germany's new defense minister has had an eventful 1st day hours after being sworn in bodies. pistole was in a face to face meeting with his us counterpart, lloyd austin at both pledge, continuing support for ukraine, but neither commented on the issue. the key of most wants to hear about when either countries supply ukraine with heavy battle tags, or in germany's case just get out of the way of those countries who want to. i'm so gale in berlin and this is the day ah, did my most important thing is to continue to support ukraine, including with material from our own armed forces. the decisions you are making good once you have to speed them up many crunches. we'd like to give us time but we are waiting for the consent of

a country that owns per license. issue with there is not a single reasonable argument why germany shouldn't do it. the best thing possible for the world is to get this thing done, get it done fast. now we have wasted roughly 10 months with less defeats numbers to live. also on the day recognition for a prosecuted to people, iraq. so you see these were slaughtered by the so called islamic states. now germany has declared the massacre a genocide. one of the i s man said to me, we asked them several times if they would become muslims or not. and your father and other men said no, so we shot them. welcome to the program. we began the day as many of ukraine's allies gather to discuss their ongoing support for the war torn country. already ahead of

a major meeting or germany said ramstein air base on friday pledges of new weapons worth billions of dollars a rolling in. but the delivery of one weapon in particular hangs in the balance german made lap and tax. today the u. s. and german defense ministers try to resolve the stand off during talks in berlin, germany is reluctant to approve the export to ukraine despite intense international pressure. and the country is newly sworn in defense minister boris pistole has got a taste of that pressure during his 1st day on the job a busy 1st day in office. shortly after getting his certificate of appointment. boys historian met his yes. counterpart, lloyd austin. both of them signalled their unified stance. i'd like to thank the german government for all that at his door and to strengthen ukraine, softer french, and your contributions of security of systems from training for new crimes to offend bruce. her brother worked and valuable. these often negotiate often in

history, died in the federal republic of germany and the united states of america just and side by side in the approach. but also on the concrete issues, i walk in and be at the infantry fighting vehicles that the patriot air defense system here, or the multiple rocket launchers. but for many in germany and further afield, one thing is missing battle tanks for ukraine. something that beneath the show of unity is turning into a growing dilemma for both countries. according to media reports, germany would allow german made leopard tanks to be sent to ukraine. if the u. s. agrees to send its own. while there is still division within the german government on that matter, yes, officials have insisted that washington has no plans to send us may tanks to ukraine for now. expectations are growing ahead of friday's meeting of the ukraine defense counter group session at lunch, then abbeys, and sell than germany. a meeting where the 2 countries might be able to settle the

tank debate at least for now. so as we just heard, germany might be ready to drop its objections if the us sends its tags in 1st. so was that on the table today is our political correspondent, benjamin of iris gruber. we presume that it was on the table to day and that it also will be on the table to morrow on friday with this important meeting of hampson aveson salvage germany. and that's something that was already mentioned in a press release by the u. s. department of defense saying 10 countries in counting, we'll have a meeting on the side line off the counter group meeting focus, particularly on the issue of getting left her tongues to a ukraine. that's always a difficult topic for the german chancellor who was pressed specifically on this it tanks also a few days ago, the world economic forum in divorce way said that's important. there germany has sent several heavy weapons already mentioned as several of them,

but he has not answered yet. if germany also wants to send a these tanks, we have this media reports there were also mentioned in the piece of germany would wait for the u. s. to sent the ap ramps taught air tanks, and then germany would continue to center. this lever talks to ukraine. so there will definitely be it takes center stage at this meeting of the ukraine air defense group in amsterdam, where they will talk about further arms deliveries and very important. and what a ukraine, pres, ukrainian president followed him as he lands he has been asking for repeatedly to sent at main battle tank to santa battle tanks, to ukraine as quickly as possible. was the u. s. and german defense ministers that met in berlin and nato literature. cheese trauma of the other members of nato. i held that talks in brussels, and nato says it's preparing for the long haul in ukraine. as rushes war near the year mark. the nato allies are exploring ways to expand the delivery of weapons,

training and support to ukraine in the coming months, along with problems of supplying some of the more advanced military systems that are also concerns about the depletion of ammunition, bullets and shells to fire from the weapons that ukraine already has. the w, terry schultz spoke about 2 of those issues with christy wright, who's deputy director of estonia, international center for defense and security. and it is definitely a concern. ah, but it can also be said that the nato countries have not been giving as much as they could give. and so now we are having new decisions. again as tony, i just announced the new major 8 package bigger than any of the previous ones which include so heavy weaponry and ammunition. and estonia is also working hard on replenishing its own stocks and really wishes to kind of show an example to other

allies are that there should be more awareness that we need to give more to ukraine now because it is on our own security interest, a better understanding, i think, is still not quite at the same level in, in our allied countries. and especially when it comes to giving her heavy weaponry at the baltic states, sir, think that we must give for heavy weaponry to ukraine so that ukraine can liberate territories. it can be ready for a new russian offensive to push back that and it's in our security interest. whereas in germany, i still get the impression that sometimes the thinking is on the contrary, that giving heavy weaponry to ukraine might be counter productive to germany. security interest with stuff makes sense from the baltic point of view. is it frustrating to you to see that everybody is not willing to to, to give 100 percent? i think it is really worrying that the understanding of

what the west needs to do in your crane and how it's essentially important. the war in ukraine is for european security as a whole that they still differ among different european countries. and that's, i think, the most worrying part, but germany has not seen that it is in germany's own security interest to give for heavy weaponry, including battle tanks. 3, crying at this judgement can be so different, and that also makes you think then what could be then the situation in that particular scenario of collective defense. it does raise these questions, right? that makes a difference whether a countries and nato member or not the ukraine is not the baltic states are, but still seeing all this german hesitation, it has weakened germany's credibility as an ally,

security on mr. christie. dr. so why is cave so adamant about the leopard? to tax on x report, he's from ukrainian soldiers on the front lines who tell us why modern west and equipment is so desperately needed a ukrainian base in the how key region. the area has been under russian fire again since the weekend, not tatyana hi, de moscow and her medical team are looking after this tank brigade. the men have been stationed here for weeks more. so it was good, isn't that these are russian project child nearly every day and night. they fire my colleagues and our ambulances at the moment. we only have 2 of these vehicles, at least this one survive. shannon hi de moscow inspects the vehicle they use as an ambulance. that has to hold out a while longer. there's no money to replace it. that worries her,

they're more and more bullet holes. a machine, a professional assist eddie. the most. these are all old cars that volunteers donated to us as an official and that if they buy out cheap old cars, then they bring them here and give them to us for delos with them. so yeah, we then were pad them all the time at a month to month or so because they keep breaking down. no. am i to for us to push gina? it's not just the makeshift ambulances tank officer, micheler tempo is worried about the condition of his own vehicles. this was a mono we're fighting here with old tags from the soviet union with them. but with the same tanks, the russians have left with the quote to have an advantage to break through the russian front lines. or we need more modern main battle tanks like the leopard to the tune of the china. you slide so far, his unit has been using old soviet t 72 battle tanks from the early 19 seventies. the tanks have seen

a lot of use and some of them are badly damaged. hence the push to get leopard two's as soon as possible on so i them to go. i was lou there. i'm sure our soldiers will master the modern technology. what the to the soldiers who have combat experience with the t 72, you will learn to master the leopard very quickly. that was told to do much ripka in of ch it. so what that, you know, in the lower part, the soldiers here are waiting for russia to mount another major offensive. dr. high to moscow is going to stay here, though she could earn much more money. and keith dominy situ. i'm exhausted tired all the time. i'd like to go to my little daughter, he's waiting for me at home. but i know that the soldiers here need me more. even when i'm gone for a short time, i worry about how the men are doing janice. hidden on his face, hopes that the new modern tanks will arrive soon was her father. united

states has been the single biggest, a donor of military aid to ukraine, sending nearly $24000000000.00 worth of military equipment to help fight the russian invasion. but there are concerns of the republican party which now controls congress could limit a future us support. republicans of pushing for more oversight in government spending, suggesting that to future funding by not be as forthcoming as it once was. and we've always been, there were the 1st responder to almost everything that goes bad in the world of and, and i think we've earned the right to question, but you're asking taxpayers to invest every months of money. let's let them know exactly what it is for our partners in europe. really need to step up and make sure that they're carrying their weight, ah, carrying some of the load with the ukraine. we want to help the ukranian people and pushed back against russia. but we want to make sure that we're spending r u. s. tax dollars. well, domestic american policies impact international policy international policy now

impacts domestic policy. so i think that if they just kind of pay attention to watch what we're doing here on the floor right now, they'll see that america's coming back stronger than ever. and we're going to basically be able to take the world stage back to waive the wants that the far right consists of arsonist, who are intent on burning down everything. including the full faith and credit, the united states. i worry that a republican majority heightens the risk of a government shut down at high ends, the risk of a debt defaults which could derail the full faith and credit of the united states. and with that, the american economy less dig deeper into this with our washington correspondents, whom we saw mas gone to welcome soon me. and so we just had skepticism there from republican congressmen and women and concerns about us tax dollars. so for ukraine being wisely spent at our republicans gearing up for a fight on this issue, not that they control the house. i think it's fair to say that some members of the republican party are certainly gearing up for a fight, particularly members of this hard right faction of the republican party. they had

me clear from the beginning that they do not support these huge amounts of money. and military aid flowing to ukraine continuously. i think that was really cast in stark relief when a ukrainian president vladimir zalinski visited washington in december. and we saw him speak on the floor of congress. and a few members of that hard white faction declined to stand during those standing ovations. that members of congress from both sides of the aisle were delivering during his speech to congress. i think it's important to note that beyond that hard white faction, there are republicans who are uneasy, as we heard in that clip, just beforehand about the money and hardware going to support ukraine's defense as they want to change the way that aid for ukraine has been agreed until now, until now again, the democrats in control of the house of representatives and they waved through a lot of this aid without much opposition. and that is something that some of the new republicans, congress want to change. that being said, on a whole republican say that they do still stand firmly behind ukraine. and we

actually reached out to the armed services committee in the house of representatives in the foreign affairs committee, led by republicans the moment and they urge more action on ukraine. i think we pulled up that statement now. they said they're the current indecision and self to turns will prolong the war costing ukrainian lives now was time for the biden and shoals to governments to follow the lead of our u. k. and eastern european allies. leopard to tanks, attackers, and other long rage, precision munitions should be approved without delay. so i know we're going to talk about the tanks, but interesting there to see that foundation of support does remain among republicans. let's talk about those tanks to reduce she bit what, what, how do you see the likelihood of the us changing it stumps on sending though so broadly say in. so you crime you know, so it's definitely not off the table at the u. s. is a, as thinking rather about these abrams one tanks. as you said, these modern battle tanks until now,

the biden administration has declined to send these to ukraine. but that doesn't mean we might not see a change in stance. it remember that the u. s. originally didn't send these patriot missile systems for ukraine, a change at stance on that. so we could see again, a change in policy. but we know that this is the biggest point of discussion, or one of the biggest points of discussion among allied powers right now. and as we heard early in the show, it is likely to be top of the agenda at that meeting of defense ministers and gum stein on friday. and germany, observers here phil are very much pointing to that meeting as being significant and seeing what germany decides to do because among the commentary reaction i've seen here, there is some head scratching and frustration that, that germany has not taken this step on its own, even though the u. s. has a mostly been in charge on sending and leading the charge rather on sending various weapons and systems and, and moving the needle on what is being sent. they see this decision as really being off to germany. so we anticipate that that will be the point of discussion, 1st and foremost with germany's new defense minister on friday. but we spoke of it

literally, bodies had been sent abrams as you say, a water on the table to the u. s. and germany have the same reasons for their reluctance to provide the visa, heavy weapons to ukraine. they don't fill and actually think that's where some of the frustration stems from. of course, washington and berlin european allies, they way up a number of factors when they decide which weapons are sent to ukraine and when a factors like a will these weapons be useful, or they practical for the type of battle that ukraine is engaged in. at the moment, will it provoke russia? so could the us, for example, be dragged into an act of conflict with russia. but defense officials here say the reason that they to this point have declined to send these abrams tanks is not because they're worried about russia's response, but because they're not practical. these are huge, incredibly heavy tanks. i read somewhere there around a 70 tons. they are hard to use, they're hard to maintain their gas guzzlers, and it would take weeks to train ukrainian troops on how to use them in comparison

. the leper tanks that are german made. they're considered to be a far better fit, which is why the biden ministration again has been looking to germany to lead on this decision. now, one more note about the abrams tanks. all of that being said, i mentioned already, there was reticence in washington to send the patriot air missile systems for use in ukraine. those were eventually approved by president biden. and right now, as we speak, dozens of ukrainian forces are actually training on those systems in oklahoma. so there is scope for such a decision to be made on the abram, thanks even if they're not particularly practical. but again, a just underlining the fact that the u. s. is looking to germany to make a decision on those lepper tanks. indeed, who is good to talk to. thanks for that. so we said we saw misconduct. it wasn't ah, the german parliament has recognized the massacre of ethnic as it is in iraq as

genocide, the vote in the bond. this dog was unanimous following a debate that lasted an hour. the decision was hailed by you see the representatives who attended the session in 2014 fighters from the so called islamic state massacre more than a 1000. you see this in northwestern iraq. the w spoke with one family who found refuge here in germany. it's sharp english tele slow, still shaken. when he recounts the attack on his home villager, paddy is lennox state, and my num on. he is now in germany, but lived in iraq until 2014. that was the year when the islamist militia concrete, large parts of his homeland east. and so her bud see, mark taylor's law and his family fell into. i asked him to the t and we separated his krisha shopping hub voice my father on my house. where is my father? where is my uncle? one of the i s man said to me, we asked them several times if they would become muslims or not. and your father

and other men said no. so we shot them of the a hub and it shows it shall be nish. his father, like the rest of the family, belong to the years edi ethnic religious minority. the i as brutally persecuted them because of their beliefs and traditions. the family used to live in the main settlement area of the year, cds, sinclair. it's also where tele, his mother and his sisters were held captive by the i ass hot. on ski schleiden, they beat us and gave us little too little, fiercely took over for a sisters away and forced each of them to marry a member of the i did. and in this one, i latin, according to the n, the i as as mad at more than 5000 she cds and kidnapped, there was 7000 women and children since 2014 to this day, thousands of years edi refugees live in camps in iraq. although the i asked was considered defeated, but their homeland still lacks basic infrastructure. they had skipped canvas,

there is no water and no electricity, hank, and there are no hospitals or schools either a truly support from a country like germany would help. formal recognition would release government funding to help you see these rebuild their homes. it is crucial for us. m f a. yes, it is called back to the city has. if this does not happen, i ask, will have a t exactly what it wanted, but it's attack which is to free this region of use. it is using in 2015, the iraqi government paid the i asked ransom and talon and his remaining family were released and came to germany. but even if the region recovers va, car, kindful, i do not want to go back to a country where i suffered so much a live in worcester. for now, he has everything he needs here. i corresponded matthew moore spoke to delia took

knock bow one of the a german lawmakers who put forward this legislation. tell me why it was important to recognise that the atrocities committed by the islamic state where an are a genocide. this recognition is more than just a symbol. it's trying to find the little bit of justice. what has been done to the year the people it's, it's just horrible. and this trauma ter, are still they alive. and this is the, the community. and this was a historical day for the whole community. so it was important. but it's not just the symbol we are going to act. this motion is asking us parliamentarians to help b is eda community and germany to get more visible to find justice to judge the perpetrators. so these are just a few examples of the motion. talked to we though about the, the m,

the pursuit of justice because germany has had a couple of court cases. yeah. is the intention know that this will lead to more court cases here in germany and abroad? yeah, we hope so. cause a, it's very sad to say that it was about 1000 germans, went to the northern iraq on to syria and help the e or i asked to perpetrate or to kill people and we have to dance them. we know some of them will be here and to this is a very, very important decision. and the ged community there is here in germany. some of them are patricia has been here for many years. some of them have come as a result of this genocide is the expectation from their side that they will some point be able to go home to singe or, or, and, and how do you, how can germany help to make that happen?

and they really want to go back home. it's a few months ago. i have been in that region in northern iraq. i've tried to get in touch with all these people who are the survivors of this genocide. people are silly, leave live in an id p cams about. it's about 300000 women and children still live in and tents and all they want is to go back home to sing jar, but am they need the help of the iraqi government? germany can support the iraq and government to read em, revitalize all that, that region. but this is not something we can do and just a final, right. what's the message that you hope the send beyond germany? and i hope that the whole world is gonna recognize what has happened 2014 in northern iraq. we have to help the, the,

the community to survive because there's not a lot of them left. and we have to assure that this genocide is not going to be successful. we have to help the victims was german law make. i terry i took not bought one of the law makers who put forth their legislation on the use 80 genocide. and that was the day you can follow the team on twitter at dw news. if it's the latest headlines you're looking for what there's always that d w dot com or the t w up the days back tomorrow until that have a good day. ah

ah, with to the point. strong opinions, clear positions, international perspectives. a sake of military brass points to read in russia as war effort, managing failures, and a new top commander in ukraine had hinted at a possible name sunset, joined us on this edition of to the point kremlin power struggled. what infighting means for prudence, war of aggression? to the point with

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2 versions, multiple copies, and a hidden drawing. was there another symbolic meaning to this beautiful painting that perhaps we just don't understand? a search for answers starts february 10th on d. w. a shake up of russia's military leadership has ukraine bracing for a possible new offensive in putin's war lead to watching suspected rifts in the kremlin need for their future war strategies. rush us top soldiers, malaria garrison has been named the latest new commander in ukraine with moscow hoping he can turn the tide is appointment, hence at a fresh campaign after rush as bombardment of civilian infrastructure across ukraine as called enormous suffering but lit.