al jazeera selects in just under a year's time catholic al bait stadium will host the opening match of the 2022 world cup. the official opening of the stadium came on day one of the ira cup, but many friends were already counting down to the big kick off next november 10, 22. as this tournament on fall over the coming days will play a key role. but organize is getting ready to host the middle east, the biggest ever sporting event next year for the castle national team like it used to playing in front of expected home crowds. they'll be hoping to convince both the fan and themselves. so they really all ready to take on the world. ah, i'm sammy's a down in dallas. i look at the headlines here now just here. now,

joe biden is met japan's prime minister. excuse me, during his 1st visit, the country is u. s. president. to talks about russia's war in ukraine, the need to monitor and cub chinese influence in the pacific region and agreed to expand security and defense cooperation. bivens also supported japan bids to become a permanent member of the un security council. now. sure to a nice, you know, more thought today we had frank and useful discussions on international matters. first, on rushes, egregious aggression unilateral tends to change. the status quo by force are totally unacceptable. and we reaffirmed to respond resolutely together with the international community. confirmation was made to support fully the government and people of ukraine. we also discussed the impact on the indo pacific china. we continue to monitor closely recent activities of the chinese navy and joint exercises with russia. and we strongly oppose the attempt to change the status quo

by force. strong japan and a strong u. s. japan alliance is a force for good in the region. i support the patient stability that's going to continue and we hope increase across the taiwan straits. promote freedom of navigation in the east and south china seas and to deter a democratic people's republic of korea. so thank you again mister prime minister for your partnership and your friendship. antony albany has been sworn in as a strategy as new prime minister. albany is, is victory in saturday's election ended almost a decade. the rule by the conservative coalition, led by formerly to scott morrison. i'm now be heading to toko to hold talks with biden and other called leaders, where china's growing influence in the region is likely to be raised. what i have said, and we maintain new set, the relationship with china will remain a difficult one. i said that before the election that has not changed. it is china

that has changed, not a style. ya, an australia should always stand up for our values. and we will in a government that i laid iran's elite minute for unit the revolutionary god says one of the senior members has been assassinated and wrong in a separate development around state tv announced the arrest of members of an israeli intelligence network. israel has bob, the entry of the head of a european union delegation. it was going to review the situation and occupied east jerusalem, the west bank and gaza. the entire delegation has now been forced to cancel this trip. millions are stranded in bangladesh and india where floods of submerged villages. rail links have been cut off in the northeast indian state of thumb, where more rain is forecast. indonesia started exporting palm oil again after a 3 week band. it was part of an effort to temper soaring prices for cooking oil in

denisia produces bolden, 60 percent of the global supply of palm oil. it's the bottom line. now stay with us. on top of what we need to know that on this which i don't need to be with them. when you look at me, when you get to me, i just need to i need you to whom and ya today. and we're going to, you will be set up with me i'm a lot of them at the book. if you're the one i don't want

me shooting off the edge of the me, the higher steve clements and i have a question as it plays a key role in the war in ukraine and rallies against russian expansionism. how does poland see the future of this conflict? and its role in the world. let's get to the bottom line. ah. since day one,

poland has stood firmly beside ukraine as it tries to defend itself against russia's invasion, the atrocities of war. they are in an unknown future. about half of the ukrainian refugees fleeing this war. around 3000000 people have been absorbed by poland. and it's been the major passageway for nato, provided weapons flowing into ukraine for the last 3 months. but it hasn't been easy. russian political and military leaders are now threatening war, saw for providing material support for ukraine. and according to some recent estimates, polling gets more than half of its energy from russia is trying to end its dependency on russia that poland is a large nation and supplies will need to be back stop by the western allies. but will the math of all this add up? joining me today is polling ambassador to the united states america, mac year, off ski. before arriving in washington, last fall, he was poland ambassador to israel, and for more than 20 years before that he was a journalist and columnist in his country. ambassador, thank you so much for joining us. so you know that having that is great. i mean, you, you understand the journalist questions and the given take,

and i really appreciate you being here today. but what i'd like to give our audience and understanding of is how is the polish citizen see across its border into what's happening in ukraine, and what are they feeling? what are they seeing and how is it absolutely relevant to their lives? what parish citizens see you now in a career is about barring war on laced by and autocratic regime against an independent and free con train. i've always been pretty adamant that i've said repeatedly during my stay here in washington that we are facing on eminent threats . we have been talking about russia as near burial ambitions all along and nobody listened, at least in europe. there were many countries which conceded poles, my fellow countrymen, as paranoid and bruce have fall bait. mary turns out to do. right, for so many years for decades about russia's real intent on our continent. and

it was a picture i think is really important. and you said it because i remember when poland would outline its concerns. it would ask for more u. s. military nato military forces to be deployed in poland. but there was this view that russia was kind of a basket case, and it would never create the kind of tensions and threat that it has. now, when did that shift? you know, i'm lucky to have lived under both systems because i was born on to communism and i experience command economy. and then i lived on to democracy and savage capitalism, which i enjoyed so much, especially at the beginning of the ninety's an hour. i know something about a soviet mentality and you can see vestiges, if you will, of that. so been mentality in contemporary russia, especially among the political leads which now rule this country from the kremlin. i believe it's there. i'm not saying so it's very, it's extremely difficult for me to predict what will happen in russia over the next

2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years, let alone europe toward extends russia. we'll try to stabilize the situation in the whole region. i think pertain it's no secret put in has an obsession with the korean, we can only remind all of you as all stat famous essay he wrote and published in july last year in which he claimed the russians and ukraine in all the same nation. they showed the same history paradoxically, what food has proven so far since the beginning of his war and russia's war against green is the mere fact that russians and ukraine is not the same nation. so he has strengthened, they agree in national identity. and of course, if he going back to your initial question about violence, role and food and vision, i believe that hooton's main fear is to have a prosperous,

wealthy country at russia's border, a post service republic. we're lucky not to be soviet republic. after world war 2, ukraine was a favorite republic for decades. and this is the domain of preoccupation and main apprehension of the russian ruling class nowadays. no, i don't want to ask you to speak for the russian people, but i'm going to anyway, there's another dimension here where we see polls that show a lot of support for now i happen to know a lot of russian people and i, and least the ones i've talked to don't feel such support, they don't, they can't talk publicly about it without fear of, you know, incredible reprisal and threats from the russian government. but, you know, when you sort of look at what's unfolding, what happening and russia's being isolated right now? you're the closest, you know, russian folks, are they not getting a sense of the crisis that essentially they're going to be cut off from so much of

what we consider madera unity now putting came to power and the 2000. so it's been more than 22 years of brainwashing and indoctrination. as i said, putting lives with his obsession, he actually lives in the past, not in the present. he still feels humiliated. it was him who defined the collapse of the soviet union and the fall of communism as the greatest ah, calamity. or in terms of fer geopolitics in the 20th century. those warehouse brit here. his precise words, ah, defining that watershed moment in europe's history. he is feeding himself with better obsession, so he also can feed of the russians not only himself, but also the russian society as humiliated, constantly humiliated by nato by the west. by the free world, he's not using duster but we should start using this term. the free world, ah, just opposed to water the russian society is experiencing now. so i'm on

the one hand, i am not surprised by all those balls which have been coming out over the last weeks. not only some of them are relatively credible about the russian societies and the russian populations support for the war. and for booting himself between 70 and 80 percent of of the people are supportive for military operation. and he agreed, ah, i again, i think that maybe those numbers are not precise, but it's a imaginable that this is uh, more or less the support booting is enjoying right now in the russian society early because maybe not only, maybe don, this is not the only factor and the only reason that are a bad, principally because of that sense of humiliation. and because of that a sense of in circle meant by data, which is a completely false claim. but i would say deeply embedded in the russian collective

psyche. you know, another thing we've all been watching is sort of the heroism of the polish people on another front. and that is providing homes for ukrainian refugees. i mean, millions and millions of people. and to my knowledge, you don't have refugee camps. you don't have, it's a very different kind of absorption of ukrainian people in it begs the question of what's going on? how does poland carry that load? because even if millions of refugees are going to homes, that's a huge demand on infrastructure. and of course, it may eventually change, you know, the pool of talent that you have working on support. this is a long term thing can. can you give our watchers and understanding our match? are not surprised by that article, ringo. solidarity and sympathy towards our grading breath. red awe maybe slightly. but we've always been generous. i think that the image of, of potent as a country which is somehow inherently anti immigrant. aah!

is completely false. totally distorted. so i'm not, i was not surprised by that outburst of solid charity on the part of the polish fight. you're absolutely right. there are no refugee camps in permanent. this is probably the 1st humanitarian price in the refugee crisis in europe. history in which the host country does not need to build rapid gas. we've had some of a few congressional delegations coming to boat and from america. and many of those congressmen were asking to f o d content bugs. well, the rapids go through, we'd like to visit one. unfortunately, they couldn't. ah, but they did meet with you korean, and refugees who all of course, extremely grateful to falls under the buddhist society for that reception. i. on the other hand, also, of course, is a huge burden. also, 3400000 refugees who have already crossed the border into poland since the beginning of the hostilities. ah,

some of them re emigrated to other european countries. some of them it returned to ukraine. by the way, i thanks to a bill which was approved by the polish parliament a few weeks ago. all those green and refugees can apply for parish id more than a 1000000. ah, did so far and so about 94 percent of those people, all women and children, 94 percent, all man fight any green for their homelands. freedom and, and sovereignty. ah, this is incredible, this is something which will be ah, unforgettable. and to remember for many years to come by both nations. and i guess, you know, the obvious question here is, it's a dicey question america, when it comes to refugees and, and how long that that can last before it becomes a political challenge and political problem. you have any sense that there's any cost that the duties government will pay for its generosity to day. oh, well,

politically it's all it's so it's complicated, of course, but i think when you, when you look again, if you look at the poles in poland at older surveys which are, are somehow or saudi and examine the polish, the fight is attitudes to walls, ukrainians, it's also pretty encouraging because before the war there was fertile ground in poland for the absorption of hundreds of thousands and even millions of ukrainians . ah, because we had approximately 1500000 ukrainians living and working in poland. ah, very few racial incidents like pieces of verbal or physical assault on the green ins only because he or she spoke green in all the street. it happened really rally a boat so that that, that, that solidarity and that sense of that. so they are all a slattich brothers, and we share a common enemy as well. this is also important in that perception and well,

philosophically speaking, if russia attacks one of all the neighbors, no matter the religious differences, no matter the ethnic differences, no matter the linguistic differences. although our language is also similar to each other, that the greatness, for example, learn polish in a matter of months, which is also a very important factor in it. when we talk about the integration of those who grin in refugees, into the body, society, and into divulged labor gap. so when russia attacks one of our neighbors, it's almost a moral obligation for roth and a historical obligation to defend it, mabel, and also defend indirectly our own freedom. you know, we just recently interviewed simon schuster simon wrote the time magazine cover story, spending a couple of weeks with the leadership inside key of and particularly with present to landscape is very riveting account what happened in and he shared with us that zalinski does have a concern about the continuity of interest and continuity of commitment,

particularly the united states. but other allies there. senator, mitch mcconnell and john bras on susan collins went over. but we've seen a vote on ukrainian aid. get 57 know votes in the u. s. congress, which was very surprising to me. you know, you interact with this town a lot this congress, are you worried about america's attention deficit disorder? coming up, we are having a problem with our 1st and foremost, i am not authorized to comment on american domestic politics. there's not, i'm not going to go into detail of those deliberations about of told vote and a fan it. ah. however, i, as you rightly noted, i was a journalist for over 20 years. so i know more last, a mechanic and i, i realize i am acutely aware that in 2 months in 3 months time, the interest of the american public opinion. but at principle applies also to europe and to other countries, will fight away. no matter as that all adds shortly, all we will are,

you know, a witness, a protracted confrontation. we have roe v wade. ah, we have inflation. we have the ongoing border crisis in america. so all those are of that, be it those topics all slowly but steadily pushing off the ukraine and had life if you will, probably bargain media and so on. again, i also realized that this is a window to put it up brutally. that has a window of opportunity for poland to lay out it's vision and a tutor to show how important potent is and how pivotal poland has become over the last couple of weeks for europe's security. and also for the united states of security and for the united states interests in this part of the world. you another dimension, i just love to get your geostrategic hat on. a lot of people almost in the u. s.

prep press have in a way, de facto come to the conclusion that there is no way the ukraine can become a member of nato, given what bill burns once called, bill burns, now director of cia, but, but once ambassador to moscow said, was in neurologic issue for the russians, and i'm just wondering if that's smart, that when you look at what nato has done as an alliance for polish security, but the baltics and other neurologic issues for russians, ah, whether we should be accepting that notion that ukraine not become a member, there was a maze. what is your official view, or what is your private? there was a, a mame circulating on social media a few weeks ago about nato joining ducari and not the other way around. ah, i, it's often very green, and of course they have to fight about the f b. i mean, the aspirations are pretty clear. ah, there, i mean, the approval rating off nato as an international guy organization has skyrocketed

and new green. ah, it's up to them to decide whether they want to join this organization. certainly not up to the russian. certainly not up to mister putin to decide what direction ukraine will be heading in the future. but i will tell you what the game changer could be for ukraine and for europe, and also probably for the united states, ukraine in joining the european union. i just wanted to remind you of 1st 2014. a young coverage was private that he was arrested from office the might on revolution . it was not because the ukraine wanted to join nato. it was not because america was building was building bio lapse. right. and you, it was because of the accession agreement, ukraine was about to sign with the european union. this is what put in fears, as i said, put in fears, a prosperous country at russia's border and he fears a country which effectively, ah, cracks, dominant corruption, for example, because this is the core, one of the core issues in terms of russia's relations with the neighboring

countries and especially those which had belonged to the soviet union before the collapse of communism. corruption is the most fertile ground for russia to meddle into the internal affairs of catholic st. on to spanish thorn ukraine batteries. in many other countries, polish political leaders have been unambiguous that the only thing putin recognizes in respects is force and power. ah, i'm just wondering if there's a consensus about that inside europe, french president emanuel macaroni said, we're not at war with russia. we need to work towards a ceasefire a cease fire should be our priority and it always gets his back into that trap of looking at. again. i know it's what is that vacation and what is appeasement? and, and, and just what are your insights about how europe is looking at ukraine beyond passports? i don't think that's a domestic question, but it's really about the state of european consensus about what i gain are not

entitled to comment on french to mastery. and i will have to be very diplomatic all on this one. so it will take a while because before i find the correct or a words ah, there are some clear discrepancies within the european union. ah, it's no secret. at france, germany have a different opinion on ah, how we should proceed. especially in terms of all of sanctions and imposing, even a more severe ah punishment right on her, on russia, in the long term. but i think where we're at, when you mentioned or of the false or something that russia really respects all putting him felt it's all not. it's not only about force, it's not only about deterrents is also about stamina and determination, for example, to uphold the economic sanctions. are for many as to comp. if we are not ready and willing to keep the pressure on russia for the next 5 to 10, or even 15 years,

we will not see russia, the russian economy being effectively crippled. and i believe this is all a, it should be at least, ah, the russian society has yet to feel the pinch. the sanctions have yet to kick in. so it will take a while before we will see the real effects. all for of this, come on the front all the european union, all the united states and of some other countries where i have joined ala bar camp in this particular situation, we have to be patient, but also determined and also pretty persuasive in making our point. it all, it talks with all are french, german, austin, all italian. pardon? you know, speaking of feeling the pinch when i look at poland, energy profile. no huge. you're a huge energy importer. so oil, gas, oil in oil, gas, it come to asha co, comes from russia, right?

and coal. and when you kind of look at that and what the polish moves already, just suspend gas imports to suspend coal imports into commit by the end of this year to end oil imports. how is that going to be back stopped? and when you look at your alliance structure, when you look at the united states, but it's not just us, it's, you know, cutter, it's other places in the world. how does the math add up that you're going to keep energy flowing in places because that you know, that infrastructure was not there before. and are you concerned for your own citizens about how big that pinch will be? ah, some european countries were addicted to russian gas and oil, mostly gas for decades. ah, many years ago and came to the conclusion that we should render all country are entirely independent of impulse of russian gas. and as with what we do, we are doing right now by october, we are under our long term contract with gas brom expires. we are not going to

renew it. and a new pipeline to so called baltic pipeline will be operational ah, we will deliver gas from the norwegian continental shelf via denmark, to the polish stretch of the bowl to coast. ah, 06 or 7 years ago. there it was 5 years ago we inaugurated and ellen g terminal, also unable to coast, we are importing in our gas from do not at staging, from murk at all. and we also have them all own resources of this particular raw material. ah, it is a very encouraging and very reassuring development because we have always focus on energy security or as one of the most important pillars of all our collective security. so it is happening in out. it is happening now, and we are so glad that there is an ongoing discussion also in germany about that, that possible shift in germany's energy policy. if they have started even

started talking about a return to nuclear, this is or something really impressive and remarkable. i don't know whether they will finally choose to dis bath, which would be a revolution in germany for internal politics. ah, but i hope that we will find common ground also with countries. which sure are now hesitant to cut off all those economic ties with russia. let me ask one last question. i was recently in estonia and was somewhat pleasantly surprised, but also kind of shocked to see that they have already moved to begin bringing young people into the woods to train them for the kinds of combat that we're witnessing in ukraine are. you know generals are talking to these mostly young men, but also women about hard core person to person defense in their role in that is that happening in poland. it has been happening and voting for quite

a few years. we created the so called territorial defense a few years ago, which was at the time criticized by pharmaceuticals as a waste of money and time and energy returns out. and we can see your greens experience. and we can see how important this kind of warfare is. and how important it is to prepare the younger generations for the eventuality of the confrontation with, with our neighbor. again, i do hope that we will never have to fight full of freedom as the green fall doing right now. but we always have to be prepared. well, we'll have to leave it there. ambassador merrick mac, you're off sky ambassador of poland to the united states. thank you so much for joining us. the pleasure, thank you. so what's the bottom line? in some ways, the polish right now are more patriotic about freedom than many americans are. they've seen 1st hand it up front, what a power vacuum near russia can create. they also see their neighbor fighting for

its life and very existence. and while ukraine remains defiant, let's face it, there's never any certainty in the outcome of war. the reverberations of russia's important decision to invade are going to be with us for decades, and have already begun to change the international system. america is a bit farther away, despite being heavily involved, but tying together their fates and creating a unified wall against further russian aggression is going to be vital. and that's the bottom line. ah, you see right here it's a report on the people often ignored, but who must be heard? how many other channels can you say will take the time and put extensive thought into reporting from under reported areas. of course we cover major global offense, but our passion lives and making sure that you're hearing the stories from people

in places like how is fine libya, yemen, the south region, and so many others, we go to them, you make the effort, we care. we state that light emitted from history kept to light only in the family tales of those who survived. it had to believe for people who didn't see this. the astonishing story of the polish women and children who endured the siberian glass and so refuge in africa never to return again an epic or to see if resilience memory is our homeland. on now to sierra lou hello, i'm adrian.