[000:00:00;00] ah ah, this is dw news coming to you live from berlin. germany, chancellor says vladimir putin has miscalculated with the war in ukraine. russian invasion dominated a 2 day meeting of love shots. his cabinet. german ministers are working to reduce reliance on russian fossil fuel. meanwhile, b e u announces plans to ban oil imports from russia commission president gross lip underline wants to phase out russian oil by the end of the year. critics say that's

not fast enough. also coming up, fresh russian airstrikes, home live the power in parts of the western ukrainian city and ukrainian fighters, defending the besieged steel plan to marry a full se. russian forces have renewed their assault. plus with the world focused on ukraine, the un chief makes a high profile visit to a conflict ravaged part of nigeria. antonio good cherish, travels too, or no state where is lubbock extremists have been terrorizing the population for years. ah. hello, i'm terry martin. good to have you with us join chance. we're all of schulte said that russian president vladimir putin miscalculated when he invaded ukraine, and that the war has strengthened both nato and the e. u. sholtes was speaking after a 2 day cabinet meeting near berlin. a gathering was designed to resolve domestic

issues, but it was overshadowed by the war in ukraine. sholtes said ministers also discuss ways to reduce german dependency on russian fossil fuels. chancellor spoke to the press after the meeting. let's listen. it saw us 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 he has achieved is a stronger nieto. a stronger security organization within the eastern need to states that also got as a european union that has joined forces on your own closed ranks with my any other conclusion. the world of it democratizing the organ is yet haven't us. we have a unified sanctions package to show russia that it needs to, in this war to hushed in, become hackers of sanctions that will massively impact the russian economy. and victims moved the continental stunts and he push behind german chest all of sholtes

there. well, chief political correspondent, melinda crane, is with me in the studio to talk about all this up, melinda, the german chancellor. they're saying that russia's invasion of ukraine has strengthened nato and the e. u. we've been hearing that all along and all of short 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, at 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 chancellor here made only a very indirect reference to that,

saying that germany would continue to support ukraine in the ways that seem appropriate or in a way, an indirect explanation of that movement. first from saying a no heavy weapons and then changing that position. clearly part 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 its 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 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 power house 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 over ha ha, beck was also part of that press conference, so he floated plans to better culminate high skilled russian workers in germany. is a part of a strategic brain drain policy. melinda aimed further. we can rush up. that may be one aspect of it, but what i think it's essentially meant to do is send the message. this is po teens 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 in 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. has there been any movement on that front? the diplomatic front, in fact, the chancellor reiterated the fact that 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 barbara, 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's 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 on the cri, the european commission president has called on the e u as we heard to ban oil imports from russia. ursula on the lion address the european parliament in strossberg. she outlined a 6th package of sanctions against moscow over its war on ukraine, and called for a phased embargo on russian oil imports by the end of the year. here's what the u commission 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 a strongly dependent on russian 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 t w's. marina strauss was in strasburg for that you parliament meeting. i asked her how useful a long term phase out of oil would be encountering russian aggression. and

surprisingly that your commission president was a funder loza funder line self advocacy. 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 orland, of, of gas. obviously, i'm also hearing from commission officials that, of course, they don't know how, of anatomy, beauty, how russia will react to this span. because we've been, we've been seeing this over the last couple of months, but it is unpredictable when it comes to the situation in ukraine. so when you talk to our members of the european parliament, their dear friends or concerns regarding this span. so some say, why don't we also, why don't we also not bye, bye bye, don't be ban 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 d, w as marina strauss there in strossberg. well, let's talk more about those are proposed. you sanctions, stephen beardsley, from the to be businesses with us. how effective can 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 thing is on board. if there's a timeline, if there's a phase and, and it has taken concrete steps already, it, it's moved down from, i want to say 25 percent of its imports were russian. oh, well, imports were russia 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 ross after going into effect on may 15th, we're already hearing that some major handlers, some 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 going to 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. ok, the new sanctions proposed sanctions could also affect russian banks. some russian

banks are 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, you know, russia took on effect of capital controls. they force they took on other measures that really prompt the rubel, 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 into russia semen. thank you very much. stephen beardsley from d w. a business. meanwhile, the fighting in ukraine has continued. russian air strikes have hit, levine, cutting power and water supply. 2 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. according to a railway official, plumes of smoke could be seen rising above levine,

the city's mayor said the strike hid to power substations leave has been spared the worst of the fighting so far with only a handful of strikes, fitting civilian, and military infrastructure. well, russian forces continue to bombard areas in eastern ukraine. the regional governor of dynette sc says russian attacks killed at least 21 people on tuesday. russian forces also launched a renewed assault on the as o. steel works. in the, in maria poll, cities, mayor says, heavy fighting is underway, there. some residents were evacuated during a brief cease fire, but many more are still trapped. they're safe at last, after weeks and the constant attack, these people have escaped the as of sal steel plant. you cranes, last stronghold in the besieged city of mario pole. many arriving t as recounting stories of horror. really when you may be 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. so far, leave a bunch of bizarre of you at the moment while we are here, as of style is being stormed, mario poll is still under siege and people could not leave today when you were you . but yes, 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 mar, you pole. soon after the evacuation was completed, those who remain are in despair with spanish march. if 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 him. earlier i spoke to w some annual shaws who's in the western ukrainian city of la beaver. i asked, or i began by asking her about those airstrikes in western you, chris. exactly. terry. last night there was an operation. at target's, you'd operation against western and central ukraine infrastructure is mainly

a railway infrastructures off 6 stations have been hit across western and central ukraine. and here in libby, this is a power plants, electricity power plants, which have been a tax. also, railways, west structures, there were some trades 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 as the mayor of the city. and ahead of their military authority as saying that the chain of supply near the re infrastructure was hid, including a humanitarian supply abroad by de west. and though so as something that's the 1st scene, stir russian aggression in february on february 24th a region depriving. so that kind of parts 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 that's their, that's something that was expected from ukraine and i was already teased that. oh, so infrastructure is here in the west would be heat and it is very much happening those days here in the west. so multiple strikes around the country, but fighting in ukraine is most intense from the south and east of the country right now is, is either side, they're making significant gains. well, it's true, da da, russian forces are not gaining as much ground as they are wanted. but british intelligence are worn warned. dr. russian battalions were regroup, being in the northeastern part of ukraine, around the cities of crime at tolorisk. i dont know if you remember this city where you know the main station there had been hate. a few weeks ago, 15 civilians were killed, went off messiah herb was long show her russian battalions, her, you know, trying to regroup, and launch a new, a fancy fair,

and according to rational authorities. they are storming on d as a fast t plans violating in doing so, according to ukraine, an auto re t's the humanitarian agreements, and of course, putting into your party all her help. southware continuing humanitarian evacuations from diaz of south tier plan to west where hundreds of as civilians are still believed to have taken shelter for 2 months. now. you know, he was a manual shaws there in libby. now the russian invasion has turned the lives of ordinary ukrainians upside down. the united nations estimates that more than 5 of the 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 her to 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. davida 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, your call like i can sleep at night, even when davi does the sleep, all aluminum, i keep checking on him. i pray to god and 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 loose your child in a moment. veto lift ukraine was the beats and her oldest son of young, who 7. just as the 1st shots were being fired, like you are, the, when i saw the fear in our jumps eyes i am new,

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 and son, 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 on the gene. so i just have to hope we can get the treatment for david or to get the day 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. your mom of that i am firstly, the mother of 2 sons. walks in the woods, give young and i cannot be we key fob with, but in unison. now my and i have to stay strong say look at some other stories making headlines around the world. today. in the u. s, people have rallied for abortion rights in cities across the country. they were responding to a leaked draft opinion indicating that the supreme court is in favor of overturning the landmark roe vs wade ruling. it legalized abortion nationwide in 1973, some anti abortion protesters also staged demonstration a u. s. lead crew has handed over control of the international space station to russian cosmonaut, nasa, commander, tom marshburn and 3 other astronauts will leave the station and return to earth later this week. russia has threatened to pull out of i assess cooperation of

western war related sanctions continue and a record breaking down for in the spanish city of valencia triggered floods and cause chaos in the cities transport system. valencia, which is on spain's eastern mediterranean coast, caught more than $200.00 leaders of rain per square meter in just 24 hours. united nations secretary general is in nigeria, on his 1st visit there, with the war and ukraine distracting the world's attention. antonio guitarist has urged donors and governments not forget other humanitarian crises. he travelled to a town in north east bordeaux state, known as the birthplace of boca rome. jihadist group has terrorized the region for years. a grand welcome place, special guests. this dance group is here to welcome the united nations. they catch a genera on to new the terrace to meet your gooey 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 humanitarian 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 rejected. so 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 is 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 work 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 rule, the warranty, the over with every possible. 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 with with the u. n. chief's 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. in the us, the biden administration has indicated it will work more aggressively to secure the release of w. n. b, a star, brittany greiner, who has been detained in russia since february. the u. s. now considers griner to be wrongfully detained. she was jailed months ago on allegations that vape cartridges containing cannabis oil had been found in her luggage. the w and b. i announced that every team would honor greiner with her initials b, g printed on the court floor, as well as her number 42 season starts. is friday to say with us, because coming up in d. w. news, asia, beijing residents worried they will face the same fate as shanghai extreme. download lockdown said warehouse style quarantine centers and taiwan moves

away from a 0 covey policy saying it has no plans to infringe on people's rights in order to contain those stories and much more. coming up with melissa chan after a short break. i'm terry martin for me and all of us here at the w. thanks for watching. ah ah,

with true spectacle in an improved world. the meeting of the lew wait a remote island, a testament to

the quality of the waters. one of the many success stories from a bastion of biodiversity starts may 20th on d, w. it's not a question of whether the next crisis will come, but only when and how the media will deal with it. how can we stay focused on what is important? shaping tomorrow. now exploring opportunities for media professionals in times of crisis. the global media for june 2020 to your ticket. now we're all set to go beyond deal with as we take on the world. 8 hours,

i do all this is we're all about the stories that matter to you. whatever it takes, 5 police, my follow with your we are your is actually on fire. made for mines with your watching d. w. news, asia coming up today. another 20 plus 1000000 people in china face a potential lockdown cove. it has arrived in the chinese nation's capital of bay. jean, how will officials respond to this outbreak? meanwhile, in taiwan over cases continue to grow, but the government there is often for a very different response. and in india, channeling the pain of the pandemic into art. these creators hope their works can