us, which is to increase by 80%. so if brexit happens, if brexit will happi together ed to strengthen and if brexit happens, if brexit will happi together european ngthen and if brexit happens, if brexit will welcome to newsday. happi together european allies 1 and if brexit happens, if brexit will happi together european allies and i i'm babita sharma in london. bring together european allies and there is no evidence that far they are following the planet i also european and north american president trump or his campaign team expect them to continue to do so. allies. how worried are you that are colluded with russia no deal brexit could potentially the headlines. the mueller report says there's there was a report in the new york no evidence the trump times that said several times during poison relations between britain and campaign colluded with russia over to influence the 2016 election. other key european members of your the 2016 us election. the last year, donald trump to his the president claims victory. alliance? when i speak to european closest a ides the last year, donald trump to his closest aides and associates in the however, the report stops short white house, questioned america's there was no collusion with russia. of completely exonorating the president on accusations leaders, and leaders in the united there was no obstruction, of "obstruction ofjustice", continued membership of nato. he none whatsoever. and it was a complete stressing that the special counsel is not drawing conclusions talked openly about leaving. given kingdom, they all convey the same "one way or another." what we have just discussed about message to me, that brexit will not a pro—military political germany and its complete failure to party in thailand has wea ken and total exoneration. performed better than predicted match what trump wants, the 2% message to me, that brexit will not weaken their security cooperation in the country's first election since the army took spending level, why would you within nato, if anything the power five years ago. opposite. it will strengthen the official results are not believe for one second that over the importance of nato in working next two years donald trump won't expected until later. think even harder about pulling the together on security and defence. as calls grow for the release of the entire report — a senior democrat says and this story is us out of nato? because president when you spoke about donald trump's president trump still faces serious questions. attitude to nato, you pointed out this report does not amount trending on bbc.com. to a so—called total exoneration. that nato is making new commitments robert mueller says that this a cruise ship at the centre trump has stated clearly, publicly is not a total exoneration of a major rescue operation off and in meetings, he did so at the on the ground and the european the norwegian coast has safely reached port. theatre. we had just the other day summit injuly, he did so in the in washington the us top military stay with bbc world news. state of the union speech a few chief in europe, general curtis weeks ago, that he and the us are committed to nato. why... but he capriotti, saying "i am not now on bbc news, it's co mforta ble capriotti, saying "i am not comfortable with the defence posture

we have in europe, in particular considers the us must consider when you look at the modernisation time for hardtalk. of the russian forces we faced". he leaving? what trump states publicly talked about the growing threat from russia, he talked about fundamental in speeches, in brussels and washington and elsewhere, he said welcome to hardtalk, from nato wea knesses russia, he talked about fundamental weaknesses in the nato alliances headquarters in brussels. i'm last time he was 100% behind nato, but this is a commitment. after the stephen sackur. the north atlantic security capabilities. do you treaty organisation is 70 years old cold war the us reduced its military recognise that? oh yes, he is a supreme commander in europe and i this year, but despite its presence in europe, now it is talk often with him. he is not increasing its presence in europe. co mforta ble, talk often with him. he is not comfortable, are you ? achievements and longevity, celebrations are muted. that's there is more funding for equipment because nato‘s cohesion and long—term viability are being questioned as never before. more than anything else, that is because the us is now led by an nato sceptic and exercises, so the reality is that both in words and actions, we president. my guest today isjens talk often with him. he is not comfortable, are you? for the first time in our history, we have see more us commitment and presence stoltenberg, nato‘s secretary in europe. we will get back to that combat—ready battle groups in the general. is he simply papering over nato's widening cracks? jens because it is important, injust a eastern europe alliance. we are moment. on this notion that on your 70th birthday, nato faces further increasing the readiness of uncertainty and a sense of crisis forces. we a re further increasing the readiness of forces. we are establishing two new that we haven't seen for a long commands, one in germany and one in time. there is one other element. the us, and we are exercising more for example, brexit. one of your key than ever before... if i may say so,

stoltenberg, welcome to hardtalk. the bottom line is that despite the american sending in these thank you very much for having me. european member states, britain, for example, brexit. one of your key european memberstates, britain, is in political turmoil. we do not know high—profile new b—52 bombers to the stoltenberg, welcome to hardtalk. thank you very much for having meli as we sit here just how brexit will should start by wishing nato a happy end up, but it may be — and emmanuel uk, despite the new troops that are 70th birthday, but it is not a time sent from the us poland, despite all macron said this recently at the eu for celebration, is it? nato, it the things are talking about, russia summit — if britain over the next seems to me, is facing a real few days or weeks votes or decides doesn't fear nato, and russia is ona no crisis. would you agree? it is a few days or weeks votes or decides on a no deal exit from the european prepared to ignore all the warnings time for celebration because we have achieved a lot, but it is not a time and the military deployments, and union, that is going to for complacency, because we still fundamentally challenge everything have a lot to do. i think we see a the potential punishments that you about the way europe works, talk about. nato's main duty is to including on security relationships. paradox, and many people in europe how worried are you by that? brexit and north america questioned the isa how worried are you by that? brexit is a very serious issue, but brexit strength of the transatlantic bond, will not change the uk's provide deterrence, that the the strength of nato, but at the same time the reality is that we are relationship to nato, it will change alliance will retaliate if there is doing more together now than we have any attack. and we have been able to done for many years. increasing do that for 70 years. no nato ally the uk's relationship to the has been attacked for 70 years. forces, presence of nato forces for european union. of course, but it sure, but other eu countries on the fringes of nato who would like to be the first time in history, in nato have been attacked. we have seen vladimir putin celebrating the will change the security strengthening ties with europe and relationships between britain and eu last few days the fifth anniversary

european powers are stepping up. on member states who are also nato member states who are also nato member states. if anything, brexit of the of crimea. nato said that will make nato even more important, because it will be a more important a day—to—day basis, of course nato could not stand, five years later continues to function and do platform for european allies to work together. and i really believe that important things, but you just if brexit happens, if brexit will 00:03:08,625 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 happen, we need to strengthen and here we sit, vladimir putin is alluded to the fundamental problem when you said people are questioning nato's performance. the most happy, nato's threats, the talks of sanctions and punishments, have not worked stop. i am not saying that important person questioning nato's purposeis important person questioning nato's purpose is us president donald trump. listen to these words from two former us ambassador to nato. the ukraine was not a serious issue... but that doesn't change the "president trump's open ambivalence about nato's value to the united states has hu rtled message that 70 years of peace is about nato's value to the united states has hurtled the alliance into its most worrisome crisis in unprecedented. if i was ukrainian, memory". would you agree? no, i don't agree, because i don't think we are in crisis. i think we have what has nato's response over the past five years achieved in ukraine? differences, some disagreements, but we have provided strong political the reality is that we are actually and practical support. what have you able to deliver and work together. achieved kwesi appiah ——? . have you hang on, you have already said that, but if we go into specifics, they itemise — donald trump's public questioning of the article five

forced russia to pull out its duties to its allies, and his special forces from east ukraine? embrace of antidemocratic members of the nato alliance, his continued wea kness the nato alliance, his continued weakness in failing to confront no, but ukraine is not an nato ally. we help and support them, but it is nato's primary adversarial, president vladimir putin. these are important not to blur the line between an ally and a partner. all issues that donald trump has put onto the table, and which undermined the cohesion of nato. the message recently, president poroshenko from president trump and from the us pushed through a change to the is that they are committed to nato, but they want european allies to do ukrainian constitution to commit more. and i agree. iagree but they want european allies to do more. and i agree. i agree that ukraine to the pursuit of nato european allies have to do more, and they are now doing more, investing membership and indeed eu membership as well. from what you are saying it more in our defence... we have just is quite clear that ukraine stands no chance of being an actual member of nato? ukraine receives a lot of heard from germany that despite the help from nato and nato allies. we promises they made to raise their defence spending, they weren't going to reach the 2% that nato allies are have continued to help them building supposed to reach, but they would naval capabilities, and helping georgia and other black sea reach i.5% supposed to reach, but they would countries. what are the chances of reachi.5% in supposed to reach, but they would ukraine becoming a full nato member? reach 1.5% in the next five years. they have now reneged on that and it

won't happen. well, germany has been i will not speculate on that, but nato allies have reiterated the reducing defence spending for many decisions we made, that ukraine will yea rs, reducing defence spending for many years, much like many other nations. also, the budget for next year is an become a member of nato, but we additional increase in defence... haven't set a timeline for that. on this point you make about the but it will go down again by 2023. actions taken to deter russia, and my point that russia doesn't seem did you not catch the finance minister issuing his latest outlook deterred, would you accept the word on the budget, saying that defence of for example the cyber security spending may well be back at 1.25% consultancy firm fire eye, that in 2023? germany has done is submitted a plan to us on the defence investment pledge, i pledge to move towards 2%, and that is that russians are continuing to disrupt european elections and infrastructure as best they can with they will increase defence spending by 80% from 2014 to 2024, but for cyber warfare. words, threats, setting up of a new cyber operations the decade... did you catch for the command in nato, has done nothing to finance minister said a few days deter russia? ago? i am expecting that germany will deliver on what they have promised. the americans don't. the us ambassador to germany heard what the finance minister said about the

budget outlook on defence spending, sorry as you know are they still and he said this is a very hacking european... i am not saying disturbing signal to nato, and now german politicians are threatening to throw him out of the country. this is not a challenge. as head of this is the reality of nato today. nato, are they doing it today? we so far, germany has done what they promised, and that is to increase see many examples of russia trying defence spending. that is also the case for the budget now presented. to hack and to go into our cyber that is a budget that now will be networks and that is why we have two discussed, and i hope they can significantly improved the defences and we are able to defend our improve even more. and then... what if they don't? the german minister networks with the most advanced says they can't, so what if they systems in the world. we are don't? the german government has to continuing to do that and we are improving our defences and developing new ways of working agree with what they have pledged to together, helping different allies and improving their cyber defences. yes, we are responding. do you see effo rts yes, we are responding. do you see efforts on the part of russia to disrupt the european elections due to be held in may? we see reports

from different nato allies that there are concerns about that. for that european unions, responsible for those elections, i will not go into those responsibilities but we are able to help and strengthening cyber defences. we shared and have close associations with the european union. let's go to challenging arenas where nato is involved and you, i imagine, invested a lot of time and energy thinking about going forward. donald trump took everyone by surprise by declaring he will pull out deployment from syria. do you believe that the pentagon pulling out all us forces remains a wise strategic decision? all nato

allies, and the global commission, has made enormous progress in defeating isis. isis controlled territory as big as is the united kingdom, millions of people. now they have lost the territory they have controlled and that is a big achievement. then we have later continuing to be part of the coalition by having a training mission in iraq. we need to train local forces... mission in iraq. we need to train local forces. .. i asked specifically about the pullout of us forces. the pentagon wantjust about the pullout of us forces. the pentagon want just last about the pullout of us forces. the pentagon wantjust last month that iis can still count on the loyalty of tens of thousands of fighters who are now dispersed throughout syria and more particularly iraqi. pulling out us military personnel — do you think that is the right thing to do? nato is part of that commission but it is not on the ground in northern syria... i am just it is not on the ground in northern syria... i amjust asking... it is not on the ground in northern syria... iamjust asking... iwill not give advice simply because we

know it is a difficult issue and because nato allies have different views on that. turkey has one view and if the us another. the fact that the us and turkey are sitting down and talking on how to address the specific situation in northern syria. the broadest picture we have made great achievements in the fight against isis. the fight is not over. we need to continue to fight daily ash in the middle east and other areas. we need to train local forces so they can look after their own country better. you allude to the very real political problems between turkey and the united states, two key members. turkey is intent on buying russian s 400 missiles at that very sophisticated missiles which the americans believe would fundamentally compromise their

security as part of the nato alliance. are you worried about that missile purchase? that is a difficult issue because we have not discussed it and addressed in for a long time... it is a national decision. what kind of equipment different nato allies are buying at the same time we know this is something which creates difficulties in relationship between turkey and the united states, not least related to the s 45 fighterjets turkey also wa nted to the s 45 fighterjets turkey also wanted to buy. again, i welcome the fa ct wanted to buy. again, i welcome the fact that we continue to address the issue and turkey and if the us are talking... you welcome the facts but with respect, you are not taking any position. i am asking a simple question... that would not be helpful. the best thing i can do is try to find a solution between the

united states and turkey. if i went out publicly and gave them advice, i think that would not make my work easier. one other specific situation, afghanistan. again, the americans, donald trump's administration appears to be intent of at least cutting by at least 50% the number of american troops in afghanistan in a short order. he wa nts to afghanistan in a short order. he wants to focus on counter insurgency operations and stop the work alongside the afghan military training and helping the afghan military. i am pleased that we now see progress when it comes to peace talks for the first time in many, many years. before we get to peace talks, there are many european nations, part of the training programme in afghanistan who worried that if the us pulls out it will undermine the entire programme. that if the us pulls out it will undermine the entire programmem has been stated several times by the

us, press reports came out, that no decision has been taken. these are issues we have discussed with the us into the nato framework... you do not want them to go ahead? no-one wa nts to not want them to go ahead? no-one wants to stay in afghanistan longer than necessary but we went in together and we will make decisions on the future together and when we leave we will leave together but we are now supporting the efforts to find a negotiated peace deal solution and the reason why we provide military support is to create the conditions for a political peaceful solution.“ everybody is woken together, do you support the fact that the us is locked in senior talks with taliban leaders in qatar and elsewhere, against the wishes of the afghan government. in afghan national security adviser saying afghan security forces were being sold out

by the us in what was a humiliation for the afghan government. you have a stake in afghanistan, you supporting those talks with us is conducting against the wishes of the afg ha n conducting against the wishes of the afghan government?” conducting against the wishes of the afghan government? i support them. i think they are the first steps towards a potential peaceful solution in afghanistan. they will discuss how to organise how to facilitate an afghan reconciliation process because without any lasting peace in afghanistan... sure but the afg ha n peace in afghanistan... sure but the afghan government has been cut out of these talks. this is a first step. this is the only way to get the peace process on track. we have time for one more issue and perhaps the biggest question facing nato outside of russia and that is china because donald trump has made it

clear in recent weeks that he believes nato should now turn its head towards china and look at how it can collectively combat what the us sees as dangerous efforts by china to use is leveraged and its economic muscle to get into infrastructure, telecoms, inside nato member states. do you see this as something nato now has to address? i see china as a rising power, a growing economy, the second largest defence budget in the world next to the us. nato has no plans to move into south east asia but, of course, china is coming closer to us. in europe, in the arctic, in africa... that is an interesting phrase, china is coming closer to us. does nato now regard china as a

strategic security threat that it is an alliance must address? no, we did not regard them as a friend but we see challenges related to china and assess the consequences. jens stoltenberg, i thank you very much for being on hardtalk. thank you. hello there. we saw mixed fortunes of the weather across the uk on sunday, with breezy, windy conditions, with showers across the north. further south unbroken sunshine. we saw 15.1 celsius in stjames's park, in london. the windy showering conditions across the north of the country has been attributed to this area of low pressure, which is continuing to push out

into the near continent, and allowing this big area of high pressure to topple in acroos the uk. and allowing this big area of high pressure to topple in across the uk. so it will continue quite windy for the early hours of monday, across some eastern areas, perhaps a few showers. but elsewhere lighter winds and lengthy clear skies. so it's going to be quite a chilly start to the day today, with low single figures across the south and a touch of frost out of town, across more northern areas. so a chilly start to monday but at least largely dry and bright with plenty of sunshine. the winds will be light too because high pressure will be dominating. so lots of sunshine across england and wales, and across scotland and northern ireland to begin with, but then skies will gradually turn cloudier through the day as we see a weak warm front pushing off the atlantic. so it will blot out all the sunshine. we'll see a little bit of showery rain across the north and the west. but some milder air moving in — 10—11 degrees, in fact, milder than it was on sunday. for england and wales, down into the channel islands a glorious afternoon with widespread sunshine, light winds and temperatures

around 13 degrees after what was a cool start. and then high pressure dominates the scene for the week ahead. slap bang on top of us, in fact, we will be drawing some drier air off the near continent. this is why we shouldn't see too many problems with clouds and we should potentially see quite a bit of sunshine. so it's looking pretty good for the rest of the week. mainly dry. quite warm by day but night will continue to be chilly, with a touch of mist and fog. this is thepictue then for tuesday: chilly start, any mist clearing away quickly and then we'll see plenty of sunshine. but into the afternoon a bit of fairweather cloud tending to build up here and there. and to the very north of scotland, here we'll have a frontal system which will bring outbreaks of rain, mainly to the northern isles, where it will be quite breezy. a nice mild day, temperatures 13 or 14 celsius. a similar picture on wednesday. we start off quite cool, a little bit of mist and fog around and that should clear quickly. and then three's lots of sunshine through the afternoon. again, a bit of fairweather cloud building up here and there.

the best of the sunshine will be across england and wales. a little bit warmer on wednesday. 14 degrees in aberdeen, 15 degrees across central, southern and eastern parts of the country. and if anything it turns even warmer towards the end of the week. we could be looking at 17, 18, maybe 19 degrees across the south east. 00:18:16,736 --> 2147483051:45:53,083 but like i mentioned, warm by day 2147483051:45:53,083 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 but still quite chilly at night.