as you feel threatened right now, as you just explained. but feel threatened right now, as you just “planed-— feel threatened right now, as you just exulained-— just explained. but as we look forward, there _ just explained. but as we look forward, there are _ just explained. but as we look forward, there are lots - just explained. but as we look forward, there are lots of - just explained. but as we look. forward, there are lots of people here in germany, in europe, who are asking themselves, 0k, america is back, that's great but is it forget? is this the good? many in europe are fearful of a time, where maybe some kind of a second trump could be looming in the future, so here is my question — what can or should we europeans do to keep the united states engaged in europe long—term? notjust states engaged in europe long—term? not just today as we sit states engaged in europe long—term? notjust today as we sit here and even beyond the current administration. i think that is such an important question because we have learned over these last weeks and months that without the united

states considering herself a european power, we are actually quite powerless. i think the evidence of the point i will make is present in this room. you will see there is probably one of the largest delegations from the united states congress present today, republicans and democrats. we often do not agree on much but we agree on this. i think the height of your question really demands the importance of the perseverance and enduring nature of institutions and alliances. and i would say on that point we are strong. there is an unwavering commitment to nato and to

the alliance as evidenced again by the alliance as evidenced again by the conversations and the unity that has resulted over the past several months. where nations have come together with united states, we would like to believe it has been among the leaders and playing a leadership role to bring together the allies around common principles. doing it in a way that has been at its essence about the value and strength of diplomacy. which is about direct engagement and we have counted on the secretary of state as he had tony blinking, we have counted at least 200 conversations just the last couple of months bit between the president and others, the secretary of state and myself, and so on. so i would say to you the relationship is strong. and the importance of the relationship is something that we take very seriously. which is why in this historic moment, there's potentially defining moment, the strength of the institution and the alliance reveals

itself even if there has been a question about that before. thank ou so question about that before. thank you so much- _ question about that before. thank you so much. and _ question about that before. thank you so much. and we _ question about that before. thank you so much. and we will- question about that before. thank you so much. and we will return l question about that before. thank| you so much. and we will return to kamal has been interviewed by the chairman of that conference in the moment. but let's go outside to talk to chief international correspondent lisa to set who has been following all of these events. i should say that kamala harris was reiterating that kamala harris was reiterating that at the moment in munich there is the largest congressional delegation both republicans and democrats that they've scene for many a long year. it is fair to say that you do get senior us politicians here but to have the vice president and the chairman of the hassled services committee and a whole list of people i could mention all their today reminds you of the kind of transatlantic alliance and thatis kind of transatlantic alliance and that is a very meaningful thing. yes

both that is a very meaningful thing. 133 both republicans and democrats that is a very meaningful thing. 153 both republicans and democrats here equally strong in their attendance at the munich security conference this year and what a contrast to the last time this conference took place in person, before the covid pandemic meant that it went virtual. that is when president trump was in power in the united states and the whole theme of this conference was whether or not there was a transatlantic partnership. whether europe and indeed canada could still rely on the united states to be on the same page when it came to foreign—policy goals and the future of european security and data strength. so this really in particular this year because the russian foreign minister who normally command centre stage is not in munich this year, it has allowed the nato partners to use the phrase to stand shoulder to shoulder

and wejust heard phrase to stand shoulder to shoulder and we just heard from kamal harris reflecting what she says is the view of president biden that this relationship matters and they want to show that in terms of their presence here.— to show that in terms of their presence here. to show that in terms of their resence here. ., ~ , ., , . presence here. thank you very much. we will be talking _ presence here. thank you very much. we will be talking to _ presence here. thank you very much. we will be talking to you _ presence here. thank you very much. we will be talking to you again. - let's cross live now to kyiv and speak to our world affairs correspondent paul adams. many european dignitaries in munich and we heard about standing united and we heard about standing united and standing firm. but how do those words sound in kyiv in a country that officially made joint nato and has an aspiration to do so every behind their ears as you will know, away from microphones, of course ukraine is not going tojoint nato in a month of sundays. meiji ukraine is not going to “oint nato in a month of sundays.- in a month of sundays. well it is not auoin in a month of sundays. well it is not going to _ in a month of sundays. well it is not going to happen _ in a month of sundays. well it is not going to happen any - in a month of sundays. well it is not going to happen any time i in a month of sundays. well it is i not going to happen any time soon, thatis not going to happen any time soon, that is right and interesting listening to this rather high—flown

noble sounding grand discussion going on in munich and while we are spending the morning poring over the minute details of what another is going on in the separatist areas in the east of the country where in the past 48 hours or so there is the beginnings of what could be a really dangerous escalation and increase in separatist rebels firing into ukraine, these announcements by the rebel leaders down there of the civilian evacuation to russia. the question of whether or not this is the prelude to some kind of russian intervention in the separatist areas. that is the immediate stuff which the ukrainian military will be looking at right now. not some question about whether or not the transatlantic alliance is in good shape. there's a limit to what this country can enjoy right now in terms of western support given the fact that it of western support given the fact thatitis of western support given the fact that it is not a nato member are not likely to be for any time to come.

so there is an immediate crisis here and it is dangerous and full of misinformation and rumour. and munich seems a long way away. and munich seems a long way away. and paul munich seems a long way away. and paul, 'ust munich seems a long way away. and paul. just to — munich seems a long way away. and paul, just to pick up on this, it is an interesting point and perhaps one that we forget a lot for those not in ukraine, this is an enormous country that part of it was taken by force, annexed and is now no longer part of ukraine. and although the west and the nato countries protested, they accepted it. they effectively accepted that crimea is no longer part of ukraine but part of russia even though ukraine wants it back and you have these disputed regions in the east. all that must really kind of explain some of the perhaps scepticism that exists in kyiv and among other ukrainians about whether when push comes to

shove, the rest of europe will actually do anything.- shove, the rest of europe will actually do anything. there was a feelin: actually do anything. there was a feeling that _ actually do anything. there was a feeling that back _ actually do anything. there was a feeling that back in _ actually do anything. there was a feeling that back in 2014 - actually do anything. there was a feeling that back in 2014 russia l feeling that back in 2014 russia essentially was allowed to take over crimea. it was very easy process and let's not forget there is a great deal of pro—russian sentiment in crimea so i do not think anyone really thinks crimea is coming back to ukraine any time soon as ever. the dom bess, those people republics, that is a different matter and that was if you like a rebellion orchestrated according to the ukrainians, orchestrated, organised and paid for by russia. and that has been the case for the past eight years. no one on this side of that divide believes that this is a genuine separatist rebellion. they think this is a russian operation to keep ukraine divided. and what people are wondering now is as russia about to

take another bite out of this country. whether to formalise its occupation of the donbas, whether to recognise the separatist republics as independent states as the russian parliament invited vladimir putin to do the other day orjust exactly what mr putin wants. paul do the other day orjust exactly what mr putin wants. paul adams in the heart of — what mr putin wants. paul adams in the heart of kyiv, _ what mr putin wants. paul adams in the heart of kyiv, thank— what mr putin wants. paul adams in the heart of kyiv, thank you - what mr putin wants. paul adams in the heart of kyiv, thank you very - the heart of kyiv, thank you very much. let's return live now to munich, where the us vice president kamala harris is speaking. she is taking questions from the audience. and moderated by a former german ambassador to washington. i think we all know the history of nato and its reason for being. the spirit behind, this time that we use, the transatlantic community. the word community meaning a

collection of individuals who see themselves as a collection, and that is where we are now. i do not disagree with you that it would be nice if we were presented with other circumstances but that is not where we are. we remain open to diplomacy. we have said it continuously. certainly i will speak for the united states. we believe it is an expression of our strength to seek as a first priority diplomatic resolution to any conflict. and i believe that we have been clear about that. but yet we are presented

with this moment today. and so the question is if that diplomacy leads to a dead end as we hope it does not, i said that again in my speech today, the president said at last night. we are still open to a diplomatic resolution. but if it does not, we are also clear that there must be consequences. and so we have clearly articulated the consequences we have in store. and they will be severe and swift. and they will be severe and swift. and they were derived through a process again of diplomatic discussions and engagement. when there has been some consensus around what would be appropriate given perhaps some unpredictable scenarios. i think this moment speaks to a moment that we would like to avoid if it was

avoidable but also speaks to a resolve to speak with one voice and unified voice. history has challenged us over the years in that regard and i think history will show at this moment we are standing strong. applause. madam vice president, i can only thank you on behalf of of our participants of this audience and of those listening from the outside for travelling, for coming over here in these difficult circumstances with pandemic conditions. under more normal circumstances they would be 600 people in this hall. it would be totally overcrowded. so thank you for doing this, thank you for doing this for us. for us here in europe

it is an enormously reassuring message and i want to invite all of you to offer to the vice president of the united states in warm round of the united states in warm round of applause if you could, please. applause. so there we are, kamara harris addressing delegates at the munich security conference in germany. i should just say there are a number of distinguished speakers yet to appear. 0ne of distinguished speakers yet to appear. one of the most interest to viewers and uk will be british prime minister borisjohnson was to

address news. let's move on now to the big clean—up operation in the uk and northern europe taking place following the storm eunice which brought damage and destruction and record breaking gust of wind to many parts of uk three people. around 200,000 homes remain without power and people are still being warned not to travel by a number of train operators. james reynolds looks at the impact of one of the worst storms to hit the uk in decades. at the needles on the isle of wight, winds of 122 mph were provisionally recorded. if verified, this would be the highest gust ever seen in england. but you don't need a wind speed reading to understand the force of storm eunice as it swept in from the atlantic. many took cover, some could not. in hampshire, a man in his 20s died when the van he was in hit a tree. the driver was also seriously injured.

in merseyside, debris smashed through the windscreen of a van, killing a man in his 50s. and in north london, a woman in her 30s died when a tree fell on a car in which she was travelling. a man who was driving was taken to hospital. across the uk, including in bude, in cornwall, people filmed the storm's destruction for themselves. 0n the m4 in wales, driving became extremely dangerous. this lorry was no match for the storm. in bromley, this bus had no time to swerve. it bulldozed its way through a falling tree. the storm toppled the spire of st thomas's church in wales, in place since victorian times. no—one was injured. at london's o2 arena, pop stars are expected to blow

the roof off the venue, but this time the storm did it for real. 1,000 people had to be evacuated. and pilots coming into heathrow airport fought battles with the wind, their approach eagerly captured by a reporter from big jet tv. at gatwick, some pilots had to make several landing attempts. across the uk, more than 450 flights were cancelled, and the north of england and parts of scotland have had heavy snow. disruption is expected to continue over the weekend. james reynolds, bbc news. simonjones is at paddington station in the centre of the city. it is the gateway to the west country, wales and the west of

england. country, wales and the west of encland. ., . , ., ., ., england. the advice is do not travel unless you — england. the advice is do not travel unless you have _ england. the advice is do not travel unless you have too _ england. the advice is do not travel unless you have too but _ england. the advice is do not travel unless you have too but by - england. the advice is do not travel unless you have too but by the - unless you have too but by the number of people here at paddington station many people are desperate to make the journey. some got stranded here in london yesterday when services were shut down and we have seen some other chaotic scenes. a short time ago they announced the first train heading down to the south—west of england. a big crowd of people rushed towards the platform, not everyone could get on board that train so then the police had to say people had to get off the concourse to wait for the next train. let me show you the picture over here with the departure board and services are starting to resume but there are still a lot of cancelled signs on that board. a sign of the disruption very much continuing here and expected to last throughout much of today. why are they still problems given the storm has now blown through? yesterday so many trees were blown down on the

tracks and there was so much debris that it tracks and there was so much debris thatitis tracks and there was so much debris that it is taking a long time to clear all that and to check thousands of miles of railway track to make sure it is safe. and there are still weather warnings in place for a strong wind covering much of southern england and southern wales southern england and southern wales so services may have to go slow. cell continued problems here during the day. cell continued problems here during the da . ,, ., cell continued problems here during theda. ,, ., , cell continued problems here during theda _ ,, ., cell continued problems here during theda. ,, ., ., ., 0ur reporter vincent mcaviney is by the 02 in east london, which was badly damaged during the storm. an extraordinary site. you can see the devastation _ an extraordinary site. you can see the devastation from _ an extraordinary site. you can see the devastation from those - an extraordinary site. you can see the devastation from those 80 - an extraordinary site. you can see l the devastation from those 80 mile an hour winds that the storm brought to east london. all morning we have heard and seen more tearing of the roof and there are some engineers up there right now looking at the damage. so the millennium dome as it

was, at the 02, it opened 20 years ago. essentially it is a giant tent with a canvas roof and in the centre there is an arena which is enclosed and has about 20,000 people for big p0p and has about 20,000 people for big pop concerts. all the way around it is an entertainment complex which basically is a street open to that canvas roof and there are restaurants, cinema and shops and this is the shopping section of the 02 this is the shopping section of the o2 arena. yesterday we had a thousand people in there, it was busy with school holidays when they heard a loud bang and were told to evacuate. emergency services were called and was declared a major incident but thankfully no one was actually injured. it remained closed all day and it is closed today as well forcing the cancellation of a simply red concert which had been delayed by the pandemic. the band saying it is a tragic blow for the uk live music scene which is just

getting back up on its feet. now as i mentioned there are engineers checking this out. these are all custom manufactured canvas panels on the roof so it'll take some time to get new ones produced and to get them here so it is unclear how long these repairs are going to take. there are meant to be concerts, and dave the rapper later this week but "at the moment whether those could go ahead. just look at the damage and we are hearing more and more of that ripping is the one goes on, this venue could be closed for some time. it this venue could be closed for some time. , , ' this venue could be closed for some time. , , , ., time. it is very different to something _ time. it is very different to something like _ time. it is very different to something like the - time. it is very different to something like the globe | time. it is very different to - something like the globe theatre on the south side of the river where the south side of the river where the virtue of it is it is traditional open air venue but giving anything else in that you just cannot open it to the elements. and given the forecast it is perhaps surprising that it was even open yesterday given that the roof is basically fabric? i

yesterday given that the roof is basically fabric?— basically fabric? i actually live 'ust basically fabric? i actually live just down _ basically fabric? i actually live just down the _ basically fabric? i actually live just down the road _ basically fabric? i actually live just down the road from - basically fabric? i actually live just down the road from here | basically fabric? i actually live . just down the road from here and basically fabric? i actually live - just down the road from here and on thursday night we had not heard much about the red warning. i do not think it had actually been issued until the early hours of the morning so there are many balconies around here made of glass that had been smashed because people love things out on them that ben became projectiles. a couple of buildings are having their cladding were prepared so there is also scavenging and a sins and damage to that. so perhaps surprising that they did not anticipate that. —— also scaffolding behind the camera there are hotels and an apartment block with a gap between them and i think it channelled the wind across the river straight in here and there is an open entrancejust add straight in here and there is an open entrance just add to the shopping mall and i think that the wind got in underneath and then have blown it up. someone who was passing a few months ago sent me a video of it ripping and it is a pretty dramatic scene.—

it ripping and it is a pretty dramatic scene. very graphic illustration, _ dramatic scene. very graphic illustration, thank _ dramatic scene. very graphic illustration, thank you - dramatic scene. very graphic illustration, thank you so - dramatic scene. very graphic i illustration, thank you so much. as the storm moved into mainland europe, code red weather warnings were issued by the dutch authorities. three people were crushed by falling trees in the netherlands, while a man died in belgium afterfalling from his boat. anna holligan reports from the hague. this was no ordinary day at the beach. this was scheveningen on the edge of the hague. coastal areas felt the full force of storm eunice with gusts of up to 130 kilometres an hour. the dutch meteorological institute declared a code red emergency, which lasted well into the evening. just listen to that gale. this football stadium has heard some roars but none as ferocious as eunice. schools and universities closed early to ensure students could get home while the bike paths

were still safe. most people realised it was best not to ride. across the border in belgium, transport services were also disrupted. and patients in this hospital had a very lucky escape when a crane collapsed. whilst sunday is expected to bring some calm, another storm is on the horizon. it is forecast to hit is still clearing up the carnage caused by eunice. anna holligan, bbc news, in the hague. canadian police have clashed with protestors and made more than a hundred arrests — while trying to clear a demonstration that has brought the capital to a standstill. the anti—covid restriction movement has used lorries to block roads in ottawa for three weeks. aru na iyengar reports.

in freezing temperatures and snow police work together in a planned action pushing into crowds of demonstrators to clear them from the streets of downtown 0ttawa. so far the protests have not been violent but now scuffles are breaking out. we are focused on returning a city to the place we love. we will get the city back. they were tense moments. criticisms of police on horseback trampling a demonstrator. the police said that the protester threw a bike at a horse. others had their hands tied. this footage shows police moving protesters away from a junction. dozens of trucks still remain but some were moved away. three of the main organisers were arrested before the weekend.

0fficers set up roadblocks near the protest site. it started as a protest site. it started as a protest against mandatory vaccinations but has broadened into a protest against the prime minister justin trudeau. on monday the prime minister resorted to emergency powers. this has been interrupting key trade routes. police are turning trucks away from the protest area, freezing them out, stopping access and starving protesters of food and fuel. people started facing the reality of it and we did see a couple of dozen trucks leave during the day so some people are choosing to go ahead and clear out before they had their trucks impounded. it remains to be seen how long the die—hard protesters will hold out. we are going to be bringing you more from the munich security conference in the course of the next hour or

so. this is borisjohnson arriving in munich on a flight from london on saturday morning. munich has all sorts of analogies of course that the prime minister will not want to dwell upon. this is bbc news. unlike leverett chamberlain he is not going to cut a deal with president putin. —— neville chamberlain. now time for the weather with darren bett. for many parts of the uk it has been the calm after the storm this morning but were not quite finished with the wet and windy weather yet. storm eunice has raced away from the uk but if we look out in the atlantic this is heading away, more wet weather and more strong wind as well though not as bad as it was during yesterday. we have this wet weather pushing across england and wales. clearing away from most areas with sunshine. but we keep the wintry

mix. much of scotland will be dry and quite sunny. it is colder here despite the fact that the winds are much lighter. some stronger when across southern coast of england and wales then today but not as windy as it was yesterday. we will see those temperatures dropping early in the night, before rising later, as more wet and windy weather sweeps in from the atlantic. starting to see some of that snow melting as well. lifting the temperatures in most parts of the country to double figures by the time we get to sunday morning. another weather system is coming in from the atlantic. the low itself is going to be to the north of the uk. these weather fronts bringing cloud, bringing outbreaks of rain. in between the two, we've got this warm sector, this milder air briefly across the uk before it gets colder from the north—west. outbreaks of rain, a lot of cloud and some strong winds on sunday morning. some wetter weather for a while across northern ireland, southern scotland. that will swiftly move its way down into northern parts of england and wales, allowing sunshine and a lot of showers to come in to scotland and northern ireland, and those will turn a bit wintry over the hills.

it will get colder for northern parts of the uk. for much of england and wales, still very mild but it will be wet and cloudy. it will also be windy. some strong winds widely across the uk. those are the gusts. it may well be the strongest of the winds will be further north. in this area, could be gusting 70 miles an hour or more around coasts and mountains. at the moment, it's just a yellow warning from the met office. but some windy weather certainly on the way on sunday and into monday. the low moves away from the uk and pushes down this weather front, which will give a more organised spell of rain, sleet and snow over the hills. that will then sweep through and then skies will probably brighten, there will be sunshine and a few showers. the wind is more to the north or north—west. it will ease down during the day but it will feel chillier for much of the uk. temperatures in the afternoon around nine to 12 celsius.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines... russian—backed separatists in eastern ukraine declare a full military mobilisation after two days of heavy shelling across the ceasefire line with the ukrainian army. president biden says he's convinced russia will attack the ukrainian capital within days. his vice president kamala harris warned moscow could face significant economic costs. russia continues to claim it is ready for talks, while at the same time it narrows the avenues for diplomacy. their actions simply do not match their words. three deaths and widespread damage, as the clean up from storm eunice gets underway. around 400,000 homes across

the uk are still without power. the uk prime minister has completed a questionnaire about lockdown parties at downing street, and returned it to the metropolitan police. great britain have won a silver medal in the men's curling at the beijing winter olympics after losing to sweden in the final. now on bbc news, it's time for dateline london. and a detailed discussion behind what —— about what lies behind the ukraine crisis and a possible way out. hello and welcome to the programme which brings together british commentators with foreign correspondents, who write, blog and broadcast to audiences back home from the dateline london.

0n today's programme, we will try to puncture the propaganda of arms and the theatre of diplomacy.