued to be something that is in the russian mind and the rational political agenda for the last 30 years. and quite frankly, today is for now is the time according to we can do, try to make that dream a reality. finally, with respect to the main agreement, we need to understand that these agreements refined when working was holding a gun ukraine head. the 1st agreement was signed after he bar after he was bombarding where you both. the 2nd agreement was signed after there was, there were russian troops on the ground in ukraine, in a place called the ball. in both cases, the goal was to create a feast fire that cease fire has held basically plus or minus of health for the last 5 or 6 years. there's been a line of contact and that line of contact that i've had minimal firing across,

shooting on either side. during the last day. we have over 100 seat fire violations . and those, these fire violations of all come from the russian side. at the end of the day, ukraine's demand very simple russian get out of our territory. matthew, you were reacting there to some of what jaila was saying. i'm going to let you jump in. yeah, no, i totally agree. i mean, i agree with everything that we highlight said, and you know, of course ukraine is the immediate, huge focus that we put in trying to do. but there is this broader geo strategic objective as well when, who talks about the desire for a whole new european security architecture, which, which i think is going to end up being a proposal that dead on arrival. but as far as the bolts of it goes, that's a very important example. immediately after means to assign russians mounted a major assault on the baltimore in total violation of the 1st aspect of the minster. second minister agreement, which was the cease fire,

as well as the 1st minister, which was a cease fire. so from the beginning, russia has not observed them in agreements, and the contrary is highly set. it has kept its military forces in ukraine, honest territory, even if it denies that there, there, it has allowed the illegal arm formations of the, the don't ask, are region to remain in place. those were supposed to be disbanded. and har from moving heavy military equipment out of don't boss russia has matched up to 190000 troops with heavy equipment near the border. so when russia demands that ukraine comes into compliance with uminski agreements, well a it's, it's not in compliance and be if it's threat to use military force is supposedly to bring ukraine into compliance. well, then it's doesn't make any sense that russia still claims not to be a party to those agreements or the conference. why would you threaten to invade a country to enforce an agreement that you claim you're not a party of andre? earlier this month,

there were talks between ukrainian and russian officials in the normandy format, but they really failed to make a breakthrough correct. those are right. that's right. there was disappointment is pressed by mr. gordon, who is a special invoice of president boot. and he argued that you failed to get any flexibility on the premium side in terms of the pain and compliance with them in agreements. and do you think that there will be further talks going forward? well i think the eve, for indeed her, the diplomatic botha is something that they would prefer in the clarendon. this is the only way to go. it seems delta, my co panelists are from the united states and ukraine are know, much better than i do. what we can really wants and what he is up to. unfortunately, i don't have such great contacts into clarendon to make sure that the invasion is

eminent and that is likely to happen anytime soon. however, i would suggest that it's not logical for who tim to launch a major military operation ukraine. it's a lot that actually can lose, or it's not much that russia can gain. i think it's in the interest of the camden to preserve the passion ukraine, and to insist on the full compliance of the music agreements as they were signed 7 years ago. i think that this is the ultimate goal because of the, our compliance with uminski agreements ultimately and my data center and all stickle ah, may be a strategic obstacle on that. you can join in the nato alliance. and this is cy, const, i think that this is the goal that bruton is trying to accomplish. if he is able to prevent you cleaned, joining nato through other means that probably he will demonstrate more flexibility

on the implications of the means. cucumbers. mahalo, i can see that you want to jump in before you do. i just also want to ask you, do you think that there are going to be more normandy format talks coming forward? and even if there were some type of agreement as that were reached, do you think that president lensky would actually be able to push this kind of deal through parliament in ukraine? look, i want to react 1st of all, what? like my colleague, my colleagues said, very simple, we don't have information as to whether or not there will be any minute invasion. all we know is there a 190000 groups on our borders and those 190000 groups are not exactly depends. most of them are what's called italian tactical groups. those are attack forces. first of all, secondly, i read the kremlin website. i listen to what it says and put in specifically has said and the website, if you want to in july published his musings on the history of ukraine and russia

and how we are supposedly one people is come up many, many times and said that he does not recognize the grains right to exist as a separate country. i am a ukrainian i would like to exist. i believe that it leaves us very little room for negotiation when someone is invading you and says that you have no right to exist and you are defending yourself and you are saying i have a right to exist. what is there to negotiate about? it's very much it to be or not to be type of scenario. there's very little to negotiate now. yes, we are of course, interested in having a normal, the format or us for my president. the last he has said that he would be very happy to bring in president aragon from from turkey into this into this situation. he has stated yesterday and you know that he would love to meet with him is not interested in meeting with you. is interested in destroying at the end of the day ukrainians

are preparing to defend themselves. there's very little to talk about at that point . when you are at the, at gunpoint. that is the reality at the moment you can, you is, and i will not say evacuating, but certainly very, very concerned, particularly after president biden statement of the fact that you have already made his decision. we've seen maps, we are seen troops trip build ups, and we have what president would you have to say? and unfortunately, none of that makes us particularly confidence in the prospects for peace. matthew, what do you think you think there's going to be more of these normandy format talks going forward and even if there are, and even if there is some type of agreement that has reached, do you think that it will hold? well, i don't anticipate enormity format discussion until the current extreme high level of tension decreases. and you know what, what we're seeing right now in eastern ukraine is exactly what we saw in georgia in august 2008. when there are supposedly,

were peacekeepers on the ground from russia, but there were separatists who opened fire on georgian military positions. this is happening in eastern ukraine as well. right now. ukrainian leadership is withholding counter strikes the georgia government did for awhile, but then it did retaliate and that prompted a full scale russian invasion of georgia. so i think this is exactly what president putin is trying to provoke. again, he's talked about a military technological response. if his demands are not met, but not an invasion. so what he's going to do is say, well the ukrainians thought back we didn't invade, we were defending that we were defending against their assault on, on, on the separate his troops. so until that clears until that crisis moment clears, it's an academic exercise to talk about more normandy format discussions. and again, russia claims it's not a party to the minister agreements. then why in the world would it's threaten and threatening invasion inter killed tens of thousands of people? civilians,

for the implementation of an obscure agreement to which acquainted is not a party. it just the story does not hold together, but before we can get back to normandy, got to get past this moment of high military tension. and matthew, i guess one of the concerns would be that president putin is using the men sc agreements as a political tool. this must be something that western countries are very worried about, right. i hope they are. i mean, you, in a lot of discussions i listen to and have been involved with, i hear your opinions told try to hold ukraine, speak to the fire and say, you know, if, if you don't implement the mask agreements then, well, then suggesting perhaps russia has a justification to try to force implementation and that that's a total red herring. moscow does not care about the minsk agreement. so i hope i hope that throughout the nato alliance, european leaders do recognize mohammed just what you said. that the minister agreement really, again, to focus on it now is a red herring. what russia is about now is yes is behind the. ready said

destabilizing ukraine, preventing ukraine from ever joining nato. and i stand by what i said before. also relocating the post cold war security framework to which russia agreed. by the way, it agreed in 1994. in the budapest memorandum to support ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. ukraine lived up to its end of the bargain. russia has violated as deeply as you could. andre, the fact that the men's agreements are not legally binding. how much does that complicate this all? well, i think the heat might open where it is and use of for the rush lid issue in don barza, for instance, a given the current escalation, or i'd love to exclude a diplomatic reza, recognition of the break of it, of objects or by russia. and that would be, of course, a game changer that would indeed make this situation is to can somewhat similar to what happened in georgia,

beck and the $2.00 oh $8.00. and then i think are the main screen agreements will collapse. i don't think that the probability is very high, but i do not exclude that. because in my view, the state duma would have never advanced such an idea if they had not received a nod from the cabinet. so right now, i think this is probably more likely challenger to the means agreements than an invasion of russia across the board with you in at least that's how i see the situation to day. and for me are the most immediate task is to preserve them means agreements to avoid a diplomatic or a combination of their break career to positives. and to get back to the negotiating table. i don't think that we have other lower level options to reach any progress in de escalate and the situation. i mean halo, i'm curious to get your perspective on one thing and most people say that the minsk

agreements have essentially been a failure from the outset. have there been any successes that have come from them? well look, there was an attempt to, to push to parliament, changes to, to, to the grain constitution. those failed. but we do have one of the requirements, the political requirements, the minister agreement was to provide in parliament a law special law that provided more economy for those areas that are currently occupied. should one of the, one of the presumptions of that law for it to go go forward was for the occupation to end. in other words, russian troops leave. and then these areas become integrated into the rest of ukraine as autonomy, regions with their own police forces with their own judiciary. in other words, significant amounts of autonomy. those steps were made. however,

at the end of the day, the military requirements of a full fire and it withdrawal of russian troops have never happened. and as a matter of fact, what we're seeing now is a further escalation and further advancement of rush and forces onto granger authorial integrity. i do want to say that, you know, we're all hoping for peace. we're all hoping for some sort of a resolution to this. but at the end of the day, what president biden comes out and says that the decision has been made and has made his decision in the u. s. best that the decision to move in by russian forces has been made. that makes it very, very difficult to even dream about any kind of a peaceful solution. at the moment we're looking for de escalation, mikaela, you mentioned the hope for a peaceful solution. if there is a peaceful resolution to all that's going on right now, would there be any appetite in ukraine for uminski base settlement? look, i'm not sure that it needs to be mid space. it could be any other other city if you

like, but the reality is great. you are interested in a settlement. having said that, we are interested in also the escalation on our borders. we are not interested in having rushing cruise on our borders constantly. secondly, the dunbar crisis and the fact that there is an occupation in eastern grades should not be separated from the fact that there is an illegal annexation of crimea. and crimea has officially been now supposedly transferred to the russian federation. well, that's problematic as well. so russia and taking over 7 percent of our territory and continues to be threatening to take more. so looking at peaceful solutions, of course. but at the end of the day, i think ukrainians understand today that the existential threats that russia presents to ukraine is long term. and we will have to deal with that long term. it's not something that's going to go away tomorrow for as long as the pushing

regime remains in the ground. all right, well, we have run out of time, so we're going to have to leave our conversation there. thank you so much. all of our guests. andre cartoon of me hi, low, the net sky, and matthew bryce. and thank you for watching. you can see the program again anytime by visiting our website, al jazeera dot com and for further discussion, go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash ha. inside story, we can also join the conversation on twitter. our handle is actually a j inside story for me. mm hm. a jim, jim and a whole team here. bye for now. the ah.

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lou investigating the use and abuse of power across the globe on al jazeera. ah hello, on. has him seeka in doha, the top stories on i just hear that the ukranian president is appealing for a sci fi in the east following 2 days of sustain shelling on the front lines while edema zalinski is calling on russia's president to choose a place where the 2 leaders could meet and the french presidency has just released the statements saint joe biden and vladimir putin have accepted the principle of a summit over you. cradled them by the roots has announced russia is extending its military deployment. they're citing growing tensions near the ukrainian border.