the, the is the state of the news line from berlin, the leaders of germany and the west portion for more 18 ukraine. chancellor. what else sholtes meets with presidential buying and washington to urge us lawmakers to prove more military and for keys. the us presidents as not doing so would be criminal. also on the program. a year of the dragon has arrived as china and other countries mark the start of the lunar new year. we'll look at how people in hong kong for a celebrating one of the most important holidays in the calendar. the

village. welcome to the show. german chancellor or shaw says met with us presidential by then washington to pressure the us congress to approve more military. a for you crate law makers are working on a bill that would send tens of billions and assistance to key, but a political deadlock has left the legislation in limbo in washington where political paralysis has left vital a to crane in jeopardy. germany's chancellor, all of schultz made a stop at the white house, joining in on efforts to push for the funds. and, you know, without the support of the united states, you can have lots of chat countries. the us is the largest supplier of military assistance to ukraine. the white house has been warning for months. that of lawmakers failed to resolve the deadlock on sending aid. it would hurt to have the

ability to fight off brushes nearly 2 year old invasion for failure. united states congress not to support this close to criminal justice outrages the us senate is making progress on a bill that includes some $60000000000.00 in a to ukraine and funds for other us allies do things in senators hope to pass it within days. but it's unclear if the legislation will be approved by the us house, where some republicans are strongly opposed to connecticut is the effects of the sold. the funds are already being felt on ukraine's front lines or us and european official say. the delay is contributing to critical shortages of weapons and

ammunition needed on the battlefield. jackson, james is a political scientist and resident senior fellow at the german marshall funded. i asked him if chancellor or shots and president vine have a nice way over congress at this point. as it this way is unclear. i think probably the best thing that the shots could have done was to say, europe is here, europe is ready and germany is in the lead to help a crane. but they're asking to actually be something that's more in leadership with the, with united states on making sure that you claim the sustainable. it's not quite clear with that sort of work of me. what will it take for that to work? well, it's basically a domestic fight in the united states and mostly in the house of representatives is keeping the question open as to whether they. ready support what the senate a guess is trying to present to them. so it's. ready it's a bit of a problem for shots to impact the bad,

but he can only have support to mr. vitamins, attempt to say to the senate and the house and congress in general. we have partners that are ready to move at eye level with us. and we have to maintain our own support so that you can't, it's not always dividing, but it's able to maintain itself over the next several years, not just this year. what is the deadlock in the us doing to the united front? the west wants to present in the face of lot of input and it's undermining it. and that's the problem. i think that mr. buddy was talking about when he said it's almost criminal for the us to pull out of the support from the granite disjuncture . so that's a problem, it's basically domestic politics. so we're trying to figure out member, this is an election year and it's definitely difficult to extract that from that particular environment which mr. barton is in. and i think it's important that mr. schultz was there just to say, we stand with you, will you stand with us? of course. okay. now that to join strings being undermined,

what does that mean in practical terms for the people in inquiry? i think that basically the supports for europe is increasing. i think that will maintain a level of support for you plan to keep going in this for with russia. but the united states isn't a major support of military hardware that begins to, to decline. that's going to make it that much more difficult for us to keep up that side of the support they're supporting in all kinds of ways financially. but the major problem is that it's american doesn't give the support for military hardware to be very difficult for ukraine to maintain its position towards the russian oppression. now the war on ukraine is coming up on 2 years. there's no end inside to the war in gaza. how has all of this effect of transatlantic relations and especially the relationship between the us in germany was basically underscored the

fact that we're going to so any of those problems, we have to work with europe and journey in particular, since it's in the lead in terms of supporting ukraine in the european context. so i think it just under underscore so the fact that we can't so because so many of these problems without a, as we say in the trade leadership and partnership and partnership and leadership actually working right now to keep, keep the momentum going. as jackson james of the german marshall fund, thank you so much for your time. by your officials in ukraine say a russian drone attack and har cave has killed 7 people among them. a 6 month old baby. the regional governor said the strike on your grant, 2nd largest city, hit homes and infrastructure, causing several large fires. this falls, ukrainian president will let him or is it less because announcement of a new chief of staff just a day after he replaced his popular military commander in chief. this jacob comes at a stage of the war when ukraine is under pressure. after months of limited battlefield

victories, use in the field and central ukraine. a shy head drone lies almost intact. a rainy and supplied drones like this have become a key partial versus air war. relatively inexpensive, their use to drain ukrainian air defenses and spread fear among civilians, burned cars and damage building show the aftermath of a successful drone strike in a village in the eastern hockey region. 7 hits were recorded. the force of the bloss blowing at windows and this has little to show that it could be so the so that includes, i thought they would never come here. it's all remote, but do see dunn's out that the do fly to the middle of nowhere. they look like a, with as waves of russian. drones and missiles are launched at civilian homes and infrastructure across ukraine on the battlefield. there are also for middle

challenges. after nearly 2 years of fighting ukraine struggling to mobilize new forces, ukraine's military have said it needs half a 1000000 new recruits to replenish, i'm relieved the exhausted troops on the front line. what are your hopes for military gains of all so faded as ukraine was unable to break russia's front lines and it came to offensive launch last summer. so ukrainian forces of switch the defensive mode, facing the length of suppression of sold sometimes like up dave cost. president, flow to me is a lensky, is no best thing on a shakeup at the top of the military to turn the war and ukraine's favor the to dig a little deeper. let's bring in marina moran. she's the military analyst and researcher at the worst studies department at kings college london moreno. good to see you again. the russian forces we heard of their, their intensifying efforts to seize of these gun eastern ukraine. wind this fixation on this fairly small city. good morning,

the cold well of the you've got has been very important. it is a russian forces since 2014. as a matter of fact, because the premium troops established a strong hole there, it has a symbolic importance for russian since they tried to take it for 10 years now and according to the russians ukrainians use of the you've got to sheldon that so on the one hand, the russians would be able to better defend the nets and attack ukrainian troops in the vicinity. however, the other important military strategic importance is that of the you've got is on the height. so it's, it will be easier for the russians to oversee the area. and of course, defend the city which has a, a, quote blend, the biggest and ukraine producing steel which would deliver a blow to ukrainian and military industry. and of the you've got,

it's located next to a railway and a highway which would make russian logistics much easier. opening up the route to a permit, taurus can slip out. and so having bust moved and having of the car would make it's much more easier for the russians to supply the forces. if they happen to cause a to launch an offensive on a slow down script from a towards how much longer do you think you crank and what stand large scale attacks on series like of they've gotten hard keep especially looking at the difficulties the army seems to be facing and finding your recruits as well. i think especially in of the of cards association for the cranium. troops is very critical because they are about to be surrounded. not only is that of supplying them becomes more and more difficult. they are also lacking until re immunization and have to resort to trends. so, and especially in of the of grade is expected that it might, for

a very soon as far as her keys and as replaced as was a russian forces are actively on the offensive. it still looks like the ukranian troops i able to offer resistance. however, given the overall situation, it's remains to be seen how long but the consent of russian fences across the entire line of contact. one way or another. it sounds like tough times i had for the new commander and chief alexander sir ski. why do you think the landscape picked him? well, it looks on the surface. if somebody who is the opposite of the loose me and in the landscape is view solution a has failed the counter offensive. he had a very unpopular and tactic off defense, araselis, and all sense which the landscape prefers. and uh, sir skis, of course, much more pliable. he's been appearing along sides of landscape as early as spring,

2223. so the service key will be assuming the position in order to do what's to lansky sizes without any conflict between the lensky and the how to of the, the chief of staff. therefore, i think on the one hand his experience um, i am being creative more soviet minded general, as well as the fact that he is much more willing to do what the lensky says makes him ideal in order to avoid conflict. that being said, he is not well liked and amongst the population, and he's not well liked amongst the trips and given the situation and remains questionable how much change he can bring in those moreno moran from the worst studies department at kings college london. thank you. so much for those insights.

thank you for having me. on the quick look at some of the stories making headlines around the world today. and talk us on jail, former prime minister and run con and his rival novice tree has both claimed victory and the general election independent candidates backs by con, one the most sees but theresa muslim league emerge. the biggest single party boat counting is still underway after an election mars by violence and allegations of vote. rigging, thousands of revelers have taken to the streets of brazil's rio de janeiro to kick off the annual carnival events are being held despite the city state of emergency due to an epidemic of daphne fever. some 200000 tourists are expected to visit brazil for this year's festival, which lasts until february 14 billions of people are marking the beginning of the lunar new year to double use if need be calling reports now, from a temple in hong kong to mrs. hall hall cole right in saying that yeah, off the track and thousands of people flocks to this famous temples, to offer the fast in says at the old to at midnight to mock the very beginning of

luna, new year as a traditional ritual worship us belief as it early as a mix. that offerings the best of luck they will have in the yeah. has is also the 1st new. yeah. well we can find people to celebrate without the mosque. again, from hong kong yourself. how soon we covered that quickly? no, no, no. yeah, it's on about as good fortune and blessings. many of the people here tell us it's not always something about the appraisal themselves, but also the city. because the previous year was a pop one for home comb. it's economic expense performance was way worse than all of his major competitors on there also ongoing concerns always outlook, especially when china is also struggling with it's slow down, not to mention the photo tightening of political control. so now people now have to tell us to take a rest and your life with the families that are so hopefully won't the time is

striking symbolizes that is conspiracy and strength in the upcoming. yes. a cd call . you're watching the, the we news from berlin dock film is up next to the look at how crypto currencies are changing the world's financial architecture. articles really, thank you so much for your company. the name is the calls back saved loud. thank you so much for joining in. welcome to don't hold bad. a lot of people do that. it's all about saying it aloud. that's what it being nosy bay, like good. everyone to king. check out the award winning called called the call back the if somebody is freedom,

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