ah ah ah ah, this is dw news lie from berlin, russia stages, the biggest military drills with neighboring bella. rou, since the cold warned the exercises commerce tensions continue to mount over ukraine with the u. s. accusing russia, a further escalating. the crisis. moscow denied it is planning an invasion also coming up hong kong and poses the strictest anti cove. it measure since the start of the pandemic, we explain why authorities there are more worried than some other places about the

spread of on the cross. at the winter olympics and beijing joy for the american says nathan chan, rockets his way to gold was skating to alton. john, we speak to our 4 spun and up again and hopes are high. that cove at 19 won't steal the show as the berlin l. a film festival open today in the german cap, we will have a rundown of the festivals both anticipated fil ah, i'm assuming so much gun that's good to have you with us. russia is starting joint military drills with its neighbor, bella rose to date. nato says it is moscow's largest deployment to the former soviet countries since the cold war. the exercises come as tensions build over what some western countries fear our russian plans to invade ukraine. diplomacy is continuing, but the u. s. has criticized the new joint military drills as escalate tori. kiev

says these are about psychological pressure. russia claims the forces will return to their bases when the drills finish in 10 days time. the u. s. is also deploying more troops to eastern europe as a show of solidarity. 0, bolstering nato's borders. on wednesday, u. s. troops arrived in south eastern poland. the united states has also begun moving its forces from germany to romania. around a 1000 nato troops are expected to follow in the coming days. denmark has also announced that its enhancing its military preparedness, deploying fighter jets to the baltic sea killings on audio. but many western analysts do not see nato's actions in response to the more than 100000 russian troops. a mass near ukraine's borders as a direct defense of ukraine. now in terms of numbers, this is meant to be a symbolic show of resolve that the nato is united and it will defend its members

if attacked. for ukraine, we've provided arms and training, but we're not providing any direct forces. nobody is further consignments of british weapons have arrived in ukraine. britain has said it only intense them to be used in self defense speaking in berlin on wednesday, german chancellor will of shalt set a dual approach was needed. adding that while all diplomatic channels must be pursued of the allies, must be prepared to act in russian forces cross these borders and into ukraine. for more perspective on the story, we can speak now to coll belt he is the co chair of the european council of foreign relations and former prime minister of sweet mister belt. welcome to d w. i want to start with our rushes military drills. russia says these drills are for its own security. ukraine says, this is psychological pressure. do you think that these drills are a further escalation of the situation? they are clearly one part of the vein major military build up. you've seen full

garage inside during the last 2 months. senate is the loan going a boat for these maneuvers in better us. we have a significant concentration of russian forces at long the borders of ukraine. and he's a law just such be enough omitted. if also that we've seen in the, in europe for. ready decades, we have to go way back into the woods and the like. i want to ask you now about nato is response to all of this that we saw the secretary generally in stilton burg speaking at a news conference a short while ago. let so play, 1st of all what he said, men talk about it, let's listen in this is a dangerous moment for european security. the number of russian forces is going up. the warning time for a possible attack is going down. nate was not a threat to russia, but we must be prepared for the worst. was remaining strongly committed to finding a political solution. mister built it,

we heard you insult. meg said this is preparing for the worse from the perspective of nato. and you wrote recently on twitter, it is a good sign that germany, for example, upping its contribution to the nato battalion and lithuania because this is a reassurance in uncertain times. but still, these nato forces pale in comparison to what brush has been preparing. so does this really act as a deterrent to russia? i think the main deterred is a matter of fact the preparations that are done for very significant sanctions by the you and by the us in case there's another rush innovation offer you great. those sanctions have been on the us, the long going process coordinator between washington, brussels and then coordinated between brussels and the different member states. and the way i understand it, they will be, would be very significant and have a very significant effect on the russian economy. and hopefully that will serve as

a deterrent so that there is no further incursions in the nation. so if you great, but we don't know. but there has been some disagreement among western allies of what those sanctions should be. do you think that europe's reliance on russian gas is serving as a liability? at this point, i think is clearly a problem. and i think there is an awareness of all over europe, i think even in germany, that long term. and that would be sort of indeed to reduce that reliance on russian gas because it provides russia with leverage, inputted considerations like this, then the replacement of that can't happen over night, but i think over the years. absolutely. i think that needs to be the re direction of entity dependence. i want to ask you about the west putting it's helps on the long stock min agreement that was 1st negotiate in 20142015. ukrainian official said that this p still itself is a weapon that moscow is using to try to destroy their country. what is your

assessment? well, if you take the russian interpretation of it, absolutely. and then the russian to try to use the beans agreement to that particular effect. that is not going to be accepted by a key. if obviously, if it is an agreement that isn't entirely clear, those are the dubious element of it. and there has been a significant disagreement between moscow and key on the timing of the local elections specialist. they decide who's got to control the borders. so it is a very sort of this, it was a draft with too much of a just precision that he used by moscow very much in order to impose upon ukraine a version of the means agreement that is clearly detrimental to the security interest of the country. that's resisted by keith, understandably so. i want to ask you, last of all mr. bell about the fact that the german chancellor will actually says that he is hopeful that there can be good progress made particularly this week on

finding a diplomatic solution to this crisis. as things stand at the moment with these military drills taking place out from the russian side today, the response from ukraine. are you confident that there is still an avenue for a diplomatic solution? but a, i would agree with the chancellor that one should be hopeful, but barone should also be realistic. i mean, is good, that sort of berlin and paris is now sort of accelerating efforts on don boss on the bees process. but we should understand that the russian game at the moment is much bigger. don barza sideshow, i have to say the russian gave me for listen to mr. poo didn't see the documents that they put on the table is about ukraine's home. and he's about sort of a shame. she'd been tardy european security order, and that is a negotiation. they are thinking primarily with nate, that's the big game that we see at the moment. we'll have to leave it there called belt, the co chair of the european council formulations, former prime minister,

sweden. thank you very much for joining us. thank you. let's get a round up of some other headlines now. libya's prime minister abdul hamid ald vega has survived an assassination attempt that's according to reuters news agency. or they quoted a government source in saying that de baby car had been struck with bullets as he returned home. but he had escaped on the harm to of voting and started and elections, and several indian states including its most populous with our pradesh there, the chief minister yogi of it you enough is seeking re election for his hindu nationalist. b j. p party, which is also india's ruling party at a national level victory there would boost a party ahead of national elections in 2024 police in new zealand. capital, wellington, arrested more than 50 people protesting against corona, virus, mandates and restrictions. several 100 demonstrators had been camped out for 3 days in front of parliament, around 8 per cent of new zealanders are fully vaccinated. jobs are required for

some frontline staff german foreign minister, analynn babylon has kicked off a 3 day trip to the middle east with a visit to the holocaust memorial yard russian. in jerusalem. germany's top diplomat lay to reset the eternal flame there to commemorate the 6000000 jews murdered by nazi germany in world war 2. she is currently meeting with israel's foreign minister. yeah. lucky. later verbally will trump a travel to ramallah in the west bank to have talks with the palestinian president lockwood abbas as well and t w's. tanya cramer is following the story for us. she was in jerusalem this morning just outside the holocaust memorial and she explained why it is so significant that bareback picked this particular site to start her trip to the middle east. oh, it's her 1st visit to the region as foreign minister. and she said in the statement before arriving here, it's very important for her to come to israel 1st emphasizing this special

relationship between the 2 countries. but also emphasizing the shared pause between the 2 countries. and that becomes very real here, right? and yet for some israel's holocaust memorial in jerusalem, that was her 1st stop on her official visit before continuing with the political meetings. she emphasized that was that statement that is very important to talk about germany's responsibility and also to continue remembering the holocaust for future generations. and a legal blockade of one of the main border crossings between canada and the u. s. is starting to have an adverse effect on the economy. a small group of around $100.00 anti vaccine truckers is preventing traffic including supply parts from moving across a key, bridge, the truck or say they will not move until the government scraps a mandate for them to be fully vaccinated to enter canada. more than 80 percent of canadians are vaccinated,

the ambassador bridge would normally be humming with traffic that these protesters have brought that grinding to a halt for 3 days now. they've been blockading this key border crossing. that part of the so called freedom convoy that started in opposition to mantra cove at vaccinations for truckers. but as since snowballed into a broader expression of anger with pandemic restrictions and canada's government, the white house says the blockade is concerning. the ambassador bridge is kennedy busiest link to the united states and accounts for about 25 percent of trade between the 2 countries and said the blockade poses arrest to supply chains. for now, many trucks being forced to detour nearly 2 hours to this alternative bridge. protests as well. so paralyzed the heart of canada's capital for nearly 2 weeks. they say they won't leave until old pandemic restrictions scrapped. stand up for our freedom,

stand up for our children, our future. no mandates, no vaccines. unless people choose to take a box with more than 400 trucks blocking roads, most businesses in the area have been forced to close. prime minister justin trudeau said his government won't change course or cannot stop a pandemic with blockades. you cannot end a panoramic by decree. you can't end a pandemic by legislation. you need to end upon demick by relying on science by public health measures and by vaccinations. and even as canadians are tired and impatient for it to, and we're going to continue to be there for them to support them through it. and to make sure we do everything necessary to and her, this police have seized thousands of liters of fuel as part of efforts to break the

blockades. the protesters appear determined and are settling in for the long haul. authorities in hong kong are imposing their toughest restriction since the start of the pandemic. as infection numbers explode, most venues including schools, gyms and churches and hair salons must close cases have almost doubled to had a new record high hundreds q to get tested as hong kong prepares for some of its toughest covered restrictions. yet, as many countries shift their approach to living with the virus, hong kong is pursuing a 0 coven strategy in line with the chinese mainland. but a sudden surge in cases is complicating matters. the government responded by announcing tough new restrictions on tuesday at closing hess alons and banning public gatherings of more than 2 people. at this moment. we still feel that this is

a best strategy for hong kong using all our capacity. and i'll means to ensure that week who into a chief, the dynamic, the 0 target. but the announcement of new restrictions and disruptions to inputs have caused food prices to skyrocket. as fee, as of a shortage grow residence of feeling the pressure. some have begun to question whether the cities 0 coven policy is worth the damage that it's causing no late. all the russians are closing everywhere. an economy is already getting, making i guess, living with the cold, it will be the best solution. and the easiest way i definitely it's going to follow mainland, right, because it doesn't have any other often. so it mean when one to continue to look down then hong kong has to walk down. for now, there is little at home comb,

7500000 residents can do, but wait and hope that case numbers begin to full as soon as possible. at 2nd, on some other developments in the pandemic, germany has recorded almost a 120000 deaths from the corona virus. that's according to the latest figures from the countries public health institute. it's reported nearly $12000000.00 infections in the course of the pandemic. anti virus measures and parts of japan have been extended until early march restrictions covering tokyo and 12 other administrative districts were due to lapse on sunday. and british prime minister boers johnson says he's considering removing all remaining corona virus restrictions a month early, including laws requiring people to self isolate. if they test positive. johnson said the move would be possible if current encouraging trends and the numbers continue to the winter olympics. and beijing were a couple of americans have triumphed 21 year old chloe kim as one gold and the

women snowboard half pipe event. kim had already become the youngest woman to win a snowboard gold. when she won in 2018 at the age of 17. and with this performance him becomes a 1st female snowboarder to win back to back old metals. in the half part, she scored a whopping 94 out of a possible 100 points. and us figure skater. nathan chan took home as 1st olympic gold, metal chain delivered a rousing performance while skating to rock man by elton john dry and cheers from the limited crowd of spectators ahead of the game. chan had dominated by winning 3 world titles. and here he was able to land 5 quadruple junk living up to his nickname quad. to king chen went into the thursday. free skate with a world record score from the short program and did abuse. sports correspondent jonathan crane is covering the games for us in beijing. and he joined the aside jonathan, so you were on hand to see nathan. chad dazzled the judges and when that 1st gold

metal and men figure skating, tell us what that was like. yeah, i have to say it was an absolute privilege to watch them and figure skating today, especially someone of a nascent chance character and caliber 4 years ago and young shall he buckled under the pressure he didn't even come away. where the meadow this time around here and basing, he skated without a care in the world. he was just so effortless on the ice. as you said, he danced to rocket man by alton john, and he really just blasted off, leaving his rider was in a trail of smoke. it was really super performance near flawless, and afterwards he finished with a smile. i'm like 4 years ago and p on chang when he was massively disappointed. you mentioned the few spectators present it was it felt like a procession to be honest. they were applauding every move, clapping along with him. i really magical moment here in beijing. something to watch for sure. and we saw that he wasn't the only american to win a gold medal. yeah,

the usa ready to 5 days to get there 1st go metal. now the can't seem to stop winning them. i clary kim in the snowboard hosp pipe. now you mentioned she became the youngest snowboard female gold medalist 4 years ago and p on chang. but after that she, she took 2 years out because she really didn't like the attention she was getting from winning that gold medal doubts whether she could come back and competes astronomy. and again, a dominant performance. she finished well clear of the rest of the failed to go meadows now for her in the olympics. and job and understanding. there's been a controversy over a metal ceremony that didn't take place. what can you tell us about that? yeah, that's a matter of federal money for the figure skating team event. it's been delayed because of what the i see cause a legal problem. now at the event was won by a russia or the russian olympic committee is that competing here. now we understand overnight and there's been so much speculation and confusion over this reports coming out of russia over night, suggesting that camilla valley,

eva the teen sensation, has failed. a drug test. now the russian stating federation, the russian. i didn't pick committee rather, hasn't commented on this. i stopped by the office today. and they basically said to me, we don't have any information. say, they're not saying anything. the i o c says that con, clemente international skating union, which is the governing body for the state of the con, disclose details about pain procedures and protocols. but the thing is, come in the valley, eva trained as no more today. what pos reporters without commenting because she's gonna be competing in the individual event next week. she's the heavy favorite for that. but of course, there's so much uncertainty at the moment. can she compete? will that be an appeal? has she even failed to drugs? test is, as is being reported, it's a very, very messy situation right here, right now d w, jonathan crane in beijing for a thank you for that. update the berlin,

the international film festival opens this week despite high numbers of corona virus cases. here in the german capital with last year's festival happening mostly online screenings, this year are being attended in person. but seating capacity and belinda allison m as will be limited to 50 per cent. and all parties and receptions have also been called off. the red carpet is ready for the 72nd edition of the berlin international film festival. but unlike in past years and will be thronged with far fewer fans, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars. it's just one of the measures men to allow the festival to take place despite pandemic restrictions. organizers are standing by their decision to hold an in person event. we don't want to make our festival up and, and put people in danger. that's something we we don't want, so we follow the instructions, we will be given by the authority as long the instructional will match with our project. we will go hon. this year's jury for the main competition is headed by

american director m 9 sha milan. he says he's looking forward to taking on the new role. berlin for me is always kind a, had a right or wrong. it has this kind of, ah, iconoclast, quality it as this kind of, um, breaking, breaking norms a rebellion that those are the filmmakers that go to berlin. the festival kicks off with a latest work by french director of francois was on. peter on conte is based on the film, the bitter tears of pe tough on conned by late gonna vanna fust binda attribute to the german director. and star is french actor is din ye men or she and isabella? jenny? a jenny colleague and compatriot, isabella bell, is this years recipient of the golden bear award for lifetime achievement. the french actress will also be seen at the festival and her latest film about joan, alongside berlin hometown favorite last,

idaho. this isn't all. also generating buzz is the thriller the outfit starring oscar winning british actor remark, rollins as a tailor gets mixed up with gangsters and 19 fifties. chicago going to be involved in whatever it is you. do you know exactly what it is. i went through fault. it's a cautious return to the red carpet after years of pandemic disruption. the battered movie industry is hoping even this year's scaled back event could be an important step on the road to normality, stacy evans as covering the belly knowledge for us. i think you're going to the big grand opening tonight. yes. what can we expect? well, we can expect some razzle and some dazzle. but in a more compact miniature form, if you will, one of the most notable changes with this berlin allah is the fact that hollywood isn't really represented either with people stars coming here. you know,

usually we see the crush of, you know, brad pitt and george clooney on the red carpet. and then like your corner friend in the book like the berlin market, you know, hobnobbing, but it's not going to be like that this year because of cobit. but most of the entries will be, especially for the, the bears, the big competition will be represented by europe and by asia. so there's, there's a lot going on in tonight. there's going to be the premier of one of the big movie sets go up for competition by france, our song. and what is that movie? it's called peter font caught. so how it'll go down is that the international jury will be entered. well, the introduce 1st and the manger is, i'm not, shall i'm on the director from the united states. then the movie will play and then afterwards they, the of the cast will come out and talk about the films. very exciting. it's still glitz and glamour, even though it's miniature. ok, it's miniature also,

as you said, because of the pandemic. so tell some more about what impact that really is having on the film festival this year. well, you can't just be willy nilly with your plans. we like, oh, i decided i want to go to the berlin film festival and i'll just buy tickets at the door. no, you can't do that. you have to order your tickets on mine. then use will not be full capacity. they'll be 50 percent. and then the regular covert rules apply, wearing a mask, proof of vaccination and that kind of thing. okay, so what are you most looking for to in the serious fellow? i am looking forward to everything. so i, i remember when i was approached to do this, would you like? and i thought you want to know if i want to watch movies and listen to artist, talk about, you know, their work and hang out with all these people. of course i went to and i went for a walk around the campus yesterday, and there are still this energy, you know, with a red carpet being rolled out. and even journalists who covered this forever, you know, walking around in their sight, meant some really just excited to just take it all in and see what happens. and

watch all of those great films and amazon. yes. all right, well stacy evans covering billy. now at 1st we hope you enjoy it. thanks to me. okay. and we can get a reminder of our top stories now here, anti w. russia starting jointed military drills with its neighbour believers today. nato says it's moscow's largest deployment. to the former soviet countries since the cold war, the exercise has come as tension failed over what some western countries fear our russian plans to invade. pre authorities in hong kong are imposing their toughest restriction since the start of the coven. 19 pandemic. the latest figures show infection doubling 24 hours. you can always get d w news on the go download our app from google play or from the app store. that will give you access to all of the latest news from around the world as well as push notifications for any breaking news. if you're part of a new story,

you can also use that d w app to send this photos and videos of what is happening, where you are. coming up next on d, w r. show focus on europe takes us to estonia, where civilians are training for a potential russian aggression for all of us. your berlin, thank you for watching of youth . ah, with

aah! with cleaning up after the abrupt she's a clearing out tons of long could be via home law by law has finally been extinguished despite the devastation. many residents are optimistic. they want to reclaim waterfall, new to their home, focus on europe next on d,

w. and to conflict with sebastian 6 months since the color band fees, power and the killings another human rights abuses have gone on multiplying my guess is week from cobble is shop. you la gum taliban director general of the foreign ministry? do they really believe they can play nice with al qaeda and the west at the same time everybody common plain conflict zone in 60 minutes on d. w. o. in please listen carefully. don't know how with today. i feel the magic

discover the world around you for subscribe to the w documentary on youtube. with hello and a very warm welcome to focus on europe. it's been called the most dangerous moment in europe since the end of the cold war with russian troops massed at ukraine's border fears of an invasion, have put european nations on edge away from the front lines. it's hoped of flurry.