[000:00:00;00] hey, this is dw news line from berlin tonight. the ukraine crisis between warnings and wargames. moscow was staging wargames close to the ukrainian border while talked to avert a russian invasion of ukraine continues. german chance or watch shelves telling russian not to underestimate the wes resolved. also coming up tonight, germany's foreign minister on the line of airport begins her 1st official trip to the middle east with

a visit to jerusalem's holocaust memorial and berlin's international film festival rolls out the red carpet. but it's not quite a return to norm. we'll explain. ah, i'm brit golf. it's good to have you with us on this thursday, and we begin with new yet familiar warnings from the west for russia to night. german chancellor, olaf showed says that russia will face severe economic and political consequences if it invades ukraine. that warning came as on boys from russia. ukraine, germany, and france convened to day here in berlin. more attempts at diplomacy to avert a war. while more than a 100000 russian troops remained positioned along the border with you. grey. the numbers continue to grow. more troops,

more military hardware and more big booms in video offered to the media by the russian defense ministry. and even if these big booms are only for drills, they are meant to be loud. just as rush as foreign ministry, as being loud in responding to over church from the west to turn the volume down. louisiana, when they book hulu, to mark the idealized approaches, ultimatums, threats and lecturing. it's a path to nowhere as of legally. unfortunately, many of our western colleagues are now obsessed with this form of public activity published and i can't call it. diplomacy was working in one 0 and enrolling him got kaboodle. these ukrainian troops in the don bass region were deployed at 1st to keep russia backed separatists said bay. now they're watching and waiting for what they think will be an assault by russian troops on the other side of the border. as often than the shoot the noise ill. nathan, i'm convinced that our unit, if you can leave my unit, the guys with whom i serve,

we're ready for any scenario. roses cookie, we have the skills not. we're ready and very motivated. we know who were defending was ukrainian, people are behind us, our home can both were ready to stand our ground until the end. the don best region though may not be the main prize for russia as t w. heard from a chair of the european council on foreign relations. i mean, this goes that sort of burly in that price is now solid, accelerating efforts on don boss on to be processed. but we should understand that the russian game at the moment is much bigger. don barza sees a side show, i have to say that the russian gave me for listen to mr. poo didn't see the documents that they put on table. it's about ukraine to hold and is about sort of shane she'd been tardy. european security order. as the us moves troops into romania to bolster nato's border along the black sea,

karl built says it is in fact the us and nato that russia most wants to deal with. with the w's chief international editor rich walker spoke to lassie as prime minister about how his country is dealing with the russian builder. primacy carriage. how dangerous is the situation at the moment? how close are we to a possible war? well, it's not clear if there will won't be a war, but one thing is clear, president fulton is fighting against ukraine's independence against their democracy . that's a 3rd that he feels. he talks about the encroachment of nato. but what he is really fighting is the independence of ukraine. and this is what we in the west, what we in the european union, and what we, as nato member states, have an obligation to support is ukrainian independence. that is what is at stake. but you do see the troops that are a master, agen crane is a real threat, a potential threat that could lead to conflict. of course, it's a very real threat. we've seen the exercises before last spring are much higher

troop concentrations. there's a refusal to allow observation of the x to sizes and bellows, which are also unannounced. so there are a troops not only along the ukrainian or russian border, but there are russian troops now in the bellows on the northern border of ukraine as well. now of course lapierre has a border with belarus itself. do you feel that there is a direct risk to your country that my country is a member of nato? us are all 3 of baltic countries. so of course we have as we speak today, 10 natal member states, a military's in latvia, there's that the german lead a contingent of natal in the, to any of the british lead contingent in estonia. so we don't feel a director millet military threat, but certainly this is very destabilizing for the entire region. and it changes the military, a posture and we, as natal them,

are states need to react. i think it's very important to strengthen nato's presence are all on the eastern flag that is it from the baltic down to the black sea or but especially of course, also in the baltic countries. and this is where germany is playing. now, an important role. germany is made the decision to strengthen its presence in lithuania, which is very welcome news indeed. now in the discussion of trying to deter vladimir putin from take military action, there's a lot of focus on sanctions possible sanctions and node stream to is at the heart of that debate will have, shall, the german chancellor has refused to explicitly say that he would put sanctions on nord stream to what's your message to him on that? the message is very simple. everything has to be on the table for it to be credible . deterrent. a put in has to understand that the sanctions could bite in many different ways. so as long as nothing is taken off of the table, this is the way that we have to move forward. now you're a long standing critic of nord string to. when you look at the current situation,

do you feel that nord stream to contributed to this crisis? oh, we've been critics folk, no stream one a so or all along. and we have said from the very beginning that such a, an under c, a gas pipeline to germany will, or could, at some point be used by russia as a geopolitical a lever. and we see that this is what the kremlin is doing right now. using gas applies to europe as a pressure with reduced flows and thereby increasing energy prices in europe. or we thought it was a bad idea then, and we think it's a bad idea now for york to become too over dependent on energy supplies from any one country, especially if that country is russia. and we know that a gas promise estate controlled expert monopoly is being used now as an economic, a tool against her, the european union. premise,

the current many thanks for the time. thank you. on her 1st visit to the middle east, german foreign minister anna lena bear bock has urged israel and the palestinians to restart the peace process. their bog started her visit with a visit to the holocaust memorial in israel. the whole of names that yard the sham . a memorial to the jews lost during the holocaust. their names, their life. stories under photographs are collected here. an archive of the millions murdered a culture decimated. it's the project to canter. any one who tries to deny or dime play the nazi genocide, anti semitism, germany's foreign minister on elaine a barrel book says the world must stand up against, especially to day. is this over omitting to purplish going? this is our absolute obligation of the younger generation to keep the memory alive in,

especially as there are fewer and fewer eye witnesses among us. when tony sinned wouldn't, if maintenance is our responsibility to raise our voice against anti semitism, and he's against hatred on incitement against exclusion and violence. so that such a crime against humanity never happens again. little. the ne mia, he da hoot. in the whole of remembrance babble commemorated the victims. she laid a wreath on the stone crypt containing the ashes of some of the holocaust dead. brought to israel from the extermination camps from yeah, the sham burbock travel to meet her israeli can to part year year le pete's and provide assurances that germany's new coalition stands strongly in solidarity with israel. but that doesn't mean the government see eye to eye on oil issues and so we didn't love differences. i just had a long discussion, lulu,

upon the things we agree. oh, both of the things we disagree and this is warren fair voc said she considers the israeli settlements policy harmful and incompatible with international law. though she added, she was under no illusions there will be a quick solution to the israeli palestinian conflict. the message of this trip israel can depend on germany as both an ally and sometimes a critic in a relationship of mutual respect. for artless granite are corresponded tonya cramer . she is in jerusalem and she is following this visit by the german foreign minister. good evening to you, tanya. so talk to me about this 1st visit to israel by foreign minister, barebones, why? society was her 1st visit as for a minister in do you have to understand she's not yet very well known here among the israeli public. and she's basically seen as a part of the younger generation of, to him politicians. so there was

a lot of interest to see how she's going to position herself. maybe whether she has any other approach to, to certain topics. and the german foreign minister, a used her, her 1st official visit here to basically a reassure is ready vito's again. and i think there was also no doubt about that. that germany stanza, you know, side by side to israel, that it's a fundamental commitment to israel as well. and to build on this special relationship between the 2 countries, due to their shared, paused but both a foreign ministers, the is ready for a minister. yet ela pitt, that in the report, and i, on an, in that book, you know, they had a very cordial meeting, was a very friendly and warm and meeting. they also talked about their differences and mainly, ah, israel concerns when he comes to the are nuclear talks in vienna that are ongoing

debt. but the german foreign minister also used the occasion to criticize israel settlement policies and also, you know, said there's a need to keep the 2 state solution life. so some continuity, but she also said her own agenda to raise an issue that we usually don't hear. so much on these occasions, the climate crisis and the foreign ministry, she also visited ramallah to day ed. her stands on reviving the middle east. peace process is clear. she wants a restart, doesn't she? yes, she does spent. i mean, it was interesting to see that she really emphasized a, you know, the idea of a piece process. although i'm, you know, many people, if you would ask them, you know, there is no trust at something like this will happen any time soon. the house be no political process, whatever here in recent years, that's completely stalled. but she said she wants to re engage, she know all sides to find ways to talk to each other because the so called status

quo are that is here. you know, at the moment is simply not a sustainable. and i think this will also follow her now a when she a nice ramallah and then a continues have visit and jordan and then also in egypt that are also 2 major players and disregard in the region. need abuse correspond to tanya kramer reporting tonight from jerusalem. tanya, thank you this here to look now at some of the other stories that are making headlines around the world that president emanuel micron of france calling for a renaissance for the french nuclear in district. he wants to build up to 14 new actors to power frances, transition away from fossil fuels. critics have raised concerns about the cost in the problem of radioactive waste. germany is preparing to close its last remaining nuclear plants. this year, libya could be facing and other political crisis. the parliament has appointed

a new prime minister fatty by shaka, as reportedly elected in, in the unanimous decision by lawmakers but the incumbent abdul hamid debate. bah, is refusing. we understand to step down. france and belgium have banned protestors against coven 19 restrictions from blocking roads in their national capitals. convoys from all over france are heading to paris, inspired by truckers in canada, who paralyzed parts of ottawa. a similar blockage is planned for brussels. elise have been told to issue tickets and to arrest those who violate the ban. are right, we want to get back to our top story now negotiators from ukraine, russia, france in germany. how talks here in berlin today and are what is known as the normandy format. it's an attempt to deescalate tensions between ukraine and russia for more now, i'm joined buying sophia bash. she's an expert on european defense policy at the

center for european reform is going to see you again, less this. talk about the influence that european allies, such as france and germany have right now. i mean, do they have much influence on what vladimir putin is going to do? well, that's a good question. i mean, fans and germany, obviously influential powers in europe. and they are important voices in this crisis, not least because they would suffer under economic sanctions. should the conflict get to that stage? and you know, they have often cast themselves a sort of mediating powers and relations with russia. germany has historically often pursued the role of a diplomatic mediator. my call has to out his presidency, attempted to forge new negotiation. pat smith, putin and now they are trying to exert influence, for instance, as he said to the normandy forum. the benefits of that form is that we have ukraine and russia both at the table at the hope is that we can use it to come to a diplomatic solution. revive the so called minsk

a cards that were struck after russia last and made it ukraine. but they are notoriously ambiguous. they are interpreted differently by all the parties, and they have never been fully implemented in the end. i think the tax can only succeed france and germany can only succeed if russia engages as a good faith participant, which is less than clear at this time. that's a, that's a very questionable on position at the moment. we know the biggest counterpart to putin is of course you as president joe biden. how much influence? again, that france and germany have on the white house at this moment? well, the u. s. and the europeans have been really closely coordinated in this crisis. i would say an increasingly so no one wants of war and as a western alliance, we have opted for this sort of 2 pronged data g of to terrans and the one hand and dialogue on the other hand, early on, you know, in the us and russia have engagement bilateral talks over am, control issues and confidence,

building measures in france and germany have in recent days really increased the intensity of their own diplomatic efforts. you know, we've had my call in moscow and he has, we have shots as conversations out with the leaders of the baltic states today with the hollins president and then his plan trip to moscow. i think those conversations are important because france and germany are really strongest when they have the credibility and legitimacy are representing some sort of broader european interest . and for that, it's incredibly important that they close the engage with and listen to the interests and concerns of other european states before they speak to moscow or for that matter to, to washington lena, earlier this week, the french president emanuel micron. he was in moscow to meet with vladimir putin and it's important to know that mack ron is facing reelection in just 2 months time . he's been criticized for maybe campaigning, if you will. at the kremlin. the german chancellor, he goes to the kremlin,

next week, should should, should he do anything differently from what we saw micron do this week? shells is in a really difficult position going to moscow because it's so difficult to see what a diplomatic offering could look like at this point. and my car faced the same issue, you know, to your point where the he's complaining in the kremlin. i think we've heard throughout by cost presidency, he has taken an interest in relations with russia and trying to re engage at the kremlin. but it's less and less clear what a compromise could look like between rest and values and russian interests. at this point, you know, russia seems to want to reinstated policy of spheres of influence in europe's east . denying a country like you crammed the freedom to choose its own alliances, influence its broader politics and, and foreign policy and europe and the u. s. i sort of sworn to protect the decision making autonomy and territorial integrity of ukraine. and any compromise on the

status of ukraine would essentially undermine this. this stands of the west plus, you know, there is the question of what message russia would take away if it's succeeded to essentially blackmail as into a concession. my conte did not get, you know, a silver bullet deal. when he went to moscow, he did get some tentative concessions and exercises and veterans, but we cannot be sure if they're trustworthy. and we heard the nato section say, today that the russian military people that keeps intensifying the crisis keeps getting dies here and seems increasingly shelters visit is becoming at visit at the 11th hour. you know that the pressure certainly on sofia, best from the center for european reform to v as always we appreciate your time, your insights. thank you. thank you so much for the almost 2 week long protest by canadian truckers, it is now having an economic impact around a 100 anti vaccine activists are blocking a key bridge league in canada and the united states. the drivers are refusing to move until the government scraps

a rule requiring them to be fully vaccinated. before we're driving up from the us in to can day 14 of a protest that has caught the world's attention. canadian truck has a positive vehicles in front of prime minister just introduced office, bringing much of the capital ottawa to a standstill. originally this was a protest against vaccine mandate foot truck se cross into the us. just since broadened out to the fringes and supported by far right, extremists and conspiracy theorists of plato, honestly, i have observed the fact that we are the fringe mon already. but i'm quite proud to be the fringe minority of hundreds of thousands of girls and millions of spectators yourself on the political spectrum. at the far

right is the protest spreading over night, demonstrators blocked a bridge, connecting canada to the u. s. shutting down a quarter of cross border traffic more than 2 thirds of canadians disapprove of the protests and frustrated locals as making their opinions clear too. well the one about the dog was pointing out some of the pretty of the processors. lot of them brought their dogs to the protest and the hawking is incredibly dangerous for it bothers me, it. i think it strikes what a lot of people feel about what they feel clean in value, sir, and we cherish freedom and this is not about freedom. but with the truck has prepared for the long haul. it might be some time until ottawa residents get their city back or your 1st major international film festival of the

year has begun. despite surging corona virus infections. here in the german capital, organizers or staging the berlin international tim festival as a live event, 18 films from 15 countries are buying for the golden beer top prize. and around $250.00 films will be screen cinema seeding. it will be reduced and there are vaccine testing, an mask requirements. my colleague stacy bevin, she is dell there among all of the glitter radi tonight is going to see you, stacy, and you know this. we want us, we want to say that this is a return to normal, but it's not completely is not completely, but it was still an exciting opening. and there was a lot of glitz and glamour, and with a crush of international press here. and some of the stars walking out the men in their taxes and the women in their shimmery dresses. it was really nice and it's my

1st red carpet. so it's even better than i expected. and you know that i love you brit garth and back to you, but i feel now being around all this glamour that i had transcended, you know. huh. yeah. but when i wasn't hit, that'll change once the light goes out here. that's okay. i can tell you've been drinking the bill in our coolie, that's fine. tell us about it. tell us about the movies that are going to be screened for the next week and a half reserve. sure. like you mentioned, there is going to be 8 teen going for the major prize, the golden bear, and one of those films is playing as having its world premiere to night. after these festivities are over, the film is going to play. it's called peter vaughan cart and it's by the french director francois lusan and it's based off of

a movie called on the tiers of petra font count. and this is kind of attribute to the late german director rear burner fast vendor. there's another movie that i'm really interested in too. that's getting a lot of buys. it's a thriller and it's called the outfit and it's about a tailor that gets entangled with the chicago mom. you know, i'm a chicago girl is, you know, i'm interested in see how that goes. now beyond beyond your stellar eyelashes, how will this years bill a dollar look pandemic if you will. well, it's sure it's going to be shorter. so it goes from tonight until the 16th and then from the 17th, the 20th will be for, for the public. so at the 16th is when we'll, we'll have our winners. and there's less of a hollywood presence here, i guess, because of,

of corona. and there aren't that many hollywood films represented. so yeah, it's different and you know, the cobit rules apply wearing a mass having to kate the co, the tag showing that you've been vaccinated. yeah. so and, and also you can't get the ticket, shut the ticket counters you have to order them in advance. okay, that's all good to know. and who needs hollywood? we, we've got stacey burns there on the red carpet. we'll be talking with you next. lie . fancy, fancy to night issue, or stacy beg ah, are now to the winter olympics in beijing where there was delight for germany as the country won the lose relayed to go top in the gold medal count. and it was a day to remember as well, for austria and the us in the snow boarding competition. natalie guys burger got germany's elite, lose team off to a good start. before to be as vender. and to be as art set a course record in the final run,

to pick austria and make it a clean sweep of the loser events for team germany. austria had better luck in the men, snowboard cross alessandro him. allah finished ahead of canadian elliott rondon in a neck and neck final. the austrian edged out grandin to claim his 1st ever olympic medal, saying he had just pushed a little more. there was joy for the u. s. 21 year old chloe, him one gold in the woman's snowboard half height, kim became the youngest woman to win snowboard golden 2018 aged to 17. her latest performance makes her the 1st female snowboarder to win back to back. gold in the half pipe. and us figure skater, nathan chin is taken home, his 1st olympic go delivered, a rousing performance skating to elton john's rocket man. and his 5 quadruple jumps

. helped him live up to his name quad. he jen went into thursday's free skate with a world record score, won the short program. congratulations to him. i'll be back at the top of the hour with more world news followed by the day i hope you can join is that ah ah,

with who to the point. strong opinions, clear positions, international perspectives. half chinese lead a. she ging paying and russian la puente enjoyed forces against the west. is democracy under pressure. and how should nato and the you respond to the challenge . find out on to the point to the point

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rivals with one daring goal to out smart nature for a longer, healthier and fuller life. one of the most insightful discoveries in the history of mankind down the hatch. more life starts february 16th on d. w. have russian president vladimir putin and chinese need a she jane? pain joint forces against the west. well, certainly china has been using the winter olympics for a massive display of its political and economic might. russia meanwhile, continues to flex its muscles in the war of words over the future of ukraine. diplomatic efforts to ease the situation our in overdrive including missions to