president zelensky says he is willing to give up translation: i'd be happy to do that, if it is for- the peace of ukraine. if you need me to leave this chair, i'm ready to do that. condition in hospital, but hasn't had any respiratory is celebrating in germany after exit polls put them on course for victory with 28.5% of the vote. this is the man expected to be germany's new leader — friedrich merz. he's hailed a "terrific election campaign" and said his

other parties have been adamant that they will not form a coalition with the md. outgoing german chancellor olaf scholz says his party's historically low score was a "bitter" defeat, with a spring in his step, the man likely to be in his demeanour — allowed himself a brief beam at the party faithful, before getting down to serious business. we need to be more present on the eu and the world stage. germany will have a reliable government again.

"let's celebrate now and the hard work begins germany's next chancellor, but he knows the challenges and germany is divided. since world war ii, no far—right force has ever had it will be frozen out of government, though, considered too extreme

by traditional parties here. the afd says they're wrong. even without the afd, coalition building is a tricky business. bargaining, bartering, even bickering is usual. but voters i met at this berlin market today said politicians had no time to lose. translation: we need a new government fast. | because the world feels like a dangerous- place right now. donald trump, vladimir putin — germans worry about the safety and future of their country, and of ukraine. germany is the second—largest donor of military aid to kyiv, after the us, but it's not sure it's ready to send boots on the ground there. of which germany or

europe have right now. this continent is scrambling to get its act together. tonight's results point to stronger leadership from one of its biggest powers. katya adler, bbc news, berlin. of european studies at the australian national university. former thank you former chancellor. thank you for your time today. what do make what is the you make of what is the biggest thing we should understand about this conservative victory the elections? in in the german elections? fas? one in the german elections? fife one of the first in the german elections? fas? one of the first things fact, one of the first things we should look at is that the we should look, at is that the did rather we should look at is that the did rather well. the left did rather well. the so—called die linke the so—called die linke party, the left party, did surprisingly the overall was relatively performance was'relatively especially for

remarkable, especially for young women. also what we should look at is the afd did not do quite as well as some of the opinion poll suggested, they they would be on they suggested they would be on they suggested they would be on they are over 20%. it 23%, they are just over 2994 !t probably due to the very is probably due to the very high turnout we have seen in this election, a lot of people out to vote probably to turned out to vote probably to stop the afd. so are the etee the settle; see these are the ~ ' ' ' " �*things etee the settle; see these are the ~ ' ' ' ~ �* things we stee the settle; se these are the ~ ' ' ' ~ �* things we should stee the settle; se these are the ~ ' ' ' " �*things we should look stee the settle; se these are the ~ ' ' ' ~ �* things we should look at. main thin- we the main thing we should look at is that friedrich has at is that friedrich merz has won the election, but he has —= the election a the electiona little won the election a little bit like the labour party in the united kingdom as being not the government. so cdu current government. so the cdu under angela for under angela merkel for example was its low 40s and is was in its low 405 and is now the high 205, so not in the high 205, so not quite as strong it to be. but as strong as it used to be. but friedrich merz, party has friedrich merz, his party has won the he also “eithezz . . 7 7 gthe problem i z 7 7 gthe problem that z 7 7 gthe problem that he: 7 7 gthe problem that he has a sister party bavarian sister party so he is not entirely master of his net entirely a master cf": ,. f it" ' 77 2.2... * house. net entirely a master ethie 7," t 5,2, ,. house. and means net entirely a master ethie 2”, * "ww w house. and means that own house. and that means that he has to a coalition

whenhehas toforma coalition the most logical government, the most logical coalition partners would be the green party and the social democrats, especially the csu, democrats. esoeciallu thecsl' , . , ~ . sister qennotrats. esoeciallu thefsij , . , ,, . sister party who the bavarian sister party who are very much opposed to the bavarian sister party who are very with 1 opposed to the bavarian sister party who are very with the posed to the bavarian sister party who are very with the green to the bavarian sister party who are very with the green party. working with the green party. and the danish —— and the working with the green party. and ti democrats- and the working with the green party. and ti democrats ared the working with the green party. and ti democrats are note working with the green party. and ti democrats are not the working with the green party. and 1 they |ocrats are not the working with the green party. and 1 they once :s are not the working with the green party. and 1 they once were not the working with the green party. and 1 they once were and the force they once were and they have had a terrible time. that has been _ have had a terrible time. that has been the _ have had a terrible time. that has been the - result - have had a terrible time. that has been the - result in l has been the worst result in their history, in fact. and olaf scholz has been blamed, fiat having perha psnot fairly-fer having over an presided over an unruly coalition. the free democrat seatitien; the free der-"met were always questioning party were always questioning the wisdom of economic policies w: tthey they were they that they were pursuing. they have now lost altogether. have now lost power altogether. so the main thing they will be facing, new government, si: :-—= fit is formed i agree when it is forrned and ! agree, e ,, ”a, o a , a, e is going when it is forrned and ! agree 7 ,, ”a, e a , w e is going to be when it is forrned and ! aoree— e ,, we e e , ee e is going to be quite fast, it is going to be quite fast, friedrich merz will be have to —— will have be before

—— will have to be before in 50 days or that 77-7 inrst have to government will first have to deal the constitutional deal with the senstitutienal that deal with the eenstitutienal that takes deal with the ednstitutidnal that takes away the amendment that takes away the provision currently under pcovjsion currently under law that you cannot have german—lawthatyeu eannot have deficit. they will be a deficit. they will be spending more on defence. but a deficit. they will be spending more on defence. but in �*to be able to do that, in order to be able to do that, in order to be able to do that, in order to be able to do that, in order to be able to do that, in order to overdraw their bank in order to overdraw their bank account as it were, they will it were, they will account as it were, they will have only get the have to not only get the have to not only get the support of the party and support of the green party and sueemt at the greenfar’teand social democrats in the in sueemt at the greenfarteand in the democrats, they will christian democrats, they will christian democrats, they will also need the support from the also need the support from the left party linke or they left party die linke or they left party die linke or they will not have the soup majority will not have the soup majority required. it is a tall order, will not have the seed majet, it is tall will not have the seed majerity it is tall order, required. it is a tall order, it will be a difficult few two months or years for isaeee�*ee'tscr�*e�*sias two leases e'tscr�*ei�*sae�*s two m o nths leases e'tscr�*ei�*sae�*s two months or years weeks, two months or years for germany europe. he be isaeee�*ee'tscr�*e�*sias two months or years for weeks, two months or years for germany and europe.— weeks, two months or years for germany - europe.— weeks, two months or years for germany - europe. germany and europe. merz, tough domestically _ germany and europe. merz, tough weeks, two months or years for germany and europe. merz, tough domestically _ germany and europe. merz, tough domestically and _ germany and europe. merz, tough domestically and beyond - domestically and _ germany and europe. merz, tough domestically and beyond - germany and europe. merz, tough domestically and beyond german i domestically and beyond german borders in europe and ukraine, germany and europe. merz, tough domestically and beyond german i domestically and beyond german borders in europe and ukraine, germany is going to be strong germany is going to be needed given the at with the us play with the us seemingly moving from europe and moving away from europe and europe seemingly having to stand a bit more on own. stand a bit more on its own. yes, and that is going to be one of the problem is that

merz will be facing. friedrich merz will be facing.

domestically and beyond german borders in europe and ukrain and franco—german relationship. and when that works together, the whenthat works together. the union normally european union normally get stronger. so europe can stand its ground, we see a more assertive europe now much more assertive europe now in the next �*years. much more assertive europe now in the next - years.— _” ”wt in the fleet tees seam " "" ’ much for your ihthe fleet�*ee seam '* "" ’ much for your thoughts very much for your thoughts today. matt qvortrup. european leaders are rallying behind ukraine as monday marks three years since the start of the war. among a flurry of calls to allies on sunday, british prime minister sir keir starmer spoke with french security needs. both leaders are heading to washington this week for separate talks with president trump. on monday, the uk and eu are expected to announce a fresh round of sanctions against russia for its aggression in ukraine. the regions in red — in ukraine's east — are controlled by russia, while the purple shows areas

overnight, russia launched its largest drone attack yet, the capital, kyiv. stretched air defences, like here in zaporizhzhia. president zelensky�*s anniversary press conference. this year, there was an elephant in the room, donald trump siding with moscow and claiming that he ukraine's leader gave a surprising response. translation: if, to achieve peace, you really need me . i can trade it for nato, if there are such conditions. not in 20 years.

and could in the future. 100% interest? generations of ukrainians. that was the most relaxed we've seen president zelensky in this anniversary press conference. that is far from ideal. and you get the sense outwardly, at least, plan that he didn't think was in the interests for the course of this war.

medals were also given to troops fighting in ukraine. his new relationship with washington has been described as "promising" by the kremlin. at the moment, any peace deal looks set to favour him and not kyiv. demonstrations across europe, from prague to paris. but leaders here are now working out how to provide elise giuliano is senior lecturer at the harriman institute for russian, eurasian, and east european studies at columbia university. between us and europe. in the last few days and we may

not want to necessarily read too much into it and want to see how things play is pulling back from its post—world war ii commitment powerful states should not just invade smaller neighbours and we observe not only that principle at risk over the last week, but also, a commitment to human rights. no mention by the us administration of the ongoing so how did we get here?

so i would venture to say that trump has been quite consistent foreign policy based on animosity towards the person of our leadership is certainly not out of character for the president and may be what's behind some of the kind of russia, who is actually, as we know, the perpetrator

trump and his administration, has that emboldened putin? happen just leading up to this three—year anniversary of the invasion. it has certainly emboldened. the quite strong support that europe and the us have given to ukraine. and now we see the us president basically mimicking the language of putin after a phone call with putin, undercutting or questioning, language that questions the legitimacy of

president zelensky. saying, why isn't zelensky holding elections? and zelensky has 4% popularity. none of which is true and, in fact, is wildly off, of the ukrainian population. but why do this? why make the statements? around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

you are with bbc news. staying on the war in ukraine. on ending the war. here's our analysis editor, ros atkins. for years, and europe have been in tandem. this week,

that appeared to end. donald called president zelensky trump called president zelensky a dictator demanded a dictator and demanded ukraine's his 77 talked rect administration talked direct with russia without involving lyithrjdssié withouteinvolvino or 7 lyithrjdssié withouteinvolvino or declined to europe or ukraine, declined to confirm security confirm long—term security guarantees and attacked europe for censorship. this it wrfilaiiér; w 7 ' matters in a wrfilaiiér; iii}? bf really matters in a range of ways. in recent decades, fewer conflicts have what conflicts have delivered what known as a peace is known as a peace dividend with estimated with an estimated $1.88 trillion. not any more. the eu says europe needs a surge in ii- 7 j keir starmer 77 7 keir starmer says keir starmer says we defence. keir starmer says we must �* defence must increase our defence spending. russia's 802 00:18