into it for a d w exclusive interview, now with ukraine's ambassador to germany, alexey mikaya, that's after a short frank, of course, is much more news and analysis on our website, d, w dot com. you can also, it follows. follow us on social media, where i'll handle is at the w news. i'm jared radian berlin. thank you so much. feel comfortable with many of the wood i am lana. see i knew sky media, i am running for president of the republic of beller road. that's only key. ah, john dunder searches for the truth again. this time the exiled turkish journalist

meets svetlana itsyana, sky, exiled leader of the opposition and bella, ru school. i mean, of course i'm tied and tied. physically untied, morally. is too much on my shoulders, but i have to hold this weight that goes, i'm responsible for the future fall country for the people far behind the boss. sh gardens of truth starts february 18th on d. w with as ukraine sites for its survival, it is determined to retake territories occupied by the russians during the past year. and to do that, it needs more and more western weapons. here in germany, the government recently approved supplying ukraine with modern leopard, 2 battle tanks. after long deliberations, now attention is moving to jet fighters, which are next on ukraine's wishlist. but this is turning into

a heated debate all ready. we got a chance to speak to ukraine's ambassador here in berlin and ask him what a dig exactly. it is the key f needs and who it wants to get it from. like say mckay of thank you very much for joining d w. let's start by talking about jet fighters. ukraine is now moving this debate very quickly onto the need for jet fighters. why are jets so important to ukraine or jets are important because it is a part of our efforts to, to get the russian rockets down because, you know, this is the most danger. think we unfortunately have to face every day. russian launches a lot of missiles, doors afraid in cities, taught towards infrastructure. and the jets are the part of our

air defense efforts. now of course, your very 1st focus on the german debate being the ukranian ambassador here in berlin. but all our sholtes, the chancellor here is already positioning himself as very skeptical of sending fighter jets to ukraine. a he said that this debate is, is strange that it seems to be turning into a bidding war that is being driven by domestic political agenda and via by various people. what you say to that while we've been very consistent in talking to different international partners and looking what kind of equipment we can get from them. and my priorities as ambassador here from the very beginning where armored vehicles, main battle tangs and air defense systems and jewelry units. and we're

progressing very good on all 4 priorities and we'll, we'll continue talking to our german partners mainly on those 4 priorities. but of course, the situation and the field might request different equipment, but nowadays my priorities, as i said, our air defense systems, men battle tongues armored vehicles and artillery and munition ok. so just to be clear what you're saying there. so you representing the ukraine government, a saying that you don't even really need jet fighters from germany. is that what you're saying? we dominate submarines and cruisers and other you force from germany. but what about fighter jets? we didn't put any request to germany about fighter jets yet. okay. so that request

could yet come. it would depends on the situation on the battlefield. and once again, if i get from our military guys, such a request, we will be working with our partners. but once again, behind closed doors and in a trustworthy environment, i mean, all of schultz was criticized very heavily here in germany and also around the west for what was seen as real hesitation over the tanks which germany did did now. then finally agreed to supply and to allow other countries to supply these german tanks . volume is lenti your president said when addressing the world economic forum and deb was earlier in the year. he said that the time that the free world use is to think is used by the terrorist states to kill. do you see the deliberations that take so long in germany? is that really pushing ukraine at risk while you are with soon we will,

will 1st one year anniversary of the of the russian large scale of asia and ukraine . and when talking to all partners and friends, we hope that they would realize that actually ukraine's is fighting for lives for existence and independence. and every day we are discussing and debating here internally or negotiating the rules of engagement with a partners, ukrainian soldiers and ukrainian civilians die. and that's why it is that important that this discussion is being held promptly and that we get supplies of weapons and be emissions as soon as possible. every day of procrastination cost, the lives of ukrainian soldiers and civilians, ukraine's all is this. he

a very much going to be focused on regaining territory occupied by the russian side . we've seen that had significant successors last year already and has on and if it wants to make progress in the dumbass, there's also the big issue that it's looming in the debate about crimea. explain why ukraine wants to take that crimea because crimea is occupied territory occupied by a russian federation. and what is important, we're talking not about territories, only. we're talking about re stablish in ukraine sovereignty in internationally recognized border. but what is most important is to liberate our people in the occupied territory. and we know how bad is the situation there on the russian occupation. and we have seen the, the pictures from the liberated butcher's and easy rooms and had

a song of so many ukrainian compatriots are still and the capacity of the russian occupation of regime and east south of ukraine and india occupied crimea. and unfortunately, we would, we will discover atrocities of the rational russian occupational forces when we liberate those those territories. and when we free our people. so it is for us important that we stop russian aggression and in driving russians back from all the occupied territories including premier and you think it's realistic to be able to take back crimea. i mean, this has huge importance to vladimir putin as a russian military. naval base, i don't think we need to, to be concerned about what is important for of let me put in personally or for, for, for russians and, and kremlin russia committed an act of aggression back in 2014. and we have seen

that the world tried to influence, put in with sanctions, with a limitation of his and the national activities with isolation of russia. but he didn't work and put in, went further and start the large scale war in europe and 21st century. so it is in our interest and in the interest of our, of our international partners to stop this war of attrition war of aggression by russia and help ukraine when this war. and i just want to follow up about crimea because of course, internationally and legally you're absolutely right. we hardly any country has recognized russian control of crimea. and yet there are concerns and western capitals than attempt to retake crimea could lead to dangerous escalation. perhaps the use of nuclear weapons. what do you understand those concern?

we understand concerns and where and deep dialogue and conversation with our partners on planning and explaining what are our next steps. and we have a complete support of all international partners, and everybody knows that this is ukraine, which defines when to stop this war. and my president and the armed forces of ukraine and the people of ukraine have no other option as to liberate ukrainian territory completely. and dr. russians forces back to the 2 russia, out of the southern district, ukraine and crimea. and president lensky has been presenting a 10 point plan for ending the war. a key point among those 10 points is that the call for security guarantees for ukraine could explain. what is he thinking of?

what kind of guarantees does ukraine want? and what is the role takes the united states in such guarantee? what is the role for big important european countries, such as germany, there are several options on, on the table. and the term 10 stops piece by another president says alaska is not widely discussed with all the national partners. and we have full support from, from germany and from, from the united states about it. and indeed, we, we have seen that all the agreements that have been signed with russia light, our big treaty with the russian federation, where russia committed to, to recognise ukrainian independence and territorial integrity. they've broken those, those treatise, the same happened with immense agreements and, and russia didn't want to to implement it from the very beginning. so now

it is called today's national community to make sure that no war can ever be started from russian federation after after we together, when, when this war against rush that if it could be didn't then like drill down on these karen t, u. c, which would prevent such a war from reoccurring. what would you like the united states to guarantee what would you like germany to guarantee while secure to guarantees of something that we with thought we got from the budapest member on the back in 1994, with unfortunately was not guaranteed. but security assurances and we figured out that unfortunately russia broke those, those budapest, the budapest memorandum and we didn't get full secured to support from the united states and united kingdom, other nuclear nations. it was

a bad signal to all the countries in the world that the tree lies that actually only nuclear weapon can save them from, from an attack of such an aggressor. this is why we will want to launch this discussion. i have no ready mate, suggestion to you, how it might look like one of the ideas was presented by our president ear there last year on the so called security compact. and this is on their discussion now in la and all the capitals. what is important that the whole world make sure that those guarantees would follow up with concrete instruments? how to make sure the thrush would not break it exam a day if thank you very much for speaking to d, w today. thank you. ah

russia at ye support or resignation the war machine has a firm grape on the country, but not every one supports the president swore. this report takes a look at what ordinary russians actually think close up next on d w. a pulse with the beginning of a story that moves us and takes us along for the ride. it's all about the perspective.

blue. ah. every jersey begins with the 1st step and every language with the 1st word, polish pinnacle rico is in germany to learn german. why not learn with him a simple online on your mobile and free to shuffle. d w e learning course nikos vague german made easy. ah, i've been reporting for a r d as a moscow correspondent for 5 years. everything changed. on february 24th 2022. the day russia invaded ukraine. the country i live in is waging war ah, a war that must not be mentioned as such. and yet has ca.