a family friend, i thought i was humbled before this really humbles you appreciate life and scenes of jubilation also with cheering and don bass as vladimir putin recognizes the independence of john yet scanned lugens republics and pledges to ensure peace in that region. it, i'm certain we haven't been abandoned and that we have a future. we greeted the knees with tears and we are happy. at least there will now be order. the bombings will stop and people will be able to lead normal lives. germany, it suspends the north stream to gas pipeline as to western house threatened sanctions against moscow. and russian foreign minister says western condemnation of vladimir putin move was expected. and the mince agreement on the ukrainian conflict have been trampled on by p. f and archive documents obtained by

a german magazine reveal that pledge from the u. s. and nato not to expand the alliance beyond germany, back in 1991. just a few minutes ago, we discussed this with a former foreign minister of austria. he reminded the world, he reminded his interview partner, please be aware. we have lied to russia. he doesn't like that need betrayed russia . ah. so it's been 24 hours of major developments with the ukraine crisis. we continue our road and cover it. you're not, you international, it's good to have you with us today. so the big news is that russia's state duma has ratified treaties of military and economic cooperation with danielle and lucon square publics. that's off to vladimir putin find a decree, recognizing them as sovereign states. and here's how some of the don bath residents

on refugees from the region in russia greeted that decision. we certainly does not ac paula's region 14. i think he's a nice day, wednesday he thought about it. i know this did anything with he knew he shot it with. there are some really important points here to make a note of according to the sign. the agreements are russia bold. i help to ensure the defense of the 2 republics that includes protecting that borders. deal also allows the participants to create and use military bases on each other's territory . and also recognize each other's official documents including passports. and as we understand russia will provide support for financial and banking systems in the to republics. the treaties were portly,

the treaties will last our 10 years. and as we understand, they can be prolonged in an automatic manner or ushers. a foreign minister say that aside from peacekeepers, roster has no immediate plans to send troops to the new republics, and such a decision will be based on possible future threats. meanwhile, the russian president has voice alarm of nato's plans for military exercises with ukraine. to show the west, to start to, to explore the territory of ukraine as a future theater of military action. joint exercises are aimed against russia last year alone, more than $20000.00 troops. and more than a 1000 units of hardware to part, we should tallying up some numbers for you right now in the program. more than $13000.00 people are now died since the start of the ukrainian conflict. almost a quarter of the victims civilians and more than 23000 have been injured and more than a 1000000 ukrainians are now dis placed, or russia's recognition of the republics commons,

mid fresh escalations. in dawn bass dozens of seas. 5 violations were reported overnight from both sides of the border and for now several regions and on bass had been cut off from the water supply due to heavy shelling. correspondence in dawn, yes, very near to it. his room and course a refill. be filing a, a full report shortly for now though his a, an update from him. we are in the village of sy, glen of car, right outside the city of the nest. this place is a home to about a 1000 people. and so from major major fighting of the last few days, i was told it's better to put on a bulletproof vest before thought working. we are now waiting for the red cross who are going to deliver water tanks for the people here because as a result of shelling, water supply was cut off to the people here and in nearby towns as well, all and all about a lot more than 20000 people have no access to drink in water that

come to the car. bomb went off in the center of new guns can what is actually being called an attempted assassination of a local official all intimate and shelling has been ongoing for days. reporting now from don't ask us senior correspondent, but i'd guess well, situation here in the next could certainly much come of than it was yesterday as vladimir putin book pad that to recognize the independence of lugens and the nets. things squatted down somewhat off of the decree we heard from the russian president, but that's only here in them yet, as we've heard from a our friends or contacts across the east than you crate these, the conflict lines and these parts of the country we've heard about shelling, endless shelling with gloucester throughout the night in areas just north of here in des, buds of anger in costa custody of iep. and there was also shelling in la gods.

we have heard there pallet station was here. yesterday there was a $122.00 millimeter artillery board to bear, which is bad, and by the means agreements it shouldn't be here. but again, sci fi violations are being recorded and being conducted by both sides of the conflict. that is the ukrainian military, as well as the breakaway republics, now recognized by russia of the security situation here. while the haps here called that it was yesterday, remains critical, remains in the sense that a state of escalation. nevertheless, it remains to be seen one of the hours the company now is will bring because obviously the situation is developing very quickly. the international community is focused right now on what is happening here. so there is

a lot of pressure will sides to be on their best behavior late if they're coming out of key f right now. the president, ukraine's president is now saying that he's considering suffering diplomatic ties with russia. the same time like him is zalinski said he didn't think that would be an all out war adding though that in that eventuality, he would have to impose martial law. in an earlier address, he stressed that ukraine quote won't give anything to anybody. now for it's part of moscow says he doesn't want to suffer relations early. a rushes foreign ministry issued a statement, according the recognition, quote, a hard but necessary decision on that was spaced 1st and foremost on she, monetary and grounds of the russian foreign minister. so get off her off said that since 2014, the ukrainian government has no longer represented all ukrainian people. but you must krashib, documented one of the key documents to his basic to the interpretation of the un charter is the declaration on principles of international law. concerning friendly

relations and corporation among states, it has never been questioned by anybody. the declaration stresses that the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity implies only to states that abide by the principal if equality and self determination of peoples. hence, only to states that have a government representing all their people without discrimination based on race or religious beliefs. i think no one can say that since the qu, in 2014, the ukrainian government represents all the people of ukraine. many regions of ukraine rejected that anti constitutional step, which turned a tragic pages in ukraine's history. what's happened in crimea and easton ukraine shows the scale of this rejection by millions of people who oh, reaction has been coming from the west as well. the drama chancellors halted certification of the newly built gnawed stream to gas pipeline linking to russia. although i've shown, said balin still has no plans to send lethal arms to ukraine,

let us shed some light on his right now brought light to our correspondence who are across this story, policy clear and berlin and shudder and was nasty standing by for us in london. good to have you both on again this afternoon, paula. straight to you. a berlin has pulled the plug on a massive project in which it and many other european countries invested billions of euro's and to what, what more can you tell us? well, adequately say the german economic ministry has said that it is halting any kind of plans to fight the north stream 2 and a line pipe gas line. and this is that request of the german chancellor after a he met a few hours ago with the irish prime minister here in the german capital of berlin . and this will be the situation until further notice. we heard from the german chancellor that the situation has fundamentally changed to quote him. russia has broken all agreements in international law. and by recognizing these 2 provinces,

it is incomprehensible and unjustified. the chancellor also said that by halting the certification process, this was a clear signal to moscow that such actions will not remain without consequence. the german chancellor sang and i'm quoting, that russia has no backing whatsoever in the international community. now we're talking here about a 750 mile under water pipeline. it has already been built by a subsidiary of the russian state owned gas problem. and it has just been awaiting some kind of some kind of certification. and until now, berlin has been reluctant to included in any kind of sanctions that it imposes on russia. but of course now we see that the situation has changed. the chancellor also said that that he was busy assisting alternative methods to secure germany's

energy supplies. now on a different take, which is perhaps a silver lining, the chancellor again refused to supply alms to kill, kill has repeatedly requested arms. and from the beginning of this, the upsurge environments, there has been a refusal from germany to do so. the germany says it will focus its attention on financial and economic assistance. this continues against the backdrop of international condemnation of president putin's recognition of lou guns and nits . the 1st package, our sanctions will be formally tabled later today by the european commission and the european council. they have said that they will target those who are responsible for what they call this illegal decision, and that they will also target banks who are financing russian military and

operations in new guns and the nets. and lastly, they what they plant or the target, the ability of the russian government to access the use capital and financial markets. so we'll be keeping an eye on that to the coming. always i paula, from berlin to london. now where the shadow standing by the u. k has slapped sanctions on 5 russian buying cent warned or further action to come. meantime, the ruble is going through the floor. tell us what's happening. while the earth has not proved stage one knows it package a severe sanction. i think our talk to entity is russian state from me to effect fractions on 5 thanks. i 3 very i was in school with that accent to be for you to you know, this is just us step. this is

a fast us plenty more to crop. if it's way to escalate now, how many pop into please leave the opposition in far enough? those even say things like this very tunnel. shoddy. i'm so sorry to interrupt you . i do beg your pardon. we've got we've got a rotten signal right now. we've got some technical issues here at mosca. please stand by my apologies. shot to both of you and paula will will join you very soon. thanks very much. well, on the story, just a short time ago here at all teens and nationally in moscow, i spoke with karen can. i saw the form of foreign minister of austria on the issue of nor stream to she thinks that shutting down this pipeline is actually gonna harm germany's own interests. is that from an indication for germany, not only when it comes to an she's security supply of 4, it's janet households and companies. but it also has tremendous implications for

germany companies foreign large because who will in the future. and then in 2 major infrastructure projects in germany with companies, if you to political intervention, these infrastructure bro checks are stopped, are abolished. so it's all about the trustworthiness, the credibility of the german business are. and i don't know, our governments will be able to handle that because if they're amended mismanagement in energy politics as such, hunter, the then to a foreign minister reminded the world to your mind. it is into your partners. please be aware we have likes to russia. he said, it is if you like that me betrayed russia because we gave promises and that was not only he can show that was james baker, us colleague. and there are others that there won't be an expansion going beyond

the end of documents down to only confirm what the russian concerns have been on the last 2 years. definitely ukraine is a proxy more like situation that has been a stay made to situation on the problem that is asked as a comic and social situation. all the people living there. we have constant challenge. there was no moma dated life and people. it could be a mouse too. as a horrible human drama, people are suffering. the danger is there, that's the full fledged comfort from facial dimension has definitely been accelerated of books. it comes off to the west of the end of the day. ultimately did fail to address moscow security concerns though, basically rebuffed among the biggest of these is nato expansion further eastwards,

it's something that russia says it was promised would never happen. well, let's give you a little bit of that history. it's a bit murky, but as well worth digging into his artes saskia say. politics is a touchy game put of scandal lies and broken promises which promises you ask. we agreed that there is no intention to expand the nato security zone further to the east. this supplies in general and not only to the german democratic republic, which we do not want to incorporate. that c, then german foreign minister in 1990, telling wild that nato is done when it comes to members. no more wet all fill up. now here's a map of nate to members in 1990 and in 2022. do you see where i'm going with the broken promises? maybe he mis spoke, you say maybe, but here are the newly discovered minutes of the meeting. one year later, i tend to buy the foreign ministers of the u. s. the u. k. france and germany. we

had made it clear during the 2 plus for negotiations, so we would not extend nato beyond the odor. we could not therefore offer poland and others membership in nato. we made it clear to the soviet union that we do not intend to benefit from the withdrawal of soviet troops from eastern europe. nato should not expand to the east either officially or unofficially. this thing being court and ally would make you humble, but no, sometimes he'll so far into it. the only thing you can do is keep it going. i would like to state once again that neither the 2 plus for agreement nor the nato russia founding act contained promises to russia that nato would not expand to the east. the 2 plus for agreement does not mention this issue at all, and any statements to the contrary do not correspond to reality. the reality of ink on paper of archival evidence of video footage. there are only 2 options here, either nato and co, don't know the history of their own military alliance or they light and the media

likes there lie so much. so they spread it was that written down. where is that promise written down done or the religious. right, right, right, right, right, right. well done that go, well done. correct. you've got a point now. now. got you. good. other shows a complete number. when do you want to show him the documents or shall i? for years russia has been called a myth, a maniac. and a liar, but now black on white bits there, nato has trampled on its promise not once, not twice, but 14 times that how many countries east of the were the alba had become members since the ninety's. now moscow, what silently as nato missiles rolled towards it, but when they got to ukraine, well, that was just a bit too close for comfort. started exploration, military technical exploration, the ukraine. now, it's not possible for us to swallow. you'll see that there is no space for us to be

. there is just only a rush figuration. now, you might remember a robust, but it really similar situation in cuba. so the nuclear, just a stone's throw away from america. moscow came, they were just defensive. washington called them lawyers and said it wouldn't compromise on security on growth wild as close as it's either been to a new can a war. but nato and its allies need to be careful that if you can shout about being right, shout about being principled, shout about heaping your promises, but nice. oh, well, i have a habit of catching up with you. in the end, we did get reaction from our spike cohen, the 2020 libertarian u. s. vice presidential candidate. he says that western involvement with his drills, for example, along russia's border with ukraine, are only making matters worse. that i think that vladimir putin is the head of state of one of the least militarily, one of the largest powers on,

on the planet. and of a, one of the, one of the larger economy, the former member of the ga and, and i'm, i'm sure this does weigh heavily. i'm not sure that anything that can potentially lead to a hot military conflict, especially when we're already seeing, showing, and things like that wouldn't weigh heavily on him. i'm sure, honestly, i'm sure this is weighing heavily on everyone on all sides that are having to make these kinds of decisions. which is, i'm hoping that, that weighing heavily in, that desire to try to avoid conflict will lead to you know, the, the tensions receiving from this and from just respecting the rights and autonomy of people to make choices for themselves and their own local governance. whether that will happen or not, totally remains to be seen. europe actually has a history of this, right. there's a history of, you know, things that happen as a result of thousands or hundreds of years of history that often lead to long

simmering tensions boiling to the surface. and as an american, again giving an american perspective on this. this is a perfect example of why i don't want our government even remotely involved in this, because this is something that isn't going to end with this. however, this ends up ending and hopefully it ends peacefully and hopefully, and 2 people respecting each other's rights in their sovereignty. but however, this and it isn't going to end with this and having the involvement of a superpower that's clear on the other side of the planet, i don't see how that does anything but, but in flame tensions even further i, i suspect that what's going to happen next, if he, if he does move forward with, with recognizing the or sounds like he already has move forward with recognizing these to break away nations or, or break away people for those who don't think a new nation has been form. i think that there is already that there is definitely going to be sanctions coming from europe and apparently from the u. s. and, and probably canada and other countries as well. i hope that this can remain in

this realm in the realm of, you know, of saber rattling and political posturing. and i'm not a fan of thanks and i think sanction separate people with the, the 1st thing you want to do if you want to create a war is remove any of the relational or financial incentives that people would have to not have that war, which is why they always start with sanction, but i hope if there have to be sanctions or, or anything like that, it ends with that. and that this doesn't turn into a hot war because not only just the lives that are lost anytime that there's any kind of military conflict. but the fact that this is the conflict between multiple nuclear powers. and although i don't think anyone wants to go there, there's always that real risk that if some one or another side feels at that there's an existential threat here, that it could go far past the hot water into a much hotter war. and i hope we can avoid that. well, as mentioned just now by the guess that the issue of sanctions is coming front and center because the u. k is already slapping the morale. that's good. life back to london now shot it. it was just re establishing the connection here. thanks. be

patient shot. the u. k has a sub sanctions as we understand now on 5 russian buying is even warning that further action could be taken at the same time when i was seeing the rubel just go through the floor and tell us what's happened. yes indeed, the united kingdom has now approved stage one of its package of severe sanctions against russia. you remember this sanctioned by boris johnson, including targeting individuals and entities, all aligned with the russian states are now as of immediate effect that sanctions on 5 russian banks. and indeed, 3 very high net was individuals with all of the assets to be frozen far as children is very clear. this is just the 1st step. the 1st. 6 tranche of a whole biology of sanctions is the ready if the situation should escalate. now members of parliament including the leader of the opposition, say that bar still needs to go even further with those sanctions for kids. tom has even said that this very channel should be taken off immediately accusing of

starting and disinformation. but how much further can these sanctions really go? but we've always heard of this barbara then no, just in terms of those in russia or in the criminal. but these individuals, these entities have in the united kingdom, businesses, investors, but also could possibly be the media as well. so still more could come far as jones did say, weeks ago that the sanctions would be imposed a minute, a single russian toe and to ukrainian territory. putin's latest move have been interpreted by the west by bars johnson as such, she believes it's illegal of violation of international law and ultimately undermine to serenity of ukraine. now, the house is also pretty united and opinion. it's way and accuses rush of paving the way for a full scale invasion. so things that developed very, very quickly in the last 24 hours. and indeed, in the case responses to it for us doesn't statement though. just a few minutes ago, continued to offer ukraine support. he confirmed that he spoke to president lensky,

the president of ukraine just last night, assuring him of british support today. the ukrainian ambassador of the united kingdom specifically said, what about support should be economic support is what they really need so that the ukraine can defend itself today for us, johnson has reiterated that support then said that he's already sent 22000 troops to help supplying 2000 weapons as well. i'm is now saying that the united kingdom will do even more and was sending unwavering support to ukraine. we also know the russian ambassador has been summoned to the foreign office today, bought some confirmation from downing street that's not to expel him. although, who knows, let's trust the foreign secretary, then she's advising all british national to return back from ukraine as soon as possible. so effectively, it's all happening here in the united kingdom today in the house of commons. the u . k. has spoken it, standing in solidarity with ukraine and standing up against it perceives as russian

aggression and of course has now impose these very severe sanctions shot. you. thank you. now as the west, the media and politicians are rounding on russia over the recognition or the don bass republics. china is basically taking a bit of a neutral stall and that's a joint benjamin child. now, professor at the paris school of technology and business that coming on the program here, when i see great to see you today, we were looking at a fairly moderate position from china with the latest crisis in ukraine, neither really supporting nor condemning rushes recognition of those republics, how would you, how would you read into this, mr. child? i think china has been very skilful on this issue in general. the time this policy is not to interfere with the domestic matters in foreign countries. for this time. china obviously does want to see a conflict between europe and russia. after all, china even does not want to enter into conflict with the states. chinese economy is complimentary. you also want to trade off. but for this time,

china's position to continue to trade with russia to not to mention, russia is clear, china tier to his tie and even pick a deals. we've done an intention to follow west to century russia and china has urged or parties who not escalate into military conflicts. and hopefully i'll resume dialogue as soon as possible. i think, as you say, as you say, china resulting or sized to negotiate and find a diplomatic solution. but do you think professor shall at this stage that's possible? well, ah, bill was some last media hope on the 21st, which are putting in french press, then talk on to to am and france that, that bite an input. do you have a subsidy for the french to put a proposal for diplomatic summit about ukraine, about security strategic stability in europe. but with a condition that russia were not to enter into ukraine. however,

when macklin said that the u. s. has changed, but my cron fell to expose explicitly what has been change, especially whether the us with promise not to allow ukraine to enter nato. and that it's a crucial interest. crucial interest that point and wanted to see and they are not seeing it where, you know, professor, let's bring in some comparisons here, running very low on time. but i wanted to ask you, you know, china like any country in the world has its own problems with certain regions seeking autonomy type one, for example. does that issue the taiwan issue could, could actually influence beijing's perspective on the ukraine issue? these are 2 separate reasons that, that they have something in common, especially regarding the u. s. credibility. first. although the u. s. has endorsed the one china principal, but just as

a foreign minister had said in the last few weeks, containing to the forum, it's just a thing that you promised something by and by doing that. but you're doing oddison, for example, recommending i want to john mark with some seeking to be doing anything up to the point of, of agreeing pie one as a, as a country. so that tells us a lot about the u. s. credibility in promising anything regarding the situation and, and that's the forward for both k one and also ukraine and all of the people inside these 2 regions. she had this thing in culture with their, their, their counterpart professor benjamin child from the pirate school of technology. i'm business joining us live here on our international offering some very interesting insight. thank you very much. we appreciate your time. thank you. and we appreciate your time as well. joining us here for what has been rolling breaking

news coverage on the international the past 1216 hours we've seen a lot of developments between russia. it's european professional partners on who's slap bang in the middle, but that of ukraine. more details to come when we return at the top of oh well, what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have. it's crazy confrontation, let it be an arms race group is on offensive, very dramatic development. only personally and getting to resist. i don't see how that strategy will be successful, very difficult time time to sit down and talk.