ah, ah ah, this is the w news coming to live from berlin. germany is transfer says vladimir putin has miscalculated with the war in ukraine. the russian invasion dominated a 2 day meeting of olaf sholtes his cabinet. determined ministers are working to reduce reliance on russian fossil fuels. the e u announces plans to ban oil imports from russia commission president for slip under lion wants to phase out russian oil by the end of the year. critics say that's not fast enough. and fresh russian air strikes on levine, cut power in parts the western ukrainian city and ukrainian fighters,

defending the besieged steel planted mario pole se russian forces every knew their whistle ah hello m terry martin. good to have you with us. german chancellor, all of sholtes said that russian president vladimir putin miscalculated when he invaded ukraine, and that the war has strengthened both nato and the european union. schultz was speaking after a 2 day cabinet meeting near berlin. gathering was designed to resolve domestic issues, but it was overshadowed by the war in ukraine. sholtes said ministers also discussed ways to reduce german dependency on russian fossil fuels. the chancellor spoke to the press after the meeting. let's listen it slots else. the one thing that is also clear from the change state of affairs is that putin got it totally wrong with his

brutal attack on ukraine than most of a comp. what she has achieved is a stronger nieto. a stronger security organization within the eastern nato states. that also got is a european union that has joined forces on your own closed ranks with my any other conclusion. the world of its democratic, the organization haven't us. we have a unified sanctions package to show russia that it needs to in this war to hushed in, become half his sandwiches that will massively impact the russian economy. and victims move the continental sponsor, he polish for and hot german gentle of schultz there. well, chief political correspondent, melinda crane, is with me in the studio to talk about all this up. melendez, the german chancellor. they're saying that russia's invasion of ukraine has strengthen nato and the e. u. a. we've been hearing that all along. and what the all of shows say anything to suggest that germany is strengthening its own role in deterring russian

aggression. because germany so far has been seen as one of the weaker links in the chain. the least militarily. and at least until about a week ago when germany did decide to send heavy weapons after repeated requests from ukraine and a lot of pressure, both within this country, even from some of the other coalition partners on the chancellor. as well as pressure from abroad, as you know, on april 28th, there was a decision that heavy weapons including anti aircraft tanks, will be sent to ukraine. the chestler here made only a very indirect reference to that, saying that germany would continue to support ukraine in the ways that seem appropriate in a way, an indirect explanation of that movement. first from saying a no heavy weapons and then changing that position clearly partly as a result of the circumstances, the continued disastrous images that we see of more crimes in ukraine and then of

course, also the eastern offensive of russia. but beyond that, there is another part of deterrence that he did also talk about. and that is germany's commitment to support finland and sweden if they decide in the next couple of weeks to apply for nato membership. and that is significant because the topic of continued nato expansion is a tough topic for many left leaning politicians. and that includes the left leaning wing of the social democratic party. so for them to receive the swedish and finish prime ministers and make this commitment. that's also quite a stretch for germany. not uncontroversial in germany. what about energy imports from russia? melinda? because, you know, they are obviously essential for russia to keep up it's war machine to pay for all of that. did we learn anything more about how fast germany can wean itself off of

russian gas and oil? we heard from the economy and climate minister who has been working tirelessly to do just that. and who has some pretty astonishing numbers to present russian. a gas used to be 55 percent of all germany's fossil fuel gas imports. it's now down to 35 percent. an oil is down from 35 to 12 percent. that is pretty astonishing in a matter of a couple of months. and that's crucial because as we heard today, the use going to move ahead on an oil embargo and germany, a powerhouse of industry really relies on those fossil fuels to run its companies. so a lot of jobs depend on this. the chancellor had been very reluctant to go along, especially with a gas embargo that appears to have moved on oil. germany's economics minister open hawk hobbit was also part of that press conference, so he floated and to better accommodate high skilled russian workers in germany. is that part of a strategic brain drain policy?

melinda aimed further. we can russia, that may be one aspect of it, but what i think it's essentially meant to do is send the message. this is proteins war on ukraine, but it is not a war by all russians against ukraine, and we are not against all russians. we welcome those who are flea and ukraine, but also those who are fleeing russia. and that was made very clear by the chancellor on his address on february 27th, where he said very clearly speaking to the russian people, we are not against you. and i think that's probably the main reason behind this deep cultural and historical ties between germany and russia being emphasized and multiple levels, diplomatic ties between ukraine and germany, have been strained as of late, but not least by kiya snubbing germany's president, making it clear that they didn't want him to visit the country. oh, has there been any movement on that front? the diplomatic front. in fact,

the chancellor reiterated the fact that to that in germany's view was an inappropriate snub inappropriate treatment of the german president. and that therefore, he at least the chancellor is not planning any imminent journey to, to ukraine. that of course, has also been criticized as essentially germany making this be about its president rather than about the actual events going on in ukraine. but what we did here from both the economy minister and the foreign minister, both of the members of the green party is that solutions to this are in the works. in other words and elaina barber, the foreign minister said she is planning to make a trip. it just is not yet clear when and the economy minister said said similar things. so clearly there is a move to get past this, but it certainly has been a cloud on ukraine, germany, germany relations want to thank you very much. our chief political correspondent,

decree or as we heard there, the european commission president has called on you to ban oil imports from russia . ursula funder lion address the european parliament in strossberg. she outlined a 6th package of sanctions against moscow over its war against ukraine and called pro phased embargo on russian oil imports by the end of the year. here's what the christian president had to say. today we are addressing our dependency on russian oil. and let's be clear, it will not be easy because some member states are strongly dependent on rational oil, but we simply have to do it. so today we will propose to ban all russian oil from europe. this will be this will be a complete import ban on all russian oil seaborne and pipeline crude and refined.

we will make sure that we phase out russian oil in an orderly fashion. so in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and at the same time, be very careful that we minimize the impact on the global market. and this is why we will phase out russian supply of crude oil within 6 months. and we find products by the end of the year dw, marina strauser's in strossberg covering that you parliament meeting. i asked her how useful a long term phase out would be encountering russian aggression. and surprisingly that your commission president was a funder lucila funder line self vista. she said that it is efficient because a cutting off for russian oil, even if it takes a bit longer, will hit the russian economy at its core. because russia is very dependent on its exports of fossil fuels, of oil, and of gas. obviously,

i'm also hearing from commission officials that, of course, they don't know how volume your beauty, how russia will react to this span. because we've been, we've been seeing this over the last couple of months put, it is unpredictable when it comes to the situation in ukraine. so when you talk to our members of the european parliament, there different concerns regarding this band. so some say, why don't we also, why don't be also not bye bye bye, don't be band gas as well. because russia also delivers a lot of gas european countries. others say, are we really afraid? prices will arise even higher in, in europe. they are ready at a really high level at this point of time. and this is one of the reasons why actually this transitional period has been implemented. but of course, it is likely that prices will rise with this or with this ban on oil. right?

oh ursula, on the lion, she also proposed other sanctions. so what are they about? let's ride one of the most important parts of the sanction package is the d. swift thing offer the largest russian bank a spare bank means taking it off from the financial transfer transaction system. swift then also that you commission proposes to targets military officials that were involved in the atrocities in boucher and in maria poll than the ear. propose your commission proposes to a ban 3 russian media in addition to russia today and spoon nick that have already been banned in at the, in, in europe and earl, at the last point. or the commission also proposes to targets or consultants in europe or who had wise russians the w's, marina strauss there in strossberg. well,

let's talk more about those proposed you sanctions, stephen beardsley, from the to be businesses with us. how effective 10 this embargo on russian oil be steven, if it's going to be phased out slowly and not really come into effect till the end of the year. yeah, i think as marina just mentioned there, you know, gas and oil really are the money makers for the russian government. so let's not underestimate how important this can be, especially with oil more of russian g d p comes from oil cells than does from gas sales. this is the place to hit the russian government. the question, as you mentioned, is, is what the timeline doesn't seem to be any way around that politically. germany really saying it's on board if there's a timeline, if there's a phase and, and it has taken concrete steps already, it's moved down from, i want to say 25 percent of its imports were russian. oh, well, imports were russian and now it's down to 12 percent. so that is a concrete step and that will be felt over time. so if you're seeing that movement over a period of time than the russian government should feel that there's also another

tightening of sanctions that are already there. for example, more sanctions on rosin after going into effect on may 15th, we're already hearing that some major handlers, the major traders of commodities are responding to that. they're going to stop working with russian oil because of that. so it's not just this, but the other sanctions are slowly biting down the question of enforcement. how are we going to get that? it's always gonna be an issue. the real question is, how are you going to get other countries like india and china from not buying discounted russian oil? that's going to the question trade the new sanctions proposed sanctions could also affect russian bank. some russian banks were already sanctioned. how consequential with these new sanctions on banks? i think that's going to be one of the questions going for because we don't really know, you know, swift was touted. swift is this payment messaging system that's use around the world and it was touted as the nuclear option to ban russian banks from it. but it hasn't really proven to be as effective as many thought in a rush. it took on effect of capital controls. they force they took on other measures that really propped up ruble, so we don't really know what it's going to mean. spare bank is the,

is russia's biggest bank. there are 2 other banks including this. we have to wait and see, but long term, the business environment there is degrading, and this is going to be another incentive for businesses not to come in to russia semen. thank you very much, steven beardsley from d. w. a business now to the fighting in ukraine, russian air strikes have hit, levine, cutting power and water supply to parts of the western ukrainian city, close to the polish border. russian forces also struck train stations in the center and west of the country. that's according to a railway official. plumes of smoke could be seen rising above levine, the city's mayor said the strike hit 2 powers to substations. the beef has been spared the worst of the fighting so far with only a handful of strikes, hitting civilian and military infrastructure. meanwhile, russian forces continued to bombard areas in eastern ukraine. the regional governor, governor of the doing that's reason, says russian attacks killed at least 21 people on tuesday. russian forces also

launched a renewed assault on the as of steel works and murray, you pull. the city's mayor says, heavy fighting is underway. some residents were evacuated during a brief cease fire, but many more are still trapped there. safe at last, after weeks under constant attack, these people have escaped the as of south steel plant, ukraine's last stronghold in the besieged city of mario pole. many arriving t is recounting stories of horror. really when you made the good you can't imagine how scary it is when you sit in the shelter in a wet and damp a basement which is bouncing, shaking. when we were able to go outside, i saw the sun for the 2nd time in 2 months. but while dozens have made it to safety, thousands remain in danger or fight even watch with bizarre, a few at the moment, while we are here, as of style is being stormed out,

mario poll is still under siege and people could not leave today when you were you but you know, there are tens of thousands of such people who were tens of thousands of women and the elderly remaining mario pole. they booking all of you. russian shelling continued through the day in maria poll. soon after the evacuation was completed. those who remain are in despair, lutheran spanish, as you wake up in the morning and you cry, you cry in the evening. i don't know where to go at own yet not to stop this. i am not alone. imagine everything is destroyed. everything is broken. where should the people go? now? relatives of the soldiers is still fighting in the as of style plant had rallies in cave on tuesday, demanding they be evacuated to the soldiers are part of the controversial far right

as of regiment. while ukrainian authorities promised to continue the operation, they say international intervention will be crucial. with earlier i spoke to d, w men will shaw's who's in levine, if i began by asking her about those airstrikes in western ukraine. hey, thank you terry. last night there was an operation that targeted operation against western and central ukraine infrastructure is mainly a railway infrastructures off sick stations have been hit across western and central ukraine. and here in libby, this is the power plants, electricity, power plants, which have been attacked. also, railways, west structures, there were some trains that had been delayed. there's still some delays, as our tori t's are just a restoring our electricity here. there was a brief, a power outage last night,

a brief water outage as well. is the mayor of the city and ahead of their miniature, we are sorry t as saying that the chain, our supply near the re weigh infrastructure was hit, including a humanitarian supply abroad by the west. and now, so as something that's the 1st scene, the russian aggression in february on february 24th, a region depriving so that kind of fights out into montana's western source western part of do. quinn was hit. come, you know, building was there. he 2 people were injured like the injured so bad that sir, that's something that was expected from ukraine and also routines that oh so infrastructure is here in the west would be he then it is very much happening those days here in the west. so multiple strikes around the country, but fighting in ukraine is most intense in the south. and east of the country right now is, is either side, they're making significant gains. well, it's true dab,

dare russian forces are not gaining as much ground as day or wanted. but british intelligence or warn, warned doug to russian battalions were regroup, being in the north eastern part of ukraine, around the cities of crimea. tolorisk, i don't know if you remember this city where, you know, the main station there had been hate. a few weeks ago of 15 civilians were killed, went off messiah or was law, show her russian battalions, you know, trying to regroup, and launch a new, a fancy there. and according to russian or sorry, tsr storming on d as a fast t plans violating in doing so, according to ukrainian authorities, the humanitarian agreements, and of course, putting into your party all her health self continuing humanitarian evacuations from diaz of south tier plan to west where hundreds of as civilians are still believe to have taken shelter for 2 months now. and there was dw manual sha

speaking to me a short while ago from the western ukrainian city of levine. well, the russian invasion has turned the lives of ordinary ukrainians upside del united nations estimates at more than 5 and a half 1000000 had been forced to flee their homeland. settling in a new country is especially difficult for those with family members requiring special care or medical attention. deterred on at your escape, the worn ukraine by fleeing to germany. now, her main worry is keeping her 10 month old son, david's life. he needs breathing equipment to stop his lungs collapsing. david suffers from spinal muscular atrophy. a rare degenerative disease causing gradual loss of function without treatment, babies with the condition usually die by the age of 2. when you that a yeah, cool. like i can sleep at nights even when does he does the sleep, all aluminum, i keep checking on him. i pray to god that he wants stuff breathing. why?

and sometimes it seems like he is not breathing that the going if it's a genetic disease where you can simply lose your child in a moment. veto left ukraine was the of each and her older son of young, who 7. just as the 1st shots were being fired like rod at the when i saw the fear in our jumps, eyes i knew we had to flee back home. and ukraine veto was able to race $11000.00 euros a month for david's treatment through crowd funding. here in germany, volunteers including jojo in san rena, help her to obtain the drugs and german health insurance covers what's needed now.

in the longer term davita will need gene therapy, costing to 1000000 euros. it's not clear whether that will be covered when does alanine so i just have to hope we can get the treatment for david or to could i know that he would live yet. i don't know whether he would be able to set up a walk, but i know he would live. having fled the war with the children and coping with of its illness. liter cannot be certain she will ever return to ukraine. but she remains resolute. so your mom of jackson, i am firstly, the mother of 2 sons. walks in the woods, give young and i cannot be we key fob with, but in woodson, gar my and i have to stay strong. sketch up on some of the other stories making headlines around the world today. a us lead crew has handed over control of the international space station to russian cosmonaut commander tom marsh

burns and 3 other astronauts will leave the station and return to earth later this week. russia has threatened to pull out of ios cooperation if western war related sanctions continue. in the u. s. people have rallied for abortion rights in cities across the country. they were responding to a leaked draft opinion indicating the supreme court is in favor of overturning the landmark roe vs wade ruling if legalized abortion nationwide in 1973, some pro abortion protesters also staged demonstrations. the governor of us state of new mexico has as president biden, to declare a disaster and free up financial aid as wildfire spread across the region, thousands have been forced to flee so far. the fires burned nearly 600 square kilometers and the united nations secretary general is in nigeria, on his 1st visit there with the war in ukraine distracting the world's attention,

antonio garage has urged owners and governments not forget other humanitarian crises. he travelled to a town in ne mornow state known as the birthplace of boca her rom. the jihadist group has terrorized the region for years. a grand welcome for a special guests. this dance group is here to welcome the united nations, a catchy general on to new terrace, to me degree, the capital of porn estate, north east, and nigeria. the governor is on hand to receive him for more than a decade. born new states has suffered large skill violates by armed groups and has now become the center of the human tyrann crises and the sale region. millions of people leave in extreme poverty and hunger. and with the war in ukraine, causing donors to divert relief money away from here, things up projects, it's

a gets even worse. the un secretary general wants to meet with some of the victims of these attacks. as he arrives as one of the refugee camps in me do gallery, he's greeted with loud ovation. even though the people are smiling and celebrating, they see life as a camp is tough. there's nothing, there's no food. we want to return to our village, even though it's rainy season. we can't go to our farms. in a group discussion with camp leaders. gutierrez, he has the stories of refugees and promises to continue supporting the walk of the states government. i, i am a, we do with 7 children to take care of, and we want to go back to our home. praise be to i love that a saw you city. i am full of joy. god bless you the day before that we will be with the bottom. really,

my good terrorist says he's impressed by the governor's efforts to rebuild communities or return people back home. a strategy that has been criticized as been too focused on long term solutions while neglecting short term problems. one, along with the un chiefs visit is assigned to the people in me do agree that they are not forgotten, but it does not just lead to immediate solutions of the insecurity and hunger they are facing. you are watching d w news. just reminder, the top story we're following for you this our, the german chancellor ala shoulder has said, russian president vladimir putin miscalculated with his invasion of ukraine, and that the war has strengthened both native and the e. u. sholtes was speaking after

a 2 day cabinet retreat dominated by the war and ukraine. he said minister is discussed measures to reduce german dependency on russian fossil fuel. this is dw news from berlin up next eco africa looks at how ancient farming techniques are helping tunisia cope with its water crisis. i'm terry martin. the thanks for watching ah ah, with

eco africa planting trees and supporting athletic town. how does that work? good for you, this is all about is wardrobes. is bob, because it was some clothes, it's a successful project. one more schools are adopting the initiative, which is already helped to plant more than $10000.00 trees. pico africa, next on d w o.

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