ah, ah ah ah, this is dw news life from berlin, ukraine's president calls again for face to face talks with his russian counterpart . follow to mister laskey said a meeting with letting me put in is the only way to understand his conditions to end the war in ukraine. but he says, any agreement with russia must be put to the ukrainian people in a referendum. also coming up, feller was seen leader alexandra lucas. jenko has embraced his country's role as a staging post for prudence war on ukraine. but he has not committed any valid

within troops to the fighting so far. and a russian court find jailed kremlin critic alexa in of all the guilty on new charges, prosecutors seek to move him to a maximum security penal colony. 13 years. ah, i'm simply so misconduct is good to have you with us. the ukranian army says it is repelled russian forces from a strategically important suburb of the capital. key of the defense minister says a battle in the suburb of mockery prevented russia from surrounding the capital from the northwest. and we have some satellite images showing damaged and burning buildings in iraq, pin another northwestern chia suburb, which was one of the 1st to be attacked by russian forces and images from my to you ball give some indication of a very heavy fighting that's been going on there,

the bombed buddy, a full theatre surrounded by burning buildings that have hit. i've been hit by artillery shelling. most of these buildings appear to be as residential or civilian targets. ukrainian president volota may soleski says he is willing to discuss a commitment from ukraine not to seek natal membership. but he wants a one on one meeting with russian president vladimir putin. and he says, the ukrainian people will get their say in a referendum on any piece terms in the occupied ukrainian city of care, san residence, gather in defiance of the russian invaders, the response, stun, grenades, and gunfire. hosing crowds to flee ukraine's president flooded me as the lensky condemned the incident in his speech to the nation. 0 bly. yet when his lease slaves sent by russia, have never seen so many free people in the squares and streets. they have never

seen thousands of people who are not afraid of them. are of slaves with weapons in their hands or slaves perceive freedom as savagery as danger. they are scared. number's foot. well no. but a luck crushes military is not only attacking civilians in areas. it occupies a bombing in a shopping morling cave and a relentless bombardment of the receipt city of mario full have caused outrage in ukraine and abroad. but it has not weakened ukrainian resolve. the president closed his speech with an appeal glare, put out dongle to save our people, fight body, fight, and holding it double might drive these slaves out, drive the occupies out so that ukraine louis law so that all of us live with it is and they free and peaceful to speaking later to the press,

the lensky said that there needs to be a compromise with russia in order to reach a peace deal. and that may well mean considering wavering ukraine's membership to nato via compromise. it is a compromise for everyone for the west, which doesn't know what it wants to do with us in the ne, to wish you know, for ukraine, which wants security guarantees. and for russia, which does not want to let nato expand further and says that it has had such agreements with nato countries with the worst. and so a compromise must be found on this because this will end the war. bully vicki, the wars having suffered through war ukrainians and more than ever desperate for some resolve and an end to the fighting. let's go right to ukraine. we can speak to our correspondent, funny for char. she is in love. if that is a city in the west of the country. funny, it's good to see you. we heard president zelinski said that he is willing to give up nato aspirations in return for peace. do you think that that could spark

progress towards some sort of agreement? that's the hope at least 4 people here on the ground. but at the same time, this is not the 1st time the presidency. lensky acknowledged that ukraine should, renounce membership a ne, 2, at least for now as a result, since the statement was made already earlier this month. and politically, it's not expected that anything is going to change immediately or any time soon. also, we have to remember that within that catalogue of demands by russia, this is just one of the demands that ukraine shouldn't join nato. the also made clear that they are invading this country to den, not suffice, and to demilitarize it on the grounds on the grounds of the accusation that ukraine is committing a genocide. also present zalinski and keeps repeating actually for one year. now that he wants a direct meeting with a vladimir putin who back that before the war kept saying, well, this is the civil war in ukraine when it comes to the don bus region occupied by

a pro russian a separatist. and the ukraine should a deal with it on its own since then, of course, the war has begun in february 24th. and so far what we have seen where various negotiations between the delegations of both countries, but no direct talks and also no stop to the war, let alone just a little bit of a brief respite. at least that hundreds of thousands of people could be evacuated, at least from my your pool, which is really the focus here in ukraine. funny. but what about zalinski saying that he wants a ukrainian people to have a say on any decision? would that mean a referendum? that's what he says, that's what he's basically telling the people here the ukrainians, that i'm not going to negotiate over the occupied territories or a what he's seen as occupy territories in this moment of time without asking you ukrainians. so clearly he said he wants to referendum on that. but really the

detail here is quite sketchy. about a referendum because just imagine you have a referendum asking people, do you agree for example, that we would give out part of a land, something dead? zalinski kept saying over and over ukraine, he's not ready to do, and ukrainians are not ready to do as a result, you really wonder what the referendum is going to look like and what the consequences of that are going to look like. but let's that you've got lose far, because at this point, what people are trying to achieve on a political level here and ukraine to somehow get lobby more pooty in all that negotiation table with a president of all of them you zalinski did up. he's funny, future reporting forth there from the live in western ukraine. thank you very much for that update. now to some other developments in the conflict, ukraine has again appealed to russia to allow humanitarian supplies into the besieged city of muddy bowl and to let civilians leave. ukraine's deputy prime

minister, he now vanished choke the man to the opening of the humanitarian quarter as russian forces continue. their relentless siege of the southern city, ukraine's president soleski addressed the italian at parliament, thanking the country for its support. he also asked lawmakers to back more sanctions against russia following the speech italian prime minister maia druggie had italy wanted to see ukraine joined the european union. and u. s. presidential biden is urging american companies to protect themselves against potential cyber attacks from russia. he also repeated us warnings that moscow is planning to use. chemical weapons against ukraine biden has called president putin a war criminals. speculation continues to grow, that bella roost will commit troops to russia's war against ukraine. the country is already allowed moscow to use it as a military base and a place us weapons there. the bellow, resume, leader alexander lucas jenko was said, the country would not get involved in any military action. but he might not have

a choice to 2 leaders demonstrating how close they have become. russia is vladimir putin usually keeps his guests at more than arms language. but not this one. bella bruce is alexander lucas. sion co has become essential to his military operation. even before he invaded ukraine, at the beginning of february, the 2 countries held joint military exercises. the drills were a show of strength and more proof to the outside world that bela roost had become a russian satellite. off to russia, invaded ukraine. bella ruth, even changed its constitution to reverse it. no nuclear status.

ah, that means all russian weapons including nuclear, are allowed on belive rossi and soil. but okay, jenko has so far, refused to commit his false is we were to aid putin's wall results were mere suburbanite. you're not going to get involved in the operation that russia is conducting in ukraine. lucille rewards, most importantly. so i'm telling you as a military serviceman, there is no need for it when you're credulous. oh, that surprised many but that doesn't appear to be the appetite for russia's war, even among former soldiers who left bella roost, and now fighting with ukrainian forces. at only $45000.00 active members, the beller will see an army is tiny compared to rushes. it appears though that

moscow needs reinforcements after losing an estimated $6000.00 troops, since it's invasion of ukraine. russia is already using, bela bruce is a military base for its war to have access to its army as well. could help moscow in its campaign against the ukrainian capital keith and the city of live eve was normal. bella rufus, may be resisting such a move. but if poaching decides, he needs even more from his neighbor lucas shank, i will find it hard to say no 3 when we can get the more perspective on the story. now with yoga foreplay, he is the director for central and eastern europe at the german marshall fund of the united states. here in berlin, good to have you with us is there at this point, any evidence that we could see bela roost, join russia's war against ukraine? yes, absolutely. basically what we see,

our preparation in the ocean military to if needed, and so ordered by the kremlin adjoining the russian war again, ukraine, the country have ready about 11 battalion, tactical groups and the fellows so near the border with, with ukraine biographies. i'll make an i 5 of the 6, somewhat more elite i saw 2 units and then the brigade. so they're all troops that have been, have been ready by billows that have been stationed in the country. and that the main to about 10 percent of the russian military engaged already in, in ukraine. so this is non negligible that would indicate that russia is essentially using bel roost, as we said earlier, as a military post. so, i mean, how much influence does the russian president have over bella roof?

well, i think 1st, we need to acknowledge that below is, is already engaged in this war. it's basically lend that territory to russia as a military stage and ground its lenses infrastructure, rail, and roads. there are actually 2 fields that are being used for rocket attacks on, on the ukraine, at the hospital before this russian casualties. so it's already fully engaged here. but of course, it is a step away from direct engagement, military and invading the neighboring country. and this is really something is not in the hands of lucre shank over many more. look, i think it was basically a bustle to, to pushing he's for the last 2 years. at least. he is politically fully dependent on moscow. because otherwise, he couldn't have re stabilized his power after the protests that we saw in 2020. he is nominally dependent on russia, on energy,

on the finances. he's also in the same boat with russia when it comes to western sanctions. and the political isolation. so there is very little agency that back to look or saying i have left to basically occupy his own country politically using religious illegitimate ruler. and he allowed russia to also basically, militarily occupy his country. so there's very little he can do the brush, how order him to join the, the invasion of ukraine. and just one last question. if they do take that next step of direct engagement, as you said, what direction would the war then go? what impact would that house? well, i think the assessment of the right below military is that it is not particularly motivated. it's not particularly operational. so this will not be a boost to rush as war in, in ukraine. if anything, it will also be hampered by a very difficult terrain because the borderlands between ukraine and,

and taylor was a very marshy, they're very hard to operate in the for, for military. so i don't think this will be a boost in military terms, like what it will do, of course, at 1st it will lead to also a full responsibility for the looper. shanker, receiver for the war and war crimes in, in ukraine. right. and it will certainly also permanently our social relationships between bellows and ukrainian society. ok, you know, for the director for central and eastern europe at the german marshall fund. thanks so much for sharing your analysis with us today. thank you. a russian court has found opposition, figure alexis, of all the guilty on charges of large scale fraud. he could face 13 more years in prison on top of the 2 and a half year sentence. he is already serving russian. prosecutors are now seeking to move in a ball need to a maximum security penal colony. he was arrested last year after surviving

a poison attack, which he blames on the kremlin. and if only the vocal critic of russia, the president, he's denied the charges against them. and says the case is politically motivated, but we're probably looking for more in the story. we can speak now to said gay grier. he has a professor of economics at the center for economic policy research. he's also one of the 1st sponsors of nevada. these anti corruption fund and his long time friend, mr. griff, thanks for joining us here on d w. i want to start with getting your reaction to the verdict today. did it come as a surprise to you? no, it, it is not a surprise when i was returning to rush. it was very clear that the chances that he would be immediately imprisoned and kept in prison. as long as mister hutton in kremlin, were very high. and i think nobody was surprised. the discord took place now during the war when the world is looking the other way. and nobody is surprised by the

verdict. but one of the things which is also very clear is as long as make a mr. put in, is gone. mr. nevada, it will be free, it is about you said the world is looking the other way. and now russian prosecutors want to move nev only to a maximum security penal colony. how worried are you about? what will happen to alexis volney? i'm very worried and i should say that so far let you know if we can apparently told the prison on the ration that latina valley should be treated like other prisoners, which is quite brutal. the russian prison system is not night to claim this me. yes, i will be able to communicate with l t as role has actually been effective in his politics by substantial isolation from the world. and so muslim security to prison will be completely different and i'm really, really want it. but i know,

let's say for many years, and i know he's a brave and courageous man, and i think he will stand up in this challenge. this is all of you sad happening against the backdrop of russia as war against ukraine. and you've been very vocal in condemning this war and you started the initiative. true russia to help you? cranium refugees. why was that important to you? this is very important because i think we need to say that this is not our war. that meter put in is trying to say the war in the name of the russians, but we are the russians through russians. we're normal people. we don't want to hurt other people. we want to help ukrainian refugees. and indeed together with mikhail, but i think that embarrass accordion. religious initiative more than a week ago when we started to collect funds for bringing him on russian death. or this is,

this is our duty to filled with people who are suffering because of lead. you know, if we can whom we didn't vote for who with whom, we never support that who is an enemy oppression. and yet we feel it extensibility that we've not been able to stop him. we have not been able to make sure the russia remains at the company. and because of our ability to stop this man, millions are now running away from their homes and thousands of done. and so what we're trying to do is at least to do something, to stop being helpless, to support those people who are suffering because of russia. because religion, if we look at efforts to stop president putting you have, welcome the sanctions that the west has implemented against russia. do you worry that these sanctions could backfired, that normal russians that you said could then just blame the west for their deteriorating economic situation? well, the bus has always been worried about this and correctly. so the problem is that

the them to deter mr. put him to warn him that the war shouldn't start. so this efforts have failed. and by now, it's far as i understand, the objective function for the objective of this function is not to own increase the cost of the war for mr. woodham, but simply to destroy his ability to conduct war thousands or dine actually 1000 suppression or also because russian soldiers are being killed at the rate we've not seen even them again, it's done and thousands of the grand di and running away. and so in order to stop the war, the width is introduced consumption and actually present bite and traveling to europe, trying to convince europeans to still pain me to put them for oil and gas experts. if that happens, mix up, which will be in a very tight spot. listen resources to continue to work. mr. green. one last

question, i mean, what measure would it take? do you think to bring this war to an end, to stop president, to, to i think the bargain mr. bite in the menu in the that started discussion now will shut the door, shut the exit from the economic situation for mr. put him currently, he may still hope that he will be able to do it and he already am his all expert, the worth, other countries and the store in floods of oil dollars. once the rest introduces a union find in bargain and started to china and buy china joined the embargo that may result in him losing the revenues and therefore stuff in the one we have to leave it there. 3rd, equity of thank you so much for sharing your insights with us today. thank you. we can take a look now at some other headlines. 4 people have died in a boating accident off the coast of new zealand. 5 other passengers were rescued

from the wreckage. the chartered fishing vessel, sunk and stormy weather on sunday night, survivors clung to the record for hours before they were found. divers are searching for one missing person. chinese at the what he say, there are no survivors for monday's crash of a passenger jet. the china eastern airlines plane came down in the south of the country. there were a 132 people on board. and 2 women died of wound sustained during an attack at a high school. the sweetest city of mama police have detained the suspected attacker. an 18 year old student, the victims were both employees at the school. local media reported they were attacked with an axe and a knife. after more than 2 years of construction, tesla's 1st european factory will deliver its 1st course. today. has i bought the lawn? musk will be there in person at the giga factory in berlin, brenda berg as of hands over the keys to its 1st customers. german chancellor or laterals will also be there. this was

a forest to just 2 years ago, but it was cleared to make way for a massive construction site. europe's largest factory for electric cars was built on 3 square kilometers of land just outside berlin. tesla invested billions of euro's into the project. construction has been quick by german standards, but with some hitches, the factory was built at the company's own risk without waiting for a final building permit environmental protest force tesla changed plans. a dispute remains about the factories, water supplies. all of these were a source of frustration for tesla. i think that could be less bureaucracy that will be better. construction was supposed to be completed in summer 2021. but it took until march this year for that final building permit to arrive, spread out over $23000.00 documents. dig in immune spy notice of approval for this

project has been handed over to tesla today. so you like even val. now it can get started, $500000.00 cars can be built here per year with $12000.00 employees. once everything is fully operational, the factory could help europe take a significant step away from petroleum and throws down the gauntlet to other car makers to go electric. thousands of ukrainians fling the war are reviving in berlin every day. but tens of thousands of people with ukrainian passports are ruth's already live and work here in the drummond. capital photographer of victoria sort of chin ski is one of them. she has long documented traditional village, a life in rural ukraine with her camera born in mother you both. she is struggling to keep in touch with relative still in the besieged city. it's been days since victoria, sora chikavsky heard that some of her relatives were stuck in mar, you pole, and a shelter after their home was destroyed. they don't know if they're still alive.

and so it's, i mean, we just hope that somehow they managed to survive in this incredibly horrible situation. and because they have no electricity, no water, no food, victoria sorted, since he has been living and working in berlin as a photographer, since 2013 her family left. what was then still the soviet union when she was 11, but her work often recalls memories of ukraine. for her decade long project lands of no return. she chronicle the gradual disappearance of traditional ukrainian villages and their people. her grandparents lived in one such village near key, if she remembers her happy visits there as a little girl. i want to commemorate the last remains. now it'll probably be

in even in much worse conditions. of course, sir, a chance he has exhibited work at berlin's art, east gallery, which specializes in art from ukraine. galleries. cornelia schmidt, myra, and her business partner have started a foundation to support ukrainian artists and angelina, i'm thanks, i. we wanted to start working right away to help the artists so they could go on expressing themselves and working like if they can, there are some artist to say they're no longer able to right now. i think that they simply don't have the energy or the strength come. this berlin restaurant odessa mama serves ukrainian cuisine owners, natalia and alexander goldie ref, have been donating food to ukrainian refugees and to volunteers victorious or a chikavsky also wants to help with her art. i would like to look for the graph, how the candy will come out from this crisis, how it will be rebuilt again,

hopes for peace, but for now looks like distant dream. that's our news update at the sour coming up next. our documentary series close up a war unfolds, unfolding. the struggle for you frame state youth with ah, with

a war shaking euro to its core. over 3 weeks ago, russian team to rumbled over ukrainian soil. we've been there from the start witnessing the invasion meetings with reporting on

a war unfolding. the struggle for ukraine close ah, next on d, w o is a mixture of the art of confrontation. this is wrong, a veteran of verbal combat. i mean, you're gonna really, i try the undisputed champion of tough political talk. you trying to frighten people? no, i so far, everybody on the side there, except you enter the conflict zone and join tim sebastian as he holds the powerful to account. this is a big failure, whichever way you like to spin conflict zone homes in unit d w. ah, hello guys. this is the 77 percent. the platform for africa is you to defeat is use

and share idea. you know, all these channels. we are not afraid to talk to and then he gets tough. young people clearly have the solution. good future belongs to the 77 percent. every weekend on d w. b . it's february 24th 2022 russian forces crossed the border into ukraine. they're following orders from president vladimir putin who people here they are packing up, trying to leave a war unfold that may fundamentally alter the global geopolitical order. will have shorts, the gem chance leg holes this pollutants war. he says the bloodshed must european

states are.