mine ah w. made for mines. ah, this is dw news lie from berlin, top us officials are heading to keep to meet with ukraine's president. the visit comes as ukrainians celebrate orthodox easter, amid a war that's ground on for 2 months. also coming up prince chooses a president encumbered to manuel nicole and his far right challenger marine le pen cast their votes as they go head to head for francis top political jobs. and they've done it again by munich or german champions. once more, they landed their 10th buddhist legal title in

a row with victory over their perennial challenger's door. ah, and welcome 12 years around the world. i'm michael oke, who ukraine's a president of a lot him is. the lensky says she'll be meeting face to face in the coming hours with united states secretary of state antony, blinking, and us defense secretary lloyd austin. so lensky says she'll use the meeting to ask the americans for more weaponry to stop rushers onslaught in ukraine's east and south. this, after the president visited, keeps st. sophia cathedral to record an easter message on the holiest day of the orthodox christian calendar. at make shift prayer venues and churches around the country ukrainians prayed for those. fighting on the front lines. and for those trapped in places like the besieged city of mario pal for more let

cross. now to d. w correspondent rebecca readers in chief. hey, rebecca again, top us officials are scheduled to discuss ukraine's request for more powerful weapons in chief on sunday. what's the best ukrainian president vladimir to lunch he could expect from this meeting? well, this is the highest level meeting from the us since the war began. i don't have a list of talking points, this is obviously a very confidential mating. one thing he can definitely expect is a guarantee from the americans of continued support in this conflict and certainly one the one thing he wants can really be summed up in one word, michael and that is weapons from the very beginning of this conflict. president lance, he has been calling for support in the way of weapons saying that if they had the right weapon rate, i would already have pushed back the russians and they would already be winning this war. he's going to be at pains to underscore and to,

to really drive home to the americans that this is a turning point in the conflict. this regrouping. this focus on the east and south that the russians have now confirmed. that is the, is their plan. he said, what happened, he believed that what happens now in this part of the conflict will determine not just the future of ukraine and the ukrainian people, but potentially the future of europe. and that is a message he will be driving home to the americans today. rebecca, of course, securing those weapons, is one thing, but one imagines physically distributing them to the areas where they're most needed will be extraordinarily challenging. absolutely, as you can imagine, i'm big weapons and also trying to do it under the cover of darkness. this war a, you know, is one of course, where nobody wants the, the distribution, the logistics to become public. you know, you, crime does not want russia to know just how and where these weapons are going. and so we getting mine

a bits of information about what's trickling into the country. but in of the distribution lines or logistics rates, we just don't have the answers to those questions. you know, they're being transported by rail and road. did see some tanks the other day on a train rail. you know, got going through the country, but they going through civilian areas. michael, so obviously a target and nobody wants the russians to know where they're going. and rebecca, stay with us more questions for you in a moment, but 1st we'd like to give of yours a look at your report on ukraine as the nation. marx, orthodox easter day. you visited one village, northeast of key that was under russian control into a few weeks ago. that community came together to build a makeshift chapel after russian soldiers destroyed their church. oh, on recall and reflection the jesus who sacrificed all to die on the cross. it's the saddest day in the christian calendar for the worship is here in this village

outside. keith there. good friday service in this night shift chattel has taken on an even deeper meaning this year. oh, russian soldiers marching on keith. then there 19th century church to the ground. claudia pro with you. all the missile hit the altar of the church on the eastern side of our building for the damage spread inside icn. the windows exploded out of sydney. it was a direct hit me was lantern girl. when the church was burning, i thought my soul was burning. the icon of the profit, elijah, the only thing to survive when i was with alyssa, it survived under the ruined is really, you know, under the ashes completely hellish. him well, it's a phenomenon and i don't know how to explain it that way. is me a miracle in the middle of war? unless not all the water gravel are people in the village said father, we cannot be without you prima. we need the services. the item that i told them you

. let's build a tent so we can celebrate easter from most noble apostles written on boston. we started to build this chapel. you know? sure, we can you imagine what the, which song of the thought to severe ukraine is a deeply religious country in villages like this one. the church plays a central role in the community. these people tell me that while russians may have destroyed their church, they will never destroy their spirits. but the churches themselves found we grew up here lately, when the church was burning right before our eyes, we were very scared of him. the scariest thing of all was that we couldn't do any things and then because we were under fire at da da da, in some way all my childhood was spent here. i grew up 3 houses down the road. so how should i feel that it's like something is gone from your life a shallow even they, val, they'll rebuild their beloved church in all its former glory. once they're certain, the russians won't return one law. if they do, the priest has

a message straight from the bible or source causes jesus said, love one another as i have loved you. i was the book, but he also said something else in for he who fights by the sword shall die by the sword. why did all that? you know? i b as the service ends, they pray for christ, reborn on easter sunday. the church rebuilt and doubtless, for a homeland free once again. oh boy, the thing is, i mean, lydia, i, rebecca to day as ukraine endures now the 3rd month of the russian invasion, how are people spending this rather extraordinary orthodox easter? oh certainly is an easter like no other miko we've been here. i'm standing on the fall court. in fact of saint michael's church, it's one of the biggest cathedral here in cave. there's been a lot of people here today, streaming in an hour. we've been speaking to some of them, asking them whether they're afraid this year because of the height and security,

the heightened threats of a potential attack. many people saying that by are concerned, understandably, of course, but that they're happy to be able to come out and celebrate their faith as they do every year. we have notice of course, the service is different this year. normally there is a midnight mass the night before that would have been last night, but that was cancelled because of marshall lower on the curfew in the city or all over the country. so they've changed it so that their services all throughout the day to be able to disperse the crowds. they were warned to stay at home and try and celebrate their. but as you can imagine, many people wanting to come out and, and celebrate their faith, which they're doing. and so far it has been safe. many thanks, rebecca ritter's french voters are cashing ballots in an election that if polls prove accurate, will give president a manuel man all 5 more years in office. but his challenger, marine le pen still has a slim chance of an upset, an outcome. many believe would up in european unity. it's election day and francis

bracing for the let pen, my car show down. the stakes a huge lip pen would become modern francis 1st far. right. leader and 1st female president of my call would be the 1st french president to win re election into decades. much will depend on how many people will show up to vote in a country that's deeply divided. why should he thought, have i been, i miss you max, i'm not a fan of my call, but i think it's the only democratic option. on the video. we have seen how they have restricted our freedoms these last years, especially during the pandemic. i'm not sure people are aware of this, but i think unfortunately, we will continue on this path if my call as we elected to norman did expose heated to it's the supporters of left wing candidate jaundra, milan shaw, who came 3rd and round one who feel particularly frustrated, they no longer have

a left wing option. now their vote or a low turn out has the potential to tip the scales. my call has tried to appeal to these voters by toning down parts of his manifesto. like the plan to push up the retirement age from the current, $62.00 to $65.00 will decide we can fix a lower targeting. i'm open to discussion with one kid. meanwhile, the pen has also tried to gather more support by continuing to depict herself as the candidate closest to that people are shocked phone. i want to tell every fringe person that my project is tailor made for them what i want them to be happy and prosperous safe. and i will defend their identity here to see that the for the lovely donte. all opinion polls in recent days point towards a wind for the 44 year old pro european centrist michael le pen victory, however, is still possible and would sent shock waves across europe. let's cross over live

to central paris. that's where d. w corresponded. sonya found a car joins us from outside of poland station. a sonia, you talk to some voters today. what are they telling you? that's right. i spoke to several voters here at the boarding boat behind me in central paris. and i have to say most of them do back macro on the backend for his pro european agenda. they approve of his leadership during this ongoing crisis in ukraine. they also approve of his economic reforms which have seen europe. second largest economy bounce back very strongly from the pandemic. and many waters her especially older voters, are really spooked at the thought of marine le pen winning this election. many older voters in particular, remember the parties openly racist and hotline views under marina pens. father shaw, shaw, morrila pin. so i think definitely waters you're in favor of macro. i have to say,

that's not very surprising because micro tends to be, you know, quite popular in big cities like barrows, pushing life pictures of a man when they're called voting. now, along with his wife respect, his voting for himself, which should add to the expectation of his winter night. but i imagine sonya did not a few people are on the edge of there. she is wondering if there'll be a surprise tonight. that's absolutely right. that something i've should heard here from waters to a lot of anxiety. and i have to see a marina been upset. victory is, is, is possible. you know, i mean, there are a few factors that meet to the is bought really unpredictable. i think for one marina pen herself has greatly improved her chances in this election. she's one or, you know, very slick grassroots campaign she's really hammered away the one issue that matters the most to walters. that is the rising cost of living. and that's allowed her to deflect from her anti immigration and, and, and

a nationalist agenda. and i think another big unknown, of course is what waters on the far left a will do it on these are about 7000000 people who watered for far left canada. john look middle shore in the 1st round, hockey, natalie last marine, the pin. and many of these waters dislike both mackerel and la pins. but i think the big question is whether these, you know, whether these voters will refuse to back either candidate either by casting a blank ballot or as, as the sign of a protest or whether they will not walk at all. so i think that a lot of uncertain factors w correspondence unit fanta car. many thanks. sports now and by munich. so rain as bonus, like champions continues. they've sealed a record 10th german tidal with victory over dockman. robert de 11 dorski was among the goal scores against his former club is by and ran out 3 nil winners. it's a 1st bonus league or titled for their coach eulley

a na guzman at just 34 years old. one of many celebrations elsewhere in the boonies were here too late goal. so when john berlin get some revenge for their cup defeat of our b leipzig earlier this week, leipzig took the lead just after half time to use of porson when union fail to clear the ball. but spend michelle equalize, 40 seconds after coming on as a substitute. and then kevin barron. shit. the winning goal with just a minute left to play. this is dw news lie from berlin up. next is world stories the week in reports. and there's plenty more for you on our website, d, w dot com. and of course please do follow us on social media. i'm michael ok from

me in the entire news team here in berlin. thanks for watching. i'll be back with more news at the top of the next out. ah, what people have to say matters to us. ah, that's why we listen to their stories. reporter every weekend on d w. sometimes a seed is all you need to allow.