or snatcher wages like but republicans in their response, argued biden has sent the country back to the early 19 eighties. when ran away, inflation was hammering families. a violent crime wave was crashing our cities and the soviet army was trying to redraw the world map. on wednesday, president biden travels to the us state of wisconsin to sell his domestic agenda. but foreign policy challenges in ukraine are almost certain to overshadow that efforts. he really hell hit al jazeera capitol hill. ah, how fast they are. these are the latest updates from ukraine, russian paratroopers of landed around the 2nd largest city car keys, a city which has endured the worst bombing since russia began its invasion. 6 days ago. officials say 21 people have been killed in the past day mo,

from andrew simmons at he's in the western city of living. there are power troopers reported to be on the outskirts of the city. they were fought though. what preceded that was a colossal or massive blast at the, in the military airfield, up something like 67 kilometers outside the city. it filled the night sky. it was, in fact a secondary explosion to the missile strike, which took out a rock hits miss oils bombs. what looked like it almost looked like a nuclear explosion. it was huge. at let's look at cave itself now. the capital which is bracing for a russian assaults, hundreds of military vehicles advancing on the city and missile, and artillery strikes have been intensifying. one of the latest targets to be hit was a tv broadcast tower heading. so the south sun russian forces are in control of the

city of harrison and the strategic port, city of mario pole as well, surrounded and under constant bombardment. your friends government also says 4 people, including a child of been killed after russian cruise missiles hit residential buildings in the west emergency services. the strike set 3 homes on fire and brought windows in a hospital. the city of you, the mirror is home to an elite air assault brigade that may have been the intended target. and as you've just been seeing in that kimberly's report, you as president joe biden used his state of the union address, turn out small measures against moscow. he is closing us air space to all russian aircraft. and he says he will be going after pro kremlin oligarchs, that you got, you're up to date with the latest headlines from the russia. ukraine war inside story is coming next. talk to al jazeera. we do you believe that the

threat of an invasion of ukraine is currently the biggest threat international peace and security? we listen, we are focusing so much on the human italian crisis that we forget the long term development. we meet with global news makers and talk about the stories that matter on our era. the can you have a military power of its own? the war in ukraine has pushed many countries in the continent to ramp up the defense spending. but is that enough? the counter external threats. this is inside sort ah, ah hello, welcome to the program i'm has, i'm seeking, rushes, invasion of ukraine has treated policy shifts across europe, among them, a change in germany's policy on military spending. for more than 30 years, the defense budget has been a low priority for german governments. but in the words of german chancellor olive

shots, russia's actions in the continents marked a turning point in how his country views itself in europe. in a historic shift, he committed to raising germany military spending to 2 percent of its gdp. that's more than a $111000000000.00. shells also said germany would supply ukraine with lisa weapons opening the door for many of its allies to do the same. and military agreements, germany has for years banned, weapons is sold to its partners from being transferred into conflicts of year 11. i met type and we are experiencing a turning point on this means that the world after this is no longer the same as the world before it. in essence, it's a question of whether power can break right. whether we allow potent to turn back to clocks, the time of the great powers of the 19th century, or whether we have the strength to set limits to warmongers like

we will set up a special going to swear funds for this purpose. and i am very grateful to the federal finance minister for his support on their side. the 2022 federal budget will provide this special fund with a one time sum of 100000000000 euros. and we will use this fund for necessary investments and armament projects. from now on year after year we will invest more than 2 percent of the gross domestic product in our defense. in times of peace countries rarely allocate more than 5 percent of the gross domestic product or military spending. but when there's a war that rises quickly take suit some comparisons for context jointly. last year of the 2nd world war, the united states defense spending was about 40 percent of g. d. p. in 2020, it was less than 4 percent. the united kingdom's military spending in peacetime, fluctuates around 2.5 percent at the height of the 2nd war, the u. k. was spending around 53 percent of its g d p. on its military. there is no

clear data on how much france spent between 1940 and 45, though it's estimated to have been 2 in 40 and 60 percent. france spent 2 percent in 2020, and germany is estimated to spend around 50 percent more than 7 decades ago. 2 years ago. it was 1.5 percent the of morris. i'm joined by i guess in car key ukraine is maria of dave, a specialist on e reclaimed with a license and head of research for the european expert association in london, andrea andrea creek author and seen electra at the school of security studies in the defense study department at kings college and joining us from brussels, theresa fallon, director at the center for russia, europe, asia studies. theresa is a former member of the advisors group, nato sacker. i thanks so much for joining us. so, maria,

if i could start with you, presumably this is welcome news. in key of the germany, the biggest economy in europe is going to ramp up it's defense spending, but i want to ask you as well, since you are talking to us from there. at the time of, of us recording this, there have been some large scale attacks on hawk if hopefully you are, you are safe. but i just want, if you could talk to me about what the situation is there and what the atmosphere is like for people that yeah, so the thank you very much for having mer russia sheylan harkins, 6 days already. and yesterday and today it was special in so yesterday we have seen that the russian grad system used to deliberately and targeted the against the residential area in car q. and we have a confirmed to see the land. so that's and am on them 2 children,

one of their okay, got into the car where their family was at the moment and the car completely burned out. so they were deliberately targets in residential areas and the facilities for, for normal infrastructure like a guest infrastructure. what infrastructure that means that the, within the expertise that he's bleed creek sex 6, i did in the book as he probably of what we're thinking about. and now he's taking the whole one on the house. milan was the just and trying to blockade the theater because people because of the constant shell and completely locked to where they are. that's basement shelter metro. so they with them there and spend and therefore the cold day and night there is shorter just of food supplies for water supplies,

medical for live. and it's not possible now to bring it to the city because of the constant challenge and the day what's especially striking because at 8 am in the morning russia launch, throw kids to the building or the main administrative build done. we just did it in the central square and the reach was the symbolic. but place for hark, because it's where there are the flag east and the all the local government is situated there. so the building is now is completely destroyed. the there the latest, the latest reports say that the, the 10 people are buried under the, under what was left to problems and build them. and the cell is continuous. i myself had to move to court door in my crowd because i have heard very close. there was the, the, the sound of the aircraft and the bombard, nurse, or,

or other kinds of aircraft, very close supply. and they know been and shell in the residential area in har gifts. so that's completely seen in ukraine at the ex or can the side against your brain. nancy, both and russia is committed. right, right now, crime. and we are really looking for what that this case will be will be followed very quickly. and that the russian officials that are responsible for that will be known as a war criminals. and this is craig, how significant a shift is this for germany? for now, it's just a narrative, right? i mean, germany has had added very difficult after the cold war to actually define it was old data. where does it stand? and found actually, very difficult to define is foreign and security policy. post code will call

a post what we're to, but obviously was quickly embedded into nato and then really kind of follow the need to lead because it was really the ground 0 of the cold war. but obviously, as the, you know, the iron curtain came down and you know, we have this expansion to eastern europe of the european union. germany never really defined what it actually stands for. it's a country that, for the most part, defines its foreign policy by or conducted foreign policy by commercial interest in advancing commercial interest. even the european union has been a means for the industrial complex and germany to advance its interests. but beyond that, in terms of values, in terms of actually do strategic interest, jamie hasn't really defined who it actually is and it has played a much smaller role in europe and in the security architecture of your than it. it's actually weight economic weight in, in europe. and now what we see is it is a new narrative emerging for the 1st time germans are thinking about actually the entire policy towards russia has failed. and then i'm trying to rethink that. but

for now we, we need to be very careful. yeah, i mean, the german government is a coalition government. the child has made a speech without actually talking to the various parties in the coalition and, and think about what it actually is that germany wants to achieve. so for now, this is a fair, fairly hollow. and the problem of germany, again, is not about how much money it's spending, because it has spent money. but it's how it's spending the money. and most importantly, how it defines itself. what does that is only to what does germany stand for? and you know, that's what a strategy is all about. strategies about 1st and foremost, defining your grand strategic narrative, defining your end and your objectives before you actually then go and developing capability, which is which is something that germany is lacking, obviously as well. theresa fallon is this also the recognition of a new reality in your well, i just want to say her part of the last because comment. so i hope i don't repeat anything he has said. and i also want to just to lou to maria,

i watch you on other networks and i'm just amazed that you're bravery in regard to europe. yes. hooton's moves and ukraine have galvanized opinion across europe. germany is the largest country in europe, the most powerful and the fact that they have announced these changes, i think is very, very important. some have seen as a little too little too late. if they hadn't known the sanctions. and these actions this could have, could have prevented pollutants calculus for invading ukraine. but we are where we are now. and i think that this is a very key moment. it's the 1st time in the history of the you that they will actually fund weapons. this is a huge watershed moment and i think that i heard an official yesterday at a conference date that the 1st time in 20 years. he feels proud of europe, common security and defense policy known as c s d p. it. so that means in 20 years, he never felt proud of it until what happened now. so i think that we're seeing

a change in europe, which is very important. germany, yes, it's good that they've agreed to this, but they agreed back in 2006 to meet 2 percent of their g p 2 and they haven't done it. so announcing that they're going to do that now. yes. give out on the back, but they promised to do this in 2006 and i think that they have fallen into line because they see what is happening in the neighborhood and that they have no other option. so putting has gotten far more than he expected, a more united europe, more support for nato and germany, which is no longer sitting on the fence. and if we zoom out a bit, this has much larger ramifications for germany's relationship with china. therefore, the rest of europe, because germany is the biggest trade partner china in europe. and they, since a february, 4th, signature of the she agreement, many have seen that as a non aggression pact. and so we've seen putting move troops from russia's far east

after meeting with jim ping in beijing before the olympics, and he's able to move troops towards ukraine. he couldn't do that unless he had agreement from china. and in addition, you know, they both were the same kind of color suit, shirt and tie. they're coordinating far more in space and other areas. and in that agreement, it's a $5000.00 word agreement. china said that they supported russia, moves in regard to nato, that they would also build a pipeline. and also, you know, there is a question mark over china. how will they act? will they really help russia? so the biggest loser in this is probably russia because they will be far more a junior partner to china than they ever dreamed of. maria deva, if putin was trying to weaken and divide nato, he's done the complete opposite. now has an easy as any, strengthened in united europe against him. absolutely, the strategy of russia was aim to all the time and to find vulnerable it just inside europe and tried to use them. and they've operated successful in some

countries doing that and they use it for, for that there's information a lot. and what he says now, i think he didn't expect to see that europe is now united. and he, he is, he's now says that the only means for russia are now to threat on throw. there is to use of nuclear weapons because he said yesterday that he's put in a nuclear app on a system on the high alert. and also this is a question that is discussed in the rush, no media media, and that's the only option. and we can now has to threaten to other because he sees that strategy is not working. and the nato countries and the alliance and the europe is more united than ever. and you probably know the president in the field. so you, for the ukraine to be part of the european union. and the process is,

of course, will been not weak, but then it means a lot for ukraine now, because what makes our was strong is that we see that we have support from all other countries across the world and support both like in terms of general support to the people but also support in by up on the fly in flight or just supply in economics and partially come nomic sanctions on the roster. no switzerland which was always a neutral country express sanction with tim. and the last time they did the what the against hitler during world war 2. so we see now that the, the role fees put in and his regime as a threat to the whole. and that means that he will be 5. and my guess is that the that he will lose the game because he has excel and not

a lot to put on the table and they're brought just inside rush are, are grow because yeah, ok. if i can tend to andrea now, how, how much public support does, does this policy change? have not just in germany, but throughout to europe. i mean, we sold us protests in berlin the day before. that does, that does seem to be a certain amount of popular support for this doesn't that? yeah, no, i mean, as the railing moment across european capitals, we've seen definitely the public expressions of solidarity with the brain, which is is at least some sort of of hope that things might turn into the right direction. but we shouldn't be completely fooled. i mean, there is, there are minority infringe groups with minority then french groups in, in europe, within the european union that the previous speaker already alluded to that have been courted by the russians and have kind of taken it pro russian position. and

many of those people in the cynical n t western can particularly anti american, anti, they call the american imperialist, come, are still in the campbell, russia, and they are not condemning russia. so i think one of the majority, vast majority is very much on the streets to support ukraine. ukraine. the russians have really invested for many, many decades. olson, germany into groups on the far left and the far right to kind of take up the, the russian cause and support tutoring. and this call of cynicism has, you know, even in german parliament and we've seen problem people within the, the left of the ruling social democratic party and the left party as well as still taking a very, very strong pro putting standpoint. and obviously most families, schroeder, the former chancellor, germany, also social democrats, is still serving on russian energy companies, boards. and he's still a very close friend of putin. so there is quite a lot that needs to be done. and i think there. busy is also that is something that

worries me a little bit because i think the left within this current german government is still not necessarily on board of with that militaristic poster that chances jewels took in that speech. and i think a lot of discussion will still have to happen. and also that goes to the german public more widely. the german public more widely is passive. this is anti militarist. and for them to actually swallow, not just a 100000000000 being spent, but then that. and that's the more important question then actually allowing the military to take more protective expos or position. i don't see that happening at the moment because i think again, it says all the time germany is post world war 2, very much against war against the use of hard power. and it will take some time to, for that to actually think in and people to mobilize and saying, we want to take more power. and let's not forget those people in the streets in germany, in berlin, in cologne. over the last couple of days, there are protesting against war that also means against re element against the use

of arms. and i think that will be an obstacle, and in germany actually ever taking a more proactive position in the, in the likes with the likes of, of france, the u. k. or the united states. or let's put some of that to it. to teresa then, germany has historically been a verse, hasn't to having a largest stronger and military. is it the scars of world war 2? and will, as, as andrea suggests, will it take time for the german, many in the german public to digest that many analysts have noted the angel merkel, for example, would take advantage when the public opinion had shipped it like this to really drive a new policy. and so that's what appears to be happening. i mean, well, the proof is in the pudding, but i really think that this has been a galvanizing moment because people are watching more in their living rooms on their television screens. and they can't believe it was happening. so i think that people, as the german free democrat finance minister said it's an investment in our own

freedom that they have to understand that they can no longer be so pacifist, there was a big debate even, you know, as everyone know, they only sent 5000 home it to the point ukrainians. and that became a mean and a joke. and jimmy felt rather humiliated by that. there were how answers that were built when eastern germany, when germany was divided and because of rules and regulations, you know, had been sent to stone. yes. only had to ask permission from germany and they could send it to you. and they said no, that was kind of an easy no brainer. they could have just let this tony and send it . it had no money had to change hands, nothing. but there was such strong disagreement on that. so i think the, the parameter has moved dramatically in germany and i think the public, we've seen the protest, and i think that this idea of, you know, rushes influence carefully cultivated influence network across europe has crumbled . we've seen all of these former leaders who are on the boards of russian companies

in their articles and in leading newspapers, citing all of these german or austrian british leaders who are russia payroll and they have resigned from their positions and noted former german chancellor schroeder has not so he's kind of a weird outlier, but he's been, you know, eating at the russian truck for quite a long time now. and i think that this has the unintended consequence, you know, sunshine is the best for transparency. and this idea of this under really broad, this idea of. 1 germany turning towards the east trading more with russia will make them more peaceful towards them. all of this is just been blown out of the water. so the fact that germany is 55 percent reliant on german and russian energy is unbelievable. i remember in the eighty's when ronald reagan was born in germany, no more than 25 tops, 30 percent dependence on russian energy. so 55 percent. i don't care if your

neighbors, canada, you should diversify. you should not be relying on any one country for that amount of energy. so i think there has to be a rethink. and this was also, chancellor schultz announced funding for to emergency l and g plans. these take a long time to build, but it means that liquefied natural gas plants will be built so that they will diversify their energy. so i think that germany is really taking a massive change when you look at they wouldn't even allow somehow answers and they were only pledging home it. so i think that, yes, it's a bit late, but it's a very promising change. and i think this is all part of the strategic narrative of your they're coming up with their own strategic compass. maria deva, from way you said, do you feel that you should have seen is coming? yes, i think that the ukraine hasn't been given the nato membership in 2008 when russia started the war against georgia. and so now we will be discussing possibly

different issues, and that will not happen. russia's aggression. so i think that, so that was a big mistake and, but we are, as we have already said, where we are now. and i know before the invasion, actually ukraine asked many times already to put severe sanctions on russia. but, you know, in the countries of europe, we'll wait until the rush hour will actually in wait, and now we have a war grimes here, and that the humanitarian crisis on the verge of beginning. so what i would also like to say is that, like, what could stop russia and what would also make this support and make the unity of the european countries greater? is that actually now we're a witness in here, the war crimes actually because russia is killing c. v lands by the,

by the weapons that are restricted that are prohibited because it, they use a region near hard. so meaning that is having that in mind. it might lead that the russian officials won't be a no, i don't want to be in, in, don't want to get into court as war criminals. and that probably they will somehow try to change the put into position on that an insulin that and that is why it is really important to now to give it as much information to the world as possible to what actually is going on in your grain. because what jim wants to show he is colon this special military ration was sometimes a resort in western media. are you great non crisis or russian ukraine,

unquote. look, it is not, it says the russian war against the sovereign state, though that this must be put clear. and when every one you know is on this position and understand that russia will not stop in your brain. russia already have full control over the territory or below was because it is launch in the files and rockets from the territory of bill and balise, the crockett as well. the us today are launched from there. and today we have information that bill are we are, is already on right now on it or yes. so i wanted to say that now they're really close to the baltic states and to the poland. so what will be next? you know, we're going to have to leave it there. thanks very much. all 3 of you for talking to us. maria de la, a in a car. andrea creek in london and theresa fallon in brussels. thanks so much for being on. and so i story and thank he was always for watching. remember, you can see this program again any time by visiting our website. i just see the dot

com and for further discussion, go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash a j inside stored. you can also join the conversation on twitter handle. there is as a inside story for me hasn't. and the whole team here in doha lesson in the me, we understand the differences, minorities of conscious across the world. are you taking out 0 or bringing the news and current affairs? ah, there long full pathogens are increasingly affecting our lives with terrible consequences. a new documentary asks whether we've learned any lessons from the h. i. v. epidemic in the fight against coven 19. how we ignored the global sov. to

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exclusive interviews and in depth reports. this is mama, this is tyler. g 0 has teens on the ground to bring you more award winning documentaries and lied nice. ah . the russian military claims it's taking control of the strategically important city of kept sun in the south of ukraine and russian power troop is of landed on the outskirts outskirts of car key as they intensify their push to capture ukraine . second biggest city. ah, hello again. i'm come all santa maria here in doha, continuing coverage on al jazeera of the russia ukraine in his state of the union address. you as president has vowed rush.