civilian and private sector to secure or critical undersea infrastructure. as we continue to adapt a reliance, we need to have the right resources. so ministers also discussed the importance of investing in the fence. more countries are now spending at least 2 percent of the g . the pete on defense on 2022 was the 8th consecutive year of increased defense spending my european allies and canada with an additional investment of $350000000000.00. this trend is expected to continue this year, but more needs to be done. so to day alice discussed how to build on the defense investment pledge and future commitments beyond the 2024. natalie. those will take decisions on this at the next summit in venice. without them ready to take your questions a, b, b,

c. thank you very much. like a general, a jonathan bill bbc's m. he started this meeting and the head of the contact group saying that you're making a point that ukraine is use using and russia using huge amounts of ammunition. you repeated that just now, and you warned about native's own stock of ammunition the production needed to be wrapped up for. so we'll have any countries actually now committed to ramp up their production apart from the us and france, which you mentioned earlier, signing the contract. and the 2nd question is, is, you know, we get a message from a lord austin, us defense secretary that ukraine is getting what it needs. but what you're suggesting is that ukraine might not get what it needs, and it will run out of artillery shells tank shelves. for example, so are you worried that ukraine could run out of ammunition in the coming months?

thank you. so what we see is sir, an enormous sir expenditure of ammunition. and we have seen that for several months . and that's also the reason why we actually started to address that last fall. ah, we, we, we convened a wither meetings with at the fence industry. we addressed her. this is sure and different natal capitals. and now is see that things are actually moving in the right direction. and yes, united states, france have signed the contracts, but those are all the allies of germany in norway. and there are also holders who are all dis signed contracts with the defense industry. meaning that the production is not not ramping up on there, and that is making a huge difference. and partly it's possible to increase a production from the excess thing. a lot of factors are capabilities, but of course, are you also need to make investments that'll take some more time. but actually,

both things are happening. utilizing existing capacity more on investing in new production or capacity. i saw the production for instance, some artillery shells. the 11155 is now are increasing and that enables to are both brit replenish our own stocks, which we have depleted, but also to continue to broad a supporter to, to ukraine. and i, we also do this by working together allies are jointly addressing the needs to also joint procurement or to, to make big orders from the industry to utilize the economy of scale are under under and to place bigger orders and to give the defense industry the long term demand under, under long term contracts. so yes, things are happening, but we need to continue. we need to step up even more because there isn't a big need out there and to a pro,

an ukraine with ammunition. this is now becoming a grinding war or attrition and the war attrition is a war over logistics on the, on the and therefore this is so so crucial for our ability to ensure that ukraine wins is able to retake territory and launch offensive starter and shows data ah, it's able to to, to win the war and to prevail as a so in the month nation sounds, it was we, we have seen that the big need and that's exactly what we have. why we have a, a reacted as several months ago, and now we see that contracts are signed and production is ramping up. and an allies are producing more to be able to continue to support ukraine. continuous agency function that victor normally in swedish new said in c t t. following your doorstep yesterday, there's been a lot of speculation if there is

a new line on the membership process for finland and sweden. so just to clarify, if there would be iraqi him, one of the countries would need to go through and complete the complete process for membership. or would you say the weight in order to get everything clear with both countries at same time? so finance, when they applied together and an all new darlise made the historic decision together all 30 to invite financing at r m a summit in madrid and then all allies all thirt darlise also tricky yet signed the 2 accession protocols together. and i made a tear actually last fall when i went to turkey, the in october, that a dot of both finance season has now fulfilled their obligations. are in the joint collateral memorandum. they signed with her kia in in july. so i, i urge to a turkey to, to,

to rectify the both finan sweden together. all that it awful. so that's my position . that was his uncle sla hasn't changed but at the same time, or we have also seen that there are a different assessments into kita about to, to what extent finan and sweden are say are, are in the same position to be ratified. and that is a turkish, the decision turkey has took, he has 2 documents, one accessible to coal with finance, and one accessing protocol with chin. so the decisions we need to take as allies 30 alice have all been taken. 30 alice invited seed, non fin them. and 30 allies assigned the exception protocols. now it's for the individual allies to ratify. 28 allies have all the ratified both protocols and then hungry and trickier has not. and therefore this for

a key to decide whether day ratified both. and i have recommended that or would the date rectify only one of the 2 documents? that's not a natal decision. it's a decision by turkey. and so again, my position is that both financing are ready for membership, both excessive protocols and should be ratified by all allies. but at the end of the day, it's a, it's a decision by to kia when the day ratify one or both of them. but then, but then the but then the process is completed, that there is no need for any unanimous decision. and the more money we am made that the decision we have invited both at the same time. so it was a when to kia, ratifies then the process is completed as, as long as also of course,

are hungry and also financing do what they are. i was in our, in the process over over doing so. so this idea that there is a need for a new in unanimous decision, my name is wrong, that there are decisions that has been taken by, by the individual allies and to allies are not yet the right to find. and of course again i, i have urged them for many months to ratify both at the same time and that still my position has never changed. i've been actually pushing hard for sweet sons an unfinished met the membership and the, and i am upset to conflict that both fit and unseasonable become a member. i. at the same time the sequencing is not the most important thing. the most important thing is that both finance sweden and soon and become a members of the alliance. and i, i'll push horn for that. i also actually travel to 2 o 2 to kia to morrow and that will be on will dishes on. so we will address and

not none of them are total chung with churches through city san, as all the secretary general k. could you please just give us the latest information about the relief efforts. nato's relief efforts for the victims of the earthquakes. all eyes expressed their deepest control. condolences on the support to to keep our alarm about was nato secretary general. yes, store back there speaking offer meeting of nato defense ministers mainly about more help for ukraine and did obvious nato export. terry schultz has been following the press conference in brussels for us and joins us now from there. terry, up just in broad strokes. what's, what's your take on what we just heard? well, today was focused on a nato,

securing its own defense and deterring russia or any other enemy from moving further into nato territory. whereas yesterday, they were talking primarily about what assistance they can give ukraine. of course, of course, those are basically the same thing at the moment because many nato allies feel that if you crane does not win this war, they are next on the kremlin list. so these 2 things cannot be divided right now in the minds of many nato allies. so what secretary general sumburgh has just been explaining is how they do discussed building up their stockpiles again of weapons. many countries have sent virtually all their weapons to ukraine. if you're talking about the baltic states, again, ammunition can't get away from that problem. you talked about giving stronger signals to industry from nato governments that they would have long term contracts if they were to ramp up their production of ammunition. these are things that nato need to do for itself, but they also need to do it more urgently for ukraine. and we have heard secretary

generals oldenburg say time. and again, that if countries need to make a decision about keeping their stockpiles of weapons or ammunition up to what nato would consider a comfortable level or sending them to ukraine, he says, send them to ukraine. now ukraine's playful fighter jazz. he did not mention book, can we make of that? yeah, he didn't mention it yet in what we've heard so far. but you know, that's not so surprising because there was no push on that nato side to have fighter jets discussed even yesterday. yesterday's ramstein meeting the you came defense contact group was, was about trying to get the deliveries that have already been promised on their way . so they really did not want to bring up what new weapons systems ukraine may want . you know, they've got all these tanks in the pipeline. i think they've got the ammunition problem. they've got a spare parts, they've got training on their minds, and they very much wanted to make sure that they can send what's been promised and make sure that these systems can work together. make sure that ukraine has the

spare parts for whatever they're being sent. make sure that everybody's trained on multiple weapons system so they can make the best use of what's already there and what soon to arrive. now he's also been addressing the question and also the demand and asking me to speed up delivery off an initial and also heavy weapons now . so mike said time is of the essence, but did he go into any detail how that can be achieved? that's right. and we've heard that not just from him, but from other nato leaders here as well, that there is a critical time in the war. we know that russia may have already begun what it's planning, as it's spring offensive. if it hasn't begun it now, it could be within days, certainly within weeks and before the ramstein group, the weapons generation group meets again. so they're very much talking about how urgent the situation is right now. but there is a real problem in getting this equipment to ukraine. we've heard in a minister for stories, for example, yesterday, say that, you know,

why is it that that allies were pushing us to make a decision on the leopard? 2 tanks, which we have now done, but we haven't seen them being delivered to ukraine. so i think there's some frustration on the part of allies who have made up their mind to move quickly with those who haven't. and i mean, the logistical problems of getting such huge weaponry into ukraine are not small. it needs to go through poland. doug, it's a, it's, it's very difficult to do, but they have been managing up till now. and i think that there's some frustration between the allies about how to do that best at the moment. and we don't exactly know how that's going to happen in some countries are said to be getting cold feet on even sending their tanks at all. partly because this, this delivery problem is, is so overwhelming, totally going to leave it here for the moment. thank you very much. social defense correspondent in brussels. i mean, while russia is intensifying its efforts to take the area of boxes and east,

in the ukraine, reports say russian troops are relentlessly shelling more than 20 villages and towns in the area. it's become the sight of the longest running battle in the world, unless say any victory would be symbolic, as the city's not strategically vital. however, both ukraine and russia say they're determined to prevail. just complaining of some difficulty was unlocked to draw us up again. this is the glimpse according to russian state td into what's become known as the meat grinder in work over the city of buckman, which has been nicknamed as such because neither the russians nor the ukrainians have been able to make much progress here. resulting in a breach of stalemate that's produced the longest battle of the war. and one of the bloodiest for old sides involved the bottom of, of but if everyone can see that we're having a hard time on this section of the front of the enemy are constantly attacking and small and big groups to feel that one day it's their artillery on the next day

they're infantry attacks, so it's a difficult time at the moment. but our boys keep standing their ground with that battle full back more is now in its 7th month. russian officials recently claimed that its full says have almost encircled the city. not so says the head of the walk in a masonry group, which has spearheaded the russian offensive stead ban reg, no pushing forward house by house me a square meter by square meter. it's hard work. it's not clear at all where the stories about some kind of encirclement are coming from really issue. i have just the large box move will not be taken to morrow, but because there is heavy resistance. it's grinding. the meat grinder is working on new battle. despite the ferocity of fighting back mode isn't

considered a game changer in the small military. analysts say the city holds more symbolic than strategic importance, but it's important none the less, it's capture would give the kremlin and much needed victory after months of setbacks and give its troops and you foretold in the dawn best region, which the russians partially occupy. but one full control off for keith and it's trips back moot, holt, emotional value gamma debacle. explaining why nobody will give a battle to mobile ski will fight for as long as we can or more bottled, we consider back loot or fortran lasher for the day. we consider people who died their heroes little vicki, them follow mazda roy. of course the city is more than just a prize in battle. for back most people. it was home. yet you husband,

the hood. dear god, our town used to be so beautiful. there were roses everywhere, flowers did it. oh, but it was clean. everything was kept in order. it's a memory that stands in stark contrast to scenes like this. and the bloody battles that have earned back moat. it's gruesome name and i, li, i spoke to d. w. correspondent, nicolai and t front. i asked him to tell us more about why bob mood is so important for both sides. i think you have. this is about symbolism. first of all, we heard there are you thank president zalinski talking about it as a kind of ukrainian fortress or something that would not up. similarly, the russians are desperate for anything that they can spin, sell outside the contribution to their own domestic audience. as a victory, after all those setbacks and ukraine with like, had a song,

when you look at the actual strategic importance though, and the kind of advances, this would give russia's troops in the region for less in the way of content there for military experts, some even say that is actually easier for the ukrainians to retreat a bit and then defend bigger, more important is like come autodesk nearby from the positions from the geography but of boot. because we understand the americans alone, we pushing the ukrainians to give up. but more to not waste, not risk more ukrainian lives there. the task they imply has already been achieved . they've bound russian forces that have caused huge losses to the russian army in terms of human lives, but also technology equipment on the ground and out. yet the suggestion seems to be it's time to cup ukraine's losses. now, there are reports that russian shelly is intensifying and, but also that ukrainian forces or have a blown up a bridge or that it would need to retreat is ukraine losing buckboard. i think it's very important stress here that we have very little real time

information coming out of but more that is the situation all along front lines. yeah. there is now no more access for jealous to buy more. that's a recent thing. oh civilian volunteer angeles. are no longer allowed in the reason being that you're protecting them, looking after them, treating them with the apply the medical sources is just too much of distractions. ukrainian army, we've definitely seen. now civilian volunteers try to bring supplies to the local population coming to quite a lot of harm in recent days and often of the ukrainian army when things are going badly, will only release information quite late. but i think, you know, the fact that it has been closed off already says a lot, and there's a sense here in key of that me, people are gonna affect the buck might have to be abandoned in the weeks and months come. now there has been lots of talk recently that ukraine needs fighter jets from, from the west, in this particular battle. the battle urban for bar mode would fighter jets make any difference is important. see what those planes allow ukraine to do. it's all about the planes as such about the prestige. it's about fact that they firstly

would enable ukraine to protect their troops with the from rockets from missiles. it's kind of further part of the kind of anti air defense system and it would allow that project power forward to attack russian positions far behind the front lines to this new kind of thing. they can't do right now, but they don't have long range land based missile systems. wester's isn't having those over to ukraine, but there is also the emotional component of sits about getting the west to kind of, you know, be more whole hearted. it's sort of ukraine to kind of nail its colors to the mast and say we are on your side and not somehow on one hand say we're in solid out with ukraine, but then keep stuff back here. the view here from care of is most of europe is under that nito, american nuclear umbrella. you don't really need this kit we do. if you're not going to give us any shooting guarantees, then hurry up and send us his equipment. our corresponded nick connelly there in a cave. thank you very much, nick. time not to get up to speed on some of the other stories making headlines to day. scotlands 1st minister nicholas sturgeon has announced her intention to resign

the scottish national party that took office in november 2014. soon after the independence referendum in which people voted to remain part of the u. k. station is scotland, longest serving leader. betty a service has been held in parkland florida to mac the find here anniversary of a school shooting that left 17 people dead. memorial comes just a day after 3 people were killed in the latest mass shooting at the university of michigan. u. s. president joe biden again demanded that lawmakers take action against what he called americas gun violence epidemic. nat direction again. form u. s. a basset to the united nations, nikki haley, as announced she's running for the republican presidential nomination next year. she's the 2nd contender to join the race after her former boss express didn't. donald trump? as of course, we spoke twitter chief executive

e long must says the end of 2023 would be a good time to find someone else to run the company. he had announced in december that he would resign as its chief executive days before that mask ran a twitter pole in which a majority voted that he should step down major technical difficulties at germany's aflac carrier. lufthansa, half stranded thousands of passengers worldwide. the company has delayed and grounded flights after its i t systems were hit by glitch effecting chicken and boarding or plants were being directed away from landing and looked at those main hob frank for the airport in order to avoid a backlog on the ground of him. on that i'm now joined by aviation at expert gala vessel. he's a ceo of airborne consulting in hamburg. now. can you give us more details on what caused these disruptions? what are you hearing?

several fiber optic cables in frankfurt were delis today during the civil engineering work by a construction company. so for this reason, there may currently be distractions in the greater frankfurt area, including lift times at quarter, slip tens of main hub as well as a main douglas center. so this led to white i t o h that affected all kinds of companies. so not only live times airlines, but also for example, your wings and look to the cargo. so since operational and very important operation systems such as those foreground handling of passengers and baggage preparation, execution flights and dispatch of echo from cru affected numbers, flights had to begin so today now. so you describe that it's a pretty wide ranging these disruptions. how severe is this? there's no doubt that systems at airlines just as it bang, for example is highly critical infrastructure. that is why redundant systems and a high level of security exist for sure. what like other companies' listings also

depends on public lines, especially since one of the largest internet notes in germany, system, frankfort. in the event of a failure of such lines, what we saw today we're still seeing today is redundancy, can no longer help and failure, cruel. so in the consequence, flights must be 1st delayed and ultimately it canceled. of course a flight operations can no longer guarantee. so in franklin alone, this could effect more than 100000 passengers. now you mentioned 100000 passengers that are stranded really what can they do right now? ok. first domestic trouble us should in any case switch to train today and maybe tomorrow, especially in the morning as well. basically today and tomorrow, all of tens of passengers should check the status of their flight on the web page or before they go to the airport. so it is expected that the complete for clearance would continue on. so this is this afternoon, but i assume that there will be further cancellations throughout the day particular

s. some arriving aircrafts, have been what you all already mentioned and will, will be still day work to other efforts by the gym at traffic control. so these aircraft will have to be flown back to frames which 1st before they can use again. so i think it's quite possible that some flights will still effect tomorrow as well, assuming that the disruption is solved today. hopefully. thank you very much. evasion, expert, good visser, they're joining us. thank you. and have some sports here for you in football. the champions league by a munich have edged past paris samar, one new in the 1st leg of their round of 16 clash in paris by ions. frenchman kingsley. com. all once played at pierce, she put the german side ahead shortly after the break. the star studded p as g was denied a late equalizer with kilian by pay off side pass last season by on one the 1st

match in paris as well, but fail to advance off to losing on home soil in the return leg. the 2nd match is all march the 8th in munich at maribel, and the red carpet is being rolled out ahead of the opening off one of the world's biggest public film festivals. the 73rd bellin on a kick saw thursday with 19 movies buying for gold and silver bow awards. this year's event will focus on the recent anti government protests in iran, and the warn you crying. among the headlines, sean penn's documentary about ukrainian president obama zalinski filmed as russia invaded ukraine almost a year ago. oh, so i, we have full coverage of the bell in off course throughout the week. watching the w news is a reminder of the top stories we are following for you. nato secretary general yet

starts back, says member countries have made new pledges for ukraine, including heavy weapons and military training. you also hold of members, members to boost production of ammunition, as the ongoing war has depleted stock plans and russia stepping up efforts to take the city of dockman in easton, ukraine. the areas, the sight of the longest running battle in this world, both to grant and russia say that determined to prevail. and that's it from me and the new scene. i'm gabrielle f. as in berlin, i have an update for you at the total with,

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but see this is the consequence was for those folks i'm to find out because she couldn't, you know, i'd like to stumble any more just conflict in ukraine. the european war and 10 voices rushes war in ukraine. one years since the invasion began we take a look back and into the future in slow rain. in february on d, w. a . welcome to a new edition of eco africa. well, despite the many environmental rates are planted.