soon hello and welcome. i'm alastair stewart and for the next 2 hours i'll be keeping you company here on tv and radio with the stories that really matter across the country and indeed around world. we've coming up today, we've plenty coming up today, including a special programme noting one year since the start of the war in ukraine, the russian invasion of ukraine. we have a fantastic line up top guests from the worlds of

politics and diplomacy from here, from ukraine and from russia plus good folk who simply did their bit to help . but did their bit to help. but first, let's bring you right up to date with all of the day's news. here's bethany elsey . news. here's bethany elsey. alastair, thank . good afternoon. alastair, thank. good afternoon. it's 12:01. i'm bethany elsey it's12:01. i'm bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb news. ukraine's president says plans to meet china's xi jinping after beijing set out. a peace plan for the war between and russia. vladimir didn't say when the meeting might happen but told a news conference in kyiv that it would be beneficial for both countries and for securing around the world. but us, joe biden told abc news beijing's proposals only benefit moscow. president says he wants to believe that china is not siding with . probably not do siding with. probably not do motty . sure you're sure it's motty. sure you're sure it's correct think that if there are

already thoughts that somehow correspond to respect for international law territorial and some security . i believe we and some security. i believe we should use and work with china on this matter. should use and work with china on this matter . why not.7 i want on this matter. why not.7 i want to believe china will be on the side of a fair peace, which means on our side. side of a fair peace, which means on our side . this is very means on our side. this is very important to me . means on our side. this is very important to me. i means on our side. this is very important to me . i really want important to me. i really want to believe that china not supply weapons to russia . the prime weapons to russia. the prime minister has vowed to keep working towards , securing working towards, securing a post—brexit trade deal . an post—brexit trade deal. an in—person meeting with the european commissioner has been called off . ursula von der leyen called off. ursula von der leyen was expected to meet with rishi sunak this weekend , discuss the sunak this weekend, discuss the northern ireland protocol. after positive talks yesterday , positive talks yesterday, cabinet ministers have reportedly been put on standby for a potential conference call over the weekend with tory mps giving a three line whip to attend parliament on. the of people who've been killed in the earthquake that hit turkey and syria has surpassed 50,000. the united nations estimates the destruction has left 1.5 million

people homeless with 500,000 new homes needed. president erdogan has pledged to rebuild within the eu, but expert are warning authorities to put safety before speed to ensure buildings can withstand further tremors and a 3.7 magnitude earthquake was felt in south wales last night. the british geological survey says it hit bryn mawr near crickhowell just before midnight with the tremor felt as far away . cardiff. residents on social have described being woken to their whole house, shaking for a short time . detectives short time. detectives investigated the attempted murder of an officer in omagh in county tyrone say the incident is being treated terror related. detective chief inspector john caldwell remains in a critical condition after shot outside a sports centre on wednesday. police in northern ireland have now arrested five suspects and

the new ira group is their main line of inquiry. europe to date on gb news. now though, it's back to alistair . back to alistair. bethany, thank you very much indeed. bethany, thank you very much indeed . a very good afternoon to indeed. a very good afternoon to all of you on this. the first anniversary of the russian of ukraine. we'll take the same approach as we have from the very outset of that conflict. talking to old friends of mine. and we'll also ourselves alert to all of the comings and goings . because it's one year on. but it's by no means over. we'll keep our eyes open and, our ears open for any breaking developments . and either i will developments. and either i will bnng developments. and either i will bring them to you or bethany will. in her news bulletin , i'll will. in her news bulletin, i'll also be speaking to other experts who i now count as friends, having grappled with

this since it started . now, an this since it started. now, an anniversary is not, but it does anniversary is not, but it does a pause for reflection forward and hopefully intelligent analysis . and hopefully intelligent analysis. now and hopefully intelligent analysis . now the and hopefully intelligent analysis. now the imagery of . analysis. now the imagery of. this story has been stark from outset, from the tens of thousands of russian troops massing on the border with ukraine and on belarussian soil with the support of putin's friend and ally lukashenko . now, friend and ally lukashenko. now, it didn't really take the geniuses that the cia at langley and their army of satellites to figure what putin was up to, his strategy and curious reasoning behind it have been made crystal clear in a series of speeches and articles. these last few decades now, we felt we knew him, but not so his adversary. president zelenskyy of ukraine, who grew from being a comic actor to a player on the world

stage. now the kremlin sought to paint him as the leader of the remnants in ukraine. he was accused of being a money grabber and even a drug user , too. most and even a drug user, too. most of it to be taken, frankly, with a pinch of siberian salt and many here wore blue yellow as a simple sartorial of solidarity with the aggrieved ukraine. badges combine the ukrainian flag and the union jack graced lapels across parliament. not least courtesy of boris johnson, but more beside aides was forthcoming in. weaponry, diplomatic pressure and nudges among perhaps reluctant nato allies of ours. the imagery, as i say, of war ghastly. but we've seen plenty of curiously lighter moments like ukrainian farmers towing away russian tanks and ukrainian soldiers giving the v sign to the flagship of the

black sea fleet , the mcpa, which black sea fleet, the mcpa, which had been attacking their hold out on a small island. had been attacking their hold out on a small island . that ship out on a small island. that ship was subsequently sunk. much to the embarrassment and anger of the embarrassment and anger of the kremlin . now, those events the kremlin. now, those events were celebrated in postage stamps. demonstrate perhaps a government or certainly a postmaster or postmistress with his or finger firmly on the pulse of a remarkable and resilient people . there was also resilient people. there was also the visual evidence of war crimes or as us vice president kamala harris put it, war crimes against humanity in bucha , against humanity in bucha, mariupol and keefe itself . there mariupol and keefe itself. there were also the refugee camps in neighbouring countries like who also welcomed many fleeing persecution . it has already been persecution. it has already been said by that the belarus president and lukashenko will go to beijing in an official state visit on february the eighth. but the chinese ducked and dived from the outset, and even now

there are talks of them rearming . russia's depleted armouries and arsenals. we guests warning this could lead to the third world war on this programme . and world war on this programme. and vladimir putin has reversed out of arms limitation treaties and has warned of new generation of nuclear . one of zelensky's has warned of new generation of nuclear. one of zelensky's most potent carry on calls was perhaps when he said if putin isn't stopped in ukraine, he won't stop until he gets to berlin . we begin our programme berlin. we begin our programme with the work of a gb news colleague and friend of mine, darren mccaffrey, who's been talking to james, the foreign secretary . here's that secretary. here's that conversation. foreign secretary i suppose, first of all, the question is one year into this , question is one year into this, let's talk about the british pubuc. let's talk about the british public. should let's talk about the british public . should they be braced public. should they be braced for conflict that potentially could go on not just for the next year, but years and years to come.7 well, of course, what we want is for this to come to a conclusion quickly. we're seeing

tens, hundreds of thousands of people dead and wounded. we're seeing huge damage . ukrainian seeing huge damage. ukrainian infrastructure . we're seeing infrastructure. we're seeing disruption to energy supplies, food supplies. so all of us want this to come to a conclusion , this to come to a conclusion, but it has to be a conclusion that respects the charter of this place, the un charter, which basically says you can't invade neighbour, you can't extend your boundaries by force and that is a principle that we have to defend. and we have to support ukraine until they are victorious. we don't want that to drag on any longer than it has to. but we're in it for as long as it takes. will you say, though, to those british public who look at the amount of money being sent to you, look the being sent to you, look at the military then look at military aid, and then look at the military, think the state of our military, think this isn't sustainable? you this isn't sustainable? are you fearful that support fearful that that that support could of could break down? well, of course, always conscious course, we are always conscious that the british people have got their own challenges . they want their own challenges. they want to ensure that they can pay

their bills . and the prime their bills. and the prime minister is relentlessly on our own domestic economic improvements . own domestic economic improvements. he is passionate about that. but we should all recognise that if isn't resolved then it will cost us more in the medium and long term the this aggression by. russia has been the in large part the reason why energy bills have gone so much that's had a knock on effects and food. if this isn't resolved , the costs us will increase , , the costs us will increase, not just us to everyone around the world. that's why getting resolution to this is so very important. let's look at kind of eu, if you like, in this context , the sense that you know , since , the sense that you know, since brexit haven't necessarily been at their best. is it your sense that in some ways actually the ukraine war has brought you the uk and the eu closer since 2016? well i think what's happened is that we have been that there are

some incredibly important geopolitical issues where the uk and the member states, the european are naturally and instinctively closely aligned and we are working together defend the things that we value . i think we have been reminded that we are healthier , happier, that we are healthier, happier, wealthier more secure when we work together. so, of course, we've been working with our european partners on this issue and on things like the ireland protocol and in our collective self defence. we will always an engaged international player and we're very proud that countries over the world, not just in europe, recognise that. i can tell you about china potentially supplying to ukraine. that could be a game changer. could next. well, the point that i have made publicly and directly to , the publicly and directly to, the chinese authorities, when i've them, is that i can understand why russia desperately wants to have a stronger and closer relationship . china. i don't

relationship. china. i don't understand why china would want to import the international isolation that we're seeing here in un whilst why they would in the un whilst why they would want to import that into their relationship. the message relationship. so the message i would send to all countries is that there is no benefit to helping russia when 141 countries around the world have voted to condemn russia's actions in ukraine. just finally on this and then you make well, the french president said that russia shouldn't be humiliated , russia shouldn't be humiliated, maybe defeated, but not humiliated. is the view of the british government as well. is that we looking at that we know looking at historical that russia historical context, that russia shouldn't in this shouldn't be humiliated in this war. what we are relentlessly focussed on is defence of un charter and international law and ukraine's self defence, and thatis and ukraine's self defence, and that is the that is the totality of what we are trying achieve. we saw , the russian we saw, the russian representative in the un chamber, claim we are trying to break russia off or, destroy russia. that is nonsense . we are

russia. that is nonsense. we are here and supporting ukraine because they are being attacked . and i'm here at the un because the un is under attack. can you be as explicit , the un is under attack. can you be as explicit, emmanuel the un is under attack. can you be as explicit , emmanuel macron, be as explicit, emmanuel macron, in saying we will not humiliate russia, have no interest . we russia, we have no interest. we have interest in anything have no interest in anything other than the un charter and ukrainian self—defence and the world should recognise that. and this could come to an immediate conclusion if vladimir putin were only to recognise that. let's move on to the northern ireland protocol. ursula der leyen spoke to the foreign minister today. this is expectation of a deal. how close, are we? well, the it's really difficult to predict these things. we've been negotiating in good faith for quite some time . i had always quite some time. i had always committed not to give a running commentary, which i know is frustrating to your viewers and my political colleagues alike. but it has proven to be a successful formula thus far and so i'm going to stick with it.

of course, we want to this resolved. the people of northern ireland deserve to have their institutions back up and running. they deserve to be a fully integrated part of the united kingdom, which of course they are. we want to protect that. we want to protect east—west trade. these are the things that we are negotiating that negotiating has . the that negotiating has. the negotiations, of course , been negotiations, of course, been tough. they've been complicated . they've been entered into in good spirit with good faith. i hope that we can get this resolved , but we will resolve resolved, but we will resolve when we have addressed all the issues that we're seeking to resolve rather than some arbitrary deadline. can i. three principal questions. and if you're not going to do a running commentary, i mean, how is the dup support essentially? is it vital deal just on vital to this deal just on principle, that the dup need to agree it? well, we want to agree to it? well, we want to make sure that all the communities ireland communities in northern ireland and represented as and they're represented as including unionist community including the unionist community and the unionist political parties, plural, are comfortable with arrangements that are in

place that underpins the belfast good friday agreement. so we get cross—community support. we want to make sure the people, the politicians and the businesses feel meaningfully part of the united kingdom . the prime united kingdom. the prime minister's unionist. i'm a unionist on a unionist to my to the soles, my feet. and i will always be at the forefront of our negotiations. just finally on this. so what a break from in some of your other cabinet colleagues have said that the northern ireland protocol bill should this should not be ditched in this deal should not be ditched in this deal. that your again is that deal. is that your again is that your principal position? that that remain? well the that has to remain? well the whole point of these negotiations and the whole point of us laying , the bill in the of us laying, the bill in the first place was to give us multiple of trying to multiple ways of trying to address the issues with the northern ireland protocol. so my focus is on getting the result rather than the mechanism to get the result. we've always . the the result. we've always. the bill's there. it's. the result. we've always. the bill's there. it's . and but our bill's there. it's. and but our preferred option is a negotiated

option. but it's a the bill is there and the negotiate actions are ongoing. but ultimately i would i would say to everyone i've said this publicly before. we remain focussed on. the outcome rather the method and the outcome is to protect northern ireland's place in the united kingdom to make sure that people and businesses in the polity representatives of these people in northern are comfortable with the resolution , whilst also making sure that we protect the uk internal. those are very much our motivations. that's what will drive our actions. just two final points away from , that one final points away from, that one is on opinion polls mean the conservative party, if anything, seems to be getting worse in terms of the lead. how disheartening is that when it seems increasing numbers of seems that increasing numbers of theirs simply do not? theirs probably simply do not? what in government what you guys in government anymore? well the message that i've up by from i've been picking up by from doorstep and looking at the granularity of opinion polls is that labour have spectacularly failed to make the case now. i know that what we need to do demonstrate to the british

people that are addressing the issues concern about issues that they concern about bringing down inflation, making sure interest rates come , sure interest rates come, growing economy . i don't see growing the economy. i don't see the party putting those and cutting those nhs waiting lists, stopping the small boats . these stopping the small boats. these are the things that we are relentlessly focussed on. as relentlessly focussed on. and as the british people see success in those areas , i that in those areas, i think that they will be that the conservative party is the best party of government because we will, we will be increasingly looking the labour party's failure , be on the right side of failure, be on the right side of any of these arguments, whether it's being on the wrong side of in industrial disputes or whether it's been on the wrong side in terms of our departure from the european union, time after time after time, the labour party have got it wrong and the conservative party is focussed delivering for the country. you cast country. can you give a cast a cast iron guarantee that you're not going to change leader before the next election matter? how get and i know how bad the polls get and i know he's former boss, that he's your former boss, that there's no way back for boris. so my focus , the prime so my focus, the prime minister's focus, the whole of

government is focussed holding the parties focus the parliamentary parties focus the parliamentary parties focus the the party in the the whole of the party in the country's is delivering country's focus is delivering the british people getting on top of those things that i that i said you're growing the economy changing interest economy changing the interest rates, anything. rates, no change of anything. the say, isn't the nhs, easy to say, isn't stopping the small boats and delivering for the british people. and that's what the pm and every single other government minister should be focussed on. indeed offer, focussed on. indeed offer, focussed on. indeed offer, focussed on give you one more chance. leader. we chance. no change of leader. we are focussed on the british people. seriously, i know you love i know politicos love love it, i know politicos love it and within the it and i know within the westminster bubble they love it. this kind of, know, this, this kind of, you know, this, this in westminster bubble this in the westminster bubble obsession. bottom line is obsession. the bottom line is i not to do political not going to do political bellybutton i here to bellybutton gazing. i am here to look the uk's interests and the prime minister's relentlessly focussed on serving the british people just very, very finely. i promise . and it is on that role promise. and it is on that role of being foreign secretary. i mean it's quite intense, it's a massive brief, it's a lot of travel. i mean it must be exhausting , but i'm exhausting exhausting, but i'm exhausting covering , you know, being, you

covering, you know, being, you know . i've got got a fantastic , know. i've got got a fantastic, fantastic job. i get to promote to the uk on the international stage and listening to how other countries view the uk. it makes me i've just come from the un security council chamber . i've security council chamber. i've had conversations with my international counterparts who are incredibly grateful for the leadership on issue and it really is a reminder that are still a very important and significant on the world stage. it is an exhaust thing job, but it is an incredibly important job. i'm proud and that is the foreign secretary james cleverly chill out, chillax if you like . chill out, chillax if you like. well, i just sleep is my sleep , well, i just sleep is my sleep, my preferred method . but i my preferred method. but i think, as you know, i've sort of let the out of the bag about my painting of miniatures . i don't painting of miniatures. i don't know whether, but sitting down and those rare occasions where i get an opportunity, spending time with families is the best, is the best way to relax.

foreign secretary, thank you very thank you. down . and very much. thank you. down. and that was my friend colleague darren mccaffrey speaking to the foreign secretary, james cleverly in new york . and i'm cleverly in new york. and i'm delighted to say that a former foreign secretary sitting here live in the studio with , me live in the studio with, me listening to it, prepared for my questions because my first guest as we reflect the events of the last 12 months is sir malcolm rifkind, former chair of the intelligence and security committee of the house of commons . and, as i say, a former commons. and, as i say, a former foreign secretary and indeed a former defence . secretary former defence. secretary i don't think i even said that we were going to be doing that and that's that quietly. no, no papen that's that quietly. no, no paper, no diaries. and what have you at that interesting on micro politics with james saying he's frightened by the opinion polls because his view labour have

failed spectacularly to make the case for them forming the next government and winning the next election . james also government and winning the next election .james also said election. james also said there's no turning back on ukraine politically and financially as that . did he make financially as that. did he make the case for it? i think that's not too difficult to make the case because the last time you and i met was in the studio exactly a ago after this war began. and the last 12 months have been the of times and the worst of times the ukrainians have shown themselves be extraordinarily able and resilient and have defended country. they have preserved the independence of ukraine. putin has been humiliated . he is lost. has been humiliated. he is lost. it is around that time. and i suspect we discussed in that interview that zelenskyy came out with this extraordinary call, as i referred it to my general introduction , of saying general introduction, of saying that if putin is not stopped in ukraine, he will march to on berlin. well, there's a bit of

rhetoric that he's not going to go anywhere near berlin if he can't defeat ukraine, he could hardly defeat nato . that is, hardly defeat nato. that is, i think a little bit of understandable exaggeration, but it is the case that putin is trying recreate the kind of russian empire that existed when the soviet union was around . the soviet union was around. now, well, let's bring it to where we are today, because ukraine's done remarkably well. but no, almost a logjam. it's almost like the first world war went to large armies facing each other literally in the trenches. and i think the next or three months are going to be absolutely crucial because two things have to be tested. first of all, can ukraine continue to do which we hope it will recover the territories of the territory, perhaps all of the territory, perhaps all of the territory that it lost is crucial because it means crimea will. let's be realistic about . will. let's be realistic about. this that could take a lot longer but in an immediate the immediate objectives of zelenskyy keep the rhetoric on one side is to recover the territory liberate all the

territory liberate all the territory that putin's took which means the bridge to crimea and the parts of the donbas. and so forth. now the next three months will show whether ukraine can continue. it's already recovered more than half of the territory it lost year ago. so and a former foreign secretary would give zelenskyy the fighter jets that he . well, i'll come to jets that he. well, i'll come to that. jets that he. well, i'll come to that . i'll jets that he. well, i'll come to that. i'll come to that, if i may. but i'm there's i said the next few months are going to be not just because of what the ukrainians can achieve, but also the have greatly the russians have greatly increased member through increased their member through conscription. is no conscription. there is no evidence as yet that that's going to enable them to win more territory, but they haven't made the major effort so . what we the major effort so. what we could have is either ukrainians or the russians making progress or the russians making progress or the russians making progress or the other possibility is neither of them make progress. we are in a logjam. and then get the beginning of what could be a very long term situation, which is what's often called a frozen conflict. yes do you agree with

cleverly that would be a profound miscalculation and for china to provide with with weapons that in the newspapers as kamikaze drones. it would be very foolish for all the reasons that have been said. but there is a dutch additional factor, which is emerged in the last 24 hours, which in my judgement it very unlikely that that is what their planning to do in the short to medium term. the chinese have announced they want to peacemakers they've chinese have announced they want to forward makers they've chinese have announced they want to forward make|they they've chinese have announced they want to forward make|they callzy've chinese have announced they want to forward make|they call asfe put forward what they call as a 12 point proposal to have a ceasefire to and resolve this whole crisis if that's what they're trying to persuade the world. and people are pretty sceptical. they've been pretty close to putin, but if that's the impression they're to the impression they're trying to create, be totally create, it would be totally destroyed if they were simultaneously start simultaneously to start supplying weapons to russia. so i think for the time being, the idea russia from idea of weapons to russia from china is likely to be off the table and rightly so . is this table and rightly so. is this the time of era , a new world the time of era, a new world order ? again, we talked about it

order? again, we talked about it when you were last in and you jogged my when you were last in and you jogged my memory with what you said just a moment ago that putin, the kgb officer, was never happy with perestroika, glasnost , the gorbachev change glasnost, the gorbachev change and revolution in inverted commas , and the loss of commas, and the loss of comic—con and the loss of the warsaw pact. he's old school. he'd like to roll back to old school he couldn't care less about the end of communism he has never been a communist if he was one. it was for opportunistic. what he is basically is an extreme nationalist and the russian state that he believes in and. he does not believe ukraine has a right to exist. it's quite extraordinary because russia has recognised ukraine as an independent state ever since the 1990s. so is something he's trying to reverse and it's a terrible way to behave you know, there have been a lot of other empires that have disappeared. the british empire is one of them, the empire and so them, the french empire and so forth. and what britain did when the empire, our empire ended is,

we put out our of we put out our hand of friendship africa, friendship to india, to africa, to the west indies and said, let's work together and let's be friends and we've got the commonwealth and the king is the head of the commonwealth following queen. is following queen. so there is a different of ending empires. what putin done because he's a brutal despot is he's trying, he's not only been guilty of war crimes, he's trying to destroy the very independent that is a threat to the rest of europe. if he was to succeed , it's not he was to succeed, it's not pretty evident he's not going to succeed, but may have limited succeed, but he may have limited gains, he may try and hold gains, which he may try and hold onto. so malcolm a genuine pleasure see again. pleasure to see you again. mustn't make it so long. next time, always joy you. time, always a joy to see you. thank much indeed. some thank you very much indeed. some malcolm rifkind there, former chair, as i said of the intelligence and security committee house of committee of the house of commons, but also himself a former defence secretary and former defence secretary and former foreign secretary. my next guest is lord kim darroch and he is the former uk ambassador . and he is the former uk ambassador. the united states . ambassador. the united states. i'm going to start off with you,

kim. if i may, where i left off with malcolm . and that is with malcolm. and that is whether you see these events as indicative of the stuff of a new world with putin trying as it were unpick the gorbachev legacy and china desperately seeking to and china desperately seeking to a role either as an arms suppuer a role either as an arms supplier to russia or as the authors of a peace plan, which frankly most people both in malcolm's trade and in yours , malcolm's trade and in yours, have dismissed . often you . i have dismissed. often you. i think , are on the edge of moment think, are on the edge of moment of some very significant changes in the global picture . i agree in the global picture. i agree with malcolm rifkind about putin, not a communist, but a hardline extremist, russian nationalist whose ambition has always not too great. the soviet union then to create a ring of

cloud states around russia's borders. a man who is sent puppetry the end of the soviet is one of the worst days in human history. a lot of you, many of us, many of us take so thatis many of us, many of us take so that is fiction. there was a penod that is fiction. there was a period i would back in the early 20005 period i would back in the early 2000s when it looked as if putin could become a leader who would engagein could become a leader who would engage in western institutions . engage in western institutions. he was part of the gb in those days and who had good french ops with some european leaders at the time, gerhard schroeder. and that was going to be. but he might become a construct, remembering the community. well, if that was an illusion , we if that was an illusion, we certainly now see the reality because what he has done with the invasion of ukraine is a scar on human history. you just need to think about. scar on human history. you just need to think about . the 20,000 need to think about. the 20,000 civilians, 100,000 ukrainians, soldiers , the 200,000 russian soldiers, the 200,000 russian soldiers, the 200,000 russian soldiers who have lost their lives , not to mention the

lives, not to mention the b million refugees who have fled ukraine. now within who are displaced within . ukraine, 25% displaced within. ukraine, 25% of the population, ukraine have left their. those figures encompass a huge amount of human misery. and putin is at the heart of . so, yes , we now know heart of. so, yes, we now know what putin really is on china . i what putin really is on china. i also agree i'm sorry to be bonng also agree i'm sorry to be boring with with him, which is china . i think occasionally , china. i think occasionally, flirts with the idea of getting closer to russia of a new russia axis. but the threat is now launched these peace proposals . launched these peace proposals. it's interesting. i think it suggests they're not going to be supplying arms to russia in the near future. peace proposals be worth very little. mean certainly it's kind of significant quantities of ukrainian territory to russia. they're not going to go anywhere , but they're trying to portray themselves to the rest of the world as peacemakers, rather as

contributors to the conflict. and that's important. well, it's also important you raise the humanitarian of all of these matters . and indeed, they find matters. and indeed, they find space in there. 12 point plan to talk about the humanitarian cost, not only the military costs . well, so china definitely costs. well, so china definitely in play and one to watch kim. it's always a pleasure talking to you. thank you very much for breaking your weekend to not only take my questions but also to listen to malcolm and james. his answers to the other questions . thank you for your questions. thank you for your time. kim darroch great to see you again. thank you very much indeed. kim darroch, the former uk to the united states , many uk to the united states, many more guests still to come on the diplomatic and political front here and in ukraine. but first, a short .

break and i'm going to pause our conversation about ukraine and the anniversary of invasion for just a wee while as we head to sheffield and join reporter there. they've been at the rally, has been talking to business owners in sheffield and there she is also . impossible to there she is also. impossible to find so big people good afternoon at leicester you sign here in sheffield city centre hundreds of people have turned out in protest. hundreds of people have turned out in protest . the clean air out in protest. the clean air zone that's been by the council on monday. now the council have introduced this they there's levels of nitrogen oxide in the air that they want to improve people's health. what it means is taxis they'll be charged people's health. what it means is taxis they'll be charge d £10 is taxis they'll be charged £10 a day to come into the city centre and larger vehicles like , coaches, buses, lorries will be charged fo r £50 a day if they be charged for £50 a day if they don't have euro six diesel or a

euro for petrol compliant vehicle . but people are vehicle. but people are protesting as they're saying it could turn , the city centre into could turn, the city centre into a ghost town. they say many traders won't be able to afford the charges each day to come into the city centre . businesses into the city centre. businesses like coach owners have also told me they can't afford to upgrade their vehicles and. they also fear that it could put them out of business. so this protest is people gathering together against this clean as i am brought in on monday and we know it's already happening in other cities as well as bradford and birmingham . portsmouth, they birmingham. portsmouth, they have these clean air zones and we know it's on the horizon for other cities in england as well, such as gateshead and newcastle and bristol plans are in place there as well . and. all right, there as well. and. all right, thank very much indeed for that update there on a really . our

update there on a really. our reporter who is there in on that protest . business leaders and protest. business leaders and others protesting at moves to take a measures to improve air quality which is. sheffield has a great history of going back to the days smog as well and when the days smog as well and when the steel industry was perhaps little bigger and the problem was a little bigger. but anyway business people they're saying the success of businesses . well the success of businesses. well suffer as result of that move and a really with our report . and a really with our report. now are watching and listening to alistair stuart and friends with lots more still to come afternoon including new research from which came out this week saying that the price of value items in supermarkets risen by more than 21% since january last yeah more than 21% since january last year. we'll be bringing you tips to help you save while you're doing your weekly food shop and perhaps trying get round what can only be described as a form of rationing . but before we get

of rationing. but before we get to that, a.

break well, you've been getting in touch on our big topic of day as requested, and you've lived up to that challenge. and that i'm very grateful. keep it coming in. gb views at gb news talks no .uk or on social to begin our conversation. let's start john, who says zelenskyy is right to explore the option for a peace brokered by the chinese he's biden's reaction ridiculous. perhaps he wants in europe to weaken russian capabilities with no to the united states of gary says i think china is thinking trying to reach an end to the war in ukraine in a possible way to allow putin to walk away from the fight while saving face, simon says. there cannot be

negotiations until russia exits ukraine complete fleet and that is his view. keep your views coming. you can agree with him, disagree with him and. reflect on what kim darroch had to say. rifkind or any of other contributors. we plenty more still to come on this important date for the people of ukraine. and as malcolm rifkind and i was saying, perhaps for the new world order. so do keep those views coming . and of course, if views coming. and of course, if you missed those earlier interviews, you can catch up with all of them on our previous programs by subscribing to our youtube channel at gb news. youtube channel are at gb news. now, as a little earlier, it's time for our ever popular saturday savings spot research by which has shown that supermarkets value items have increased in price by more than 20% 21% since last year , plus 20% 21% since last year, plus overall inflation in super markets was just under 60% in the year to january.

additionally ofgem is expected to drop its price cap gap on monday , which will mean energy monday, which will mean energy suppliers will be able to charge around suppliers will be able to charge aroun d £1,000 extra. and it around £1,000 extra. and it could of course mean that the average bill will rise, by as much as average bill will rise, by as much a s £500 a year. i'm much as £500 a year. i'm delighted to be joined once again by regular friend of ours on, the program. that's libby winchester , who's the money winchester, who's the money editor of the daily mirror and mirror money. great of you to come on board again. and thank you so much. so what's going on in the value item that was supposed to help us have been outstripping pretty everything else in inflation. and as many people who've been to the shops yesterday the big super we'll know there's an awful lot of stuff that we do not buy one get one free but buy one if you're lucky . absolutely lovely to lucky. absolutely lovely to speak to you again. yeah. which research has highlighted that those cheaper budget ranges

typically those you know that people who particularly are struggling will be buying right now . are rising faster the kind now. are rising faster the kind of regular over on or the premium brands . well i think premium brands. well i think it's really important to note as well, while they are rising faster discuss which research they are still cheaper overall . they are still cheaper overall. so it's really important to still keep swapping the goods for the cheaper labels. so there are loads of ways as well that you can save money and supermarket and to be clear and correct me if i'm wrong, but these are pricing decisions that are made exclusively by the supermarkets. they are of their own self—defined value lines, as it were. they can't blame what's going on in the marketplace . the going on in the marketplace. the world, the supermarkets, as you rightly said, are in charge of setting their own prices. just terms of if you go back branded goods, for example, so your manufacturers can obviously set a recommended retail price, but ultimately, yes, it is up to the supermarket to decide how much

they wish to sell a product for . okay. i mentioned in the introduction and you know that we are going to wanted to talk to you about it as well and that's energy prices where again there has been significant in global prices in the in the correct direction if you're a consumer and yet again likely to lift cap and it could result in significantly bigger bills for all of us or many of us. so right now it's best to think of energy bills as a bit of a story in two parts. so on monday ofgem will release its price cap figure for april to july at the moment and those are expecting it to drop by around moment and those are expecting it to drop by aroun d £1,000 for it to drop by around £1,000 for its figure of it to drop by around £1,000 for its current figure 0 f £4,279. so its current figure of £4,279. so google insights predicting a price fall to just under £3,400, but at moment. energy bills not dictated by the often price cap. we are currently all covered by the government. energy price

guarantee and this is set to rise in april. so this is why we are still expecting to energy bills go up . so the autumn price bills go up. so the autumn price cap will figure. we're getting an update on this monday is looking like these come down dramatically energy bills will still rise around 20% come april due enterprise currency which due to enterprise currency which is at 2500 right now. for is set at 2500 right now. for someone with two who use and will rise to £3,000 from april, unless, of course , chancellor unless, of course, chancellor jeremy hunt decides keep prices at the same level level during his budget next that's what you say it's that so this one's the two gs it's global prices and it's government policy . it's government policy. absolutely at the moment we are set by that government energy price guarantee and that is the one that is set to rise by £500 from april again, unless we have noise from the chancellor i got a nice email from my electricity supply the other day saying because heating was not either gas or electricity but, an

alternative fuel . we use oil as alternative fuel. we use oil as it happens and i'm sure that will annoy many people but that's what we do. we live in the middle of nowhere and hey, no gas mains, etc, etc, etc. and my electricity supplier said we have just put 200 quid in your bank account, which came initially from the government every little help. so i said to myself and mentioned on twitter and, lots of other people said, oh yes, i've had as well. oh yes, i've had that as well. yes absolutely. and it's so important if you are struggling right now, if your energy bills are lots different helps are that lots different helps out a message. right. so people who are kind off grid and are who are kind of off grid and are not on kind standard not on kind of standard electricity tariffs that is not on kind of standard electricity tariffs that i s £400 electricity tariffs that is £400 coming a new portal has coming from a new portal has opened just this week the government 600 rural uk if you will on a regular kind of electricity supply hub . look, electricity supply hub. look, see if there's any support you and just i would always if anyone is struggling with that energy bills talk to a supplier straight away there are lots things they can do to help me. for example, a lot of them have

hardship schemes which they can they can help you with. and another really good tip as well is , you know, buy for your home, is, you know, buy for your home, make it is as well insulated as it can be check the windows , it can be check the windows, floorboards etc. there are lots of ways that we can help to keep that cost down. thankfully, as we are approaching spring or energy usage or heating should start to naturally fall anyway for most families. so we should start to see and use naturally come down anyway . all right. come down anyway. all right. well, fingers crossed . levi, well, fingers crossed. levi, always a pleasure to talk to you. thanks breaking into your weekend to share it with us. thank you very much, indeed. me, if i would, just who? the money editor of daily mirror and mirror money with our helpful guide there to what's going on in the supermarkets and what may be happening in the short to middle future to your energy bills. so keep in touch and can always read in the mirror or onune always read in the mirror or online and we look forward to talking to her again now we're

going to stick with our main story of the day, and that is the russian invasion . ukraine the russian invasion. ukraine for today's good causes. and we revisit a cause that means a lot to many people, and that is the aid by uk citizens in ukraine as well , offering aid by uk citizens in ukraine as well, offering homes and refuge . lots of you went to help macmillan, a friend of mine from the equestrian world and stephen barnes also set up with some other chums ukraine equestrian relief and they were among those who helped loading up great big lorries that you normally see full of brilliant horses either off to the races or to the show jumping or whatever it may be to help. and they ferried boxes full of aid over to poland to those who really were andrew in need. those who really were andrew in need . lauren barkley is ukraine need. lauren barkley is ukraine equestrian relief and joins us on the program . great to see you on the program. great to see you again. thank you very much indeed. so give us a quick refresher course. how many trips

did you end up doing so the team have just got back from their fourth trip. we've run it. we're now called giving to ukraine. so we had a lot of people confused if we were just providing relief. so we've rebranded this given to ukraine and we've just gone our fourth trip and we're planning more the next year, two years ahead. ukraine itself is a great equestrian nation . was was great equestrian nation. was was the background to many of you it's something that they particularly found appealing or to be brutally honest didn't matter who it came from if it was going to help them get through the next few weeks, that's what mattered . and so i'm that's what mattered. and so i'm not myself from equestrian kind of community. i'm a freelance journalist. i well, you made a brave film for us. yeah but i think it's been a conversation starter. definitely. when you turn up on border with them horse boxes full age. but i think at the time the people were just happy to take whatever age they could and suddenly it's

been kind of dropping out the news recently. we've really seen a decrease in the of a decrease in the amount of aid that getting. so when that people are getting. so when we up with these horse we turn up with these horse boxes full of aid, especially on the trip that the team returned from early of this morning from early hours of this morning yesterday i just the yesterday night, i just the happiness and everyone that we provided to was yeah well, it everything that you've done is remarkable and thank you for it and lots of lots of good wishes to the rest of the gang. and i know that's this weekend , but to know that's this weekend, but to all of you it's great stuff . and all of you it's great stuff. and i'm sure that people in ukraine, particularly on the border, will remain eternally grateful to you.thank remain eternally grateful to you. thank you very much, indeed . it was lovely to see you again, lauren and thank you very much for that film that you did for us. you keep in touch with us and our there from us and our barclay there from ukraine equestrian relief. now the prime minister has ordered his mps to attend the house of commons on monday as reports suggest a brexit deal may have

been struck on the issue of northern ireland and the protocol . joining me now to tell protocol. joining me now to tell us more about that is gb news political reporter catherine forster. great. see you. i was listening to your conversations about this earlier on and what i hadnt about this earlier on and what i hadn't realised until i heard it confirmed in the news was that there was going to be a 1 to 1 with as delayed and that's been cancelled. there's this story whirling around some of the tabloid papers about trying to involve the king in in all of it. yeah, that's what i thought as well. yeah, it's very i mean, it does seem and we have been here before, haven't we, because we were marched up the hill last weekend about an imminent deal and happen. but it and it didn't happen. but it does seem there was definitely a very positive conversation last night between rishi sunak and european commission president ursula von der leyen. so good it didn't require a face to face

face. it is strange, isn't it? this news about the king supposedly the king was due to have tea with ursula von de leon today. have tea with ursula von de leon today . there was some discussion today. there was some discussion that the deal would be called the windsor agree and some of thatis the windsor agree and some of that is now being and they're saying well know the king meets leaders it's not connected but it does seem very strange and of course, as jacob rees—mogg has said and indeed others have said to. if the king had met with european commission president at this very delicate time, when it seems this about to be an agreement that does blur the lines, doesn't it, between the king's role, which is supposed to. absolutely not involved in politics and what is politically a very delicate and clearly delicate because of the very nature of the conservatives, the conservative and unionist party and course, the dup, as we said on in the news bulletins . and

on in the news bulletins. and charles be crowned king of the unites kingdom, which includes northern ireland. yes. so i mean , in a sense, it could be more delicate. it couldn't be. and it's certainly puts murmuring pleasure independence for scotland its place. yes i all the years that been worrying about potential independence of scotland and really isn't there a very real threat now that down the we will end up with the united partly because of the demographic change that's taking place in northern ireland. sinn fein now has a majority or would have in the northern assembly if it was sitting, which of course it was sitting, which of course it still isn't. and if it was tomorrow, it would be literally by the ballot box and not by the that the 32 counties could at a stroke come together again . yes. stroke come together again. yes. yes so, you know , there is yes so, you know, there is a real concern now that that might be enough and maybe that maybe

ultimately the right path. but certainly many unionists, of course, are deeply unhappy because they feel that the protocol while protecting the good friday agreement and not putting a hard border on the island of ireland has threatened peace in northern ireland by effectively a border down the irish sea. now rishi sunak deal as far as we understand , is as far as we understand, is going to get rid of checks going britain to northern ireland, which a big step forward and is going to minimise the role of the european court of justice but not completely get rid it. and although rishi sunak is thinks that that has met the dup's seven tests, its very that the dup is in agreement. yeah is the dup is in agreement. yeah is the mood music changing him a bit. i mean if there is tangible progress on the northern ireland protocol in the post arrangements and can persuade the dup and his own european

research group . of antagonists, research group. of antagonists, as it were, on the on the backbenches, you've now got to come to work on monday, give air to all of it. and i was struck by something the other day when, the public borrowing column figures were published that showed that that chancellor showed that that his chancellor he is first lord of the treasury up at these levels of taxation may have more room to move the budget on tax rates and he's under pressure particularly on corporation tax. is the mood music changing a little for rishi sunak? that doesn't seem to be any evidence that they're going to budge on corporate tax or tax cuts . general at the or tax cuts. general at the moment despite fact that there's huge pressure being piled upon them . priti patel today saying them. priti patel today saying you know, raising corporation tax is not the right measure . tax is not the right measure. clearly many in the party are very unhappy that. if rishi sunak can get this deal through

the brexit sorted effectively . i the brexit sorted effectively. i mean, we've heard this before, haven't we? then that would be a huge win for him. but it's very perilous , isn't it? because if perilous, isn't it? because if the democrat unionist party do not play , that's going to kick not play, that's going to kick off all of trouble with the european research group and bofis european research group and boris johnson is intervening quite loudly now to say, let's keep your brexit protocol bill that's going through the house of that's the deal we should keep but of course that is deal to basically puts in the been the protocol that boris johnson agreed in the first place and that would bring with it all sorts of other problems even assuming it got through the lords even assuming that it didn't have all sorts of legal. oh it's also there's nothing, there's nothing simple about it i think. and zelenskyy referring there's nothing simple about it i think. ariccielenskyy referring there's nothing simple about it i think. aricci at1skyy referring there's nothing simple about it i think. aricci at1sky pressrring my mate ricci at the press conference cardiff yesterday conference in cardiff yesterday and not even that sorted out and i read in one of the papers this morning still morning that boris johnson still keeps rugby in his office in

keeps a rugby in his office in the house of commons, just in case the ball comes out the back of scrum daily mail. of the scrum oh. daily mail. i think i, i also read that think it i, i also read that too. i think we can safely say that boris johnson is hopeful of being prime minister again sooner or later i my breath is not being held at. catherine forster always a pleasure thank you very much indeed. gb news is political reporter. catherine forster there with her insight and always worth moment of it. thank you very much indeed. see you later. that's it now. we're going to take a quick pause and bnng going to take a quick pause and bring you up to date with the all important weather, the political weather from the prime minister but the weather. the real thing there for all of you . hello i'm craig stone. here is your latest forecast from the met office as we go through the next few days. it's set to remain largely dry and settled across the country. and that's all courtesy of a huge area of high pressure, which is not going very far over the going to go very far over the next few days. it does bring in a fairly cool breeze off the

nonh a fairly cool breeze off the north so if you live along north sea. so if you live along the coast of england or the east coast of england or down english channel, down across the english channel, certainly as we go certainly wrap up warm as we go through next few for through the next few days for the of saturday, see a lot the rest of saturday, see a lot of the cloud melt away. that'll lead to a cold and frosty for a lot of the uk. but along the nonh lot of the uk. but along the north sea coast we will maintain some cloudy, maybe the some rather cloudy, maybe the odd so temperatures odd shower here. so temperatures staying but staying above freezing here, but could see falling down to could see lows falling down to minus four of minus five. a few spots . so going into sunday, spots. so going into sunday, very changes actually. we still maintain rather cloudy skies across northern parts of england, eastern scotland , too. england, eastern scotland, too. that may well filter its way little bit further southwards as the day goes on. but elsewhere, plenty of sunshine around after that cold and frosty start for the afternoon, perhaps the best of the sunshine across western scotland and maybe down to step in and that sunshine in and then that sunshine temperatures will reach about eight degrees but under eight or nine degrees but under the cloud if you're the cloud and also if you're expected a fairly brisk wind it will be feeling a deal colder than that sunday evening and sees a repeat performance. a lot

of the cloud away once again, leading to a fairly cold and frosty night. but along parts of the north sea coast, again, the cloud will continue to come in, keeping things above freezing here so cold and frosty start to the new working on monday morning . best of the sunshine as morning. best of the sunshine as we start the day across western scotland and ireland down towards the south western of the country too. but then as the day goes on, this cloud, most central parts of the country will sink its way. a bit further southwards. largely dry, though, but they will still be the odd shower around as we go into the middle parts of week. very middle parts of the week. very little largely dry , little changes largely dry, often feeling cold often cloudy, but feeling cold in the wind . join me at 930 on in the wind. join me at 930 on sunday morning when . i'll be sunday morning when. i'll be asking lord frost johnson's brexit negotiator whether rishi sunak can land a deal on northern ireland that keeps the brexiteers happy. i'll be speaking to the dup's sammy wilson about the unionists demands . john bolton, the former

demands. john bolton, the former us national security adviser donald trump, joins me to discuss the first anniversary of the war in ukraine. along with a lexicon . franco. the mayor of lexicon. franco. the mayor of odesa all that and more at 930 on .

sunday hello, i'm alastair stewart and welcome. if you've just joined us. we're into the last hour of our programme keeping. you company here on tv and radio with plenty more still to come, including more of our main discussion. one year on from the start of the war in ukraine following the russian invasion. but first, let's bring you right up to date with more on that and

the rest of the day's news is bethany elsey . alistair, thank bethany elsey. alistair, thank you. good afternoon. it's 1:01. you. good afternoon. it's1:01. i'm bethany elsey your top stories from the gb news room the prime minister is facing after proposing a meeting king charles and the european president ahead of potential deal over the northern ireland protocol. ursula der leyen was due to continue talks with rishi sunak over post—brexit trading arrangement before meeting the king, but her trip was cancelled . labour's shadow northern ireland secretary says the move would had constitutional implications. would had constitutional implications . as there are implications. as there are reports a new trade deal is nearly complete, with ministers on standby , a cabinet conference on standby, a cabinet conference call and. tory mps given a three lane whip to attend parliament on monday. the foreign secretary james cleverly spoke exclusively gb news. we remain focussed on the outcome rather than the

method and the outcome is to protect northern ireland's place in the united kingdom, to make sure that people , businesses and sure that people, businesses and the political representatives , the political representatives, these people in northern ireland are comfortable with the resolution, whilst also sure that we protect the uk internal market, those are very much our motivations . that's what will motivations. that's what will drive our actions . motivations. that's what will drive our actions. ukraine's president says he plans to meet china's zhejiang ping after beijing set out a peace plan for the war between ukraine and, russia. vladimir zelenskyy didn't say when the meeting might happen , but told a news might happen, but told a news conference in kyiv that it would be beneficial for both countries and for security around the world. but us president joe told abc news beijing's proposals only benefit moscow. zelenskyy says he wants to believe china is not siding with russia probably not do motty . sure you probably not do motty. sure you should. and it's correct. think that if there are already thoughts that somehow correspond to respect international law,

territorial integrity and some security , i believe we should security, i believe we should use and work with china on this matter . why not? i want to matter. why not? i want to believe china will be on the side of a fair peace, which means on our side. side of a fair peace, which means on our side . this is very means on our side. this is very important to me . means on our side. this is very important to me. i means on our side. this is very important to me . i really want important to me. i really want to believe that china will not supply weapons to russia . the supply weapons to russia. the number of people who've been killed in the earthquakes that have hit turkey and syria has surpassed 50,000. the united estimates the destruction has left 1.5 million people homeless with 500,000 new homes needed . with 500,000 new homes needed. president erdogan has pledged rebuild homes within the year , rebuild homes within the year, but experts are warning authority to put safety before speed to ensure that new buildings can withstand further tremors and a 3.7 magnitude earthquake was felt in south wales last night. earthquake was felt in south wales last night . the british wales last night. the british geological survey's , it hit geological survey's, it hit britain more near crookwell just before with the tremor felt as

away as cardiff. on social media have described being woken up to their whole house for a short time . detectives investigating time. detectives investigating the attempted murder , an officer the attempted murder, an officer in omagh in county tyrone say the incident being treated as terror related . detective chief terror related. detective chief inspector john caldwell remains in a critical condition after being shot outside a sports centre on wednesday . police in centre on wednesday. police in northern ireland have now arrested five suspects and say the i.r.a. group is their main line of inquiry. the the i.r.a. group is their main line of inquiry . the defence line of inquiry. the defence secretary says he's confident the troubled secretary says he's confident the trouble d £5.5 billion the troubled £5.5 billion programme to build army tanks has turned a corner. the project build nearly 600 ajax fighting vehicles has faced criticism over delays and technical after nearly 13 years, its to deploy a single tank . ben wallace says single tank. ben wallace says soldiers are now being trained

in to how use them and hopes they'll be active within the military in the next two years. when i took over as secretary of defence three and a half years ago. was a troubled programme. it started its life in march 2010 and i was determined that we were either going to fix this or have to find alternatives . or have to find alternatives. and so we put a lot of effort into it, worked with general dynamics, the prime contractor, and you and with the army. and, you know, i think think office use the trials that it completed at christmas it started to christmas time it started to turn a corner . thousands of turn a corner. thousands of displaced ukrainians are being given the chance to go to the eurovision song contest in may. around 3000 tickets will be made available to ukrainians who are currently in the country. liverpool been chosen to host on behalf ukraine who would, in last year's competition . the last year's competition. the government has announced million poundsin government has announced million pounds in to make sure the event ukrainian culture . this is gb ukrainian culture. this is gb news so bringing more news as it

happens now though it's back to . alastair bethany. thank you very much indeed. let's return to our top story of the day. reflecting the war in ukraine as , yesterday war in ukraine as, yesterday marked the one year anniversary since russia invaded ukraine. thousands of citizens have been citizens have been displaced , citizens have been displaced, lost their homes and many others lost their homes and many others lost their homes and many others lost their lives as homes have been destroyed . whole been destroyed. whole communities have been laid. waste ukrainians have been fighting since the very first day. but is by no means the end. there are reports that president putin is planning a spring offensive. meanwhile many european countries and the united states of america, of are providing tanks to ukraine. other hardware air and munitions as that country seeks to defend

itself and its borders against what it sees as aggression . and what it sees as aggression. and the united nations majority see as being aggression as well. we in balance here on gb news and i'm delighted to that my next guest hope will offer some of that. james cleverly darren mccaffrey that there's no turning on the united kingdom's support for ukraine and that is certainly the case. whatever the chinese end up doing as mediators or as people supplying arms to vladimir putin and to russia . putin's suspended russia. putin's suspended elements of key nuclear arms treaties with , the united states treaties with, the united states of america and has also talked about a new generation of nuclear weapons at disposal. my next guest is stepping step pankow, who is a russian

politics commentator. but a good deal about british politics. well. having worked here in recent times as well, and i'm delighted to say that he joins live now in the studio earlier. guests i know you derive because i saw you out of the corner of my but i don't know if you heard both kim darroch and malcolm rifkind saying they don't see vladimir putin as a latter day imperialist seeking to, as it were, reconquer east europe . were, reconquer east europe. post 1989 fall of the berlin wall and all the rest of it. but they do see him as being an absolutely fierce nationalist russian and many think pieces here have been written suggesting even if putin wanted to, this incursion , he can't to, this incursion, he can't afford to domestically and he's incapable of seeing a way out of it. what's your view ? thank you. it. what's your view? thank you. i of the nationalist are arguments historically for

russia has been an easy one. even thinking back to soviet union the idea of uniting all 15 member states and one nationalist ideology was imperative to the country cohesive and state together . cohesive and state together. it's a clumsy way of putting , it's a clumsy way of putting, but. but many people of my age older will know exactly what i mean. that is no of mean. that putin is no of gorbachev and would quite like to get back to the old days of comic con and the warsaw pact . comic con and the warsaw pact. yes, it seems that he would do an certainly the idea take of ukraine and. the idea for the past 20 years to take over belarus has been on the table of russia back in the nineties recognised the independence of chechnya and yet went in and conquered the country afterwards anyway because we had the 2008 war with georgia , now we have war with georgia, now we have the provocations from russia regarding moldova , saying that regarding moldova, saying that ukraine will go in to

transnistria. now ukraine have always denied this . moldova has always denied this. moldova has denied this . but it seems that denied this. but it seems that the idea of expansion is still there and in very well to the domestic market. he needs to galvanise the domestic market because he hasn't made any advances really in the war in ukraine and. the only hope he has to stay president, to stay the ruler , russia is to make the ruler, russia is to make sure that both the elites and the people generally support him. the nationalist argument plays very well this. but but when's zelenskyy says he's fighting a war on behalf of the world. he's not contradicted by senior figures in the uk government or by figures in the united states administration . he united states administration. he isn't. and quite rightly so, because when we talk about the war in ukraine, russia says very clearly that it's fighting the west , it's clearly that it's fighting the west, it's fighting clearly that it's fighting the west , it's fighting nato clearly that it's fighting the west, it's fighting nato putin saying this everyone on russian media saying this and we don't know really what will happen or

what would have happened if ukraine did not the first initial ten days, we could have had to take over moldova. we now hear that there's a plan to take over belarus by 2030. we could have had a war in the baltics and baltic states are native members. also and the baltic states amongst the most nervous . they always knew what like from the thirties and forties and afterwards they knew that that was a threat they will eventually face. were you surprised at the dalliance between moscow and beijing that's going at the moment. i'm i'm i'm not the telltale sign came yesterday the time of zelenskyy's press conference when while he was saying that he needs to talk to china and the chinese put out peace plan with the first statement being on recognising the territorial sovereignty of ukraine and all in fact the, chinese came out

saying that putin and zelenskyy need to talk without any guarantees and. that's something that ukraine have always gone against. they always said that they first need russia after ukraine back to the borders of 1991, or at least i interrupt. only to add one other thing, because i know for a fact you weren't here when we were playing it out earlier, but the uk foreign secretary cleverly, cleverly, also said that he thought it would grave thought it would be a grave error judgement in beijing error of judgement in beijing were they to sell weapons to russia whether it's these so—called kamikaze or indeed anything else , a major error of anything else, a major error of judgement for china, most certainly the chinese have denied this already. the americans have said that there is not a solid plan, a signed plan but there is something the works it the good example is iran they have provided weapons to russia they will continue doing so and the whole world is

seeing them for what they are. they're moves to prescribe them the uk and elsewhere and the only way to move if china does even. only way to move if china does even . make the first move is to even. make the first move is to giving anything. russia is heavy sanctions and that's what the us and other countries have said. yeah do you believe it is ? one yeah do you believe it is? one of those situations that can be can be resolved militarily because both the west and russia have experience of situations that that patently could not be and afghanistan comes to mind . i and afghanistan comes to mind. i think the military option is something that will make a big difference at the end of every war. people come around the table and talk. but we see now that russia is struggling with its arms supply because the head of wagner was saying that they have a third of the shells that they need . we see reports of they need. we see reports of ukrainian reports , mind you, of

ukrainian reports, mind you, of russians scaling their artillery attacks and just sending waves of conscripts or potentially prisoners . so it seems that prisoners. so it seems that there is a struggle on the russian part and further support ukraine, be it more tanks, planes , artillery will make a planes, artillery will make a difference that will push russia to talks. this say sound a naive question but i ask it nevertheless because i'm genuinely intrigued to know what view is , how precarious putin's view is, how precarious putin's personal situation is or his his grip power still absolute visibly it's absolute absolute but the situation with hollande is an interesting sign. so he rose to big prominence with vologda role in in especially the assault and bakhmut which they were meant to take it by march they weren't so now

russian media in russian telegram channels were popular social media in we see a rollback of that people are starting criticise him and there's of course the move to create a gazprom potentially a gazprom private military company that can be seen as a competitor to prigozhin quite frankly by the end of this year i'll be if he's alive and also some people who were allowed to attend the rallies in yesterday or the day before , because many were not. before, because many were not. but those who were reported that that and this was ordinary russian citizens of the left before putin had finished . some before putin had finished. some actually left before he even so pubuc actually left before he even so public opinion here is very important is it remotely important is it remotely important in russia. well the rallies are not a good gauge of the public opinion. people were paid to be paid 500 or slightly

more rubles to attend. there are also reports that they were there until putin's spoke without being able to go to the for allegedly security reasons and then everyone left afterwards . they dumped the afterwards. they dumped the flags and they left the stadium straight away . public opinion is straight away. public opinion is if everyone rises up, but it seems in russia that's not going to . fascinating conversation and to. fascinating conversation and thank you so much for joining to. fascinating conversation and thank you so much forjoining us and if you didn't hear and kim they are available on our youtube channel and genuinely hope and think that you would enjoy them all. stefan ostapenko russian politics commentator giving his views on the situation in russia right now and his forecasts and thoughts upon. and his forecasts and thoughts upon . the situation in ukraine. upon. the situation in ukraine. great see you. thank you very much indeed. my next guest is british writer and security analyst edward lucas, who i've known quite some time and

respected all of the time that i have known him. he's a security specialist, but he's also worked in many bureau across europe and indeed across the world, and that he has delighted to see you there. and thank you very much, indeed. i'm going to start off you in the same way as i did with. and that is that both kim darroch and malcolm rifkind said that they didn't think that putin was . a sort of macro putin was. a sort of macro imperialist wanting to completely unpick the gorbachev settlement and regain what you and i grew up with as europe and re—establish and the warsaw pact . but he was a fierce and they underline that word of them. he was a fierce nationalist . what's was a fierce nationalist. what's your take and would i think there's a problem with over focusing on putin the person because our problems with russia predate putin and more lost him

. i think that the key thing to remember is that in 91 the planned economy the sort of bafis planned economy the sort of basis of communist economic rule did collapse and no one wants to bnng did collapse and no one wants to bring that back and the political monopoly of the communist party , the soviet communist party, the soviet union and its fraternal parties and the rest of we used to call eastern europe that really collapsed, too. and nobody is trying to bring that back even on russia has on depreciate russia has a degree political competition degree of political competition and different parties in that . and different parties in that. and so what didn't disappear but many people thought disappeared was the russian empire, the soviet had been an empire following on the heels of the old czarist empire and already back in the nineties , it was back in the nineties, it was clear that that imperial h or instinct or whatever call it was still there. we saw small wars in places like moldova , georgia, in places like moldova, georgia, and we saw the war in chechnya , and we saw the war in chechnya, which your previous commentator mr. steffan inco mentioned and

we tended not to look at that because we were greedy, we were arrogant and ignorant and, naive, many other things, but most of all we saw russia as , a most of all we saw russia as, a tremendous source of trade investment of . lumps of money, investment of. lumps of money, just waiting to be to be taken . just waiting to be to be taken. and this blinded many of our decision makers to the problems that we really saw . now putin that we really saw. now putin excelled this trend and exemplified in many ways with his sort of ex—kgb background. and i think that putin, we will still have a very difficult russia to deal with . and whether russia to deal with. and whether or not he goes spring, summer, autumn, winter or in the years ahead. but we will still continue to have the russia problem that we had before putin to power. so i'm going to make one more note, if i may, edward to gorbachev . i was lucky enough to gorbachev. i was lucky enough to gorbachev. i was lucky enough to be in iceland when gorbachev and reagan met in the white house the white house just outside reykjavik , not obviously outside reykjavik, not obviously the one in washington. and made

real progress in limiting nuclear arsenal on both sides. were you worried when heard putin say that he was willing at the stroke of a pen , withdraw the stroke of a pen, withdraw from elements of that family of treaties and that he was happy to wave around a new generation of nuclear weapons. at his disposal. well, do you think, as mike jackson told this program a year ago, there is a tangible threat of a third world war and that it would be a nuclear war. well, i think that the key point is that we were doing arms control negotiations in the brezhnev era and that one has to put questions of morality , human put questions of morality, human rights and all these other things on one side, when one's in the very flinty business of control, because it's in no one's interest that we have a nuclear war through miscount collection. and we did quite

close to that in the soviet era where the soviets misinterpreted what we were doing and thought that they were underneath the attack. and we got away , really, attack. and we got away, really, thanks to two to good luck and the courage of individuals who said, hang on a minute, let's just just just wait and make sure this isn't really a nuclear attack. so i think that we do to recreate the an arms control regime. and paradoxically, the fact that we are so much stronger russia is in of stronger than russia is in of nuclear weapons makes that all the more urgent because you have two roughly equally matched paths then there's a kind of stability if you've got a country that's much weaker russia is, then they're much more nervous. so i think that we need try and rebuild. yes. on need to try and rebuild. yes. on the nuclear and on the conventional side , the sort of conventional side, the sort of arms control regime we had at the end of the cold war. and it would very difficult. i'm not would be very difficult. i'm not i'm not i mean, if you look at today's financial times there's an piece by david an excellent piece by david manning, of the great brains manning, one of the great brains of foreign office. of the old foreign office. jonathan pearl used to be blair's we what

blair's adviser on what we what we to do to sort of contain we need to do to sort of contain constrain both the russian menace but also the risk the menace but also the risk the menace and the citing george kennan who wrote the famous telegram back in the late forties about what to do with the with the soviet threat . and the with the soviet threat. and one big element of that is to get into the get back into this nitty gritty of arms control. so i agree with that . i think it's i agree with that. i think it's a pity putin's doing it all carry a lot of work to try and turn turn this round. yeah turn this turn this round. yeah are you in your mind, edward, as to what is up to because you mentioned the financial times in that piece there , the west warns that piece there, the west warns of severe costs for nations aiding russian war effort . and aiding russian war effort. and we know that beijing have in there 12 point peace plan . i there 12 point peace plan. i also have a copy of that with me here. but also the papers are full of them talking, selling kamikaze drones as some people

call them, to russia as well. and malcolm and kim darroch both said that they thought that was a very high strategy for china , a very high strategy for china, who was still trying to find its place in the new era world. what is your view? well alister, you're absolutely right to raise and i think china is potentially the game changer in all directions . so if the game changer in all directions. so if china has already very firmly to putin don't use nuclear weapons and that was quite a. and stop threatening the use nuclear weapons. and that was already important intervention toned down lot of this very reckless talk that we saw from russia in the earlier phase of the war. china has helped russia a bit on sanctions busting and is now the most important economic partner for. if they wanted to they could pull the rug from under putin completely and he wouldn't be able to fight the war anymore . so that's one potential thing

they can do . if they threw their they can do. if they threw their full weight . putin that would full weight. putin that would help him because they have huge quantities of all the things that he's short of, not just drones artillery and drones but also artillery and trucks and all the other things . it be extremely . and it would be extremely difficult for ukraine to keep going you had the full weight going if you had the full weight of china behind and it would then turn it very much into a real east—west conflict because we then be putting we would then be putting pressure on china to try pressure to bear on china to try make them supporting russia make them stop supporting russia . and we would be, in a very dangerous era . i do think the dangerous era. i do think the chinese want to go full on supporting russia because . supporting russia because. they've got a huge stake in the world economy, staggering forward as it is at the moment. so they don't want kind of new cold war on the economic front. i'm sceptical about whether that ten point peace plan is really going to they actually going to if they were actually seriously engaged in a peace plan, they'd be talking to the ukrainians and there's no sign so that bothered to so far that they've bothered to pick up to pick up the phone up to president zelenskyy and that would be a of their first nato

have made it clear for many of the reasons that you cite there and that frankly beijing and others that frankly beijing simply have the simply doesn't have the credibility to, to be the authors of a that would be meaningful. if you look at and if you look at what the history they there's only one instance of them being involved any sort of them being involved any sort of multilateral diplomacy which is over north korea and they've played a very motion role. so i think it's pretty fair to say that the chinese suck at this sort of thing and everything they've tried to do is sort of be a grand foreign has been a failure. so be surprising failure. so would be surprising if became the peace if they became the peace breakers in in ukraine but they do have enormous weight if they chose deploy and deployed chose to deploy it and deployed skilfully, they would make a difference. edward difference. indeed, said edward lucas for your wisdom. as lucas, you for your wisdom. as always, great pleasure to talk always, a great pleasure to talk to you it always is. and to you as it always is. and thanks breaking your weekend thanks for breaking your weekend to share your thoughts and reflections with us and best wishes to both of you. thank you very it was me because very much. it was me because that british commentator and analyst , the situation . a year

analyst, the situation. a year since russia invaded ukraine and began its full scale of that country from its own soil and indeed from belarus . britain indeed from belarus. britain held a minute's silence in honour of the many thousand of ukrainians who had died since the conflict began a year ago . the conflict began a year ago. while ukraine's allies reaffirmed their commitment to helping the country toward victory over neighbour. our reporter will wallace has been following events around the one year anniversary . yes, his year anniversary. yes, his report . it was the siren that report. it was the siren that signalled the coming change in a matter of hours. russia's invasion turned millions of ukrainians into refugees and tens of thousands civilians into soldiers . all of our officers . soldiers. all of our officers. attwood, president zelenskyy, once a comedian , now a once a comedian, now a celebrated war leader . somebody

celebrated war leader. somebody distinguished , we will defeat distinguished, we will defeat threats, he says. one year on. speaking to his nation, he describes as a year of bravery and hope. a year of . the war in and hope. a year of. the war in the east has been ongoing since 2014, but few believed russia would launch a full scale invasion of its neighbour and in turn the ukraine could hold out for so long. since then, 8000 ukrainian civilians have died. the true number will be much higher from the fighting. more a hundred thousand ukrainian soldiers are thought to have been killed. russian losses could be twice as many. in britain. the war has been marked with silence from . the start of with silence from. the start of the invasion. the uk has stood beside its ukrainian prime minister rishi welcomed his counterpart in recent weeks . yes

counterpart in recent weeks. yes the ukrainian catholic in london, former prime boris johnson lighting candles. meanwhile, king, who met president zelenskyy on his visit, said that ukrainians have endured unimaginable suffering dunng endured unimaginable suffering during the war while applauding support from britain and its allies . at times symbolic this allies. at times symbolic this street in, london, renamed kyiv road. street in, london, renamed kyiv road . but weapons are the true road. but weapons are the true signify here of commitment . signify here of commitment. poland's prime minister, matteo use marvet ski confirmed of the leopard 2 tanks his country pledged to the cause is not only a document not only documentary real tanks are also good. we have freedom. give wings to protect it. ukraine asks for jets defence secretary ben wallace says it's not as simple as handing them over, but their role options. if there are other countries with russian or soviet jets which they could just transfer over. britain will

explore what it can to give those countries that reassurance that their own skies will be protected . del mar putin protected. del mar putin so—called special military operation for the most part failed yet has mobilised his homeland and has resources for a long war. uk olivia . homeland and has resources for a long war. uk olivia. his homeland and has resources for a long war. uk olivia . his friends long war. uk olivia. his friends in china have a constructive ceasefire and de—escalation . ceasefire and de—escalation. it's unknown if the russian leader is listening. dorner. put the world is watching, wondering what might happen next. will hollis . gb news and if you hollis. gb news and if you missed it first time out and were wondering what that blue crush helmet was in the great hall of westminster. it was a pilot's helmet that president zelenskyy gave to lindsay hoyle, the speaker of the house of commons, as a little aid memoir about the need for jets such as

presidents . we've more to come presidents. we've more to come this afternoon on alastair stewart& friends after the break, we'll be getting the latest from uk as a protest is currently taking place outside nuttall . that's been housing nuttall. that's been housing asylum seekers, but let's bring you up to date with the weather. hello i'm craig simon. here is your latest forecast from the met office as we go through the next days is set to remain largely dry and settled across the country and that's all courtesy of huge of high courtesy of a huge of high pressure, which is going to pressure, which is not going to go very far over the next few days. it does bring a fairly cool breeze off the north sea. so you along the east so if you live along the east coast of england or the coast of england or down the engush coast of england or down the english channel, wrap english channel, certainly wrap up as we through up warm as we go through the next here. for the rest next few days here. for the rest of saturday, we'll see lot of the melt away and to the cloud melt away and that to later a cold frosty night later a cold and frosty night for a lot of the uk. but along the north sea coast we maintain some rather cloudy skies maybe the here. so the odd shower here. so temperatures actually staying above but above freezing here but elsewhere we could lows elsewhere we could see lows falling down minus four falling down to minus four or minus a few spots . so in

minus five in a few spots. so in going into sunday very little changes actually. we still maintain rather cloudy skies across northern parts of england, eastern scotland that may well filter its way. a little bit further southwards as the day goes on. but elsewhere, plenty of sunshine around after that cold and frosty start for the afternoon, perhaps then the best of the sunshine across western and maybe down towards devon and, cornwall. then devon and, cornwall. and then that temperatures will that sunshine temperatures will reach degrees. but reach eight or nine degrees. but under and also few under the cloud. and also few expected a fairly brisk wind. it will be feeling a good deal colder than that sunday evening then a repeat performance. then sees a repeat performance. a lot of the cloud melting away once again leading a fairly cold and frosty night along parts the nonh and frosty night along parts the north sea coast. again, the cloud continue to come in, keeping things freezing here. so a cold and frosty start to the new week on monday . a cold and frosty start to the new week on monday. best of a cold and frosty start to the new week on monday . best of the new week on monday. best of the sunshine . we start the day sunshine. we start the day across western scotland , in across western scotland, in ireland, down towards the south, parts of the country to but a nice day goes on this across most central parts of the will

sink its way a bit further southward largely dry though but there will still be the odd shower around . and as we go into shower around. and as we go into the middle part of the week, very little changes dry very little changes largely dry , often cloudy. that feeling cold in the wind.

hello there. welcome back. it's 134. i'm bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb newsroom the prime minister is facing criticism after proposing a meeting between king charles and the european commission president ahead of, an the european commission president ahead of , an expected president ahead of, an expected deal on the northern ireland protocol. ursula von darling was due to continue talks with rishi sunakin due to continue talks with rishi sunak in person before meeting the king. but her trip was cancelled. shadow northern ireland secretary says the move would have had constant technical implications. there

are reports a new trade deal, almost complete with ministers on standby for a cabinet call and tory mps are given a three line whip to attend on monday. ukraine's president says he to meet china's xi jinping after beijing set out a peace plan for the war between ukraine and russia . volodymyr zelenskyy russia. volodymyr zelenskyy didn't say when the meeting might happen, but told a news conference in kyiv that it be beneficial for both countries and for the security around the world. but us president joe biden told abc news that beijing's only benefit moscow . beijing's only benefit moscow. the number of people who've been killed in the earthquakes that hit turkey and syria has surpassed thousand. the united nafions surpassed thousand. the united nations estimates destruction has left 1.5 million people homeless , with 500,000 new homes homeless, with 500,000 new homes needed. homeless, with 500,000 new homes needed . president erdogan has needed. president erdogan has pledged rebuild homes within the. but experts are warning to

put safety before speed to ensure new buildings can withstand further and. and detectives investigating the attempted murder of an officer omagh in county tyrone say the incident is being treated as terror related. detective chief inspector john caldwell remains in a critical condition after being shot outside sports centre on wednesday. police in northern ireland have now arrested five suspects and the new ira group . suspects and the new ira group. their main line of inquiry. you're up to date , tv online and you're up to date, tv online and db plus radio. this is gb news. now get back to . now get back to. alastair the bethany. thank you very much indeed. as i mentioned a moment ago, before news bulletin, a protest counter protest style

currently taking place outside the barras stafford hotel in newquay , which is housing asylum newquay, which is housing asylum seekers . the group were placed seekers. the group were placed in the back in november as , a in the back in november as, a temporary measure by the home office. joining now from newquay is db news southwest reporter jeff moody it was timing perfect as ever. geoff the two sides i'm guessing are gathering behind you and we've heard from one of them already. what's the presence like? because these things we've seen on merseyside can occasionally get quite unpleasant . the police presence unpleasant. the police presence also has actually been very slight . they they've they're slight. they they've they're doing this with a very light press. on one side we have the anti—fascist fascist protesters. if you listen on the radio , i'll if you listen on the radio, i'll just read out some of these signs for you. fascist racists home? no. to racism . to fascism. home? no. to racism. to fascism. and then if you look up at the

windows , the various hotel, you windows, the various hotel, you can see the asylum seekers out wondering what earth is going on. there's coalition flags on both sides of the road here. there's a polish flag over there and one on this side too, because this really is an issue that's dividing the duchy. so that's dividing the duchy. so that's that side , the road on that's that side, the road on this side of , the road, all the this side of, the road, all the people that calling fascists, the people that they're calling racists , these are the people of racists, these are the people of newquay . let's have a little newquay. let's have a little wander and see what we can talk some of them. they to us that they fed up with what's been happening. they're fed up with not feeling safe on their own streets . let's see if we can streets. let's see if we can talk to some of what brings you here today, sir. well there's been lots of reports to the police of this hotel of the migrants causing problems. it's happened in, penzance. it's happened in, penzance. it's happenedin happened in, penzance. it's happened in other towns , happened in other towns, cornwall. of people cornwall. and lots of people here me it's happening. here tell me it's happening. newquay hotel newquay migrants from the hotel harassing girls. you see harassing. girls. i want you see these migrants each other and these migrants each other and these migrants each other and these migrant camps. and in the

boats , if can't get on with boats, if they can't get on with their fellow migrants, how are they on with they going to get on with everyone this country, everyone else in this country, you it's all the muslims you know? it's all the muslims attacking hindus in leicester last threatening last year, threatening to rape jews year before. so jews in london year before. so they're going get on with they're not going to get on with they're not going to get on with the scottish or the or the scottish or the english or for that matter, the cornish. okay thank you your views, okay thank you for your views, sir. side of sir. so are the other side of the they you are the road. they that you are racist scum , that you are racist scum, that you are fascist scum, you're racist fascist scum, you're racist fascist scum? not at all. i've just back from the ukraine bringing to the bringing refugees back to the netherlands . they netherlands to a church. they were and children totally were women and children totally to this law, the men in the windows in the hotel behind us are stick in the middle fingers up to us now. it's simple to see why we've got this thing going on in england from these community. you've you've just you've you've just got to google, my love thursday. this is what happens in the east every thursday every fall in england. we always prepare to celebrate anyway in the middle east, have kind of stone, especially thursdays they grow

and they all sexually the young boys let's not get that at boys okay let's not get that at the moment. let's just say. but thank you very much indeed . as thank you very much indeed. as you see, feelings are you can see, feelings are certainly running very rife on this side of the street as they are on the other side of, the street. but as i said, there's certainly been no violence as yet, but certainly a of bad feeling now. okay debate is debate is all and violence is completely let's hope it stays that way . jeff, thank you very that way. jeff, thank you very much indeed. jeff there, our west bengal correspondent in newquay with both sides now, as it were, of that protest outside the beresford hotel housing for asylum seekers. and you're watching listening alastair stewart& friends here on gb news tv and radio and online with plenty more still to come this afternoon , including a afternoon, including a conversation with conservative member of parliament tobias ellwood, about the west's with the war in ukraine and how much it is costing us and whether , as it is costing us and whether, as some suggest, it is deeply in our capacity to ourselves. plus

how threatening should we be about potentially sending weapons to russia? but first, a quick .

break welcome. you're watching and listening to alastair stewart, friends here on gb news tv and radio online with plenty more to come this afternoon. i'm delighted to say. i'll be joined in a moment by conservative member of parliament tobias ellwood, and we will be discussing the west's the discussing the west's with the war ukraine following the russian invasion a year ago and just how much it is costing us as british taxpayers. plus how threatened we should feel about china potentially sending weapons to. but first, before of that, a quick break and i do that. let me say one other thing

and that is to apologised profusely for a little bad language in geoff moody's , not language in geoff moody's, not from jeff but from one of the people he was to . talking we people he was to. talking we couldn't stop it. my apologies but they were are please accept my apologies and stay with us for the of alastair stewart& friends . and there he is i've friends. and there he is i've mentioned him twice now i'm delighted to say i'm joined by tobias ellwood sitting there in his familiar stubby with an excellent array books and that now all too familiar a statue there of the tower containing big ben tobias great to see you. one little bit of breaking news which , i'm sure you will have which, i'm sure you will have seen as the chair of the defence select committee, ben wallace, the defence claims victory in for increased defence spending. there it is, front page of the

telegraph, down at the bottom that what you're hearing as well . well, let's wait and see. we haven't seen the full spending package, the budget hasn't been announced yet. there a lot of comments are made in the weekend papers perhaps a nudge to cajole . i do hope the message is being heard in the treasury. i think you summarised it very, very well indeed. we're involved in supporting the quite rightly, but that's having an impact on our own stocks , our own supply our own stocks, our own supply chains , our own equipment. we chains, our own equipment. we need to replenish that. and also, the world's getting more dangerous, not less so is absolutely important that . we absolutely important that. we invest in defence. but i also hope that, you know, you and i, between us, we can actually explain why that budget needs to go explain why that budget needs to 9° up explain why that budget needs to go up because you take where i'm in bournemouth , the cost of in bournemouth, the cost of living is affected by ukraine. the because grain can't get out of odesa, for example. that's had an impact on food . the oil had an impact on food. the oil and gas prices have gone up as

well. so i always try let me me just about it. and so we can we can jointly meet that challenge of explaining to people who are kind enough to join us and listen to our conversation. i think i told once before i, think i told you once before i, attended a charity event, was addressed by the chief of the defence staff he said this defence staff and he said this situation in ukraine is not something that may go on for a few months. it may go for on a decade and we heard james, the foreign secretary on gb news this morning saying our commitment to ukraine and supporting their borders , their supporting their borders, their integrity under the un charter is absolute and, in effect, open ended. is absolute and, in effect, open ended . yeah. i mean , i think ended. yeah. i mean, i think it's just important to make the case to the british people because there be some that will say, why are we spending on defence when we've got quite rightly, we need to invest in our our hospitals, our schools, our hospitals, other as well. just other things as well. i'm just making if you

making the point that if you don't look after your security, your affected as , your prosperity is affected as, is being affected by ukraine, but then your next question, you know, we've done well to support ukraine, but president putin is determined to drag this out. he wants a frozen conflict. his the west will lose the political appetite to stay the course all the more reason why 2023 will be a critic . we don't have the a critic. we don't have the perhaps the ability to this drag out for another ten years. you touched in your introduction china now looking to support russia have it its lose this battle therefore having to weigh in to try and tip the balance. we're going through a very, very dangerous period indeed. and it's all the more important that the west sticks helps ukraine punch through russian defences . punch through russian defences. so that's why those tanks are critical to actually regain territory , show that we've got territory, show that we've got momentum, push russia out of ukraine proper. have we momentum, push russia out of ukraine proper . have we been ukraine proper. have we been over bold and ended up depleting

our own defence? god forbid there should be another call and things like iraq and afghanistan are very difficult to predict, but things crop up and we may find ourselves without the hardware, the munitions and the rest of it to support your former squad yourself, to support british fighting men and women . if such a dreadful women. if such a dreadful situation went to present itself . and i've also had a very lucid made and that is zelenskyy's request fighter jets, which united kingdom seems more towards the united of america . towards the united of america. royal air force fighting are engaged day in, day out. but trolling the security of the airspace over the north sea against incursions by russian bombers. russian reconnaissance aircraft. these are guys parked

up in hangars just waiting for. oh, chocks away. let's go and have a sortie. they are working 24 seven. yeah, i mean you're right to describe a deteriorating security picture i'm afraid we've had three decades of actually being rather complacent since the end of the cold war. so we've cut back on our our air force , our navy our our air force, our navy capabilities and army as well . capabilities and army as well. and now those chickens are coming home to roost. if you don't invest in your armed forces, then i'm your adversaries. take advance each of you. and that's what we saw you know, we gave up in afghanistan and russia took that as an indication of the lack of long term commitment, i'm sure. and to him to then invade ukraine if we don't stop russia in ukraine putin determined to expand sphere of influence back the warsaw pact countries. it's so important that we stay there . that was zelenskyy's line that i quoted. i quoted to two of my

other guests as well, because i remember discussing it a year ago, zelenskyy said, if we don't stop in ukraine and he will march on berlin , that may be a march on berlin, that may be a little poetic it may be a little bit, but possibly . but it's bit, but possibly. but it's exactly the same point that you've made. yes exactly. again, testing the will moldova would probably be the next place that russia would then move into once . you've done moldova. you're then looking at the sochi corridor. this corridor that links the that would spring off the baltic nations between kaliningrad and belarus and then of course he is starting to spread his influence ever further back . i think more and further back. i think more and more so by china. and that sees our world's splintering into two spheres of influence , you know, spheres of influence, you know, we pride ourselves on the fact that we're imposing sanctions, but only four nations across world have actually imposed sanctions. some big countries still sitting on the fence . the still sitting on the fence. the status quo of , you know, world status quo of, you know, world order is not working. it's

starting to fragment . so we need starting to fragment. so we need to lean into this starting by putting the fire out in ukraine. is also being redefined . the is also being redefined. the sense and i put this to malcolm rifkind and kim darroch at the beginning of the program that it's being redefined fine by putin if he has his way to a kind of pre gorbachev pre perestroika glasnost back to old days of comic con and even warsaw pact now now that's exactly it i think we kid ourselves that somehow putin is fighting this unpopular war and is about to be ousted . he's, as is about to be ousted. he's, as even is about to be ousted. he's, as ever, popular in russia because he controls the media. and he also lifted the country out a very, very poor condition when the soviet union collapsed , you the soviet union collapsed, you know, russia went into huge economic decline and it was putin that lifted the country and gave it a sense of purpose and gave it a sense of purpose and sense pride again. so he's able to off that. so most people believe the propaganda believe

is western aggression needs to be stood up to as long as that exists. we need to recognise this isn't about ukraine alone. this about a new appetite of putin to challenge the west supported ever supported by china. i mean, we've been too timid. it's taken us. yeah a year to get main battle tanks to ukraine. and as i stress , ukraine. and as i stress, ukraine. and as i stress, ukraine needs to show . it's ukraine needs to show. it's gaining terrain, punching russian defences and can only do that with top cover as well. hence the call for air superiority to you know, through force jets . tobias it's always force jets. tobias it's always pleasure to talk to you. thank you very much indeed for breaking into your weekend to do that and you take care i hope you enjoy the rest of it and thank you very much indeed. good to talk to you, tobias. that chair of the defence select committee, conservative member of parliament bournemouth of for parliament bournemouth east. broke out east. now when the war broke out in ukraine a year ago and many of you been tweeting me and, sending emails, saying it's not

a question of a war out, it's a question of russia invading, a sovereign state, that it happens to be called ukraine, whose borders are supposed to be protected by the united nations charter and all of the rest of it. thousands of people across britain opened their homes to refugees , were fleeing that refugees, were fleeing that conflict we've already talked about. conflict we've already talked about . how many of you went out about. how many of you went out to poland and went out to ukraine to do your bit and help there either as individuals with one of the very many charities is that you so brilliantly and generously support but as i say, thousands of people came here fleeing that while not every sponsorship under the homes for ukraine scheme was successful , ukraine scheme was successful, certainly it wasn't a great triumph . government triumph. government communications , that particular communications, that particular policy. but there we are . many policy. but there we are. many did make it here and were made more than welcome. britain is now home to around 100,000 from the ukrainian refugees and i

think that is something to be very proud of and to celebrate it and i'm delighted to be joined on the programme now by refugee liana tatton over and host ravin nadiya nok. thank you both very much indeed. let start start off if i may with liana was it anything like you'd imagined it was going to be or was it totally different . hi to was it totally different. hi to everyone . yes it was totally everyone. yes it was totally different for me like new life new country, new language should speak so . yeah, yeah . do you speak so. yeah, yeah. do you hope to be able to get back eventually to ukraine? is that your the big ambition or are you so happy here? if it's possible, you'd like, stay . and i have you'd like, stay. and i have much pain for people in ukraine and for my country. much pain for people in ukraine and for my country . and i want and for my country. and i want to come back there as soon as possible. but i like to live

here as well. and i have people who new people that so help each other. simple support each other, and we can , as a family other, and we can, as a family here as well. i know your your mother , if i may say so , for as mother, if i may say so, for as long as it's appropriate for you to stay. and what a lovely, lovely family, you are blessed. robin ravindra , how did it prove robin ravindra, how did it prove to be a lot more than your your good will and good spirit . good will and good spirit. wanted to make it. did it just turn out very difficult in the beginning? yeah it was a bit of challenging, actually due to the different processes , the bombs different processes, the bombs for ukraine scheme. it was very new as well there were a lot of complications in the beginning, i would say. how we do this, fill out the applications and all of that, but think once we passed through that it was it was okay. we received help from

councillors and local good relations group. good will often triumphs and half of that . i triumphs and half of that. i ravindra great to talk to you. thank you very much indeed and. also liana really lovely to meet you, albeit on television and you, albeit on television and you are very welcome . what you are very welcome. what a lucky person you are and your family with that lovely family have embraced you . thank you have embraced you. thank you very much indeed for breaking into weekend to share those experience journeys. that, alas, is all we have time today. i hope you've. enjoyed it. found it interesting. great interviews with all of my guest. if you missed any them, you can catch up on them and that is by subscribing our youtube channel at gb news on youtube and i'll be back tomorrow at 1:00. until then, i hope you enjoy the rest of today, the rest of the week, and until from all of us. i'm alison and friends a very good afternoon to you. bye bye. hello, i'm craig stow. and here is your latest forecast from the met office. well, as we go through the next few days, it's set to remain largely dry and

settled the country. and that's all courtesy a huge area of all courtesy of a huge area of high pressure, which is not going go far over the going to go very far over the next days. it does bring in next few days. it does bring in a off the north sea. a fairly cool off the north sea. so if you live along the east coast of england or down across the certainly the english channel, certainly wrap up warm as we go through the here for the rest the next few here for the rest of saturday will see a lot of of saturday i will see a lot of the cloud melt away and that will a cold frosty will lead to a cold and frosty night lot of the uk. but night for a lot of the uk. but along the north sea coast will maintain some rather cloudy skies. shower skies. maybe the odd shower here. staying here. so temperatures staying above but above freezing here. but elsewhere see falling elsewhere could see lows falling down minus of minus in down to minus of minus five in a few . so going into sunday, very few. so going into sunday, very little changes set to still maintain rather skies across northern parts . england, eastern northern parts. england, eastern scotland too . that may well scotland too. that may well filter its way a little bit southwards as the day goes on. but elsewhere, plenty of sunshine around after that cold and frosty start with the afternoon perhaps seeing the best the sunshine across western scotland , maybe down towards scotland, maybe down towards devon cornwall . then that devon and cornwall. then that sunshine temperatures will reach about degrees. but

about eight or nine degrees. but under cloud also if under the cloud and also if you're exposed this fairly you're exposed to this fairly brisk will be feeling brisk wind, it will be feeling a good deal colder than that . good deal colder than that. sunday evening sees sunday evening then sees a repeat performance. a lot of the cloud melting away once again, leading to fairly cold and frosty night. but along parts of the north coast, again, the cloud will continue to come in, keeping things above freezing here so cold and frosty to the new working week on monday morning. best of the sunshine as we start the day across scotland and ireland. down towards the south western parts of country too. but a nice day goes on this cloud across most parts of the country will sink its way bit further southwards, largely dry, though, but there will still be the odd shower around. and as we go the middle part of the go into the middle part of the week, very little changes and largely dry, often cloudy but feeling in wind .