lights on the opaque world who's behind benefits and why are they a threat to whistle o peak wolves this week on d w? ah ah, this is dw news ally from berlin. ukraine says its forces are still holding on in the eastern city of several, the nets. the region is the focus of heavy rushing, shelling and intense street fighting. could german chancellor, all of schultz be on his way to ukraine?

a german newspaper is reporting that a joint visit is plan with the leaders of france and italy before the end of the month. and marching to stop the killing. thousands joined protests across the united states, demanding tired gun control and an end to mass shootings. president joe biden urges the protesters to keep marching. ah, a michael ok welcome. ukraine says it remains in control of a crucial chemical plant in the eastern city of several genetics where hundreds of civilians are sheltering. the lou hands regional governor rejected claims by pro russian separatists that ukrainian troops had been blockaded there. he says ukrainian forces continue to hold an industrial zone in the city. the area has seen consistent st battles in heavy rush and shelling. several of the net has become the

epicenter of the battle in easter ukraine. d w correspondent rebecca readers is in keep. she told us more about the situation and shepherd, the net scan that chemical plant, which is reportedly the last place in the city still under ukrainian control. that's right, michael, as you rightly mentioned several, and as has been at the center of the battle and so far the battle at the moment in the dawn bass for some weeks now and in russia has been gradually pushing forward. but it's been a very slow and gradual push forward ukraine managing to hold back her at least a fast advance. but as you say now, only this as a chemical industrial side is under ukrainian control in russia now does control the rest of the city where, you know, it's, it's a little bit reminiscent of what we saw in mary, who paul and the as of style plant we the civilians, both workers from the,

from the industrial plant and civilians trapped there hiding under ground with about 3 or $400.00 a ukrainian soldiers as well. trying to maintain their obviously trying to not the resist russian control. i don't want to give out that area and have rush a push through to the says to city on the other side of the river, which is less chance. as both sides, we understand exchange fire. many civilians are still trying to get out with their lives. what can you tell us about their situation? of a situation, of course, as you can imagine remains dire in that city. it's being continuously bombarded. people are living under ground. as we said, there are $800.00 is expected $800.00 civilians living on the ground of vis a vis plant. but there are other people in the city this believe to be between 10 and 15000 people fill in separately than it's getting out of that city. is almost impossible, any kind of official vacuum patients out

a long over. so anybody who is managing to get out will be doing so really at their own risk. it is a dire situation and it will continue to be so as long as assigning continues that rebecca, as you know, european union chief herself on the line was in key yesterday promising some movement. this upcoming week on ukraine's bid to become an e u member. now ukraine's president does zalinski talked about that in his latest video address. we hear some of what he had to say, and then get your reaction. just because we're all doing, i am sure that we will soon receive an answer on the candidate status for ukraine. so i am convinced that this decision can strengthen, not only our country yours, but the entire european union. she'll milestones what else needs to happen in europe to make it clear to skeptics that the very fact of keeping ukraine outside of the european union works against europe. or to build evil rebecca,

the ukrainian president, sounding a very determined there but some e u. leaders like french president emmanuel mccall, say it will take years, decades even for ukraine to join the european union. so why is this membership bid so important to zalinski right now? while the lent is argument is that ukraine is perkins 1st stop really, and that the whole european project could be at risk of collapse eve potent is allowed to continue. the lensky looking for security assurance is from the a you being for being and being a part of the a you, as it were, i mean, the you, crime has, or large factions of you can have long wanted to become a part of the, a you. but obviously the situation here at the security situation has obviously hastened a desire to then have the security assurances from the a year. but you know, as you just rightly stated, that president macro or france saying that this can take decades. and that is true . i mean, we've seen most a bead saw the a you take around about 10 years,

so there is no legal framework for fast tracking as it was. so even if the candidacy is allowed next week and as is expected, it's still a very long road ahead for president zalinski. he said the not necessarily looking for a fast track, but this is definitely in his mind a step in the right direction. d w. rebecca, readers in key many thanks. rebecca german chancellor, all of schultz will travel to ukraine's capital keith before the end of june, according to german media sources. the build newspaper reports that the chancellor will visit with french president, manuel nicole and italian prime minister mario drug. this will mark the 1st time schoultz has visited the ukrainian capital since the war began. the german government has so far declined to comment on the report. earlier i spoke to d. w. political correspondent benjamin alvarez group or for more details on the store. in paris has been planning the trip for

a long time. that's what this media reports also say that as you rightly just mentioned, has not been confirmed by the german government. yet they say that friendship president amended micro wanted to invite, is he telling counterpart? prime minister draggy to this trip that the idea of that service to also show european solidarity with ukraine. difficult situation. benjamin as you well know, the german chancellor has been criticized for being timid and indecisive in reaction to this war. how significant would a visit by shult to kids be he's highly significant in the has been pressure not only from the position, but also from government, paul, to say that the german chancellor should go to ukraine should go to keith, to meet with ukrainian president lensky as well, we had replaced math, the head of the a position, the leader of the conservative c d. u party was in key already. so the pressure is

mounting. but as many a ride the say he needs to have something in his back and his luggage. it could be either a support of the possible membership of ukraine to join the european union or did the livery of heavy weapons. but when it comes to weapons, they want to see actions. they don't want to just have a photo opportunities or just have promises, and that's something that the german chancellor also stressed when he was asked on this is the new that they want the german chancellor to go to ukraine. once he was off he said, i will not be one of those who just go to ukraine quickly, go for your unity, and then go back. so this is definitely a possibility also for the german government to show that this promise is will be followed by actions. and that's after the trip by the german foreign minister, alina fabricate, could now be left shows who, together with the french president and with the italian prime minister, could go to keith and could message and meet president lensky there. and you crate

that so d w's a benjamin alvarez group. many thanks. benjamin a brief look now at some of the other news from around the world. 9 men have been arrested in china after a video showing the beating of 2 women provoked outrage. security cameras at a restaurant in the northern city of tongue. sean show, the men dragging the women by the hair and punching and kicking them poles have opened in france is parliamentary elections. they could be critical to the successive president emanuel mc hall, 2nd term agenda. the centrist presidents, absolute majority, is at stake with polls predicting a strong challenge from a left wing alliance opposed to many of microns policies. police in the western us state of idaho, have arrested 31 men, suspected of plotting to stage a riot near an l. g. b t q pride event. police say the suspects are members of

a white nationalist group. authorities were tipped off by a call from the local resident reported seeing what looked like quote, a little army parts of the eastern. the philippines have been covered in ash after volcano erupted for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. emergency workers have worn drivers to slow down due to poor visibility. after bullet son erupted for 18 minutes. no casualties have been reported. while tens of thousands of people have rallied across the united states in a renewed push for tougher gun control measures. in the aftermath of last month's school massacre in texas, protesters say it's time for action and not for more prayers. while lawmakers have drafted new legislation, the reforms are unlikely to overcome congressional hurdles and become law.

the brooklyn bridge in new york, just one of more than 400 rallies held across the us on saturday. the marches were, and i asked after a spite of deadly shootings across the country. buffalo, new york, and u. val to texas, were 2 of them, carried out by attackers with high powered firearms. weapons that demonstrated here would like to see under strict regulation if you look at it, all of the recent murders have been done by 18 year olds. and yet they can't smoke because they can't buy cigarettes. they can't buy liquor because they're not mature enough to handle those 2 things. and yet they are mature enough to handle an a r 15 that will dickens and the biggest rally was in washington d. c. way senators, a said to vote on gun reform lighted this week. the us house of representatives has passed bills, which would, in principle, raised the age limit on buying semi automatic weapons and establish federal red

flag laws. but the bills are not likely to become law because of united republican opposition in the senate. something activists here cannot understand if our government can't do anything to start lighting, kids from being killed and fluttered in their own school and a capitated. it's time to say, oh, then got it from the very top of the u. s. government president joe biden urged demonstrators not to give up. martin the board worked with double life issue the way people with affect my vote. people die. but protesters are not giving up yet, and they're demanding action from the law. make his d,

w. c. me. so mas gander was at the rally in washington and has more on the change protesters. one they want just any sort of change. i mean, we saw so many signs imploring lawmakers to do something to make up schools, churches supermarket safer. we have seen the spade of mass shootings in buffalo, new york, and you've all the texas, tulsa, oklahoma and the anger and the frustration was really palpable among protesters. specifically the march for allies movement. this was founded after mass shooting in florida 4 years ago, and they have a list of policy proposals. they want to see address. that includes a national licensing and registry system, a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines. that's essentially how many bullets a gun can fire off policies to disarm gun owners who pose a risk also a national gun buyback program, while the majority of americans do clearly and survey after survey say they want some sort of restrictions on guns. it becomes tricky when you talk about the how, because we did speak to gun control advocates this past week. you say there

shouldn't be a ban on assault weapons or that there shouldn't be a national registry. what they can't agree on is that something needs to be changed . america has witnessed more mass shootings than days in the year. so all of that is contributed to this fresh momentum, really the push for gun safety legislation. but we have to remind viewers that nothing has actually changed in terms of legislation. and a lot of protesters we saw and spoke to carried signs expressing their fury with lawmakers who have blocked any progress on meaningful reform. assembling block is and has been a gridlock in the senate. so the house of representatives where the democrats have a majority. they were able to pass a package of measures this week that include things that they call common sense gun laws. like removing guns from the homes of people who are considered a risk. raising the age to purchase a semi automatic firearm from 18 to 21. but that is all but doomed in the senate, the democrats don't have the numbers, they would need 10 republicans to vote with them on this package. there is not much chance that they will get the majority. they are still negotiating. there's some optimism, but most observers here believe that congress will come up short again on legislation,

on gun control to me. so misconduct, they are reporting from washington. this is dw news. lie from berlin, coming up next reporter, looking at the decline of turkey's nomad population. don't forget you can get all the latest news and analysis on our website, d, w dot com, a micro look good for me and the rest of the team here in berlin. thanks for watching. there's more news in 45 minutes. with a.