strongly our services be our guest at frankfurt and bought cd managed by frank bought the this is dw, use live in from berlin, and the leaders of russia in germany speak to each other directly for the 1st time . in nearly 2 years, german transfer all of schultz and the russian president vladimir boots had reportedly discussed the war in ukraine today. but why now, after all this talk also coming up in north korea's leader kim jong own calls for the mass production of attack, drunk ukraine says the north korean troops are already fighting for russia and supplying that country with weapons. the

unborn golf is good to have you with us. we begin with some breaking news. german chancellor, olaf schultz and russian president vladimir putin spoke on the phone today. their 1st direct contact in nearly 2 years. according to the german government, schultz told fulton to in this war and withdrawal russian troops from ukraine in the call, schultz urged russia to be prepared to negotiate with ukraine with the aim of achieving. and i'm quoting here, a just and lasting peace. and reiterated germany support for you. great child spoke with ukrainian president, bottom is zalinski. we understand before is call with vladimir putin, our list. good. our political corresponded funding, young in berlin, simon. an interesting friday phone call to talk about here. what more do we know about the call between children tutor? so yeah, brand, what we've learned from a government source is, is that the chancellor schoultz condemned what's described as ross is more of aggression at in ukraine and to cold on president booting to end the war,

pull out russian troops. he pointed out that from jimmy's perspective, russia has not achieved any of its more items. in particular, he focused on the attacks by russia that we've been seeing increasingly in recent months, against the civilian infrastructure and the suffering of civilian the civilian population in ukraine. with those trying to miss all attacks, particularly against energy infrastructure and so on. a lot shows also apparently raised the presence of at north korean troops on the battlefield in this war. now fighting on russia's behalf saying that was a serious escalation. so he, the, as you mentioned, shouts we, it's a rating of that. a germany stands with ukraine unbreakable resolve

to stick it out with you crying. supposing you crying for as long as it takes now that too late is also agreed that they would remain in contact of co. schultz. also saying that he was speaking with uh, the landscape, the president of you crime. but also, of course, with he's a, you and nato allies, as well as time in fulton and shoulds. apparently you have had no reason to talk with each other for the past 2 years. why now? why, why is it different today as well? i think things have been changing have an idea politically the gym and government's been pulling, pulling a part of sholtes that seem to be a lame duck challenge. sla, we've got a new president elect in the united states. so there are questions about the west commitment to continue supporting a russia. it could be that there is an electro, a sort of election campaign aspect to base. of course, because here in germany,

the more in ukraine, is it an issue that is an issue that moves the voters and gets them what top. but if you feel it's my belief, if he's at he a identified with the message, well, there is a possibility of peace, a diplomatic solution, and negotiated settlement for ukraine. the that's the sort of thing that a lot of voters want to hear, particularly those attempted to vote for the extreme parties, and the conservative opposition in jeremy been multiple hawkish on support for the ukraine. so perhaps there were some votes in that, but i think there's a lot of that the whole g, a strategic picture as well as jane. so i've shows the decided, well, he's going to give it one more chance. one more, a sort of attempt to persuade boots and to come to the negotiating table. and as i mean, have you been, have you been able to confirm or have you heard today or was it the german chancellor who made the phone call to the, the russian president?

is that how it went? smith seems to be something that a lot shows has been setting up uh for quite some time he was talking and it needs to be just a few days ago about uh the preparations for this. so it's clearly being a well planned thing is you mentioned, incidentally, i spoke to president zaleski before it seems from reports that we've got from kids that as a landscape cautioned against this cool and said that it could only reduce boots, insulation. so it'll be interesting just to discover if we can want sholtes, he's now able to say to the landscape as the potential outcome of this contact with vladimir putin. yeah, maybe a phone call that's produced as many more phone calls we will see. so, i mean, you only the latest here in berlin, simon. thank you. started staying with the conflict in ukraine where it keeps, as north korean troops are already engaging with ukrainian soldiers fueling for

years of a major escalation. russia in north korea have recently strengthened their military cooperation and concerns are now rising that young gain could soon be supplying moscow with masses of more drones. north to reinstate media is reporting that leader kim jong own, has ordered his military to begin mass producing exploding drones. john yang has been ramping up the development of new weaponry in the last few years. the attack drones carry explosives and crash into their target. and they are better at evaluating air defenses then missiles, it's all right, some more. i'm going to pull in random wrong. she's a post doctoral researcher in the more studies department at kings college, she is in munich tonight. it's good to see you. so ukraine says that there are already north korean troops, mostly in rushes course region, trying to push back ukrainian forces. does the north region presents stand, they have much of an impact. hello brand. well,

the problem is that i was seeing was the use of, of a potential use of most korean troops as the language barrier. and they need to train them in order for them to know how that contemporary battlefield works. so i would suppose that the most sensible thing for the russians would be to use them in the rare as to free up russian troops, which could damage from the sand to the dumbass. that being said, i don't think that $12000.00 is a game changer in this conflict that maybe it will offer a small battlefield advantage, but it's not going to dramatically change the situation. there are reports that the north korean leader kim jong on has called for exhilarating mass production of suicide. drones. what's your read on that? i mean, how do you see this move impacting the more in ukraine as well?

it is an interesting question, a, when the announcement came in on the test schemes. so kim announced or cold for mass production of these drones, right? when the united states, south korea and japan started the 3 day acts besides military exercise. and in the vicinity of the island of jesuits of south korean island and international waters. so it could be a message not just to south korea, but also to is it united states and generally serving as a deterrent. but of course, these drones are much cheaper than missiles and therefore they might be also shared with russia. and russian media has already announced that most korean long range artillery systems have been cited in russia and already on the way maybe to the

battlefield even. so that it's not excluded that the russians will benefit from something that might be even cheaper than their own journey to drugs. and really let me just ask you, if we look at the broader picture here we of course have the report today, the german chancellor speaking with the russian president for the 1st time in into years talking about the war in ukraine. we have a president elect trump in the us who says he wants an end to the war sooner rather than later. how is this impacting what we're seeing on the front lines in this more as you told me yesterday? i mean, it is basically winter. now we're the fighting is taking place as well. it is interesting because what we're seeing and, and especially since the ukranian correspond offensive is that the russians have accelerate. is there a brave tional temple and have managed to make some breakthroughs and some where he's at the breakthroughs that the russians are making in the bomb bass,

and now in harkey region are greater than those they made in early 2022 at the very beginning also of war site, from the russian perspective, there are different ways of seeing it, of course, a one to then to the war, but they want the terms. and so the actual political situation in the united states didn't necessarily alter the stands to occupy as much territory as possible. because whereas the russian troops will get, will be important if, when trump enters wide housing and when it comes to or potentially comes to negotiations that the russians will be having all the key territories they want to have. yeah, ukraine's defense minister has denied reports that ukraine is shifting its focus to prioritize security of the land that it already has out. is that,

is that something that you find easy to believe that they're not looking at prioritizing security over territory or wait, it's uh, questionable because um the problem here is the one, for instance, one of the course corporation has started um, under man brigades were last year croft, reporting from there saying we're outcomes $1.00 to $8.00 buys of russian forces. so it would be, for perhaps was the green military welcome shift, because the main problem that you created has is manpower or legs are off, lack of trained military personnel to even operate western technology is a, to create an armed forces have at their disposal right now and this is something that the russians are sensing, and that's probably one of the reasons why we seize this accelerated push because it's the engineering brigade. so i'm not staffed. if there are infantry is not

staffed, then there is no even no point in sending any data to ukraine because there will be nobody capable of operating it on the front line. okay. military analysts, maureen, them around, are you? we appreciate your time on this friday evening. thank you. thank you for having me . by to the united states mail president elect donald trump has said that robert f kennedy junior, his victor, excuse me to have the us as the top health agency will help and i'm quoting here, make america healthy again. trump spoke at an event and his more lago resort in florida on thursday nights. his nomination of the vaccine skeptic to become helped secretary is just the latest in a string of controversial choices for government agencies. a legal team thought the banquet hall, full of his staunchest supporters. donald trump took to the stage for his 1st public speech since the election. welcome by actors, sylvester stallone,

the president elect couldn't hide how much he's been enjoying. he's come back. you have to start my term from november 5th. okay. or november 6th, if you want november 5th. because the mark is going through the roof. enthusiasms doubled its doubled in the last short while the florida gala comes. this trump continues to unveil his pigs for the next administration. the line up now includes another controversial figure from an independent presidential candidate, robert f. kennedy junior, whose top to be the next us health secretary. he dropped out of the race in august and endorse trump realistic as country in the world. and this, this rage took us. we need to bring donald trump to watch instead of make america how kennedy has become famous as an anti vaccination activist.

for years he has insisted there's a link between autism and vaccines. are something that has been disproved by multiple studies. the american public health association says it will contain the gays, his appointment, accusing him of a lack of competence. with the fingers, trump has picked up so far. thank everybody. so gestured views and loyalty, the things that matter most. and then we're going to turn our country around. we're going to make it shows rates so strong, so powerful. we're going to bring it all back. full of tramps, cabinet donations will still be subject to conformation by the senate where republicans command a majority of all right, here's a reminder of our top story, jimmy chance are luck. sholtes and russian president vladimir putin spoke today on the phone. it's their 1st direct contact in nearly 2 years the to discuss the board

and ukraine with schultz demanding that inclusion withdrawal russian forces. this is the w two's. i'll be back at the top of the hour with more world news. so i hope to see you then the we are all set and we are watching to see all the to bring you the story behind the new, the will on about come by as information for free might say, due to me in the camels have a reputation for the.