was true, what it doesn't matter. the only criteria is what will people we shed light on the opaque world who's behind benefits. and why are they a threat to what's all open world this week on d. w with the wi from but then german foreign minister, atlanta bad ball holds, talked with our brush counterpart in moscow to try and diffuse tension. so,

but you've cray, a serious growth, a russian invasion also on the program. first image is the merge showing the devastation in tonga, after saturday's massive volcanic eruption. the government describes the situation as an unprecedented disaster. africa returns to something like normal, despite being badly affected by the army. chronic, very corona, virus infections and death are decreasing. so what lessons can you let? ah, i'm so gale, welcome to the program. germany's foreign minister says there is no alternative to good relations between moscow and berlin. and alina babel, we're speaking of the talks in the russian capital with her counterpart. so again, love rav among the topics on the agenda, other russian troop build up on the cranium border,

and fears that russia is getting ready to invade its neighbor. was bare box at the talks had covered a variety of issues including some currently casting a shadow over bilateral ties and unit nottingham. the man in the last few weeks, more than 100000 russian soldiers have gathered near the ukrainian bod own enough for no comprehensible reason. it is difficult not to interpret this as a threat to shoot. and so since i took office, a large part of my discussions has not entered on the question of for doing cooperation with rochelle on deepening common goals was blanket minds. i'm quote, but he and current it is the german government did not choose the situation. these are the 2 at 100, but it cannot and will not ignore it. are buchanan on van? yeah, i'll finish austin. vicky will take a closer look at this with leona fix, who's a resident fellow at the german marshall fund in washington, dc and an expert on german russian relations. a welcome to d w. and how do you think today's meeting went?

the meeting went well and it is a difficult meeting, co, german find minister to come to moscow because the russian foreign minister is well known for publications, especially during joint press conferences. today we have seen that russia is at least not interested in escalating relations with germany right now. the press conference went well and another bad book also made all the white points about human rights concerns, but also about the security situation. while at the same time underlying the need to cooperate with washer. so it doesn't sound like it much was achieved in terms of even as shifting the others position. this is like okay, we'll talk to, we'll be polite. and then we'll go our separate ways because russia does seem more intent on talking with the united states than dealing with a b, e, u, or germany. that is 2. but there's also one thing that germany is pushing for in particular, that is the resumption of the so called moment detox that talks between germany

fancy crane and russia, which were the conflict resolution mechanism since 2014. the hope is that with a revival of these talks, and that's the diplomatic mission. and alina barber was on, we might step back on military escalation to a diplomatic solution. and then also, it's important to signal that at the dialogue is not only between the united states and russia, something russia wants to present because it was to see itself as one of 2 superpowers. dividing european influence service spheres of influence between the united states and russia. this is an impression that the united states certainly wants to avoid. right. and so how then is it in russia's benefit to go back to this normandy or format, effectively sharing power if you like, with all these people rather than just carving it up with the united states. the question would be for moscow at the moment is whether it has whether it will take

the decision to puts you the military path or whether it will still try to continue a diploma path and an incentive for the diplomatic path. certainly the sanctions that have been on by the us in europe. so this double strategy of sanctioned and dialogue is co approach to bring russia bag both to discussions in the u. p form. but also to way to control discussions with the united states and with nato. and for that purpose you knew united stand on sanctions is particularly important. and so how do you rate germany spell position that because it has to balance its commercial interest and dependence on russia. full energy imports against warning, even threatening russia for its perceived bad behavior. but the have been contradicting signals fumble in the last week that has been in voices who sent

that not to to should be taken out of the same package in particular from the social democratic party. although they have been in agreement between the united states and germany. that not to, to will be, we considered in case of a question escalation towards you quain. so germany is dependent on russia, but on the other hand, can also use this dependence as a stick as a stick and as a tailored towards russia. so wash out one knob to to, to be in place and the algorithm should be that is what you want. then back away from you quaint otherwise not stream to my become part of the sanctions package. understood, thank you so much for explaining that to us. the on a fixed on the german marshal fund. okay, we'll take a look at some more stories that making news around the world. now. the european parliament has elected a new president, roberta mc solar is a conservative lawmaker for malta. she succeeds david saucily, who died last week. 43 year old is the youngest person ever in the job. i'm the

only the 3rd woman to hold the position in the parliament's history from british by mister barnes. johnson has denied suggestions that he lied to parliament about a lockdown breaking party at his office. he said, no one warned him that the event might violate to strict coven 19 rules. he's under growing pressure to resign over several gatherings that were organized by his staff findings from a government a government inquiry do as early as this week. 4 people were killed in algeria when an elevator collapsed in the western city of or on the left was carrying 5 workers in 11 story buildings under construction. one worker who survived is being treated for severe injuries. no unprecedented disaster is how the government of tonga has described the devastation following saturday's volcanic eruption. and so now me at least 3 people have been confirmed

dead and scores of homes completely destroyed. international efforts to assess damage and provide assistance have now bigger they look like old c p a fated graphs. but it's because of a blanket of ash, which now covers everything in sight. on some of tonga is 169 islands in the south pacific. these images were captured by a new zealand defense force reconnaissance flight. it's as close as outsiders concurrently get after a massive volcanic eruption and su nami hit tonga at the weekend. satellite pictures show the capital, knuckle a loafer before the eruption and after

the ashes, proving quite problematic. not just for a war turn, sanitation because tom collected water from the roofs of household. but in terms of access for the aid from australia, new zealand, and other flights, but they need to clear the runway supplies are already on their way. you zealand h m. n zed as wellington is one of 2. royal navy ships heading towards tomba, with water supplies survey teams, and a helicopter. australia is also sending help, including humanitarian aid, with regular communication line, still down, tonga is almost cut off from the world. no one can be sure what they'll find when they get there. south africa was the 1st country

to sound the alarm about the army, kron corona, virus fair. and now the wave has passed and other countries are looking to learn from its experience. they to shows how amazon causes a spike in case number's a much, because it's much more at transmissible than the previous variance in south africa's 4th wave was therefore sharper, but shorter. crucially, the ari crumb wave has resulted in fewer deaths. and previously there were also few hospitalizations, and this is led some experts to conclude that omicron is less dangerous, but others have one that many cases may have gone unreported or undetected. so the real numbers of cases in death could be much higher. they're wanting not to underestimate. army kron as a milder variant to day is an important day, was the pillow honey born in 2 years ago, financial problems and the pandemic forced him to close his bar and dressed rent, and kate towns calisha township. but now he's fine in the re opening over. it does

cost us a lot of things that we need to put your eggs and different buckskin. and also you need to try and think outside because i mean, for me, i don't test the storm from whatever bed situation that, i mean, i only knew propose a tip with things that i can do. instead of complain. after nearly 2 years, most lockdown restrictions were lifted, including a nightly curfew. tourists have once again been pouring into the country. they had been mass cancellations following the discovery of the army kron variant. life is slowly getting back to normal. here in cape song was decreasing numbers in you covered infections, data from south africa suggests, although all micron is much more infectious, the amount of people that were admitted to hospitals was much lower than during previous waves. many. yeah, hoping that we're seeing the beginning of the end of the pandemic. i so wish that i

won't even. yeah. but the, the name holbert. that is what we're wishing for the day next. everyone is going i've been allowed connect thing going. i've side with daddy now does my, how long now i hope that only god is actually the final thing of this marriage to see slash enjoyment. this actually happened as the i'm so happy that the business is grooming people to start making money out of officially open. when last as these tyesha touch it with them business, i'm glad that we can get to come here and enjoy. many scientists also optimistic despite the low vaccination rate by religious dwarf gang plaza says that many south africans had already and infected with the corona virus before the only true waste hospital data show that the prior corona, virus infection, or vaccination, provides protection against severe illness. also with the army tron various women

and honestly try to like to hear dear tied war partridge, hollis entered at dish, tomor tom wood again didn't. or if you get to a situation like this, where nearly every one has had it or has been vaccinated, then you can relax. of course, on the other hand, it is summer here, and the big school break took place over most of the 4th wave vacation was shorter and europe school is starting again, and it's winter when people spend much more time together indoors or the selfish winter home. if he makes those are considerable differences. that's why you can't just say, we expect things to go like they have in south africa, dusty backlog ones, arden idea of oddness. a little iffy in africa, pies or hopes that the pandemic could become endemic. as with other corona viruses, if most of the population has a basic immunity from previous infection or vaccination, higgins to galati hoffman, thus feel only america officials with the booster info. ellen kong, i still have hope that we can get around regular booster shots. i can well imagine

that if everyone has basic immunity, possibly with a specific ami chron booster, and another variant doesn't come as a nasty surprise. then we can keep our immunity up by nature means via regularity. infections with a corona virus, and dusky dandridge. ag macy could be the infect yawn, image fame, cold of yours and of units of zone of and i truly have eyes. i don't advocate with him buells early because no one wants to think about more mutations right now in the middle restaurant and bar. certainly not illness, he believes he already has big plans and wants to expands to other cities. he believes that the prospects was of africa. once again. the good this is dw, live from berlin. his reminder of our top story, this, our javin foreign minister on a bad box that says no alternative to good relations between moscow. i'm to berlin

. she was speaking during talks in the brush capital with an opposite to number. so i felt wrong. the topics on the agenda with the russian troop build up on the ukranian border. unfair that russia could invade it's name. that's it. you're up to date. well world news at the top of the our next here on d. w. dog filled with a documentary about lago feedback that survived the holocaust child returned to germany to town. still have a good day with the green.