seems like it used to playing in front of expected home crowds hoping to convince both the fan and themselves. so they really all ready to take on the world. mm. mm. a miss latimer putin gets parliamentary approval to deploy russia's armed forces to ukraine. this is a serious escalation, barbershop, anna vagrant violation of international law. the head of nato is warning there is every indication moscow is planning a full scale attack on ukraine. ah, elegant, i'm pete. adobe. you're watching al jazeera alive from our headquarters here in

dough are also coming up as ukraine berries. it's soldier killed in. don bass president loaded me as a lensky place down the risk of a major conflict. germany stops licensing approvals for rushes nord stream to gas pipeline. the u. k. impose these sanctions on russian banks and billionaires. ah, we are continuing with our coverage of the fast moving developments on the standoff between russia and ukraine. the russian parliament's has in the last 90 minutes or so approved a request from president vladimir putin to allow the deployment of russian armed forces abroad. on monday, mister putin recognized the independence of 2 breakaway regions in easton, ukraine. and these are the 2 regions we're talking about at the heart of the current turmoil, la hans and the nets. the encompass don bass were set,

protest have been fighting against ukrainian forces since 2014 nature to pitch. took a 3rd. ah, we have recognized the expanded version of the 2 ukranian breakaway regions, including their constituents, their borders were stated in their constitutions, when they were part of ukraine. and he hoped to keep in the breakaway republics, can work out their differences and the border issue isis much dosage. barry, following that, developing aspects of this crisis out of moscow. so daughter essentially does this mean mister putin can now do whatever he wants. hi, absolutely, he is the commander in chief of this country and he now has the green light from all levels of government to send russian troops anywhere for any length of time to carry out any tasks that that was his request that was put forth and the upper house of this country's parliament voted unanimously 153 senators agreed with

vladimir putin's request that he should have the power to do as he see fit. and i think this really is the, one of the last steps in what we could expect to happen in the next few days in terms of a possible escalation on the ground in dumbass, which according to some local reports, has already begun. but i think this is just another example of the a, this theatrical a game that we've seen unfold over the past 24 hours from this country's officials . and they have said that they realities on the ground in the declared republics now of the guns and dani asks, have forced them to take these actions because there is now a out of the 2000000 people that populate that area. 800000 of them hold russian citizenship and the russian defense minister even today said that they have to do everything to protect their people. and of course, that is what vladimir putin wants. everyone else involved in this narrative,

this crisis daughter still, hopefully they would say talking about a diplomatic off ramp. we got that meeting on thursday in geneva between sag elaborate and antony lincoln. mister putin not using the d. we're not talking about diplomacy. i guess the close is he came to that was when he said something along the lines of look, the quickest way to solve this crisis is if key f backs away from any idea any aspiration to join nato. ah, yes, and of course this is what was one of the main issues. russia had back in december with nato and the us, they said that nato was expansion further eastward. specifically, ukraine is not acceptable. it's a security risk for this country, puts their security under threats and that this is an issue they wanted to discuss with the americans fast forward now to nearly 2 months later. and we're at a point where many said there is no turning back because the russians believe the

united states have been ignoring their security demands. they have said that they will not talk about nato memberships at that nato has an open door policy, and russia has no right to dictate who can and cannot join this 30 member alliance . russia says, well, we're now forced to take things into our own own hands, the matters into our own hands. and i think the russian president was asked about whether or not he will send troops to a dumbass region in eastern ukraine. he said he hasn't ordered them to do so yet a that remains to be seen based on the realities that take place on the ground. but i think he wants key f to have a conversation with the separatists leaders. about not only are they are membership, desires for nato, but also about the borders. i think this is an important point, because the russians have now recognized those independent states as their borders are stated in their constitutions, which is quite significant. because according to the constitutions of those to break away regions, they actually are in control of much larger areas than they are. in reality,

those areas are definitely still very much in the hands of the ukrainian government . and even vladimir putin admitted that some of those borders are under ukrainian control, and that is what needs to be discussed. whether or not that is something key of we'll have a conversation about with the separatist leaders because they have refused to acknowledge them so far. they said they want to have a conversation with the russian officials. the russians are saying, you have to talk to the separatist leaders that are now a part of that independence and the state meant they government in ukraine has said they want. i think this is all going to play out very interesting in the next few days. and many people are hoping that it will not escalate further whether or not anthony will and can both show up in geneva on thursday and weather. surg oliver won't be there, remains to be seen, but the russian foreign minister has that he's still very much open to meeting with blake and, and i think it's gonna be very, very significant and important if the 2 men do end up meeting face to face injury

by and assuming that meeting does take place door, so that's another variable isn't to, that's another massive area of potentially, i guess you could call it aggressive ambiguity because if it's not, if it's more than just the core to break away republics tilting towards being enshrined. if you will, in, in, in this prism of, of loyalty towards the kremlin loyalty towards mister putin. charley stratford, our colleague, he's on the ground in that area. he was making the point that was saying this look, you know, think about it, village to village town, to town, village to village. they're not all pro russia. they're not all pro vladimir putin . some of those villages looked towards kia and that would be an issue from a military point of view for both the russians and the ukrainians, but it is immediately over the next couple of days. a big problem for the diplomats as well. certainly and i think this is why we

heard vladimir putin say he hasn't officially ordered any russian troops to enter ukrainian or in the just recently declared independent states in a ukraine. i think we're going to find out how things unfold in geneva between the u. x. u. s. secretary of state anthony lincoln and circular prov at i think this is seen as the last possible opportunity to see whether or not the americans will have the conversation. the russians want to have that in a put in has said he wants to discuss nato's membership. this is not something he will wait on any more. and i think the reason we've seen the recent events on felt so quickly is because he is very keen to pressure the americans to talk about this issue. whether or not the americans well is very unlikely at this stage. and i think survey lover has said, if he goes to this meeting and the americans continue the same kind of rhetoric, there really isn't a point of having dialogue continue with the americans. so i think the meeting is

going to be very important. and the told the americans come to the russians with will also be significant. but the general consensus here is that the issue of a possible conflict escalating further on the ground in a dumbass is highly likely at this stage. it just now is waiting for the final go ahead from vladimir putin who has made it very clear that he will make the decision based on the security situation on the ground. and we've already seen a number of narratives that have taken place over the past few days from the state of emergency being declared about 80000 refuge evacuees coming into russia from that region because they have evacuated the women and children and the elder, the so i think there's a lot of things that have been set up in place to get to where we are today. and i think today's events just point to a direction where nobody really wants to look at. but it seems to be enough to well, what can they achieve in geneva? is that a question?

despite for their pie, the russians are not very optimistic. daughter, thank you very much, dosage barella talking to us from the bureau in moscow. while the kremlin dismissing claims that is violating ukrainian sovereignty, bernard smith reports on that story from moscow as well. this soldier died for a country vladimir putin doesn't think should exist. the russian presidents decree recognizing a part of eastern ukraine as to new independent republics is, according to keith's defense minister, an attack on its territorial dignity. i hold the leaders of different companies which promised us that the sanctions will be of the day. and think that paper invasion the applicant, a lot of ukraine's president, as i said, he doesn't believe russia will launch all out war against his country. but he wants

the international community to react decisively against what he calls a new act of russian aggression mazama shortly believed. that by taking this decision that the russian federation creates a legal basis for further military aggression against ukraine, violating all bilateral and multilateral agreements. that's not how russia's parliament sees it. but here vladimir putin's decision is welcomed as the writing of an historical wrong, just by the annexation of crimea. no, this isn't historic day just like 7 years ago when crimea returned to the fulton, which became part of the russian federation. today now and forever, there will be 2 new sovereign states on the political map and then ask and a gun. people's republics. poochie met his counterpart from as a by john on tuesday. does the man who wants to lament it the collapse of the soviet union as the demise of historical russia, further expansionist plans? so the question is, can we predict in speculation that russia plan to restore its empire within its

imperial border? this absolutely does not correspond with reality, the contents as recognizing as independent the to break away ukrainian regions will help restore, come, adding that it remains open to diplomacy with the us and other countries. russia also dismisses allegations that extend its 4th it into eastern ukraine. the kremlin says whether it does or not, depends on how the situation develops. bernard smith, i'll just era moscow. us president joe biden will the destination in less than one hours time. alan fisher is outside the white house for us. what can we expect? do we think helen well, just been trying to get some information to see what he's going to say. no. can concrete steer. so i suspect that those discussions are still ongoing. he well known some sanctions. we know that this. they trailed that yesterday when they put in limited sanctions on the 2 brick away republics in any one doing business with them. we're expecting him to target the russian banking sector. perhaps the

technology sector and some of the oligarchs are very close to vladimir putin himself. it's unlikely that he's going to go for the full raft of sanctions that he's talked about for weeks. if there was to be a russian invasion of troops where to cross the border, that's to give him a diplomatic or from no as far as senior members of the white house are concerned, people like joe biden, of sacristy antony, blinking. they haven't used the i would envision, but the deputy national security adviser has an a television interview in the last few hours said that he sees this is the start of an invasion. that's really a call for joe biden to make him will find out in the next hour if he sees this as that envision certainly he's coming under pressure from both republicans and democrats here in washington to impose a stronger sanctions on vladimir putin that he's going to do mitch mcconnell, who is the leader of the republicans in the senate, he has said he wants to see more action. as for donald trump, still a significant voice in the republican party. he says,

this simply wouldn't happened. had he been in the white house, the reality is joe biden is in the white house now. he says he has a range of options available to him. but the see the diplomatic pressure as being successful. you remember that the german chancellor was here the white house just a couple of weeks ago. i was here when he arrived. and joe biden was very keen to make sure that if the russians did anything that put pressure on ukraine, the not stream to would be gone. and we've heard in the last couple of hours that it's gone. people here at the white house see that as a diplomatic victory for joe biden, and the think there could be more. but there hopeful the vladimir certain will be susceptible to economic pressure, but also to some diplomatic discussions that chat with antony blinking. and cellular rav for the moment in geneva, still on for thursday to the sanctions, have to be targeted big, impactful, but also proportionate. ellen, because if they, if they crossed the line of proportionality, i guess there's

a worry for the state department planners with that. thinking about that meeting an engineer on thursday. that may be, if they go too far, mister putin might overreacts and think a, well, i got the green light to do what i want to do with my troops. here we go. there has been pressure on joe biden to impose sanctions before vladimir putin even announced what he was going to do on monday. but there's been a reluctance to do that from this white house because they say, well, the threat of sanctions are there. it's keeping vladimir putin in place now that he's taken a step that the white house fuses unacceptable. then there is the possibility of more sanctions, but they don't want to through the kitchen sink at vladimir putin at the moment, simply because as you say, he'll then simply say, well, what ever got to lose? and it could well leads to a full invasion of ukraine, whether or not he wants to do that at this stage, only vladimir put noise, but you remember that joe biden on friday said that he thought he'd made the

decision that he was going to go ahead with the invasion, so in the next hour we'll find out a bit more of joe biden's thinking on ukraine. certainly this is a big crisis. they're trying to manage it as best they can. and just in the last 10 minutes or so, lloyd austin, who is the defense secretary said that it was that there was no reason to invade ukraine. so he also using the i ward i a feller, i'm going to pause you there to which i apologize. sanctions coming from washington sanctions coming from london and also from the e. u. we understand there's been a missing a, b u foreign ministers in paris. less listening. of course, we are here. we were the here in paris. if in the for the in the pacific meeting to law, say head, freshly, 14, now today, we will know that yesterday, mister putin, b, the nest decided to recognise the public,

the public republics of yellowish new homes, expedition, shylie danielle and in exc. and as a result, russian troops have levy zebra now entered into that ukraine in territory. and as you can imagine, this is a very serious accent. the fact that we knew this was coming does not take away from the severity of like all these actions. this tears ask the minks agreement, verify omega, and you regular margaret, i fish, indeed, new russia. so this is the alpha and omega of the ukrainian crisis. so he didn't deal, has the 60 general for united nations has said this is a violation of into their territorial integrity of ukraine and the violation of international doubt law that actually has been established by united nations. and this is not me saying, as this inspector general united nation matching a song and in the debate that has been chosen there for this breach event is not

a coincidence. the 22nd of february. that in fact, is the 8th anniversary. probably more of the ousting by the ukrainian parliamentary thou of the former president. yeah. new coverage. he did, i think while they're at him and the victory of democracy, but follow to say, come see, this is patty, this is ashley. so mr. garcia to, to let say it was saying at the end of play time, let's say the end of the democratic play time. was he for that? you, craig? so he really did have the state very clearly a maya able to get on it. if you allow me, i will continue in english. so we're in a particularly dangerous mom and for you it up then by using to decrease recall nation to so call people's republic of done x and look, hence, put in has on that, remind your credential brain t and the decision of sending out. so call peacekeeping mission.

moving, drilled into grain is a clear escalation of the russia aggression against ukraine. this, her development follow very much the kremlin play book that we already know from 2014, and 2008. a learning from history. we know clearly what can be the next steps and in front of the situation today, it means with a strict response. after 24 hours of her handing work with him was today, there was a donation to was fun, robustly. the latest event would reach an agreement between the twenty's have a member to stage a unanimous agreement drove up a package of sanctions that they presented to the conceal after long hours of

negotiations, which remember stage and due to be in union institutions. this package of sanctions that has been approved by unanimity of a member to states where hurt russia and he would hurt a lot. and we are doing that in a strong coordination with our pardon us, us, your gate and canada. with whom i have been in close contact during these hours. so what is this baggage do they, we have agreed that the $3051.00 members of the russia state duma voted this violation of international law and order total integrity. and sure range of grain will be listed in our sanctions list. we are going to target 27 individuals and entities who are playing

a role in undermining or threatening ukrainian territorial integrity. so very deep and independence and this person's and entities ah, in the following 3 areas. first, the decision makers responsible for the threatening ukrainian and it is supporting financially on materially or benefiting from them. doors in the defense sector, who have been playing a role in the invasion and business, that relation actions and those who wage this information war against ukraine and banks. banks that are financing russian decision makers and other operations in dose territories. we also target to can i make relations between the 2 regions and it would be an union exactly as we did in the crimea gauge to

ensure that those responsible greeley field economic consequences of the illegal and aggressive actions. and last but not least, because these are very important, we target the ability of the russia and the state and government to access to our capital and financial market and services. limiting the financing offer be abolished through limiting the axis of the us from the rain dead. go off and i shall march. also, this package has been completed by one decision that doesn't belong to the to be an union, but to germany. and i want to say a worked reputation to germany for making our united message today a strong, still more strong by announcing that day is stop the qualification and

admin, sir. they're working on their nor steam dual bagley that request that has been presented many times by some member to stage a d u. s. i. when it was, i was in order to build dis package. i been in close contact with her. our bonus also with mr. clever, if putting a 1st minister of grain, assuring him bella support solidarity in these grade, i was recommended him for his restrain and distress that this restraint would be needed more than ever in the coming days. because we are afraid, we believe that this story has not finish. we also looking grossly, but the next move embellish, who hath, at 8,

and supported the russian actions contributing to undermine and threatened to retorted integrity of the green. and i am ready to put on the table as a deep day, a suggestion to enlarge the listing criteria to capture doors will provide support or benefit from the russian government. i mean, johnny, that in plain language her joseph barrel, they're taking us through what they've agreed to do when it comes to more sanctions are being aimed at the russian governments. mr. barrell saying the mist minsk agreements have been torn up in effect by the actions of the russian president and also his supporters in those to break away regions which i've now been declared as independent states, i guess. or in easton ukraine, you'll be hearing a lot of talk of the minsk agreements just to be clear for you that was a series of international freemans that sought to end the war in the don bass region. going back her 7 and

a half 8 years now. did it stop the fighting in eastern ukraine? no, it didn't. so they came up with something else called minsk too. did that stop the fighting in the area of eastern ukraine? no, it didn't. the fighting has been ongoing for the past 8 years, but mr. beryl, they're telling us her members of the duma listed on the sanctions list of 27 people and entities are being targeted by this. and crucially, this is the biggest aspect of what they're announcing there for the european union out of paris at the russian government will not get access to the e u market. so in effect, the entire global russian economy or the footprint of the russian economy, is now being constrained inside a big box or a big bubble, call it what you will, but in effect, it is being sealed off to the rest of the world. let's bring in my colleague my one rachada. he's out as you're a senior political analyst so much to talk about here morrow. and let's talk about

diplomacy. geneva thursday. the u. s. secretary of state mr. blinkin. sitting down, we think with his russian opposite number, sir gay love roth is diplomacy dead? absolutely not. there's nothing more important than diplomacy today. not even sanctions. not even blackmail, not even military threats. the most important things to day that everyone needs to get behind is diplomacy. russia is not iraq. russia is not iran. you cannot slack brush down with, with, with, with that was set and military divisions and you can slap it down the sanctions. simply, russia is a global power as a nuclear power, and the only language russia wouldn't understand is that of diplomacy. now, this diplomacy could be supported by the fact of sanchez by certain leverage. but

in the end of the day, it has to be diplomacy. there is no other way to save that people of ukraine. there is no way really going down the road of escalation and saving cave saving 50000000 people from the nightmare to war. but diplomacy, we know that regional certainly international bowers, when it comes to their national interest, that immediate interests their security. they don't give a damn about sanctions, even if it comes from the europeans who are actually russia's biggest, threatened threatening partner. so in fact, us al jazeera, not being, ah, russian or american for that matter, really looking at things from a fresh perspective. i would say of as someone who has really been watching

a certain escalation of setting conflicts drive the world throughout that our sanctuary is that this is a moment in history to where we must all, including the europeans. certainly the europeans who are their feel is closer to the fire, to support that the primitive process. and if it's going to be between washington and moscow, so be it. so what are the weight bearing stepping stones that the diplomats can build on here? i mean, what are the issues that they can, they can break down and turn around from being a holy negative situation to being a partially positive situation. that's a very good question i'd, i would say the following. i would say that the fact that we have reached such a deadlock after 8 years. everyone needs to learn the lesson. the fact that 1st the years after the end of the cold war, we're back now to some form of a cold war 2. if you know when you study in person, and i must say,

it's been clear to us and i hear the debate, the last 24 hours in our china, in every other channel, in the newspaper pages about how put in has really done something that is not doable whether it is violation of international law, violet, and you can somebody else on so forth. but i don't think we've talked enough about the west's i responsibility over the last 30 years leading to this a deadlock that we are in now leading to this escalation. and certainly from 2008 when they opened the way for ukraine's membership and natal, 70 inch 2014. when they allowed the mask agreement to go and implemented. and certainly with the free points that the west would not address and wouldn't have spoken about them yesterday. again, that doesn't justify his violation or his invasion of ukraine. but certainly, the 3 points he mentioned about, and it was expansion to his borders a by the deployment of nuclear missiles in europe. i bought

a fresh look at european security structure. these are negotiable, important issues. not only for russia, also 40 euro, also for the long term security and durability of a stability in europe and the united states should be on board. but if we have an american president who's an old war liberal, and who is nostalgia to the cold war world, that's a different ball game. if we have a russian president who is the subject or gold war, again, that's different. and that's why europeans and others need to really get behind the premises. he in the sense that there is no better option. war is not a good option because it wouldn't lead to something worse than conventional confrontation. now when we're talking about the nuclear powers right there, one fan sitting with nominee due to students are up. she could, we are killing out to an annex program very briefly. i apologize for cutting across you posted is there one aspect to the one.