it now ah, ah ah ah, this is dw news live from berlin, the u. s. rallies its allies to arm ukraine against russia. at a summit in germany, us defense secretary lloyd austin, announces monthly meetings on ukraine, pulling on allies to move heaven and earth to ensure keith as to what he needs. and you turn from germany on sending heavy, wet weapons to ukraine after criticism. berlin now says it will deliver anti aircraft systems to keith

ah, my manuscripts, mccann, and thanks so much for joining us. the us says that america and its allies will hold monthly meetings to discuss ongoing military support to ukraine. the u. s. defense secretary lloyd austin, made the announcement after hosting a meeting of military leaders from over 40 countries at the i'm shine air base here in germany. i was summit on arming ukraine. also for germany announced a major policy reversal. berlin says it will send anti aircraft systems to ukraine for the 1st time. oh, fresh wellness visit to keep us defense. secretary lloyd austin, welcome to military leaders from across the world to ramstein. it is an extraordinary gathering with more than 40 countries represented here today. and

we're here to help ukraine when the fight against russia's unjust invasion and to build up ukraine's offences for tomorrow's challenge. the meeting kicked off with a surprise in a notable policy shipped germany, which had been criticized for refusing to send heavy weapons to ukraine, announced it would now send gay pot, anti aircraft dance. does a scan. that is precisely what ukraine needs right now to secure its ass base from the ground that's been made clear again here today, gemini, is radiant, willing, over the course of the conference will be looking into further possibilities to continue supporting ukraine and this courageous and important fight for freedom and peace, i hope for freedom. not every one in berlin. well come to decision. since miss increase, i find a problematic germany doesn't even have enough military equipment for itself in the case of tooting, totally losing control, loiter. i think it's important. i also think that what the german government is

doing is good, but i'm also not sure if offering weapons is actually going to stop to war. as always fun, i didn't like the degree of hesitancy in the end. i would actually be for aggressive weapons. so, heavier machinery, acc, receival, of, of other shoes. because 8 in his closing remarks often set the gathering between the us and its allies, will not be the last. once a month they'll me to discuss ukraine's defense needs to help them fight the russian invasion is billy italy's benjamin alvarez group as covering the summit and lunchtime, and i asked him how jim needs decision to provide antea crafts. a aircraft systems to ukraine was received. definitely better than in berlin if we just considered those voices that were her 2 voice criticism. in here, the secretary of defense, coal, germany, and all i in a friend and praise this woody coal was significant that germany is supplying this

heavy weapons. the had been pressure growing on the government not only by the conservative party, but also within the government with the free business, an f t p party, and the greens, calling for these heavy weapons. it's not surprisingly that this announcement happened before a these, a high level delegation machin ramstein and sell than germany. there was media report, boy, a german media, as you dodge had cited, who said that germany will send these tangs with these anti aircraft egg capacities . so all in all here in ramstein, it was happening and relieved that germany is finally taking this step. and the us defense secretary lloyd austin said that these me things will now take place every month. how significant is that? what they want to show to day here is unity. they are talking not only to nato members, they are talking to all allies all around the world. and that's why the u. s. also

made this meeting here. this was not under the umbrella of ne, till more people and more countries were also invited. finland a sweden and to show that they want to counter rushes aggression it together. and that's what they also praised that it was germany is doing what candidates doing that you asked, also sending and supplying a these weapons. and the meeting to day comes after secretary of defense and secretary of state of the u. s. went to ukraine, went to keith, met with president zalinski and sat that they will help with a providing more weapons to ukraine to defend itself. not only now, but also when it comes to the security concerns after this war, that according to the u. s. and according to ukraine, will be won by ukraine. so a strong signal towards moscow that they will act together. and with germany, with this huge paradigm shift, that means sending heavy weapons to ukraine. but for ukraine, for the u. s. and for many allies, this is a step that was long of a do. all right,

utilities benjamin alfred. griffith. thank so much i'm joined, not by the doesn't his chief political editor at attend mckayla casner at mckayla. tell us what has brought route brought about is really very significant change and policy. well, quite clearly, it was internal and external pressure. we've had quite a debate here in germany of the past couple of weeks with 2 of the 3 coalition parties actually continuing to criticize chance, the order of soil for not interpreting his tightened vendor. the full turnaround is backing ukraine with everything germany has including everything german industry has. and now we see the pledge by the german defense minister lamp saying that is some 50 of those cheater tanks that are anti air craft missiles capable and vehicles being sent to ukraine from the outside. it is

giving into pressure on the inside. it actually is quite a turnaround in itself for the german forces. so i would expect that to be the beginning of new thinking on that. does berlin actually believe that ukraine can win this war against russia? let's put it this way, germany, but in all i saw the turns that didn't believe that russia would actually attack like most countries, although, even while the u. s. war ready warning of an imminent attack, germany still believed it wouldn't happen. then we saw a german chance that would actually say that russia must not win this war. we are yet to hear that ukraine must win this war. there seems to be consensus that it must not lose it complete the must not be raised from the map. ukraine identity must not disappear, but there is a continuing internal debate, particularly in the party of the german chancellor of what that means in concrete terms. and just how damaging has this perceived hesitation,

this foot dragging by chancellor shaw. it's been for germany standing within the european union. it's been quite damaging and particularly when you look at eastern countries like poland with very close historical ties. attorney always being a champion for paul and being brought further into the union. and the bossy countries have a lot of doubts and then germany took a long time to actually back off from the that's a controversial pipeline or stream to it is also still one of the countries that is against a full oil and gas embargo because it will hit germany so hard. so clearly the german chancellor is not perceived to be the one in the lead on the european side. and that really has damaged germany's reputation. still the strongest economy in the u as a leader in the, this geostrategic struggle and politically at home. i mean,

how unified is this, this move in these as we've been things sort of a very new perspective on, on germany's a sort of military and military involvement. how much unity is there within, within the german government and german political parties. on the one hand, there's a striking amount of unity. we are still rubbing our eyes and is here is correspondence that particular the greens very early on came around pro, delivery of weapons pro, delivery of happy weapons being very vocal about it. and at the same time, it's the social democrats who are still struggling to break with what many c as a pro russian past. embodied by the former, the last social democratic chancellor. gerhard schroeder, who is still on the payroll of vladimir putin. we saw a few weeks ago ago, had food are traveling to moscow and meeting with putin in an attempt to maybe change his mind. i mean, how was that seen here?

how was that seen here in berlin and also internationally? well, if, if he is an odd character, he's that his own party is increasing calling on him to leave the party to step down from the role from he, he will eventually be excluded from so. so democrats, i think there's no doubt about it. it really is a, is a heavy historical burden. now for the social democrats here who are still struggling to prove that they can be as decisive as their own coalition. and many western ponders would like them to be achieved and political editor, mikaela christner. and he, thanks and his a look at some other developments related to the war in ukraine. un secretary general antonio terrace has held talks with russian leaders in moscow. terrace met president vladimir putin, after talking with foreign minister said a lover of good cherish is set to travel to keep next to meet with ukrainian

leaders you might see him in moldova as president has called a national security council meeting after blasts took down to radio towers in the break weight, trans mystery, a region. the communication facilities in the territory along the border with ukraine were being used to broadcast russian radio stations. moscow has troops stationed in the separatist region. the you and refugee agency is expecting more than 8000000 people to flee ukraine, and that's double its initial projection. so far, 5000000 have crossed the borders to escape the war. the you and hcr says the scale of the conflict and the speed at which people are fleeing are unheard of in recent times. and the head of the u ends. nuclear watchdog has visited chernobyl on the 36th anniversary of the nuclear disaster. there, i am chief raphael mariano grossi said rushes. recent occupation have been very

dangerous. he said. radiation levels went up during the takeover, but that they are now back to normal. now cross ukraine volunteers are working to evacuate thousands of civilians in the east living with daily and nightly russian artillery. shelling the hiding out in basements and shelters. many are without electricity, gas, or water. ah, this man is being evacuated from his home in hockey's but will be trapped in his fled. it is a miracle he survived no new in noise. they've been bombarding us all day and all night. now sheila blew up in the beginning. it was quieter and lighted, sparkling the bombing only happened during the day or will overthrow. later they begun bombing at night, too. oh, nice pool grove, boulevard, missouri,

hit here in the yard, but it is ridiculous. who would war har? keith has endured a barrier of russian attacks. cons than shelling has reduced much of the city to ashes. now, some 50 residents have been evacuated from brun frontline neighbourhood. they have been taken to shelters where they hoped to be safe about 400 kilometer south safety is still a distant dream. russian forces continue to pummel the other style steel factory. the last pocket of resistance and mario pole. the port city has been under siege for weeks now. most of it has been wiped out by russian bombardment. the dire fate of mario pole has been a warning to other ukrainian cities to protect them. ukraine's president vladimir zalinski has asked alice for more support a few every one in the world,

even those who openly did not support us here, now agrees that the fate of europe, the fate of global security and the fate of the democratic wisdom is being decided in ukraine and it seems like his calls for greater diplomatic efforts are being heard with dozens of nations willing to support ukraine in a war that had simply cannot win on its own. good reminder for you of the top story that we're following today. us defense secretary lloyd austin has applauded international support ukraine and announced the u. s. and its allies will meet monthly to coordinate military aid to keith austin was speaking off to hosting a meeting of military leaders for more than 40 countries. the hammerstein abbeys. in germany, you're watching d w news coming up next in d, w. news, asia, beijing residence farrah, shanghai style locked out and as covert case is rise in the chinese capital. and

why china is officially pushing traditional chinese medicine, the treatment, the cove. it 19 stories and more coming up after a short break on d. w, use asia with parish boundary. and if you're looking for more global headlines to do with our website, that's d w dot com and you kind of follow up on social media. and sometimes books more exciting than real life to read. ah, what if there's no escape? w literature list and german st eco india.