the destruction of the nation starts march, boy, d, w ah, [000:00:00;00] ah, this is d, w. use lie from berlin. an impassioned plea from the ukrainian president, fortunately, crane is longing for peace. europe is longing. at the munich security conference, ukraine's president voted to me to landscape calls for more international support and a meeting with vladimir putin as tensions escalate in eastern ukraine. our correspondent visits

a time that's already been target of artillery attacks and the winter lifting straw to a close with the ceremony in beijing that's set to focus on ordinary people. and ah, ah, i'm pablo foias. thanks for joining us. ukraine's president volunteered to lensky is calling for face to face talks with russia's vladimir putin to resolve the crisis between their countries. moscow, he said, could even pick the location of the meeting. so lensky was speaking at the munich security conference here in germany, where he said ukraine will not respond to provocations in the eastern part of the country, but will defend itself against russian hostility. he also appeal for more support to defend ukraine against russia. on the 2nd day,

he took center stage, reloaded me as the lensky president of the country. all others have been talking about since the conference kicked off ukraine. a country at the brink of war. he left key, if against advice from washington to make one more urgent call for help. we gentlemen would, you could of or more, every one needs to understand that this is not some kind of donation need ukraine to be bragging for them. i believe that this is not just a broad gesture that ukraine should be bowing down for. thank you, green and my. this is your contribution to the european and international security for which ukraine has been serving as a shield for 8 years now. great. not a reliable shield yet, holding back one of the largest armies in the world. these humoral gifts 3 murders they did the army sweep. zalinski is that his country is not going to be a permanent buffer against that army on zillow america. in bilateral meetings,

he won the west that nato members could be next. if ukraine is attacked soon and, and the u. s. is convinced an attack is imminent. you do. we now receive reports of what appears to be provocations. and we see russia spreading. this information lies and propaganda. german chancellor, olive schultz also stressed that moscow stated reasons for security concerns are a pretext, was to genocide. this is the real problem that there is not the late membership of few green on the agenda. it will not happen the next time i even look at the near time putting those that the situation. but that is something ukraine's president has put up for debate because he would like to see his country to the european union. and natalie. yeah, because the brake light. ok now gosh, it do it. if it were told, the doors are open, throwing you,

but so far there is no opportunity you actually teach late. not all the members are willing to see us. they are all members don't want to see us. there ought to be honest about it because he opened doors are good grades, but we need open answer. hello level didn't read great g. everybody did answer us or something. he didn't get well in munich, but still hoping to get them before it's too late. and applebaum is a pulitzer prize winning historian and columnist who has written extensively about central and eastern europe. he took his mcculloch of nor asked her for her assessment of what she'd heard at the munich security conference. so on the threat of war is imminent. it's hanging over europe. what have you learned of the last 2 days of what could happen of the next? so i can't tell you what's in putin's head and nobody can tell you. and that's interesting in itself,

because we now have russia where there is no war counsel. there is no politburo. there is no group of people who are making this decision. the decision is being made by putin himself, by himself. and therefore the decision as to whether to go through with plans that we know exist is entirely up to him. we know that there are plans to invade ukraine full scale invasion, including an invasion of key of and including a change of government, including maybe the deaths of tens of thousands of people, whether he has pulled the trigger on that decision. and we'll know in the next, in the next several days, but because russia has become a, you know, an autocracy of a particularly centralized and a particularly hierarchical kind. there aren't really other people inside russia. we can consult to ask for their opinions. and russia wasn't here at the munich security conference, so it was this just the west talking amongst themselves. and what has been the effect of this threat?

5 of there were 2 important things happening at the conference. one was the west affirming it's unity, which was nice to see. the vice president made a good speech. the american vice president and several german leaders made good speeches. there was an impressive appearance of the german foreign minister. is bare bach with antony lincoln, the american foreign secretary they impressively said the same things. they agreed about the necessity of sanctions. we know that germany is willing to pay an economic price for this and it was a, it was impressive there that you know, they were and there's massive support for that here. now the dissonance, the problem is that the ukrainians who are also here and large numbers, feel that's not enough. they, you know, they understand that there could be him of full scale invasion. they understand

that there will be no western military support for them. and in so in a certain sense, despite this western alliance agreement and so on, there alone and historian on apple bam, speaking to tito abuse, mckayla, kosher the recent shelling of ukrainian controlled areas which hate a kindergarten among other targets has been blamed on russia back separatists are correspondent mathias billina, visited the area to get a 1st hand view of the situation and how it's affecting local residents. the traces of destruction have been patched up 2 days ago this kindergarten in the town of stunning, said one sca was hit by a shell. now the kids are at home, but a visitor is expected. ukraine's deputy prime minister, you lena, very shook is inspecting the damage we do not provoke, we do not want an escalation. we want peace, who on protection and security for our people,

especially for those who live here for pensioners and children, and those who cannot protect themselves. literally, most of, of gunfire can be heard frequently. now here and stunning fellow hunger. just before the minister arrived, we heard heavier tillery. the town has been shoved for 3 days in a row. now. sure, we'll go there sooner rather with when there are heavy explosions, we hide in the sellers. but when it's shelling like this, we're still on the street of a nobody knows and it's all unpredictable, which is wednesday. you and i were standing here now and any think in fly by china for a little little stun. it's alons because a small but important place along the front line bridge to the other side is open to civilians. being one of only 2 checkpoints where people could cross over to the other side. this place has long been spared of a tillery,

but now this has definitely changed new yard almost of wood to shoot, and i think it will even get worse. the young girls, and i'm not a coward. who could reasonably, i'm afraid for my grandchildren. i wouldn't want them to be scared, and i don't want to see them disabled for daddy of he'll be dealing with the thought. the international observers have warned that the escalation might be the prelude to a larger incursion, or even a full scale invasion. not all our intelligence does not confirm that we are seeing certain steps towards an escalation, as you all can see and hear their shelling happening. but that does not mean that a full invasion is on the way over most of the board. but even without a full scale invasion tensions remain high here on the front line. here's a look at some of the stories making headlines around the world. one of the passengers missing aboard the ferry blaze of grease has been found alive. the man was spotted on the stern of the ship. the ferry caught fire in the ione and see on

friday with around 300 passengers on board. by an associate of the late jeffrey epstein has been found dead in a french prison. john lupe lunel had been charged with the rape on trafficking of miners. he was the co founder of 2 modeling agencies, funded by epstein, a convicted sex offender who committed suicide in prison. in 2019 carnival celebrations have returned to the french city of miss after a 2 year absence. spectators enjoyed a lavish parade featuring a king of animals. the carnival was postponed for 2 years there. due to the corona virus pandemic. there have been scenes of jubilation. and molly, after france said it would begin to pull its troops out of the west african country . france has helped battled your hottest groups for 9 years until relations with molly's military leaders turned sour in the streets of bummer co molly ins waive brooms,

and sweep away ash symbolizing the departure of french troops. after nearly a decade. french president emanuel mac, ron announced the withdrawal of anti g hottest forces on thursday, after months of escalating tensions with molly's military leaders. but his initial timeline of 4 to 6 months is now under question. molly's army led government has expelled the french ambassador and demanded the immediate departure of both french and european forces on the streets. the mood among the government supporters is clear on what we have home, have it that if france wants to leave, it must do so immediately. no question of 4 or 6 months later on what we don't need . france, france has been with us to long get her out. popular resentment against france has

been driven by its failure to stem the tide of g. hottest attacks in molly their withdrawal potentially opens the door for talks between the government and the radical islamist forces. it opposes in beijing after 2 weeks, hundreds of metals and no shortage of controversy. the winter olympics are signing off with the traditional closing ceremony. the organizer said they were happy with had the games had been staged amid the pandemic with competitors captain, a strict bubble. but they didn't mention the doping issue with russian figure skater camila failure or other controversies that have dog the event law for more on the final day of the winter olympics are man in at beijing. johnson crane joins us now. hi jonathan, good to see you now. all the metal events are over. what were the highlights on the final day. while no surprise to anyone, germany, one more cold in the bob said competition, francesco fried trish,

piloting the fire for man bob to success. now he completes the historic w w one to go to p on china. 4 years ago he repeated the trick, his team will go to germany, completely dominant in the sliding competitions. 9 out of 10 go, it's really incredible. but while at germany had a flood of golds, it was more of a trickle team. g b, the british team, i think even strictly it's probably generous. they have to wait until the final day in the car like before they got back old metal. that was even you had to skip finally for her after 3 previous picks where she came away without to go. she's got a hands on one last, they beat japan and dominant victory in the women's carrying final. so great success that and there was also a fast for finland in the ice hockey. now that has always been ever so consistent in pitt talkie competition. but this was the 1st time they've been on the top step of the party and they beat the rushing olympic committee to won. their real does victory for them. and i have to say inside the arena, it was the most boisterous celebrations i've seen at these olympics. i filed

a through the helmets in the they threw that sticks onto the ice. they ran on and moped each other, really enjoying the moment. and you can't blame them for that. can you pop? of course not that with all the metals time that i to the athlete to top the metal table that would be norway, with 16 gold medals to raise the hole in the cross country added a gold medal number 16 today. so that is a record. no country before, as one asked, i many go matter with it's a windsor lympics. now you might say, look, no way they've got all the snow. it's easy for them, right? but, you know, compared to other countries, they do have a smaller population. there are countries like germany, austria reading with big populations who don't get to the top of the metal table. what makes norway stand out? what they really focus on? grassroots and youth participation, getting kids involved in this sport early on. germany finish 2nd place in the middle table like they did in pure chang 4 years ago. now that was thanks largely to the sliding success as we talked about in the loo skeleton and pops that didn't so well. in other sports and china instead,

place them most successful winter olympics ever. how they finished 9 go measure that was almost double that previous best from vancouver in 2010. but perhaps more importantly for the chinese government, they finished the hate of the united states. johnson crane in beijing. a pleasure. as always. thank you. well, that's all for now of next reporter and have a greek cypriot his fighting to get his family's property back. there's plenty more news on our website. the w dot com, monica jones will be here from the top of the next hour from the team. here berlin take care. see very soon the the battle against cove in the very end is putting health care systems around the world to a test. vaccination campaigns are accelerating while restrictions are intensifying . once again. but are these measures enough to stop the spread of the cron?