of an excuse to perhaps occupy ukraine as a whole within the european union. we have agreed a 1st set of sanctions and over the course of the day, we will conclude these locked up together. the, like i said earlier, that the situation we find us as in today's a completely different one than it was. and thus ago, due to the latest developments, we need to assess the situation. not least when it comes over to noise stream or to get you to, i have asked the german ministry of the economy to give us the report that it has put on the sub, at a new to your football energy supply for the grid. china said authority so that there is no certification of the pipeline possible. now there sounds a bit technical, but without this certification, nordstrom too cannot go online to go to the department of the german ministry of economics will re assess the security of our supply needles for in light of what

has taken place in the last day or 2 which in this phase, it is important apart from initial a sanction, was to prevent a further escalation and to with it, a disaster fall of our diplomatic efforts will be aimed at achieving this. these are very difficult days and hours for europe. 18 years after the end of the 2nd world war, it would seem that a war is threatening us in eastern europe. it is our job to mitigate this disaster . and i appeal to russia once again to help us in this process. thank you very much . thank you. for your and to receive such a warm welcome and from chancellor choked and to say as you have said, island and germany of old and pretty close friends and relations between us are growing stronger. all of the time we look forward to deepening even further. the economic and trade links between our 2 countries. we also work closely together in

the european union where we are of like mind on so many of the vital challenges that we collectively face the chance sir. and i share the ambition that to see this cooperation increase in both our national interests, but also are common european interest. i look forward to discussing developments in relation to ukraine and with the chancellor. the announcement by president putin, yesterday that russia was recognizing the separate as regions and ukraine crosses a line. it is a fragrant violation of international law and a breach of ukraine's sovereignty. it preaches the fundamental principles of the un charter under which all members must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. as i've said together with our european union partners,

harland stands in solidarity with ukraine. the chancellor and i will discuss the european union's response, which will be robust by again called on russia to deescalate and to withdraw its military forces from the ukrainian border. the chancellor and i would also have the opportunity to discuss a number of issues under european councils agenda including economic recovery and investment. as we emerged from the pandemic. and as we drive forward with the green and digital transformations, we need to ensure that we take advantage of these new opportunities to deliver high quality and high school jobs across to european union. or governments share a high level of ambition on climate action. and we both support european unions climate goals for 2030 and beyond. i also look forward to discussing dear opinions, relations with united kingdom. i am glad to have the opportunity to thank the

chancellor in person for germany support and solidarity throughout the beggs of pulses a man addition also thank you and your government and for your support throat cove . it into form of testing and de repatriation of irish citizens in the early phase of the pandemic. and also supports m as well. on the beggs question, ireland wants to see a strong and jordan partnership between the european union and the united kingdom in the future. for this to happen, existing agreements including the protocols that need to be implemented in good faith, vice president, suffolk of each and the commission. i continue to have my full support in the important work that they are doing at, towards securing that goal. i hope that the british government would engage constructively with the work so that we can find pragmatic solutions to some of the issues that, that have arisen within the framework of the protocol. i would also take the

opportunity to brief to transfer on the difficult political situation in northern ireland and the importance of insuring a period of cam. a head of the assembly. elections in made tons of trucks to night may again express my thanks to you and to germany for your enjoying friendship, an unfree a warm welcome. and today i mr. michael math from there. also german chance of giving the european union's response to the latest developments we've heard overnight. and also today russia ordering its troops to and to separate us provinces in east, in ukraine, on this afternoon. also the dumas, recognition of what we heard from vladimir putin in his speech last night, recognizing on yet, and the ones as independent grains in his broadcast last night. that it was very

important to see who their friends we are now. so i'm wondering what type of response that you would have and you would recommend. thank you. thank for if a fargo thank you for your question, we're gonna double unfold. and i want to respond to that by saying that 1st extremely important that we act together as the european union and close coordination with the united states of america. that is what we have prepared and that is good, the basis on which our discussions are and we want to act decisively with measures that we take now in response to what has happened now, namely, the recognition of the 2 territories. as republics, this cannot be accepted in their long side and naturally in the long period of time in which we have prepared for their situation. there are other sanctions that we have put together should further measures be undertaken. but now the aims to do something specifically to respond to the situation that has occurred and to take

similar measures that are coordinated between the you and the usa, and this is going to happen. yes, i unity is our strength and there was very clear unity of porpoise between all of the new member states and in relation to this issue come from from iris perspective . as a small open democracy, we celebrate 100 years of on broken democracy this year. and the sentiments are ticketed last evening by president putin are not acceptable to us in the sense of small states are entitled to der, nationhood at the, to the, to their freedom and to their independence. and i think the statement creates a chilling effect for, for many smaller states across to the european continent and beyond. so the principles are important that we stand by those principles of self determination and sovereignty and term. in that perspective, i believe there will be a coordinated response in relation to to, to em,

last evening's announcement. but also then the, we stand ready for even funded responses in respect of any for their actions. but they will be coordinated among the members if you don't have one of the counsellor, the american chancellor, you just said that the certification proceedings were nordstrom to is going to be suspended. i would be interested in knowing under what conditions it might be able to good be commissioned, what conditions would russia have to fulfill? i would also be interested in knowing whether the no to delivering weapons to ukraine based on the new situation is being called into question or whether you're going to say it will stay with that position. and that meant what occurred from today has become obsolete. what does that mean that the normative format is also dead for who went on the door to door to door with it. the role of germany trying

to broker a piece or will we try to get these talks going against kit? but thank you for your questions. specifically, the supplies security report is an important prerequisite for the certification procedure which the ministry of economics will have to fulfill. and of course, i spoke at length with minister hubig. the situation that occurred now is one in which we have to reassess the entire situation. thus, the existing report will be withdrawn and a new report. it will have to be produced by the relevant department in the ministry and all of the questions that are relevant to us as men, as well as many others that are important, will have to feed into this book. and therefore, this is something that is going to influence the whole procedure and it will have to be recalibrated because the economics ministry will have to review this report

that the sooner hinting. and i imagine it will take a while, malcolm, if i can allow myself, that remark left. another remark would be in response to the normandy format. it remains important. it is a platform and president my corner myself, have looked long and hard at how we can continue to use this platform. we've agreed we do want to we've discussed this and coordinated as with the ukranian president as well. and we're looking at ways in which we can of ball can build on this in the difficult situation that we have, that it exists as a format for dialogue. but the situation remains serious. among it is the case that the rest of the troops are still, they are all skies, and they are sufficient to undertake military invasion of all ukraine. and none of us at this point can predict what will happen next, which is why it is so important that we do respond immediately to what has happened

already and that the european union and the u. s. and many others will act in a coordinated manner. and we are prepared to do so does the center on for and doctors at ward the situation is unchanged till supposed to be among steve o'connell and the credit that's with what we're trying to do is strengthen the economic resilience of ukraine by ensuring that of the we remain my strongest financial stabilizer of ukraine, which will remain be gifts. and part of this is that we have prepared for this moment very carefully and stuff for further discipline. eventually that may occur, which is why you and us will be able to act quickly. it won't take long because we're not starting from scratch, but because we have spent the last few weeks and months to prepare for and eventually of this kind. as has germany, as you see, i get there scholars time config all day in chance.

regardless of what russia planning and ukraine, nor does one way the other from germany remains a major client for both twins, natural gas much. what are you going to do to break this dependency? or have you got some short term plans to reduce the dependency on natural gas from an m p from mister schultz, his party. and in simon told me that on this island gets more active on data protection on it to europe, ian data protection responsibilities. it could damage origins, reputation in germany, the way the fiscal islands, fiscal policy did the accept the criticism and will the government move to review the d p a, the data protection authority procedures in ireland that we've been waiting for since july. thank you stick. what does he do the farthest n z? i'm glad you asked this question or 2 because the situation for energy and germany,

if you look at it, you will see that a quarter of our energy supply is natural gas, about half of that comes from imports from russia. the other gas is important from norway, netherlands, and various other parts of the world. hobgood longer begone, and we haven't been long started to reduce our dependency on natural gas by deciding within 25 years. we'll try to do business in a 0 carbon manor as germany is going to turn it in to transform its industry into power generated industries. we will be getting our power from onshore an offshore wind power, so will be expanding so lower as well from 6 under tera. what's that? 800. tell watson by the end of this decade and likely double that amount by 20 eights, have been 40. so that we can produce steel level and cement without using fossil

fuels. and the gas that will be using will be a different kind of gas. it will feed natural gas, it will be hydrogen and other fuels. and we will have to import that, but we will be able to generate a fair bit of it ourselves. and this is the major way of modernization of our industry, a challenge that we have taken on. otherwise, we are analyzing our situation very closely with us and our ensuring that are employed capacities and input options that we will have in the future to bring like natural gas to germany will be diversified. this is a challenge that we are taking on as are many others. you'll be aware of the fact that there are other european countries that have far more natural gas in their energy portfolio and of much larger share of it is coming from russia. so this is the mines challenge for all of the european member states that we will all be together with accept the criticisms in relation to our data protection commission. i think we've expanded him allocated additional resource. german chancellor sholtes

reacting to russia's latest moves there. and we also heard from michael martin, the irish p. m. we've got, you know, we use chief political correspondent, melinda crane with us to analyze these developments that have been going on. not just now, but also overnight. the biggest news on the economic front, because this is also an economic battle of types, was the announcement there of the north stream to pipeline being put on the ice toes more melinda, 1st time that chancellor schultz has so directly spoken about north stream, he's maintained until now a sort of a strategic vagueness, essentially, to keep russia guessing about exactly what germany would do. the foreign minister made it very clear that nord stream to would be part of any major package of sanctions. but here for the 1st time, he's told us exactly what they are now doing about north stream and what they're

doing. essentially, this pipeline is not yet in operation. it would bring gas directly from russia into the northern part of germany. it can only go into operation if, if germany's economics ministry certifies that it doesn't essentially represent a security threat. and a security threat would also essentially be such that it would undermine ukraine's stability and security essentially because it represents a, a diversion of gas away from the pipelines that flowed through ukraine. and thereby gave, with crane a certain leverage, visa v. russia. so he's saying the security situation is now totally changed. germany will have to issue a new security assessment. and until that happens, this pipeline can't go into operation. in other words, even if it is not now, technically part of the package of sanctions, the pipelines operation has been indefinitely postponed until that report can be

issued. these are big words from chancellor sholtes. there have been some doubts, all along about whether germany really is truly fully aligned with its western partners with its nato partners when it comes to sanctions and inclusion of north stream. north stream is a very major aspect of any sanctions package. the other one is the swift financial transactions network and whether russia would be excluded for that from that. and what he's telling us is no, no daylight between us. we're definitely moving forward for this b with this because we now have a completely different situation on the ground. and just before mentioning nodes stream, he said that the you was looking at a 1st set of sanctions. let's have a listen in to what the german chancellor did actually say just moment ago. due to the latest developments, we need to assess the situation, not least when it comes to know what to do to i have asked the german ministry of the economy to give us the report that it has on the

new to give us energy supply for the grid i know authority so that there is no certification of the pipeline possible. now that sounds a bit technical, but without this certification on stream to cannot go online. i just thought i should say, melinda, when we talk about sanctions, it's always the question of who's going to hurt most. and in this case, you're using north stream to as a tactic against russia. does germany have an energy plan? does germany know what it's going to do now at this sudden point in time, he was at pains there an answer to a question to say, look, a natural gas makes up only 25 percent of our overall energy mix and russian natural gas is around, off as that germany is very dependent on russian natural gas. but as we know,

there have been plans being laid for weeks now to ensure that there will not be a major interruption of supply to this country. that as you know, it's an industrial power house. it consumes a lot of energy. we heard from the you commissioner over the weekend at the munich security conference, that the energies, they are liquid, natural gas has been diverted to europe and therefore there will not be a major disruption. so presumably that includes germany as well and, and the chancellor was at pains to lay people's fears to rest on that score. linda crane on germany's energy plan b. we'll, let's take a look now at the days, major developments. russian president vladimir putin as ordered troops to enter 2 separate regions in east and ukraine. is calling it a peacekeeping mission. it comes off to put and recognize the net and nuanced as independent republics. a major escalation of the crisis,

the duma has also recognized that ukraine's president is called in for international support. the united states, as prudence peacekeeping claim is nonsense and warns of dire consequences for the world should rush, launch a full fledged invasion. mm. troops mobilize in the dead of night. early on monday columns of military vehicles was spotted approaching the outskirts of dawn yeske, the capital of one of 2 separatist regions of eastern ukraine. while no insignia were visible, the vehicles appeared just hours after russian president vladimir putin ordered russian troops to deploy the way to the women of the move represents a significant escalation. but moscow is calling it a peacekeeping operation with it. we will only hours before bruton recognized the separatist regions as independent states. but do so. he took a space, it was a historic moment up, but he is none. with just a few strokes of his pen,

he rushes leader made a diplomatic solution to the crisis. more difficult than ever with a will using it as for those who sees power in kev and holding on to it, we demand that they stop military operations immediately. otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation of bloodshed will be fully on their conscience who claim asian on the streets of rebel held done yet. a small group of people was seen celebrating the announcement ukraine's president called an emergency session of his security council and made a renewed plea for tough sanctions on moscow. not sure what made it we expect clear an effect to support from our partners or will now look closely to see who our true friends and partners are and who will continue to try and scare off the russian federation with mere words, little or those it a legacy or she's with the ukraine says it will not give up its territories and

accuses russia of tearing up the minced road map to peace. oh, let's vacancy w corresponded nick connelly in cave. nick, bring us up to date on the situation both in don't yet sk and nuance. well, situation there is extraordinarily tense. we've seen a huge uptick in fighting in recent days. even ahead of this announcement of russia . recognition of these are self proclaimed republics. people are civilians dying people having to spend a lot of time in bomb shelters. a huge sense of insecurity something that people really hadn't seen there since 2015 or during the idea now is the question everyone is asking themselves if this will be the end. if this is a way for putin to try and deescalate and get out by at least offering his domestic audience, this victory as he would see it, this m o kind of acting rejection of caves,

unwillingness to basically follow the kind of roadmap. he tried to prepare for it, and there is up, see a big worry that this is not the end that russia will recognize. those supper came republics in the full board as the territories that they claimed themselves, which would include a lot of territory that's currently still under ukrainian government control. so very nervous time there and basically a decision that really wasn't expected. this was not something that anyone really saw coming. it seemed like russia was determined, trying to reintegrate those regions into ukraine as some leverage over ukrainian politics. basically by doing what they have, they've given up on them into process given up on trying to influence ukraine through ukrainian politics and of basic caught, caught off guard me back to you in a moment. first, let's take a closer look at those break away regions in ukraine. you mentioned that russia has recognized as independent and also recognized by the duma. reminders of war are everywhere in done yet. and new hunts. the 2 provinces lie an eastern ukraine,

on the border with russia. both declared independence after the revolution in 2014, which most in the region did not support separatists voted to join russia and have fought ukrainian forces for control ever since. around 4000000 people live in what's called the don bass region. it's known for heavy industry and coal mining, and it's large, russian, and russian speaking population. in the main city done yet. banners read, we are russian. moscow has handed out hundreds of thousands of russian passports, but life is tough caught in the middle. many who can have left most pensioners are stuck. others fight ukraine estimates. there are around $35000.00 separatist troops and accuses moscow

a filling up their ranks with brush and soldiers. in 2015, i cease fire signed in minsk, helped, and full scale fighting. but the conflict has dragged on, leaving more than 14000 people dead. nick, ukrainian relatives of mine. i've been speaking to a still hoping for peace there. still hoping this situation would escalate. what are ukrainians telling you? but i think everyone watched that speech by vladimir putin very closely with an extraordinary, almost our long tirade, basically about all the historical injustices vague, with which in seeds. russia having suffered not only from the west since the soviet union collapsed, but also under a almost century of communist rule. basically saying that the communist created ukraine, that it's a made up country that doesn't really have any tradition or any base to exist independently of russia. and right, the end, this was a past we just heard in the piece before that basically claiming virgin saying that

all responsibility now for any further escalation is on the quote regime here in care of. so basically saying that if kid doesn't roll over and given to any further demands from the separatists from him that that will be, keeps fault if this escalates. and it definitely seems like there is a, a willingness to threaten crane and to potentially, this is what the americans, me saying, all along launch full flag attacks, basically to a cray situation in which russia can say that ukraine has attacked either separatists, a russian troops. now that separates territory as a pretext for marching in anti reading in ukraine on territory that is currently controlled by ukraine. government. nick president lensky said that he expects more than woods from ukraine's western partners. what, what's he hoping for all along? he's been pushing full preemptive sanctions. the ukrainians wanted that north stream to gas pipeline between russia and germany. they wanted that basically killed off even before this recent yesterday's announcement of that recognition of

the separatist territories. they want the west to bases, spell out what economic damage they're going to do to russia. something that especially germany has resisted doing, saying that it's important to keep some ambiguity, some technical and b ambiguity. i think they also want more weapons. the ukraine recruiting government has received significant or supplies of anti tank missiles from the americans, from the u. k. anti aircraft missiles from baltic states, germany again, and nurse, be absent in that list. refusing to send lethal weapons to ukraine, saying that we just escalate tensions further. so weapons financial support. this crisis is costing ukraine. huge amounts of money. the currency is under a lot of strain. investors are putting their plans to do business in ukraine on ice . and it ukraine's ports basically closed off by russian exercise in the black sea . so exports really taking hit. so the expectation here, a financial and also military support as well as a diplomatic back up near the expectations. but what's next? do you think? i think it's very brave analyst to give a kind of

a blow by blow road map of where this is going. i think everyone has been saying, but it's still true that this is basically all dependent on vladimir putins or gut instincts in his plans. we saw that a story meeting he called yesterday with his top security chiefs meetings that are normally held in private. but we were basically a staged for the cameras yesterday. there wasn't really a sense that anyone can talk back to him. it was basically, he felt like a kind of school teacher letting his top officials basically kind of do an oral exam and he was telling them off and not being a decisive enough or for getting their answers wrong. so i sense that this isn't he will take on his own, depending on his feeling of what he's got out of this so far, doesn't feel like the west or ukraine have given him any of the kind of significant compromises either or nato or on ukraine's future. status that he would deem to be a full victory. so no sense of disease. the end of this crisis more that this is just the beginning of a new, more intensive, potentially more dangerous phase. may connelly me. thanks.

let's come over now to our russia phase analysts konstantin, as he joins us from the lithuanian capital, the only as constantine. what did you make of vladimir putin's address to the nation in which he declared ponts, if he's in ukraine to be independent? well, it was an extraordinary address is nicoli already said it was a very long speech which was mostly resembled a history lecture of been and i think that this really reflects a prudence view of history of the last 100 years and actually. ready view of his own wrote in russia, he wants to correct these quote unquote, mistakes and agree wants to write the grievances that were inflicted on a russia. and basically, i would say he wants to replay the end of the cold war to mosque was benefit. this is his historical go, i think, as he sees it. and i suppose that this is what makes the situation extremely

dangerous. it isn't that much about russia's national interests or even values. it is about an historical aspiration, a one man. and i suppose, and i've seen, i mean, as a teenager, i remember, you know, vision and the drop off and this all the leaders, this is something that know, so it would have allowed. so we indeed are entering a very dangerous territory because in the pronouncements of the russian officials today, we already see ambiguity, whether these 2 so called republics, essentially created by moscow were recognized as they are. or, as they claim the, our meaning that covers the whole of the 2 regions aren't done yet, and the ones are blessed in great. if it's the latter option, then moscow could claim that it needs to expand its peacekeeping operation. a 2 territories effectively controlled.