ah, ah ah, this is d w. news ally from berlin top us officials are expected in keith to meet with you cranes, president. the visit comes as ukrainians celebrate orthodox easter, amid a war that is ground on for 2 months. also coming up fritz chooses a president incumbent emanuel mac hole, and his far right challenger marine le pen cast their votes as they go head to head for francis top political jaw. and they've done it again by and 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 to our viewers round the world. i'm michael o, coop ukraine's president villamor zalinski says you'll be meeting face to face in the coming hours with united states secretary of state antony, blank in and us defense secretary lloyd austin. so lensky says, you will 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 hill to record an easter message on the holiest day of the orthodox christian calendar. at makeshift prayer venues in churches around the country, ukrainians prayed for those fighting on the front lines. and for those trapped in places like the besieged city of murray, opal. i asked

d. w correspondent rebecca readers in chief. what zalinski could expect? again, from his meeting with the leaders of the pentagon and us state department. ah, well, this is the highest little mating 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. presidents alliance, he has been calling for support in the way of weapons saying that if they had the right weaponry, they 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 lay, he believed that what happens now in this part of the conflict will determine not just the future of ukraine under ukrainian people, but potentially the future of europe. and that is a message he will be driving home to the americans today. to rebecca, of course, securing those weapons is one thing, but the 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 terms of distribution lines or logistics routes, 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 now going rebecca, stay with us. so more questions for you in a moment, but 1st we'd like to give our viewers 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 until a few weeks ago. that community came together to build a make shift 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 keys 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, claudius pro with you, all the missile hit the altar of the church on the eastern side of the building for the damage spread inside. if not, the windows exploded out. sydney it was a direct hit in was lantern girl. when the church was burning, i thought my soul was burning. she 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. yeah. and i don't know how to explain it that way. you squint a miracle in the middle of war, unless not all the water got a lot of people in the village, said father, we cannot be without you. you know, we need the service. i think the wife and 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. when you imagine worth the, which

a 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 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 like it's like something is gone from your life, usually living? they, val, they'll rebuild their beloved church in all its former glory. once they're certain, the russians won't return. well if they do, the priest has a message straight from the bible or sports causes. jesus said, love one another as i have loved you. i was the blue, but he also said something else. ensure that he who fights by the sword all shall

die by the sword. why did all that now? i b as the service ends, they pray for christ. we born on easter sunday. the church rebuilt and doubtless, for a homeland free once again. oh, the thing is, i mean i, rebecca, today as ukraine endures now the 3rd month of the russian invasion, how are people standing this rather extraordinary orthodox easter? oh certainly is an easter like no other michael 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. had there 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 they 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 doing. and so far it has been safe. d, w, correspond rebecca readers in chief. well frank voters, sir, casting ballads in an election that if poles proved correct, will give president a mineral mccall 5 more years in office. but as challenger marine le pen still has his slim chance of been upset, an outcome many believe would up and european unity. ah, it's election day and francis bracing for the live pen. my car show down the stakes

. a huge lip pen would become modern francis 1st far. right. leader and 1st fema president. oh, my call would be the 1st french president to win re election in 2 decades. much will depend on how many people will show up to vote in a country that's deeply divided. was received by several abeline monsieur macklin. i'm not a fan of my call, but i think it's the only democratic option on the video. look, we have seen how they have restricted our freedoms these last years, especially during the pandemic. i'm not sure if people are aware of this, but i think unfortunately, we will continue on this path if my call as we elected to the gentleman that 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, we'll decide we can fix the low. it's hard to change. i'm open to discussion with 100. meanwhile, the pen has also tried to gather more support by continuing to depict herself as the candidate closest to the people are shock phone. i want to tell every fringe person that my project is tailor made for them who i want them to be happy and prosperous. safe and i will defy their identity. it was sheila, this was the levy. don't you did 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 what sent shock waves across europe. we asked you, w, corresponded, junior, found the car in paris. what voters were telling her about the choice between 2

very different candidates? well, many of the voters i've spoken to her in central paris are have been backing macro . they made some the supporting him for his pool europe agenda for his handling of the ukraine crisis. the leadership that he's provided for his economic reforms, which has seen france of the french academy bounce back very strongly from the pandemic. and i have to say many you are a school at the idea of marine le pen victory. many older voters in particular told me that the, you know, a vividly remembered the parties openly racist, and hard line routes under her father's almighty la pin. so definitely a big so job support he'll come across. but that is not surprising. given that macro tends to be more popular in the bigger cities like paris, my call is a surely expected to win, but i imagine not a few people are on the edge of their seats. wondering if they'll be a surprise to night. sonya that is absolutely right,

that is something i've been sharing cure among voters too, who are quite anxious that le pen might make it. and i have to say a marine le pen victory and upset it is possible. you know, there are several factors that really make to the is bought quite unpredictable for one, you know, marine, the pen has vastly improved horn chances. and this election, she's really kind of torn down her parties. radical image. she's focused on the cost of living. she's traveled to towns and ruling regions that have struggled economically, unarmed during the macro tone, and that is allowed her to deflect from her anti immigration and nationalist agenda . and of course, another factor is what, what is on the far left in france, the, the, this is the crucial, what they will do. these are about 7000000 people who watered, for a far left candidate in the 1st onshore look middle shore. these voters really dislike both options, macro as well as lapel. and the big question is, you know, whether they will refuse to back either candidate cost a blank ballot as a, as

a sign of protest or whether deal, you know, not water at all. so i think there's a lot of uncertainty around this for today. dw sonya family carts and sports news now in the boonies, flicker bind munich, have once again been crowned german champions. it's the 10th season running that byron have been the top team in german football. and they shield it with a win over the last team to deny them the title department 10 years on from don't men's last championship by and had the chance to confirm that 10th title in a row against their old rivals. all eyes were on elling, holland's andrew of 11 dusky. but it was another player who got the scoring underway. says can every volley time to put by in ahead. in the 15 minutes a top quality finished to put bion within touching distance of the title. that the other end holland had a golden chance to level this goes, but he scuffed his shot wide. the kind of mistake that bion usually punish. and

they did just that after a defensive mix up, who else? but 11 dusky, applying the finishing touch the pole once again coming back to haunt his former club to nail to buying domains. frustration was clear to see, but shortly into the 2nd half they were thrown in lifeline years. you kimmy brought down motto, voice in the box, m re john stepped up and made it to once and the penalties bought. dormant had rediscovered some hope and again hole and went through and go with a chance to equalize. but once more, the norwegian failed to find the targets. and in the 83rd minute by and made the game and the title safe, jamal marciello found the bottom corner to make it 31. and that was enough to get by and the all important victory. julian novels man celebrated his 1st major trophy

when, while levin dusky had a consoling work for holland and, and now it's a double figures for consecutive. but his legal titles, a level of dominance unparalleled in modern football. up next is sports life. a michael o cooper you watching d. w. ah ah . it started know which spook intimidation and transformed into an orgy of hate and violence. the history of the ku klux klan, the oldest terrorist organization in the united states. its members fight for races, state ruled by white supremacy.