to export our water as grass to feed cows half way across the world. i can't help but wonder if anybody thinking about the future of this country. with this address, the global voice of crisis unveiled does most 21st on t w the this is data beginning of the slide from berlin, have a european union prepares for a clear and present danger. that's well, the european commission president calls the us shift towards russia. where is the aimed at freeing of billions of bureaus to re arm a continent that may no longer be able to rely on protection from washington. also coming up a survey shows germans mostly favor the defense spending high, but for how long it ends with what partners plus the south korean cord cancels the arrest order for impeached president june.

so he'll paving the way for his release from detention the welcome to the program on the call for the annual leaders of health crisis talks in brussels in the wake of washington's pivot away from its transatlantic partners. the extraordinary european summit came almost a week after a heated exchange between us president donald trump and his ukrainian counterpart of a lot of years. lensky of the white house exposed the growing rift between the us and its allies. for all the worlds to see, to this public display of support for ukraine's will we re, president, was the 1st thing you need is wanted to achieve with this emergency meeting, which comes a week after the let them use savanski was kicked out of the white house off the caching for donald trump, the front of the me. yeah,

we do seems to day when we will continue with you know, and we will continue in the future. i want to thank all our european leaders festival and for such signal strong support. these concepts from support from the wherever you know, the war and the lots being during all this pure and last week, you stay with us. as an ascii use the occasion to us, you need us to continue urging washington to involve keep in peace negotiations with moscow. you need to agree with zalinski, that an agreement to stop the pricing without security guarantees will ukraine wouldn't to, to russia from attacking again. the summit statement, e u d does have endorsed, says a ceasefire, must be part of a process that leads to a full peace agreement. it adds that any agreement must be accompanied by quote, robust and credible security guarantees for ukraine of henry's prime minister,

big the old on, didn't back the statements. but all the leaders have committed to working together to both the goods defense they discussed easing the brock street budget dead rules . so member states can increase their military spending. today, history is being written. we're coming out of this european council, very determined to ensure europe security and to act with the scale, the speed and the results that the situation demands. i presented the re on your plan today to the lead us a plan to give you up the military capability that it needs to face to day sweats. it's coach, mobilize up to $800000000000.00 euros and it's just about taking more responsible on our shoulders for our own security. this is a moment of indication for fonts is president to menu mccall and to forgive has been urgent care up to build the capacity to defend itself without relying on

nature and the united states. fonts is now considered and protecting european allies with its new pos know, could you pull position to propose to open a strategic conversation with the member states that are interested in making progress on this subject? the more i don't say so, so sure you, it's an option that would have been unthinkable under the decades of transatlantic cooperation for more or less spring and sir return to share a former deputy, the supreme allied commander for europe. but nato. he's also the co founder of the risk management company strategic worldwide through welcome to dw we heard of there, the eu has agreed on allocations of 800000000000 for re argument in the long run. but ukraine really seems like it needs help. now is the you, truthfully doing all can i think, i think yesterday's event so really, really important. let's be clear about that. so in about 800000000000 your funds

that uh that that was advanced is, is nothing short of good news, but you're absolutely right. you can needs help, not the american sort of have, have made it clear that like a touched immediate support comes intelligent support. and so this is when i call accountants you all policy for europe and canada, europe, and nations on account of i have just, i've got to run pop immediately to fill the gap of this means taking risk. it means giving immediate money. i think to the credit is who, who can spend the money and very, very quickly run the procurement challenges, but many european countries, but also for your pin countries to dig deep in that right. and also to provide you credit the means to hold russia, because the american withdrawal is going to hit them hard and you commission president was enough on the line says your face is a clear and present danger, but that danger is actually not new. is that it's been 3 years since boot and launched his attack on ukraine and the europeans are still scrambling for

a joint strategy. is this not too little too late? well, i've been arguing that this is 11 is too late to be attacked on ukraine was launched in february 2014. this is when the war sausage. yes, of course. the full scale invasion in february 2022 was was, was the next major phase. and you're absolutely right in europe and canada and nature as a whole show of step, talk to the walk 3 years ago at the very latest. but have a shuttle that it's better than a light. the number is the message and this is, this is welcome to use better late than never. but i want to look at the reason why this didn't happen earlier. wasn't night for european nations to rely on the us for their security and the security of their neighbors. for as long as they did, or yes it was, and europe for something to yes, has been sitting back on the line america to provide your 10 security and america,

european countries of and frankly been for united golf america and support side of subs. europe. we need to look at ourselves in europe for some of the reasons for america's re withdrawal from the sea. and this has been, i, yes, of course it has, but of course not the reason best it didn't happen 3 years ago is on site because of the sort of ostrich like had in the sand about the real threat faced by pushing to european security as a whole, so now it does seem clear that europe is going to have to own this conflict. what chance does ukraine stand given the dramatic shift and circumstances a y and you'll be in, that's the optimistic about this europe as europe has moles and the kids are going to see the europe and combine g, d, p, wolf, slash of russia, and with well, political will with political cottage and with, with a, with the, by making sacrifices your can absolutely help support ukraine in not only holding

russia about holding on long enough, i think, to then build up the capabilities to push russia. not if not out of ukraine, but at least to make also realize that they will never achieve that arrives in ukraine. because let's pick it up. the person has never stepped back from his, his, his intent to remove credit from a map as a sort of state. and that has ex, essential, that threat has ex, essential consequences for europe as a whole. as you, we in europe got to be prepared to do what needs to be done to support the credit. these he was inc. cards fully and few crane especially expose in terms of air defense. he's been calling for a european love ukraine air protection plan. what could that look like? well i think the, the, your pin uh, sky shield initiative, all the sky shield. wish there was a very, very interesting proposal. i think it deserves what support it. it, it involves western, our craft providing uh,

support for ukraine in ukraine in space. uh, shooting don drones and, and uh, cruise missiles in designated arrows unless i get absolute cables sent, not only a possible signal to russia. the, your pin is properly supporting your grade. but it also sends a really powerful signal to president trump. in other words, you might want to do a deal with with bridget and over the heads of ukrainians. but we are pens, i'll stay off to the mock and we are genuinely to help you create and property. yeah, and now that you mentioned you as president donald trump, just yesterday he said again that if his nato's partners, his natal partners don't pay, he wouldn't come to their defense. do you think the us under trump would uphold article 5? or that, i think the message came, claire, this has been on the jobs not ever since the munich security conference. what types of said that you would never be a guarantee you for your pin in security,

america basing alongside russia and north korea against to europe in uh, new york and moshing and condemning new the russian russel regression. now i think we have to assume that it's eyesight is with, with real cypress and by heart, which is i've worked alongside soft alongside americans and have the gracious operation for the american. but i assure you, but i have to say that we cannot rely on america, or is or not in considering the opinions, the approach of the us to russian aggression. what do you think right now is stopping to let them have food in, from expanding the war into a georgia montalvo or, or the baltics? so it doesn't have the capability, right? not if you look at what the russians of russians are stretched, they have been yesterday bakery the progress they've been making. it has to be absolute, clicked last seal. at the cost of vast numbers of russian savages by the 9th of may, when pigeons stands out in his moment of vain jewelry to mark victory de the victor

drive, victor day parade and moscow. russia will have lost a 1000000 soldiers killed and wounded that really finding it difficult to move any thought on your credit is holiday new kinds, bad resubmitted for success. you credit still hose part of russia or in, in the, in costs permit. and so he will he talk because he got his fixed effectively in ukraine, not if he is given a piece deal by trump, that gives person once he wants make no mistake, he will declare victory. and he will use the time to build up retry when he is ready, he won't have a moment or finishing the job in ukraine, and he will move on to finish the job in moldova, georgia, and indeed, remain there. while of course, the elect. we've seen a already seen electrical manipulation by, by russia, sir richard, sheriff of strategical, worldwide pleasure talking to you today. thank you so much for all those insights. this is a while opinion pulling here in germany indicates their strong support among germans

for increasing the country's military budget. 66 percent are in favor of more defense spending according to survey by and protest email. that will be welcome news for the probable next chancellor of jeremy flemish man. so he's currently negotiating coalition terms with the social democrats. as p d. both parties say they want to spend hundreds of billions of yours on germany's defense, but questions remain about what exactly germany will spend the money on, and how much all of that might cost both to russia's full scale attack on ukraine, began in 2022. the shelves announced $100000000000.00 euros of special borrowing to bring germany's forces up to scratch once my kid edit site vendor. now those likely to form the next government plan to one least even greater sums this no, but all we understand the funds for the defense of our alliance of the country. you

must now be significantly expanding this in 2020 full gem. and these defense spending went above the 2 percent nights a target for the 1st time, but what allies need and the security situation demands is changing 1st. meanwhile, the minimum capability requirements alternate to be in the test page, we have to established 5 or 6 new brigades in germany, only so additional money will be needed. the total cause of hundreds of billions and extra funding. some of that will go to things jem, and he's already committed to, such as its mission, to build up a troop presence in lithuania, as nato boast as its eastern flank. that could cost an extra $170000000000.00 euros over the next 10 years. there's also a plan to boost gem and is a defense capability. the price tag for that of a 100000000000 year roads and the shopping list goes on. hold on complex of most of

them is the area of cyber defense, satellites, logistics. these target defense, in fact, the entire scope of overall defense, which is why we're talking about significantly different subs. but in terms of this woman, to add to will that the cost of replacing us policies stationed in germany and the rest of europe if they were withdrawn, perhaps another $30000000000.00 euros. some politicians also think fixing up germany's creaking infrastructure needs to be part of this effort. they argue that when heavy equipment such as tanks are transported through germany, solid roads and railways would contribute to the country's strategic readiness. is it possible if tanks could be moved quickly? because too many bridges no longer support loads of a 100 tons, and we have hundreds of militarily relevant bridges. the cold take a 100 tons and military equipment is all set of no use, reintroducing compulsory military service. this summer are giving full would also

be a big drain on budgets for accommodation. equipment and training. gemini is a now seems fixed on giving more money to the military, but it could get very expensive indeed. and i can talk now and to our chief political correspondent, nina has an upgrade to see you. a clear majority of the german population is right now in favor of spending more money on defense and infrastructure and taking on more debt for all of it. that's a clear sign of the times isn't well, i think i have declared bob dylan he is at times they are a changing the cold, but yes, it is. it's astonishing, isn't it? the us and seemingly lessing down countries, the fighting for the. busy lives to defend the freedom and the germans no longer carry about that. welcome to complete a new reality and so many gem and sol. how the training president was treated in the oval office last friday. the writing has been on the wall expense has been wanting for use the europe needed to do more for its own defense. but i do believe

that see, really brought it home to many people here in germany. that uncle america was right a few years ago, and she warned that we can no longer compete. you rely on the united states for our own defense. and that had sort of been taken for granted, and people are now beginning to understand a come be fixed at the pace by just praying for economic recovery. and the other thing everyone in this country can see and feel every day that we need to invest massively into infrastructure. and that i think has, by the way, contributed to that feeling of the politicians up. there are no longer listening or why aren't they doing it? anything against those potholes and the rows, collapsing bridges, etc. then not just personally annoying things that are also factors that are affecting our economy in a bad way. then there is also the question of personnel, the german military has long been struggling to recruit out of germans, feel about re introducing mandatory military service as well. that has become a topic of discussion at dinner tables and families, you know,

grandparents worrying about their grandchildren and the mothers and fathers saying, yeah, but we do have to defend ourselves. so we've significantly reduced defense spending since the end of the cold war. and we also pulse conscription with all those days, but over but there's an increasing understanding now already lost some of the majority of them and said in a poll that they were in favor of re introducing mandatory military conscription. and that we need to have arms to stop anyone who might otherwise be tempted to attack us as a bonus that is currently aiming to have some 203000 soldiers. but we're not even reaching that goal. we only have about a $180000.00, so we need to and recruit personnel anyway. and the defense minister already has a plan in the draw that was stopped by. well, i've sorts of the time, but there are no illusions anymore some form or another of military. conscription will come back to germany the past couple weeks. mean, i've seen

a lot of turbulence in international relations, of course, including the trump administration, cutting military aid unintelligent support to ukraine. so germans will also ask which country state trust most, and france tops that list with 85 percent. the u. k is a close 2nd on 78. ukraine is trusted by 44 percent of germans there. we can see the graph coming up on the screen while the u. s. has slumped to a trust rating of just 16 percent. so the trust in the us is add a new low even below the values from trump's 1st term in the office. how do you expect all this to affect trans national relations? but i think you could see some very specific consequences already in brussels when you were watching the meeting of you leaders and how they talked about re um in europe and entering the race and potentially trying to win this race.

so that is a very, very specific consequence of and the signs that we're hearing from washington. so you're seeing countries are planning to increase defense spending, some of the us and to talk about an old idea again to set up the european army. and that's also interesting because opinion on that has changed here on the continent. and also here in germany and a poll that was published on thursday, the vast majority of demons, so 71 percent and said that they are now in favor of establishing a european army that's up 12 percent. so the support for european army over the past 2 years has been shooting up. the trend was downwards until mid 2023. but since then it has top please. so top and germans, on the other end of, of that spectrum, trust the french, the most. where do bi lateral ties stand right now and where do you see them going

under the leadership of the nation mounts? well, you do have to say that that was really very little chemistry between the demons. sounds level of size and at the french president, monitoring my call, and that is very diplomatically put to send the franco german relationship. always depends on who's running the country that have been great partnerships, friendships of the past couple of decades and that was always tangible. then it translated into concrete action. these 2 countries can get a lot of things. dotted and running and privilege mentioned in modeling my calls. so for these match, the likely next to me it sounds a bit different than age, but they've got one thing in common that both fun believe is in that of the america . so the non trump america and all its values, they speak fluent english and they have already met it's and it also helps that the german defensive and this of course disorders because the french defense, minnesota is very close friend. of course, the story is also speaks, learn french as dw and chief political correspondent nina has. and thanks for that

and a quick look down some other stories making headlines around the world. today, syria has launched a large scale security operation in western areas. loyalty ousted leader of a charlotte son. this follows an ambush by assad, supporters in the port city of latasha. at least 13 security forces were killed in that attack. a curfew has been imposed there, as on was overthrown by insurgents last december. in france, the daughter of convicted rapist, dominique britney cole has filed the sexual abuse complaint against him, calling him daddy's alleges her father drugged and abused her potentially for up to a decade pinnacle was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging his wife and recruiting strangers. online to rape her sites in the caribbean and the us state of florida. i have been disrupted after the failure of

a space ex starship test slide. the rocket exploded just minutes after lift off video posted on social media appears to show flaming debris from the spacecraft. january starship test flight. also ended in an explosion of china. as for administer has accused the us, us quote, meeting good with evil, by imposing what he called arbitrary terrace on chinese goods. long he said the us was punishing china after it had helped us contain it's fentanyl crisis. us presidents, donald trump, assign and chinese production of the drug as a reason for the increased levies. a court in south korea as canceled the arrest warrant for impeach president young, so you'll paving the way for his release from prison. but he is, a lawyer says he has not yet been freed. as prosecutors may appeal, the decision was arrested in january after his short lived declaration of martial law. back in december of 2024. investigators say it amounted to rebellion. young

lawyers argued he should be released while the investigation continues because the indictment process was taking too long. journalist bobby and customer in sole told me just how significant this development was as well, in my opinion, it's pretty significant. why? because y'all has been kept in a detention center since a mid january, and many of those ex, the expected that he will not leave his jail cell for quite a long time. but now he's supposed to get out of it. that was quite a surprising decision. i must say, and that of course gets the whole um, crisis that we have facing here in south korea and you dynamic um. and so if your, if and freedom could mobilize much more actively has support, this could be much more outspoken. it could get much more platforms for his um, arguing and unsurprisingly, his support us wearing lots numbers here in downtown sol. as we're reading,

they're quite cheerful. they're happy while the people on the left side and the political left, they are quite disappointed by the decision. mm. hm, we can actually see some of his supporters there protesting in front of the prison this morning. now, this is not the n word against you all's legal troubles, is it? no, no, no. he's still facing to trial. it's actually 2 separate trials. one is the impeachment trial that is held at the constitutional court and actually it's expected that there could be a verdict um, probably next week. um uh, by the latest in it to uh, maximum 3 weeks. that is to expect that uh, schedule and uh they will decide whether you want impeachment is illegal and they could finalize it. then the country would hold elections within 60 more days or they could reinstate june. so going back into power and then he would go back into his presidential office. but that's also the 2nd try. that's the criminal trial. so you want is accused of abuse of power, but also insurrections that,

that are really very heavy crime. so you could face in many, many years in jail, a possibly a lifelong sentence, and those trials are still ongoing. and you and his lawyers doing says that this is a political which had a how does that have done the public there in south korea? see it what the, the public is extremely paula rice. um you have to support us to completely support yourself. you all and who do say, say this is important to go which and then you have the people on the left to say that you. and so if you all put that democracy here in danger about imposing muscle law. and actually if this seems to be no middle ground, really the political landscape, also the public is extremely paula rice, including the media. if you look at the pulse and i would say the number who want to see you can still go out of office. they are slightly in the majority, but yeah, as i said, it's really paula rice. that's journal is fabia. and that's why and so great to get

that update from you. thanks so much. and a reminder over top stories before we go and you leaders of health crisis talks to boost european defense is in the wake of washington pivot away from its transatlantic partners and to create the summer came almost a week after heated words were exchanged between you as president donald trump and his ukranian counterpart below the mirror zalinski at the white house. a new opinion poll indicates strong support among germans for a plan to significantly boost defense spending. the survey found 2 thirds of those pulled back a proposal to spend hundreds of billions of yours to upgrades the country's military and the court in south korea has cancelled the arrest warrant for impeached president units of your paving. the way for his release from prison. but he was lawyer says he has not yet been freed. as prosecutors may appeal the decision and you're up to date, but stay with us. news out for goes up after a short break and the corporately thank you so much for joining us. more news next

hour by the the, the,

the new will tell you, happy the boxing the story. we have a getting a visa is more difficult than finding gold hosted to use force and for the future in the stories industries that are being discussed across the country. news africa. next, on d w, the,

the biggest church stage. it's construction a company to lies at the christian church to this day. it's mondays of to conclude the secret behind the the sitting in 45 minutes on d w. the if you like history, but with the side of culture, travel and control to see this one. i might just do it and i'm a single book. us the wow, that's up i can show every day, not every day we encounter so many things that we don't even notice. and i just kind of fade into the background. but it is still showing a spotlight on them. what you say might just surprise, we're going to dig up the,

the on the everyday things around us. when did they come from? when, why did they have all the time? i should, we can just search for the day and take them out for on the lesson to put down the this is dw news africa coming up on the program, women and matt, how equal are they in africa? women's voices from across the continent and from different fields. way in here from one of africa's tech giants on the challenges she faced even getting a bank account. also coming up, we meet a nigerian or curator who has made it her mission to share the art of african women with the world 10 feminism even be african. we ask one of africa's leading thinkers and get her views on equality and it's place on the continent. plus

scan women, be champion fighter.