ah, ah ah, this is the w news live from berlin and urgent call for de escalation. the german chancellor visits the russian president, chancellor schoultz welcomed president putin's announcement that some troops are being pulled back from the border with ukraine. but tonight, nato says it has not seen anything that looks like de escalation. also coming up to code, 19 numbers are declining. here in germany. there's growing his sentence that it's time to start winding down. those can demick restrictions and at the berlin film

festival, a lifetime achievement award. and then homage to the french actress, isabel, or pear. ah, i brent gov. it's good to have you with this, we begin with the latest western leader traveling to the kremlin in the pursuit of peace. to the german chancellor, olaf shoulds met with russian president vladimir putin in moscow for talks aimed at averting a war in ukraine. and just hours earlier, the russian military announced that it was pulling back some troops along its border with you crate. chancellor shoulds called that news promising, but just minutes ago us president biden said the russian draw down has yet to be verified. it's his most important trip and brought to date arriving in moscow. olaf shots once to do what he and political party historically consider one

of their key tasks, building bridges with russia and a bridge as badly needed just a day ahead of what some belief is. the date, russia plans to invade ukraine, while shots made his way to the kremlin, the russian parliament sent a strong signal to the west. members of the duma asked their president to recognize the to break away regions and eastern ukraine as independent and move that could kill off what remains of the men's piece process. putting in words with even difficult preconditions for shots as crisis talks with vladimir putin held at a distance due to cove. it concerns the lead us looked for ways to close the gap between russia and the west. when the speaking to the press, afterwards, both emphasized their determination to diffuse tensions, associates motives, courageous and responsible action is now required from everybody. thus volitional, sorry for binding. another i want to say one thing for my generation war in europe

has become unthinkable. and we must in sure, it stays that way of cover at starting as heads of state and government. it's our damn responsibility in our job to prevent a military escalation in europe. why tumor to it union can usually do we want war or not? you enough? of course not. yes, that is why we have made proposals to start the negotiation process is would this should lead to an agreement of providing equal security for everybody, including our country, your seo gracen, lashelle thermal. so more talks are needed for a diplomatic breakthrough. and yet they are small signs, the threat is subsiding. over the course of the day, russia announced it was withdrawing some of its more than $100000.00 troops along the border with ukraine. if those claims to now to be true, it would be the 1st sign of de escalation. in weeks. every moral this now i'm joined by torsion bitter. he is head of the think tank,

the global public policy institute here in berlin tours. it's good to see you again . you saw the show, certainly your brand. thank you. you saw the news coverage today between shops and putin. is eastern europe. is it any less likely to see war now? i think it's to, as natal said, it's dirty to talk about the real ation. but there are some tentative signs, at least the 2 side shots and put in didn't agree on much of substance. but the one thing they agreed on was to continue to talk and as long as they talk, the war is less likely. but i think that we should expect this crisis to continue. and the russian pressure also, militarily, to be kept up for 4 months to come. i don't think we'll see real in the escalation any time, any time soon. but i think the immediate family threatened war looks

a bit less likely now. but putting can always surprise us. you know, that's true. he's always good for a surprise. the chancellor today, he said that diplomacy is certainly not exhausted. the, the russians are saying, you know, just as much, what do you expect to see next? i think i continue them in the, in the best case, they'll be continued talked to one channel with us and nato, which is i think, a little less promising. and then another channel on, on the minsk agreements between ukraine and, and russia. and there's some more promising find some question marks, of course today also with the dumas action, but i think in general, at least the yesterday, mr. shots was also in kevin, if you have agreed to do it's part of the misc agreement. so i think i would expect

the adult in the best case, those negotiations are to proceed in the coming weeks and months. i want to ask you a little bit about the choreography of the news conference that we sold today. i mean, you're aware that d w was forced by the russian government to close its moscow bureau, chancellor sholtes to day at the news conference, he gave his 1st question to a dw reporter. he was travelling with him, our very own mikella, kirshner. what did you make of that? it was a very forceful sign that the shots stands up for and the german government stands up for media freedom. and not only did he give the 1st question to d, w, but it shawls also talk to very clearly about the closing down of the n g o

memory. all he clearly said that it's not as it is not acceptable from a rule of law point to point of view of the treatment of knob on the saw or charles was quite for. he also had a pretty negative remark when, when asked about the former chancellor sure it was on the premise payroll. so i'll talk to him. talked about him as a former politician without even naming his his name and saying, you know, he's in private business now, but he doesn't talk for anybody, but he's on private. the business. all these were pretty clear political signals from, from our shop to sub rushes. parliament today asked food and to recognise the east ukrainian regions of the nest and the hans as independent states. that could really pro wrench into all the diplomacy couldn't yes, i mean, all of shaw said very rightly saw that this would be

a political catastrophe. had this, do my decision was implemented, but i think we should for now see it as, as part of the kremlin, the compelling. so they get an effort to curse of into doing, you know, what the criminal things is, what it, what it needs to do on it, on more independent the status of these regions by law. so i, i don't think good, they will act on it yet. but they keep it as a spread is similarly similar to the troops. they keep it as a threat in the background for the, for the negotiation. ok, thorsten benner with the global public policy institute. we appreciate your time and your insights tonight. thank you. here are some more stories now that are making headlines around the world. the former president of honduras is he custody. after an hours long stand off with police at his home, united states had demanded the extradition of one orlando, hernandez,

accusing him of corruption and involvement in drug trafficking, and, and as left office last month following 8 years as president. he denies the charge . britain's prince. andrew has reached a financial settlement with his accuser in a sexual assault lawsuit. papers filed by virginia. jew phrase, lawyers did not disclose the amount of his seldom too for a suit. the prince, claiming that she was traffic by the late jeffrey epstein and forced to have sex with andrew enough when she was 17 years old. lawmakers in ethiopia voted to lift the country state of emergency earlier than scheduled as mediation efforts continue to end the conflict in the countries north unit 6 month measure was imposed in early november as to green forces fighting the government moved closer to the capitol, addis ababa and just the corona virus cases here in germany have started to fall

the omicron very it is causing milder cases. and there seems to be a consensus here that it's time to ease restrictions nationwide. as soon as next month, early signs of spring in berlin, and hope that it will be a season with fewer restrictions on public life. the army crown variant and vaccines have re shuffled the cards with less severe cases of coven. 19 the health care system in germany is weathering the current wave. well, new cases also appear to be slowly dropping. and with that grows, the prospect of easing restrictions. this in global cubby epidemic conditions can come to an end in mid march, but with 2 provisions. we need to establish a legal basis for the mosque mandate, because that's the most effective preventive measure. and we need an emergency strategy for the fall in case there's a new mutation while they keep it in haps fights and annoying would have so called a draft proposal with the 3 step plan has been circulating at 1st, the number of people allowed at private gatherings would increase,

and anyone wearing a mask would be able to enter stores, then access to restaurants and bars would again be allowed for the unvaccinated. with a negative test and clubs would be able to reopen. finally, from march 20th all far reaching preventive measures would be lifted. experts caution against the freedom they style free for all their v sticks upon the most important point for me is that a full reopening is not necessarily linked to the date of march 20th, but that it is determined by the infection rate among the population. and how it's less than ever fertile. but despite the calls for prudence, politicians, state leaders and health care experts all agree the time to loosen up restrictions is nearing chancellor's shots and the leaders of germany. 16 states are set to meet on wednesday to the side on possible next steps. the french screen legend isabel appeared, will not be able to accept her honourary golden bear and lifetime achievement award

at the berlin film festival. she had tested positive for cobra. 19 that said, we have a look here and her long and impressive career. in a career spanning more than 5 decades, isabel repair has appeared in over $130.00 films of various genres. she's gained a reputation for playing, intelligent and audacious characters. often with a chilly reserve at the age of 19, she was already acting alongside european film stars, such as eve, montague, and uncle, me schneider. she soon became the muse of art house. director club shall point, gun metal with her quiet, distanced acting style. she hints at the hidden depths of troubled characters in the piano teacher, she played a neurotic woman who engages in a sado masochistic relationship with one of her music students. her deep despair never rippling the surface of her tightly controlled self possession. the

performance earned her golden palm award at the 2000 to come film festival. in the 2016 thriller l, she played a video game producer who was raped. her character refuses to be a victim and seduced as the rapist pulling him into a game of guilt and revenge. that roll earned her an oscar nomination and a golden globe award in 2017 cementing her international reputation. isabel repair has also been a frequent guest at the belly knowledge. she's appeared in 7 films and the competition all highlighting unexpected facets of the actress. 6 in 2002, she displayed her comedic talents in the ensemble film, eat women for which the entire cast when a silver barrow wore it up. yes,

quite did you go without flesh include barbara in 2018. she showed her vulnerable side and the playing of philosophy professor, whose husband leaves her for a younger woman available to the heaviest pair, avoided the cliches of the jilted wife, whose life is turned upside down, showing new perspectives. oh, glue. and at this year's belly knowledge is the world premier of her new film about joan in this tale of love, life and memory is a penitent, past stars alongside german act allows adding up and gives yet another extraordinary performance. and he is reminded the top story that we're following for you after crisis dogs with rushes of vladimir putin, germany's chance or o sholtes has called for an urgent de escalation of tensions over ukraine of gluten signaling that he is open to more diplomacy, but says the west is ignoring russia's concerns about the nato expansion.

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