a rather different reception when he addressed the united nations in geneva. almost everyone walked out as he spoke. with the very latest on the global response, here's our diplomatic correspondent caroline hawley. applause an extraordinary show of solidarity in the european parliament today. they got to their feet for president zelensky, the former comedian turned ukrainian commander in chief. as he made an impassioned appeal for support, the translator couldn't conceal his feelings. we are fighting. justforourland... choking up. ..and for ourfreedom. and when he finished, another standing ovation. and then the president was off to lead the defence of his country, the resistance to russia. boris johnson flew today to poland, which has taken in so many ukrainian refugees, with a message for president putin — that he'd made a colossal mistake. for president putin —

i'm more convinced than ever, as this hideous conflict progresses, that putin will fail. and i believe that putin must fail. he then had to explain to a ukrainian activist why britain wouldn't get involved in enforcing a no—fly zone in ukraine. nato is not willing to defend, because nato is afraid of world war iii, but it has already started, and these are ukrainian children who are there taking the hit. uunfortunately the implication of that is that the uk would be engaged in shooting down russian planes, would be engaged in direct combat with russia, and that's not something that we can do. later, the prime minister visited uk and other nato troops in russia's western neighbour, estonia. 1,000 british soldiers are on standby, he says, to help in the humanitarian response. moscow is now looking

increasingly friendless. in geneva this morning, russia's foreign minister was about to give a virtual address to the un human rights council when over 100 diplomats from a0 countries turned their backs on him and walked out. outside the room, they unfurled a ukrainian flag. inside, no starker sign of russia's growing isolation as they alone listened to what sergei lavrov had to say. translation: the arrogant philosophy of the west based on superiority, - exclusivity and permissiveness, must come to an end. there is still a country the kremlin can count on, president lukashenko of belarus was filmed here showing off an apparent battle plan. tonight, the british government has wielded the stick against his regime. belarus has been hit with new sanctions for facilitating from its territory the invasion of ukraine. caroline hawley, bbc news. in a moment, we'll talk to our north

america editor, sarah smith, but first our correspondent in berlin, damian grammaticas. update from you on what is happening with refugees arriving in berlin? we are at with refugees arriving in berlin? - are at berlin central railway station and we have seen this evening these refugees arriving from that ukrainian border, there was a train of 800 arriving earlier, many women and children, they kept coming into the evening and out of this reception area, they are offered food and drink and free taxi rides, free train rides to anywhere in europe, and there are people taken after hostels, and over behind me we have german families coming to offer to take people into their homes, short—stay or long stay, so a real effort building up here. what we have seen in the european political sphere, we saw the speech from volodymyr zelensky, the president of

the european commission, ursula von der leyen, she said ukrainians were holding up the torch of freedom, and europeans understood there was a cost to defending that as well, she talked about this being a defining moment. a cast that we are willing to pay, she said, a realisation that the sanctions will have a cost for europe —— a cost. the german chancellor has overseen a big shift with military spending and military aid and that goes to the heart of where europe is changing, much more assertive. , ., where europe is changing, much more assertive. , . . ., where europe is changing, much more assertive. , ., . ., assertive. many thanks. what about the us response? _ assertive. many thanks. what about the us response? we _ assertive. many thanks. what about the us response? we can _ assertive. many thanks. what about the us response? we can go - assertive. many thanks. what about the us response? we can go to - assertive. many thanks. what about i the us response? we can go to sarah smith. there was a conversation between joe smith. there was a conversation betweenjoe biden and volodymyr zelensky today, what was said, do we know? at zelensky today, what was said, do we know? �* , . ., zelensky today, what was said, do we know? �* , u, ., , know? a little bit. the call was 'ust over know? a little bit. the call was just over half _ know? a little bit. the call was just over half an _ know? a little bit. the call was just over half an hour - know? a little bit. the call was just over half an hour this - just over half an hour this afternoon, on a secure satellite phone _ afternoon, on a secure satellite phone that the us is applied in order_ phone that the us is applied in order to — phone that the us is applied in

orderto maintain phone that the us is applied in order to maintain contact and they discussed — order to maintain contact and they discussed the military equipment the us is sending to ukraine and also the sanctions against russia with joe biden— the sanctions against russia with joe biden promising volodymyr zelensky that the world would hold russia _ zelensky that the world would hold russia accountable. later tonight, president — russia accountable. later tonight, president biden will address the nation _ president biden will address the nation in — president biden will address the nation in his first stage of the union — nation in his first stage of the union speech and that will be dominated and caused by the events in ukraine _ dominated and caused by the events in ukraine. he will talk about his role in _ in ukraine. he will talk about his role in coordinating the international response against russia, — international response against russia, saying there is power in unity— russia, saying there is power in unity and — russia, saying there is power in unity and that nato and the west have never been so united. we don't expect— have never been so united. we don't expect him _ have never been so united. we don't expect him to announce any new sanctions — expect him to announce any new sanctions and any other moves against — sanctions and any other moves against russia because the president is still— against russia because the president is still resolute that us troops will not — is still resolute that us troops will not go into ukraine to try and defend _ will not go into ukraine to try and defend the country and nor will us aircraft _ defend the country and nor will us aircraft be — defend the country and nor will us aircraft be used to enforce a no—fly zone _ aircraft be used to enforce a no—fly zone over — aircraft be used to enforce a no—fly zone over ukraine. the president will be _ zone over ukraine. the president will be speaking to a country tonight— will be speaking to a country tonight where very many people are really— tonight where very many people are really deeply concerned about what they are _

really deeply concerned about what they are seeing happen in ukraine and polls— they are seeing happen in ukraine and polls suggest that the vast majority — and polls suggest that the vast majority of americans would like to see their— majority of americans would like to see their president doing more. sarah smith in washington and damian grammaticas in berlin, thanks forjoining us. the uk government, following widespread criticism, now says it will let more ukrainians join family members here than originally suggested. the prime minister said the move would allow a "very considerable number" of refugees from the conflict to come to the uk. the government has faced criticism from some of its own conservative mps, as well as opposition parties, as our home editor, mark easton, reports. she's become the face of britain's response to the ukrainian refugee crisis. " leave to enter outside of the rules." after being turned back by border force officials at gard du nord in paris at the weekend, 69—year—old widow valentyna today finally received her visa

to join her daughter natalia in london as the government announces new support for those fleeing the war. she's very tired, but at the same time delighted that, you know, we got the visa and she can go with me. after intense criticism for not doing more for war refugees, the home office today agreed that ukrainian parents, grandparents, adult children and siblings of british nationals and ukrainians settled in the uk are now on the list of family members entitled to join their relatives here. they'll be able to stay for at least 12 months and can work and claim benefits while in britain. somebody�*s been really busy knitting those! the government's also opening what they call a humanitarian sponsorship pathway for refugees. they hope the charity spirit of those behind this aid for ukraine collection in preston, for example, will encourage companies and individuals to sponsor a ukrainian fleeing the conflict. it's an idea used to help those

displaced by the war in syria and other crises. we now come to the statement, i call the home secretary. the idea of getting private donors to pay for a resettlement scheme was defended by the home secretary in the commons. making a success of the new humanitarian sponsorship pathway will require a national effort from the entire country, and, mr speaker, our country will rise to that challenge. labour believes a simple commitment to welcome all of those fleeing ukraine would be better, with concerns about how the sponsorship approach will work in practice. the existing scheme takes a long time, it requires people to meet a whole series of tests in order to sponsor a refugee, it requires considerable fundraising. i'm sure many people will want to be involved in it, but i know many people who have been deterred in the past by how complex the system is. tanya and anastasia fled

ukraine six days ago, aiming to come to britain, but they were turned back by uk border guards in calais yesterday and are now stuck in a budget hotel, hoping the new rules will allow them in. how we can go? johnson said that the whole of the family can go to the family, yeah? now, we are not family because... valentyna has made it. she is delighted to be here. tonight, she received an emotional welcome at st pancras station, as a mother and as a ukrainian who helped to change uk government thinking on support for refugees. mark easton, bbc news. you can follow all the latest developments on the war in ukraine, and get more analysis from our correspondents, by going to our live online coverage. let's take a brief look at some

of today's other news. regulations requiring care home staff in england to be double vaccinated against covid—i9 will be lifted on the 15th march. the government said 90% of responses to a public consultation supported the removal of the legal requirment. the measure was introduced last november to try and protect those living in care homes, but many providers said it made it even more difficult to recruit and retain staff. nearly all services on the london underground have been suspended because of 24—hour strike. around 10,000 workers from the rail, maritime and transport union walked out in a row overjobs, pensions and conditions. the action continues until midnight, but there are warnings that peak—time services tomorrow morning will also be affected. another 24—hour tube strike is planned on thursday. the queen was back at work today and carried out two virtual engagements after recovering from covid—19.

buckingham palace says she will also be taking part in some private engagements. the queen, who's 95, is said by the prince of wales to be "much better now." southend—on—sea in essex has become the uk's newest city, after the prince of wales presented the formal document to the mayor of southend. the decision to grant city status folllowing the killing of the conservative mp sir david amess, who had long campaigned for the move, as our royal correspondent daniela relph reports. for the prince of wales, a seafront walk about in the uk's newest city. memories of sir david amess remain vivid here. city status was his passion. # come and join in the party # great big musical party... david stanley is southend born and bred. his music man project provides music education for children with learning disabilities. city status elevates what we do.

just like sir david would always do. he would always make something bigger and better. and is there any greater tribute to sir david amess than southend becoming a city? every time someone drives into southend, they will see city of southend. and immediately, they will think, sir david amess. prince charles formally made southend a city at a special council meeting, where he also spoke about ukraine. what we saw in the terrible tragedy in southend was an attack on democracy, on an open society, on freedom itself. we are seeing those same values under attack today, in ukraine, in the most unconscionable way. in the stand we take here, we are in solidarity with all those who are resisting brutal aggression.

and then the very first freedom of the city was awarded. posthumously, to sir david amess, given to his wife and daughter, on this bitter—sweet day for the family. for almost a0 years, sir david served this part of essex as an mp. his family said today had brought them immense sadness and great pride. daniela relph, bbc southend. so at the end of this sixth day of the conflict in ukraine, with russian forces moving ever close to the capital kiyv, let's join clive and lyse once again. thank you for that. i want to get your thoughts on what we could be facing here because we know that vladimir putin unleashed his forces in syria and there was no comeback and he did the same in chechnya and there was no comeback. that potentially, i'm trying to find a bright side to this, but that is potentially what awaits these people. potentially what awaits these

eo - le. , . potentially what awaits these eo le, , ., , potentially what awaits these ..eole, , ., , ., ~' potentially what awaits these --eole. , ., potentially what awaits these neale, , ., , ., ~' , ., people. there is a very dark side to that. we people. there is a very dark side to that we have _ people. there is a very dark side to that. we have seen _ people. there is a very dark side to that. we have seen this _ people. there is a very dark side to that. we have seen this russian . people. there is a very dark side to | that. we have seen this russian war before and there is a horrible echo even six days into this invasion, we have seen how kharkiv, residential areas have been bombed, with scant regard for civilian casualties, and we saw in kyiv today, the targeting of the television tower with two missiles which killed five people and also targeted a holocaust memorial. we have seen in the encircling of cities including kherson in the north, so supplies could be cut off in what could be a and we are seeing them playing out again-g be i and we are seeing them playing out again-g be a i could be cut off in what could be a midi of your tactic of siege. russia midi of your tactic of siege. russia knows what it wants, it is not the knows what it wants, it is not the only military to do that, but the only military to do that, but the human cost of war were seen when human cost of war were seen when western militaries went into iraq again. western militaries went into iraq and afghanistan but russia's wars, and afghanistan but russia's wars, we have seen them played out before we have seen them played out before

and we are seeing them playing out and we are seeing them playing out again. and we are seeing them playing out aaain. ., ., ., , on a day of more war, more deaths, more suffering, millions are now hunkered down in shelters across ukraine for the night. trying to get some sleep, but who can sleep? russian forces are on their way and it could be brutal, but you have got to hope... march the 1st draws to a close. meteorological spring time, of course. but the tragedy for this country is that winter may be around for a long, long time. that's all from me and the team here in kyiv.