on garcia's the stones ish debit warmed and gave me the interview on d. w. of sometimes books are more exciting than real life. rare ring to read. oh, but what if there's no escape? do w literature list laundry german ma street. ah . as is common indicator village. welcome to dutch, vela president frank. my just i admire. thank you very much. have with president mister president. we'll talk about ukraine and the western balkans in just a moment. but 1st, looking at the current events in china, i would like to ask for your assessment. what type of reaction do you expect from

beijing? in robinette i nod bunk is not i feel it's very difficult to say just what is happening because we currently have so little information. but of course i'm following it closely. and the images that we're seeing from beijing and other cities around china move me living with the either we all remember our own fight against the corona virus against the pandemic, or, and still remember how heavily it weighed on so many in germany in the, on we can only wonder what a burden it must be for the people in china, where measures are far stricter and further reaching even to day. the mouth. landman yard fused quick, dorothy lung and houghton, as and as high devotion on served as her mother. so i understand why people want to voice their impatience and their grievances on the streets of robin. so has a democrat that i can only say that the freedom to express one's own opinion is important to her. and i can only hope that all authorities in china and respect the

right to freedom of expression with her and the freedom to demonstrate i and mine, also as long as than one social's 4 eyes. and of course not, i hope the demonstrations remain peaceful of feeling fluidly low and wellness. because then what we are witnessing ukraine really has nothing to do with actual war in terms of military operations. policies. it is a war against civilians. why is pretty doing this, and what does that change for germany? heard of best, frightened as the smith imply would dispute the idea that it has nothing to do with the war? the view is high, believe what we're seeing is part of the russian war strategy. then military of only do we have a brutal war of invasion being waged against the ukrainian army in the area in but also, and this is becoming clearer as winter approaches last a brutal attack on critical infrastructure it. and with that, of course, on the civilian population, wind that we fear. and this is something we have seen in recent weeks with the

destruction of gas heating and electricity infrastructure. what might await the people of ukraine, hardship, and darkness, and cold calendar? north, don't gl hides on colder and does this, and these are not coincidental side effects, but rather it looks as if they are in fact the aim of rush in attack. so, oh, so you hand that part of russia's strategy, his to hit the civilian population to grind down the entire country. and that is what our solidarity has to stand up to. and that is why we have to help to guarantee these people survive the coming winter of until an indian vendor doesn't any of helping ukraine, even with arms deliveries. ukraine has meanwhile began praising berlin for supplying weapons. not yet kia, still waiting for battle. thanks. isn't this war against the civilian population reason enough for belin to reconsider its approaching, discover in dots and as the,

i feel that there's not only been a lot of thought in germany, but also a complete rethink in current. as we understood, we had to make decisions and that doesn't apply to the administration alone, but to the entire german population, who in just a few short weeks in just a few months, won't recognize that the security we had come to know in europe was no longer guaranteed until this us at that of the, of the year that led to the government passing massive defense spending measures as well as better equipping the bundis fair will also storm doors and windows. the unhappy that are above all, it actually led to us providing not only humanitarian financial and economic assistance to ukraine, but ultimately far more military assistance isn't really this not been to ukraine as you know. and i can say the criticism that was being leveled against germany over arms support has subsided, and there is, instead,

a great deal of appreciation to day dunc buckhead. if i also believe that the german federal government went with the right kind of support that the, when i was there, air raid sirens wail daily, and people had to wait out attacks in bomb shelters, come on and investing in air defense in protection against drones and especially missiles was exactly the right thing to do for the or not, it was under the messiah logan now the lifting of bundle, and that is now helping cities and communities across ukraine protect themselves as best they can live in move. of course, there is no total protection over, but 60 to 70 percent of russia's missiles. they're now being effectively countered by the ukranian army. also, thanks to german military assistance with well disposal, put them into the nevertheless,

st avenue. many people have the impression that germany's 1st instinct is to say no before eventually saying yes. why is that? a severed for the design or attempts are made to create that impression of and judging by conversations i have and i get around in europe and abroad, i don't get the impression that german is military contributions in solidarity with ukraine or under appreciated climbing into all kinds of other ukraine recently commemorated the 1000000 victims of the holiday or more. the great family that took place 90 years ago. this week, germany intends to recognize this crime as gen, find quite as ukraine in president zalinski has compared that historical crime to what is happening today is put in carrying out genocide in ukraine's 14 and gonna sit in the old kiner. that is, the order more is the and for the holiday more is a crime that few in germany know much about the but we must remember that it was

the people of ukraine who were the victims of that catastrophic family, off of, on the work of us for, for one and the catastrophic famine was not the result of failed harvests, as had been claimed over the course of decades, foremost by russian historians than as, but rather was a targeted strategy by their style in regime. in 193219332 starve parts of the population of the then soviet union in order to make them pliable. once a lesson on the good ferguson man defend him, dodson bundis thought i am very, very grateful that the german bonus tag will take the opportunity to commemorate that great tragedy this week in a non partisan and parliamentary motion on clark. these are likenesses on these are ta, good to in them. when this presidency, kennedy, mister president, you know, the warmongers in moscow putting has spoken openly about his designs, the ukraine for years. the german leadership,

including yourself never took and seriously. how should one deal with the fact that he is now threatening to use nuclear weapons? is that something different essence over this was tightened as perverse. i would dispute the claim that it wasn't taken seriously. with that, just look at the years after 2014. i don't think any other administration in europe was as engaged, not only in maintaining a ceasefire, but actually using that cease fire as a gateway to piece mince gap claim. and then there is the minsk agreement that we together with france and then ukrainian president petra bra shingo negotiated with russia. weaver was the father club on. and you remember how i took part in untold numbers of attempts to achieve progress in that normandy format. my with france, ukraine, and russia. what's, what is the thing is, is them in the, in the end we were unsuccessful, valuable life. so, but at the same time, in my view,

it was right to make the effort. i didn't serve as the 2nd. and in regard to the rush and threats to use nuclear weapons, or i find them intolerable. also, especially as they come at a time when efforts are being made to create a future in which nuclear weapons are superfluous and locally alva. than 30 though the threat of nuclear weapons is therefore not only unjustified. look, it also runs counter to all of our historical experiences he does with. and it is unacceptable if you have a far along and on and on it vaguely and unavailable. it is a further escalation of the war by russia in there must be no use of nuclear weapons. and i believe that with this stance, we are in unison with nearly the entire world as on things like them as their visit seemed the eye in the deliberations at the g. 20 in barley were another expression

of the clear rejection of such threats. oh lord, i let alone the actual use of nuclear weapons with a clear signal the globe, hopefully one that moscow will understand this in must go for stanton. good. they severe human. what paths do you see leading out of this wall? what might a solution that is acceptable to both 5 look like yahoo. gov either debra hopped at nissan b. so cannon, illinois, i believe anyone who claims to know what that path is his overreaching. and we are in a phase of the war that is not headed towards a military resolution of an inside on, in oslo, of military of us in oslo. do. and we're all i can say is thank god, the people in ukraine are brave, engaged, and standing up to the threat stones is there with long and being on the as in. i know ok. we're also watching as the ukranian army drives back up purportedly

superior adversary and the russian armies is nifty inside also. but this is not the decisive juncture from which we can see a way out in, but at least i don't see one. i let him feel long and yet then it is also reckless to suggest a ceasefire. now, because to establish a ceasefire at this point in time, but would essentially condone all of the injustice that has already taken place. that before the end of athens has been here, a ceasefire now would mean that russia would keep for its own the territories. it has occupied her down there and its breach of borders, its flouting of international law and its land grabbing wood all receive an official blessing. and that cannot be the aim of a ceasefire though, so sadly, i cannot say that i see any way out of the war at this sign in all signal list, or clain of thought above all ukraine want security guarantees, including from germany, before any negotiation start is that something he of can count on earth,

the or kiner had the ukraine, has called for langley ford, almond ill kleiner. ukraine's demands its expectations are known and can often are they are also of course known within the german federal government in the north. and there have been signals, not only from germany, that security solidarity in the form of security guarantees may be feasible in this though 101 on the herds guarantee in forster gun. but we are still at a stage where we can not clearly say what those security guarantees would look like, because who would provide them and, and what they would have to entail is that on vacant, since the contents of such guarantees are tied to the war, actually ending and since there is no end in sight right now, we cannot yet formulate security guarantees videos guarantee. in long as those formalism have windows president curse is the president. we recently held our

collective breath i hit when to rock hit, hit polish territory was, is how great is the fear that the war raging in ukraine? i will eventually come to us. that was of i am, i can't ish hoffers ear. that as for me, i have very much that that can be avoided august darker varden. and my hope has been bolstered actually by the very sensible reaction not only from the united states, but from nato as a whole adult. it's like borders, london on the nozzle in scammed a so there was close communication between the american president and the polish president right after the rocket impact in eastern poland comic as he once was, and in another conason plaza. denton on to the employee list and there was also an immediate reaction from the head of nature from the secretary general with other announcing that the cause of the incident would be investigated before a reaction would be determined on the than the other ones to whom isn't that the

other thus psych does, i believe that shows that level headed nest dominates among the nato countries. and it also shows that a minimum level of military contact with moscow remains in. it was one thing that should be emphasized. mark is that both sides should may use of such contacts. if they exist. there's a gun that i know that according to newspaper reports, no one in moscow picked up the phone when they were 1st called. that is an additional risk that must be avoided, recovered from in the animals. when the fun, what did you think of the back and forth that ensued after germany offered to station patient methyl 15th and poland? defended odds and had, i think germany made an offer appropriate to the current threat level. the dogs of dorothy an onion mission is the div poinisan how the polish government deals with that offer is up to them. i know discussions are also taking place in poland and

i don't want to get involved in them. unmissable, the winners cause it and you live, anton hamilton, north, sedona, and albania. okay. and the warrant ukraine has given a new impetus to europe as miles to the west. and balkans will this will speed up the process of integrating the western balkans into the you. if isley or upper bizarrely firm, i don't know that it will be sped up. the hills at my trip is definitely meant to signal the fact that we have not forgotten about the western balkans, them, the hamner to the oh, the buttons. of course, we have also had debates with our western balkan colleagues who voiced concern that ukraine's desire to join the earl to forge closer ties to the european union. it might be being handled differently on the far more quickly than western balkan states. he used it. oh,

this was an i can understand to some of the impatience as on the bart like many others, i will guarantee people there that no one has forgotten the western balkan. so kind of kind of a guess as done. the of eyes are indeed a trip to north, macedonia and albania also serves to send a message to the entire region yawn when corresponding domestic progress is achieved, the path toward membership in the european union also becomes more manageable over solve our other. the ill had of it, you does not have a time table to western balkan membership. the some there have set the goal of 2030 for them. found this when you speak with people there and in the parliament, will you be able to say whether that is realistic the president can for the time the president a not a profit by them that and that is why i can only repeat that. it all comes down to

a willingness to pass domestic reforms and also a willingness to implement them and that are women dealing with. and we can also deal with states in the western balkans, differently to day because of the examples of north macedonia and albania. that which have taken clear steps forward and on of thunder that strength and self confidence in those countries and makes clear to others in the region of the western balkans. the taking the step to join is worth the effort in that thereby put foggy and furthermore, we cannot forget that beyond the question of accession, in the narrower sense, progress is made along the path to membership is on the western balkans. accession process began in berlin years ago, and one is on the i remember that it was very tedious at 1st thinkers or but when i think about the last summit, i think that travel with personal identity cards, reciprocal recognition of school and university diplomas,

and degrees provides the willingness of european support, despite rising energy prices that cynthia, that those are significant steps for one, if 50 or the one good old. so i understand the impatience or no question, but we are not in a phase that calls for dejected nis. certainly not because of ukraine or as we continue to keep our eye on the western balkan states and on north macedonia and albania, where there has been progress of the one on the overhung invoice with de la fontose . d o f at it from the you expect the last refund from the western balcony. it also says that it must perform itself before it can take in new members and begin negotiations. and how long do you think that process will actually last time as though the mercury snow again, number head should go as quickly as possible that i'll admit that at this moment i do not see signs suggesting the swift reform of european institutions that is known

in since i have known european institutions from the inside for years, i know that we have had a series of multiple crises, worked hip and closing the can and the or keys we remember the eurozone crisis and once in austin, we remember more clearly the so called refugee crisis in 201520165 the ones that we had a huge challenge for the european union in fighting the corona virus pandemic. the, the conform, covered under mucus. up naturally, these crises all followed one another in rapid succession as we figured. and as we can see now, some like the pandemic and the russian invasion of ukraine continue to weigh upon us. and we were deal climate once a limit and under lusted. that absorbs a lot of energy while at the same time, not leaving much mental capacity by inner reforms, which i will concede,

they are desperately needed of the billing and therefore the listen. m. o. k. in a quick, saginaw, in most of the western balkan stayed scott have shown great solidarity during the war and ukraine. they have implemented sanctions against russia, despite and major concerns about the consequences. but serbia has repeatedly put at close ties to moscow under sleigh. is that you doing enough to support the western balkans in the thought out with ukraine and how should it deal with serbia on the as the time, vargas, of and to answer the 1st part of your question is how that is one of the reasons i am visiting the region, oh because of course i also want to get a feel for the mood in those countries on the thinker thousands the hill and i think we will get a clear picture of the mood, whether north macedonia, and albania, in this situation in which they have not only showed solidarity with ukraine, not only proven themselves by helping increase economic pressure on russia,

but rather where countries like north macedonia and albania. it also fulfill their obligations within nature and of the not months and even beyond that for albania, which currently sits on the un security council. they not, oh he in that from neither of him when they had thought further than as if in the i'd say that's quite a lot that we can look at that we should respect. so one can of that via the 3 of us picked yarns out of a bad. it should also spark self confidence in those countries though daughter. so i'm sure i will get a sense of whether that is the case during my trip histone on the therapy and unclear either by the time to answer the 2nd part of your question. regarding serbia, i like we have to continue efforts to convince serbia that the path it is currently following his raising questions and concerns about how serious the country is about finding its way into your organ. enough dance of the with their vic, mid them,

the vehicles on global focuses that i've been accompanying the western balkans journey towards the european union for nearly 20 years. advances are gone and i've been to serbia often. i've been given. i'm certain that the people of serbia that don't want to step away from the desire shared with many other western balkan states to grow close to the european union and eventually become a member. therefore, i can only hope and continue to attempt to convince serbia's political leadership to pursue this path more clearly of hong and zavion and of on zuber throwing these in vague, with iron door discard. so good social's, not goods of design any are weighed about this conflict between serbia and constable that have been settled at the last minute the what can germany and europe due to contain this security risk in the region in the long time?

now a half answered in the thing conflict and good, so fiendish pastors. as for the conflict i, i find it of fitting. final question. he like not because it's resolution shows once again how important europe at the european union are for the region in this new one. so if there were no desire to look to europe and, and then europe would not have negotiating leverage in such conflicts between serbia and crossover. that other one doesn't have still is nothing. nevertheless, i am still convinced that it is the desire to come to europe on to eventually join the european union at wish that is prominent in all of the western balkan states. that gives europe leverage of these, of, and the possibility to negotiate. and thus, the ability to help find a solution in this seemingly tiny, at least in our eyes, seemingly manageable conflict over automobile license plays of

a conflict her lose if tiny conflicts can be dealt with, then perhaps larger conflicts could also be peacefully resolved, contributing to a normalization of relations between serbia and kosovo, and almond isms in flickers that president. stan my at thanks for speaking to us. thank you. ah ah, with

ah, with

weapon nice in wheat. massive crop failures, broken supply chains. soaring global market prices. is this russians treacherous? new strategy to finance. it's more while for do you alliances? close up. he 90 minutes on d. w. o. is the end of the pandemic in sight. we show what it could look like.

return to normal and we visit those who are finding it difficult. a success in our weekly coven 19 special every thursday on d w. the only way i can be on top is to create my own empire. discover a story with just a click away. the journey the destination right. finds out this documentary with the full fried now i can then treat stories that move people the world over d, w on facebook and twitter up to date and in touch. follow us.

ah, i am the rain forest. i watched them grow up here. they had left that they always come back. yes, they always come for my trees. there would my plans, their medicines. for my beauty, their escape. ah, i've always been there. and i have been more than generous. sometimes if i gave it all. no god for ever. but humans are so smart, so smart, such big brains and opposable thumbs. they know how to make

things amazing things. now, why would they need an old forest like me any junk trees? well, they do breathe air and i make air. have they sold on shoes? so smart bill figured out schumann, making air. that'll be fun to watch. with have you news live from parallel?

china cracks down on protests against the countries 0 cove. it policy, police block off districts where public anger had let loose and sent their cell phones to the image is coming out now to show people once again, fully aligned with mass testing and locked down. also coming up as ukraine faces russian attacks on its infrastructure, ukrainian soldiers, so also dealing with a bitter cold of winter. our reporter joins troops near the front line and as winter sets, in many afghan families have to choose between food or heat. many can't afford either chip or paying the highest class. portugal advanced to the last 16 of the world cup and cut off. but for once to see on, rinaldo doesn't get him on the score. ah.