[000:00:00;00] ah ah, this is the w news ally from berlin. the european union agrees to band most russian oil imports by the end of the year after weeks of infighting, e u. member states reach a compromise that will allow some russian oil to keep flowing. it being described as the best deal they could get. also coming on. russian forces pushed deeper into the eastern ukrainian city of c. yep. road desk authorities fear the city could meet the same fate as mario pl,

which rushes bombardment all but flattened ah . and a warm welcome to our viewers around the world. i'm michael ocho. european union leaders have been meeting for 2nd day to coordinate their response to russia's war on ukraine. we're waiting for their closing remarks shortly and will bring you those statements, wife. but 1st, this look at the partial ban on russian oil imports. they agreed to on monday, in a compromise described by a stony as the best we could get. among the 27 member states, oil pumped from russian fields is no longer welcome. in most parts of the u. e u. leaders in brussels reached an unexpected breakthrough on the 6th sanctions package just around midnight column. so should now be able to finalize

a ban on almost 90 percent of all russian oil inputs by the end of the year with the embargo. a move that had been proposed by the commission weeks ago. and the ukranian president had urged leaders to finally make keeper don't, don't even open my europe must show strength with you because only russia perceives power as an arguments. it is time that it is time for you to be not separate, not fragments, but one whole mil lumpkin. i given him seal, however, member states are still not entirely united on the issue. the you plans to cut russian oil transported by see only a concession made in order to get hungary on board. hungarian prime minister, victor, or brown, has formed close ties with russia in the past, making the country heavily dependent on russian energy. hungary will be able to continue to receive oil by pipeline for now. the sanctions package also

excludes russia's largest bank from the swift system benz 3 more russian state own broadcasters and sanctions individuals responsible for war crimes. some leaders like the latvian prime minister, have call to go even further now. but opinions differ than oates. men perspective from my perspective will temporarily have reached our limits. definitely regarding sanctions that have to do with energies the to mark and have been met. let in it here despite hungary not playing along the latest round of sanctions are believed to be some of the most damaging measures taken by the you. so far, we are joined now by me cal critique, and he's an oil and gas expert, currently based in our slow a welcome to d w sir. how much is this partial oil embargo really going to hurt russia's war machine? i am not sure about the war machine, but the rest of the economy, you will suffer a very heavy blow. it is not just

a crude oil that will still flow into the west. it is a very find products for us that the rest and the refineries and the refineries will have to terminate their activities or suspend some of them. and as a result, the rest and oil production is go into a decrease dramatically, maybe by the end of the or by 20 or certain persons. this is, margot, is probably no surprise to russia. the e. u had been discussing an oil embargo for weeks, is russia prepared for this? while the russia has been preparing in terms of making declarations about the opportunity to reroute the flows over us and oil or east or to change now or be to south mark to india. but in fact, the transportation capacity is who china, our field, 100 percent. it is impossible to increase exports over us in the oil to change.

maybe a couple of 10 on there is, will be loaded additionally in some, both the courts or lexi for. but this does not make the wither and an additional 3 or 4, or maybe even 5 them for a year or 2 chairs, which receive a $1000000.00 over us and oil every year. it is a very microscopic course and which is not going to replace of the western oil flow and india where the competition was sour, dairy, the iraq and kuwait and the united arab emirates is very heavy, is not going to absorb more than 6 or 7000000 tons of russian oil for a year, and this is absolutely not enough to replace the european market. i want to get back to that, but what i'm hearing you say essentially is there's no getting around this for russia. yes,

arrested cannot the side step and sanctions now and oil is oil and gas are the main staple commodities of the thrush and economy is based on if the measures according to this new band are in effect by the end of the year, or actually is going to lose about 20 or 25 percent over 11 years to the federal budget. briefly, sir, you, you mentioned already the other international partners who buy from, from russia, china and india, for example. could they provide some, some way for russia economy to can continue to keep going? or are you saying this is, this is something close to a death now? well, i don't expect any new technologies to come to the rest of the oil. yes. industry from india or from china and the russian oil producers are suffering from lack of

technology is because of the international sanctions. the bullet, $1000.00 companies international companies have left for us because of the sanctions and $300.00 companies have decreased their activities and their us and the rate. now, the ability over us to move forward with the logically or even to keep pace with the risk of the world logically uses grossly limited. and i believe this is the end of over the russian oil and gas industry, which is the main one in my country. that's a big statement and what impact will energy sector sanctions have on every day? russian people we already see that. so some people are losing their jobs in the north, sparks over western siberia where oil and gas opera use mostly in those areas.

people are just abandoning their homes and go in into warmer regions over russia without any hope to get your jobs. and we see that because of the well depressed situation of the russian economy, the prices are popular, commodities are going up. the price over the fuel is not going down and it is, it is obviously this, the signal that the level of the l in comes over s and families is already decreasing. that's an oil and gas expert may kal could kick in in our slow many thank sir. thank we are now joined by d. w. a chief political editor, michela cook new who is here in our studio in berlin. me hello, welcome. germany. we'll commit to boycott russian oil by the end of the year. what does that mean for the country?

well, it does mean a tall order for the country. although when it comes to oil, the dependency has already been reduced from around 35 percent down to 12 percent. so this has been a strategic imperative from the beginning of the war, which is now 3 months ago. and the titan vendor, the turn around to this historical point and does include that. and that was also the clear message by all assaults. but it also means that certainly the german climate energy and economics minister is currently in overdrive trying to secure other sources. and what we just heard from that expert that that becomes true then this 6 package of sanctions, which includes the parcel almost total oil embargo, is indeed reaching what it's aimed to, which is not just to we can russia, but also to force russia to sell elsewhere. and that could have a price in implication that russia has to sell cheaper elsewhere than it currently is doing to europe. and that would be

a success for the europeans. but germany has no, no illusions about still being highly depend at this moment in time. what role if any, as far as you know, was germany playing in trying to get hungry to accept this total oil or dummy. it was throughout this process showing that it is understanding of countries that simply have no other alternative. poland, i think, is a significant exception there because it really is not willing to continue taking off from russia despite the fact that it is an act against its own energy security interest. and it's banking on the solidarity of other european countries. hungary has negotiated rather well that certainly the impression here and off so was working clearly also behind the scenes to tie those 2 positions together. because unity, that's where everybody is a aware of and most acutely, certainly those still speaking to vladimir putin and that would be all of salt and

french present. mano, my call. they know that any crack in european countries would weaken the position towards russia and could at in the worst case. and bolden vladimir pretend to continue his war of aggression on ukraine. you know, as well as anyone mikaela that the german chancellor will love shalt, has been perceived as being very hesitant to say the least in the last several weeks, particularly in regards to sending heavy weaponry to ukraine. does his decision to stop in ports of russian oil change that perception going forward? well, it is certainly so him taking european responsibility, it will not overall change that a perception, particularly because he also continues to stress that germany will not go ahead. it will not lead quite literally when it comes to certain supplies of weapons. and he's and becoming increasingly open about the acute concern. he has that one could

be overstepping and invisible red line that could lead to a 3rd world war. i still find it difficult to actually spell it out, but that is really the concern that is hanging in the air. that's the chief political editor, michelle. you look of the many things and you will stay with us as we wait for this press conference from the leaders. i want to go now to a d. w's, a bureau, chief, alexandra von, nomine, in brussels. alexandra, let's start where you are, how much of an impact will this council meeting have from an you perspective? well, i think it's very important to stress that despite some crags that we saw in the unity, eventually the leaders were able to get this deal done to agree on this partial oil embargo and stay united. sending a very strong a signal towards sir moscow. and it is important because we really have to consider that these sanctions are going to have an impact on european economies as well. and

of course, there are going to hurt russia. we just heard that from a, at the expert at the beginning of our show, that it is going to have an impact on the russian revenues on the russian budget. because normally the european union pays millions of euro's every day for its russian oil imports. and a big chunk of that money is not going to be paid to rush in the future. alexandra, of course, there were struggles to reach this partial embargo hungry didn't want to back it in the 1st place. now it's avoided the oil ban altogether. how much friction between the member states did this cause while it cause a lot of friction, i would say, and they are many member states and specially the baltic, for instance, who are very unhappy with hungry. and we also have to say that over the course of

the war hungry has lost some of its a closer allies in the european union, for instance, poland and said the hungarian prime minister, vic, to all been made quite an entrance here yesterday. when he told us that there will be no compromise, that he had to defend the interest of his country. eventually he agreed to at a deal being exempt. and that is of course, a big win for him. and we have to say that hungry has become a very difficult partner for the european union. they supported previous sanctions against russia, but very reluctantly. and they are continuing their battle against the european commission of a dead rule of law that so d w. 's, alexander phenomena for us. many thanks. she will stick around as we wait for there's you press conference, but in the meantime, let's get back to the battle. ground of russian forces have entered the city of c. you have grown a desk in eastern ukraine. keith says its troops are battling to hold their positions,

street by street after days of intent shelling. russia is pushing to seize the entire eastern region of dumbass, which has already been partially in separate his hands since 2014 ukrainian president. introlatta zalinski says, see if we're done, nets has seen widespread destruction, similar to what happened in the port city of mario pal, a city under siege savannah. danielle has been battered by intense shelling for weeks. now russian forces have entered the city and fears a growing that it may share mary paul's fate thousands of civilians a thought to still be in the city, the largest in the loo, hence, grecian still held by ukraine. according to the mare, the relentless bombardment has left it impossible to keep track of casualties with russia,

bringing its overwhelming advantage in artillery to bear in its assault on the dumbass, ukraine is pleading with its allies to provide it with more advanced long range weapon systems. do us was reportedly considering the move, but president biden has now thrown that into doubt a rock with the rock. but while ukraine's allies debate russia continues to concentrate its fire power in the dawn bass. where you can show him the fighting has reached its maximum intensity with russian troops firing along the entire line of contact and trying to fire artillery deep into our defenses. at the same time, the assault is continuing in several directions. they can call them up to him, good. for now at least ukrainian forces continue to fight on in the face of the

russian onslaught. dw correspondent rebecca readers is following developments for us from the ukrainian capital keith, i asked her for an update on the frontline situation in say you have road the net. well, just that michaela, as, as we know, yesterday, russian troops did manage to break through ukrainian defences. we're trying to hold russians back from entering the city. we know that the city had been surrounded on 3 sides for some time. on the other side, there was a river and russia has yet to make it to that area. but they did break through the defense lines and taking the city. i mean a street by street, if you will. we're hearing reports around about half of the city now is under russian control, but it's really hard to give up to the minute update as to what's happening on the battlefield. as you can imagine, ukrainian, ukraine, you korea crying rather is trying to push them back. but they're just out god, and they really are struggling to defend themselves when coming up against russian heavy weaponry. russia has been pounding these areas for weeks at whatever they

will be claiming victory over won't be much of the pictures that we've seen coming out of this region. everything is completely raised to the ground. talking about it being, then you marry your poland and from the pictures, it certainly looks that way, you know, as much as any one ukrainian forces should be in russian forces back in the past. but all reports indicate that tide appears to be changing. that's right. i mean, you know, the initial success is that ukraine had he where i am in kiva in the northern parts of the city being able to push back russian forces. there was an initial reverie here. people were very excited, very happy, felt like that they were gonna really be able to, to, to push russia back. now we are saying that tied turning in ukraine itself has been admitting for days now that it's really lost the upper hand in the dawn. best region and there was some hope that perhaps that was a tactical, a response from ukraine hoping to be, be a bit, have

a cry for help so that the international community would supply them with more weapons. but, you know, i think the proof is in the pudding michael, they really are struggling and it certainly doesn't look like the time has turned away from the ukraine. favor and towards russia who was simply out gunning them with heavy weapons. which is why president salenti and the pharmacy here, a calling out for support. they desperately need longer range weapons in order to be able to hold back the russians. now rebecca, you've been covering the war on the ground for many weeks now. do you still see the shade measure of resolve the, the same fight in the ukrainian people? yes, absolutely. i mean, of course, people are worried when they see what's happening in the dumbass and they do see that tied turning in favor of russia. but, but people are still very united. they believe that in the long run, ukraine will be victorious. they hope at least and, and, you know, i think there needs to be that unity among everybody that they really out even

though you cry, kia, rather, for example, ease returning to some semblance of normality. you could say people are back at work. things are starting to open up here thought. so people have so really with, with their, their, their comrades in the east of the country. and they're, of course, very worried about what will happen eve, russia, do succeed in taking the don bass. what will be next? the south of the country will they try and come back to keep people at the end of the day. hopeful some people saying to me, what else can we do thinking of the alternative that we want when it isn't worth thinking about this? i d w correspondent rebecca readers as always may, thanks. rebecca ukraine star prosecutor is due to meet her counterpart from the international criminal court in the hague. later today, they'll be looking at how best to coordinate investigations into alleged war crimes by russian soldiers in ukraine. some trials have already begun thanks to meticulous

documentation on the ground, but investigating potential war crimes could be more of a challenge in regions where russia has taken control a warning. our next report contains some disturbing images from the start images that no one should have to see civilians strewn across the street in boucher the immediate aftermath of a strike on a maternity hospital in mary u poll. a mass grave holding the unidentified bodies of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, grand parents, and children after ukrainian fighters pushed russian forces back from towns and villages they'd occupied evidence of atrocities began to pile up all being documented by human rights groups. ukrainian officials and journalists on

the ground. now, almost 2 months later, you crane's prosecutor general says investigations are underway into well over 10000 suspected war crimes. ranging from pillaging and looting, rape and summary execution, to indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure. the 1st war crimes trial concluded last week, resulting in a guilty verdict for a 21 year old russian soldier, charged with shooting an unarmed ukrainian man. but in the eastern don bass region where the war is still being fought, tracking down evidence and prosecuting potential war crimes could prove a lot more difficult in the southern city of mary you, paul ariel pitches showed the word children dogged outside the theatre building. that was hit by russian asterix in march and associated press investigation

suggests as many as 600 people may have been killed that as they sought shelter. ukraine says russia knew it was the civilian target. now, mary, you poll is in russian hands and an independent investigation at the site has been impossible. exactly who and how many people died there may never be known. in april satellite images showed apparent mass graves near the city. local officials say up to $9000.00 bodies could be buried that victims of russian aggression. they say what now russia is focusing its assault on the loo hunt region. the fia is if more towns and cities fall under russian control, the harder it will become to investigate potential war crimes and hold any one there to account. we are joined now by our corresponded terry

shawl to is in the hague, waiting to cover a press conference from ukraine's top prosecutor and other investigators. terry, what should we expect from the upcoming press conference? what we're really looking to hear is how these multiple investigations are going to be coordinated. as you said, i'm standing outside the headquarters of the european union, judicial coordination agency, euro just and they've been put in charge of bringing together the evidence, filing it storing it. so that when you have investigations by ukraine, by the international criminal court, by multiple individual governments, you're going to be able to consolidate that. and everyone use the same information so that for example, victims do not have to undergo, you know, a dozen different interviews. so that everything is held in the highest confidentiality and, and security. so they're going to be explaining that it is, it's going to be quite a press conference here. you're going to have not only ukraine's top prosecutor,

but also the international criminal courts. chief prosecutor, the president of euro, just and prosecutors from lithuania and poland, who are altogether heading up the joint investigative team that is now looking into this. what you've been describing is no small taska. tell us more about the work of the investigators and ukraine. the international criminal court has already sent does as of it, investigators as have individual governments. we know there's been a french team there. of course ukraine is doing everything it count on the ground. but as was mentioned that report, there is a hot war going on. there are entire cities in control of russian hands. so of course, it's not safer investigators to go in and, and gather evidence on the ground there. but when you talk to the experts fail explained that they are still talking to witnesses who left the area, finding out who they've lost, what may have been left behind and they're doing everything they can while not adding to the loss of life by sending more people into rushes line of fire to reach

us, how hard is it to hold war? criminals accountable when you're talking about a crimes against humanity and, and war crimes, atrocity crimes like are handled by the international criminal court. the threshold of evidence is so incredibly high that as we've seen with other i c. c cases, it takes years or even decades to get to the. 6 level of proof where you can issue an indictment where you can try to bring even heads of state in into it, into the court. and so that is is years away. and everyone acknowledges that this is a really tough and long slog. but there are, there are now calls to set up another court, a crime, a court to try crimes of aggression and the threshold for that evidence is much lower. you simply have to prove that the intent was there to create, to commit a crime of aggression against another country. so i will be speaking about that more to day as well. that is terry schultz reporting for us from the hague. many,

many thanks to her will have to leave it to add that this is a d w news. we'll have more news at the top of the next hour, including what happens at that press conference from european leaders regarding the oil embargo on russia. don't forget, you can watch us around the clock on d, w dot com. i'm michael. oh, cooper in berlin. many things. mm

with you a pulse with the beginning of the story that moves us and takes us along for the ride. it's all about the perspective. culture information,

this is the w. w. made from mines fashion as an environmental mm. a clothing graveyard to land desert. this is where things were seen industrial nations no longer need an external waste. get stranded about the funds in the global fashion industry. close up in 60 minutes long d w. o. she needed out it. unfortunately, she talked in a south a mother was going to spend the rest of her life behind bars for murdering per 3 daughters. but if you could call me back

i with i see the site that was part of psychosis is an offer illness post. fordham is a nasty mothers nightmare starts june 4th on d. w. a massive groups of people. how to avoid disaster. we take a look at crowd research also, the war in ukraine is affecting the science world as well. we visited to researchers who had to flee and eternal life as an other, talk. what is already possible in the digital parallel world. all this a mo,