ah, ah ah, the dw news alive from berlin, russia wins china's backing in. it's stand off over, you train ahead of the start of the winter olympics in beijing, president putin and she showing solidarity, empty, promising, closer ties. also coming up on the show, the european union condemned russia's decision at you banned this network. joint traveler d. w. moscow bureau was shut down this week like holly asian for germany and banning thrushes, the state media outlets. archie carolyn, fixed again in beijing,

fireworks at the opening ceremony in the chinese capital light up the night sky as they drink becomes the 1st city to host summer and winter games. ah. hello, i'm claire richardson, thanks so much for joining us. the leaders of china and russia have resolved to work together and against united states vladimir putin met, was she jumping in beijing in a choreographed show of solidarity just hours before the opening ceremony of the winter olympics. and the 2 sent a message to the west that they are unified in their opposition to nato expansion. the highest profile guest of the winter olympics, touching dawn and bay jing russian president vladimir putin, is in china to attempt the opening ceremony. but before that, a much awaited re union with this my knees counterpart,

cheating pin to similar the opening day of the winter. tell him who is this thought of spring the hill and on this special day we meet with him. we believe this new spring new change there will inject more vitality into china, russia relations torsion. the holy only it is the so i would like to thank you for inviting me to the opening ceremony of the bay ging olympic winter games. muslim. even though we know that that is, will say having task. but we believe that our chinese friends have is always made excellent preparations for this large scale of envoy to put the look at that group, middlebury, it. but the new russia, china partnership goes way beyond the winter olympics. china added its support for russia over the tensions with ukraine. both lead us highlighted there, aligning views and global security, while accusing the u. s. a. nato of a cold war,

ideological approach to defense policy, a show of unity and mutual backing emit fears in the west that moscow is preparing for military action against ukraine. so let's get more on this story from michael kim edge. he is a history professor at the catholic university of america and a former state department, russia, ukraine, expert under president obama. and please to welcome him back on dw news. and we've just heard about putin has secured china's backing in his stand off with the west over ukraine. so what will the practical implications be of what they're calling this a strategic partnership? a little bit less than meets the eye. certainly, if russia does engage in a wider war in ukraine, china is going to be nowhere near ukraine. china has its own economic interest in ukraine is a little bit skeptical of a wider board there. i think what russia really wants is help with sanctions and that comes from the european union and from the united states. and they're, it's not entirely clear that china will be fully behind russia as well. so it's

important media, display of unity there you cracked, hold on from that. would that then allow an effect? let's say united states ability to take punitive action or isolate putin, should russia indeed invade ukraine? but it's certainly a limiting factor in terms of russia having something of an alternative, but you know, really remains to be seen where they're trying to rush out from the massive sanctions, washington, berlin, brussels london, and paris has, i have promised. so it's a limiting factor, but it's not one of the primary factors, either calculus or the calculus of the west, but i will do above she and approved and condemned nato expansion. i want to ask you, is that really the reason uprooting would potentially risk russian lives and the crippling of the economy through retribution, sanctions know, the principle of a to expansion is something that we can get

a lot about and is trying to revise the movement through diplomacy, but if it goes to worrying and granted through the about the military relationship, when you came to the west, the pain is not an a member. there's very few prospects for it to join the nato alliance. so it's a little bit of a red herring. it's about sort of who calls the shots and ukraine, and that's what russia wants to do and it wants to push the way west back on it. but they do is to integrate all of that. in addition to having an upper hand in calling the shot, what else is putting stand to gain from an invasion of ukraine? and is there actually a political appetite for it at home? i think that there's very little political appetite for it, but it's not as if i think russians would really protest if it were to happen to a degree. i think we can has a free hand in terms of domestic politics. i think what we would see, again, is really the deciding role as to where the ukraine falls on the map of europe, which is a very significant question. and if he can't quite determine that question positively,

there are ways in which he can prevent certain outcomes from happening. and that's where the military action has its attractions from looking at the moment. and the western allies are reinforcing their military capabilities in eastern europe. and your view is this the right way to dissuade russian aggression? i don't think it will have any deterrent effect on, on russia. i think what it is is an effort to reassure the baltic republics in poland to contain the silver back effects of a possible wider war. but it's not a factor the pressure is going to impress is going to go. and of course, these truths are not being sent to ukraine, and the commitment to ukraine military terms has been rather modest. so it's really about something else. other than the grand conflict at the moment. michael cameron, history professor of the catholic university of america, we're going to leave it there, but thank you so much for coming onto the show. thank you for having me of turn our attention now to some other stories making world news headlines. a u. s. military

probe has found that the suicide bombing that target couple airport during the evacuation of afghanistan was not preventable with the resources on hand. over $170.00 off guns and 13 us troops died in the attack last august attack. the investigation also concluded that the single islamic bomber acted alone to the inner court or area for trio. former us vice president mike pens has criticized his former boss over thing. donald trump was wrong to believe that pence could have overturned the results of the 2020 election. i had drawn pressured pens to block congressional certification of result, along after falsely claiming the election was still work. and people alone, over 100000 dead fish have been spotted off the french coast. they spilled into the atlantic ocean from a large fishing vessel. the owner has blamed the spill on a broken net. but environmentalists have accused the trawler of illegally don't think it's cash. french authorities have called for an investigation and criticism

is growing here in germany and across europe over moscow's decision to shut down the russian operations of this channel. which avella, the move is apparently in retaliation for german media regulators, prohibiting russia state media outlet r t from broadcasting here in germany, the west seas archie as broadcasting kremlin propaganda and dis information. deutsch of ellers moscow office is now closed, and dw journalists can no longer work from russia. the russian government announced on thursday that it would shut down dw bureau and revoke the accreditation of dw journalist in russia. it also said in a statement, it would terminate the satellite and other broadcasting output of deutsch avella in the country. the measures come after germany's media regulator banned the german language broadcasting of russia's state media, r t,

which began operating in december 2021 under a serbian license regulators say the license does not align with european law. artie has also been accused of spreading propaganda and disinformation had saw her . this is the fact that deutsch avella has been deprived of its broadcasting license, and that its employees have also been denied accreditation is completely unacceptable . yet walden, this is for come in acceptable. this violates the freedom of the press and independent media is after all, a sign of free and democratic states that says a lot. i nicholas deutsche of ela, has our full solidarity of hunters and it's already deleted. the german government says russia's actions are unjustified and called it a hostile decision. if myoglobin a moth, these drastic measures from the russian side are not acceptable by any means upon it is a truly aggressive act bar helped me. but we don't need aggressive ag,

cuz we need dialogue. we need de escalation and not escalation law group, often d as escalade, so an initial escalade. so the russian government also said at plans to initiate proceedings, to label deutsch, vela as a media outlet acting as a foreign agent, a designation that carries further government scrutiny. for now, d, w is considering possible legal avenues and says it will not stop reporting on russia. while the european union is sanctioning 5 high ranking members of molly's transitional government including interim prime minister cho gal maga. the u has criticized the military transitional government for obstructing and undermining the return to democracy by delaying elections. germany, as among the countries taking part in a u. n. and e. u. peacekeeping mission in the west african country driven parliamentary approval for the deployment expires in may. and the new government has expressed doubts about continuing the mission. it's the most dangerous

mission in the world. according to the united nations. there are currently over a 1000 german troops station there, but maybe not for much longer does it do its own. and molly is the situation in molly is very threatening, but, and that's why it's time to check whether we can continue our commitment that machine or it doesn't make sense supporting and training a regime the boss off elections and is making it almost impossible for us to know allies to carry out our work was a auburn to wish to fool german troops or training soldiers and molly as part of an e you program. but since the qu, though same soldiers worked version to that is ruled out free elections and recently expelled the french ambassador committee, while hampton i am old one has the impression that molly's interim government is increasingly questioning the foundations of cooperation from week to week. so we

can't simply keep going on like this. instead, we are now examining very carefully and seriously along with our partners what further engagement looks like of mall seen. the french army are germany's most important partners in molly. leaving could result in a vacuum. when gave me where to leave, what would the consequences be? and also for the flow of refugee or terrorism in molly could possibly be brought to europe. all this has to be weighed on. the german government wants to coordinate with france on the matter this weekend. but it's the german parliament that we have to decide on a final withdrawal from money or the 2022 winter olympic games are now open. after a lavish ceremony at visions, iconic birds and stadium tickets weren't sold to international visitors or to the general public in china. another opening ceremony at beijing's birds nest stadium hall must 14 years on from the 2008 summer olympics. $3000.00 performers

took part in the proceedings as athletes from around the world took a lap of ana in front of a reduced crowd, with only a select few allowed into the stands. many spectators instead enjoyed the fireworks from outside the stadium. disappointed that events will be held without fans. i related pity. we cannot go to watch the games like this al, if it weren't for coverage, we would be very happy. you guys, you guys? yes. oh, sent it again has a being held on our doorstep. i really want to go watch the events and cheer for it . when it's a pity this time we can only watch our athletes on tv and online, but i will still cheer them on to yeah, damn jail. he already, along with hazy,

saudi arabia are taking part in their 1st winter games with both countries sending just one athlete. meanwhile, the usa have the largest contingent with $224.00 competitors at the games. but no diplomatic representation traveled to beijing. the political sub plots of these olympics is just as much part of the proceedings as the coven restrictions. all those attending events must wear and f, f, p to mosque and get tested twice a day. almost 12000 people are in the olympic bubble, of whom over 300 have already tested positive. it is still unclear whether all athletes will receive their p. c. r. test results in time to compete. many events will be held on artificial snow. the use of which has been heavily criticized you to the regions water shortage bought as venues open. their doors to athletes organizes will hope that the sporting action becomes the focus of the headlines. let your knees

update at this hour. the business lines are coming up next. next with a stephen appearance, neat surgeon stage for that. you can't force to find it on our website. he w dot com and play richard thinking for and then from the team working behind the scenes, expected running us. ah ah, would people have to say matters to us? mm. that's why we listen to their stories reporter every weekend on d. w. the battle against cove it.