the, the, the gaza cease. fire deal is in jeopardy after israel's suspends the release of over $600.00 palestinian prisoners despite him on delivery. not it's part of saturdays swap. and in the week top story, top russian officials and us diplomats hold their 1st face to face talks in years as the trump white house speaks to reset relations with the kremlin and put an end to the conflict that finding that mentioned at biden's administration provoke plus protesters clash with police in berlin and on the eve of a snap election that's expected to see chancellor old law sholpes leave office. all the alternative for germany party hopes to net. it's the strongest result in history. the

just after 8 am here, the russian capital, and you're watching the weekly on our to international. i'm your host donald quarter. welcome to the appropriate hour mazda has accused israel of violating the gaza cease fire and their prisoners swap deal. that's as benjamin netanyahu ordered due to postpone the release of over 600 palestinian prisoners even after him, off handed over 6 hostages as agreed on saturday. here's how these rarely prime ministers office justified the move. in light of her mazda is repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes. it has been decided to delay the release of terrorist that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies of israel claims the hostages released on

saturday were acting under duress when they were films looking, overjoyed, and thanking their former captors during an on stage ceremony and gaza. earlier in the week, almost paraded the coffins of 4 people, including 2 babies were killed while being held hostage before the remains were returns to israel. saturdays scheduled release of over 600 del palestinians was stopped at the last moment after they had already forwarded buses to lead. here's how boss responded. or we believe that again, these are the 2 games from the right wing government to sabotage and undermine the deal. and to send a message of willingness to go back to war, subsidized prisoners change between age related life has taken an unexpected and very dangerous turn onto the agreement. as you know is how the student prisoners were supposed to be released. as soon as his reading offices is crossed into israel from jobs, a print out in ramallah, where are some of those probably seen in prisoners were expected to arrive. many

have been here since early morning, send them in the rain button hale, then no anxiously waiting to embrace their loved ones. most of them have taken shelter from the cold inside this community center behind me. still hoping, praying for news all there is a strong and brave enough to wait outside the slightest exchange has really running on folding on the extreme tension on says they really receive the remains of hostages, who does not survive the 1st such cases to cease fire began the moment towards the state and quickly took an even darker turn. among the remains were 2 young children, tragic victims of the of silver, 7 attacks and after forensic analysis as ro concluded they were murdered with bare hands contradicted, have masses quite in the they were killed and is really as far as the agent to the times when he was also supposed to return the body of the mother, but instead israel received the remains of an unknown,

doesn't move on. the reaction was swift prime minister. benjamin netanyahu accused him also violating the agreement on the war, and that it would pay the highest price. the entire bill was suddenly raised from us, quickly corrected the mistake, returning the proper vol as you well, we have firm and it's commitments to the bill in a while, thousands of is really since of a series was made for gathering reading, tel aviv calling on the government to stick to its commitments and release palestinian prisoners base here, the edit disruption lighting thing for the release of the hostages still held in captivity in gaza. the risk then, not ready for all lies, were on re add this week as the saudi capital hosted historic talks between top diplomats from russia and the united states. it was the 1st such sit down in years as the trumpet, ministration, seats a deal to reset relations and end. the ukraine conflict for good rushes for administer. hail to the negotiations that lasted more than 4 hours. a good deal at

the beginning of our conversations, marco rubio particularly emphasized the fundamental importance of each country being guided by its national interest in international relations. and we fully agreed with this with these national interest, of course, will not always coincide still, but when they do not coincide, it is very important to regulate these discrepancies. it's not to let them slide and especially not to provoke a military or any other kind of confrontation with goodness. so much. so the conversation was very useful and we not only listened but also heard each other, who will. and i have reason to believe that the american side has begun to better understand our position of the deal. it's because of very, a long day here in saudi arabia, the talks last, it's $44.00 and a half hours. and quite a lot came out of them. russia and the united states were able to make a very important 1st step towards the normalizing their relations. they've agreed

to create mechanisms to normalize the work of their diplomatic commissions regarding the conflict in ukraine. they agreed to put together high level teams on each side, which will work together to look for a diplomatic, sustainable solution which would be suitable to all sides. and they're also, i think it's a very important point that they're even now starting to look beyond the conflict in ukraine. because they're saying that they want to lay the foundation for future dream projects in investment and economy in all these projects which may emerge after the compet in ukraine is done. judging by what preferred today from representatives of both sides. it was a serious and optimistic conversation, which do you talk for 4 and a half hours? yes. why not? and there was a very serious conversation on all the issues we wanted to touch upon is positive, upbeat, constructive. everybody,

they are the to get to the right outcome solution based we, we discussed it afterwards. we couldn't have imagined a better result after this after the session. it was very, very solid. i just want to stress that it's just about a week ago. it was so hard to imagine something like this from happening, but then the phone conversation between president vladimir put and then donald trump took place and now already were here in saudi arabia. we're looking at moscow in washington talking and most importantly, listening to each other like 4 minutes to a level of said from said ministration approach to not only the conflict in ukraine, but i guess to the relationship with russia is quite different from the previous administration. i think it also, it goes with the rest of the board in 40 minutes or is words about listening to each other. you're set the real estate mark. rubio said that this is about dialogue . this isn't about monologue. and he also said that any diplomatic success is

possible only with concessions made by all sides. i think diplomacy ultimately is based on our actions based on commitments that are kept. so i think they came away today convinced that they are willing to begin to engage in a serious process to determine how and how quickly and to what mechanism can in and be brought to this war. whether we can ultimately reach that outcome will obviously depend on every side and this conflicts willingness to, to agree to certain things. so, um, i think it's important to have this meeting because we haven't really had much engagement with the russians for almost 3 years. and it's, that's the table for future conversations. how that turns out will be up to the parties and their willingness, not just to make commitments but to live by them that will be tested in the weeks to come. moscow finally was able to deliver its concerns and to the general stand and so on. any theoretically deployments. also,

any foreign peacekeeping contingents in ukraine see a month the topic of the potential deployment of some kind of armed forces for peacekeeping contingency, allegedly, after the conflict has already been resolved or an agreement has been reached, is of interest to the americans, depending on which countries are prepared to provide them the question is being addressed to the members of the european union. we explain during our talks today that we have noted very well that president trump, in several of his speeches, was the 1st western leader to say clearly that pulling ukraine into nato was one of the main reasons for what is happening. that this is one of the biggest mistakes of joe biden and his administration, and that of trump for president at that time. he would not have allowed it to happen. so in this regard, we explained to our colleagues today, the president, putin has repeatedly emphasized that the expansion of nato, the absorption of ukraine by the north atlantic alliance is a direct threat to the interest of the russian federation. a direct threat to our sovereignty. we have explained today that the appearance of armed forces from the same nato countries, but under a foreign flag,

under the flag of the european union or under national flags, does not change anything in this regard. this is, of course, unacceptable to us. russia is talking about protecting its national interests. it's a security and i think it's very important that this opportunity gave moscow the ability to deliver these concerns. and again, makes this message for washington to be heard regarding the conflict in ukraine. it's pretty clear that both russia and the united states are on the same page, that it can become a frozen conflict. it has to be a permanent and to the war. there are some to some underlying principles. this needs to be a permanent, into the war. and not a temporary end, as we've seen in the past. we know just the practical reality is that there is going to be some discussion of territory. and there's going to be a discussion of security guarantees. those are just yet fundamental basics uh that

will, that will undergird and underlie any type of discussion. some very important words there, and frankly, not many people expected to any sort of diplomatic breakthroughs or for the concept in ukraine to, to and here on this day in saudi arabia. but it's the 1st steps which are very important. i think it's very, it's, it's vital for the 2 countries to begin that way forward towards normalizing relations and towards the end of the conflict and ukraine and towards a future where the 2 could work together. my colleague, mike a call chase spoke with ben swan, an american investigative journalist and the founder of truth and media. he says, the european union is now racked with fear about the thawing between moscow and washington, but also about where it will be left once the warrants. one of the things that

makes this entire dialogue is so important between the western russia is that they didn't talk only about ukraine, which is interesting because for the past 3 years, we've seen that the united states doesn't talk to russia at all. but when we talk about russia, it's a completely singular, we only talked about one issue to warn ukraine. and so one of the things that we see in this discussion that was very important was an entire discussion about gaz problem and about energy. the fact that the united states is talking about working with russia and getting investment into guys from and working on energy projects with russia is not just stunning. the reporter. so there a minute ago, a week ago, a lot of people wouldn't believe that this conversation would be happening now a year ago, a lot of people thought might have thought this conversation would never happen again. the idea that the us is talking about energy ideas with russia at a time when europe badly needs both russian energy and american energy and the united states is trying to really build out its energy profile. i think it's

a pretty remarkable moment. so that's a very important moment. again, this discussion going far beyond just ukraine, but also talking about bigger issues about russia in the united states. the united states saying they want to see americans being able to invest in russia and russian companies is able to act in the united states. again, this is something that a year ago, 2 years ago, wasn't even discussed. why does it leave key of, couldn't, could have find itself totally sideline here when it comes to discussing real issues from the economy to politics, to diplomacy and other things. well, so far the answer to that is, yes. i remember the president trump said something very interesting when he 1st had his conversation phone call with president putin and he came back and he said the after they had had their discussion, he says our team will inform president zelinski of our conversation. informed me is very different than having a discussion with him as well. so i think he of has been sidelined at this point. one of the things that, that the trump administration and the russian government seem to be in agreement upon is the fact that there need to be elections held in ukraine so that the people

of ukraine could select their leaders. as we all know, it's been over a year since why the mirror zalinski is term has expired. even though there is, there are rules obviously in ukraine where they say, well, he's able to stay in this position. he doesn't have to be moved out and speak clearly. president put in the president, trump are in agreement that he should not be president right now. and there need to be election. so that is not just sideline calvin, this discussion is completely sidelined zelinski himself and left him out of this discussion. what do the talks mean for other regions such as the middle east, africa, or a while even the asia pacific? the reason this is significant for, for folks that agent or in africa or in latin america, is because if russia, in a matter of weeks after trump becomes president, can normalize relations with the united states, it throws the doors open, disabled. what else is possible? i think that there's a huge concern for europe that if the united states and russian normalize relations and they kind of move on without them as what seems to be happening in this

conversation. it leaves europe in a very tough position. why is that? because what does europe actually bring to the table? they don't bring a whole lot to the, to the world table, other than siding with the united states. western europe does whatever the united states wants them to do. that's kind of been their role since world war 2. the problem is that when, when the united states has lots of worked with russia and let's normalize relations and let's expand the drilling and oil exploration and dominate for you and markets working together. well, the europeans have no role in that other than to purchase whatever oil in energy comes from russia, or comes from the united states or comes from the middle east, but they are left out of this discussion so. so what does europe actually bring to the table? and again, they have had out sized influence based upon what the united states has allowed them to have. what does france or germany, or spain or italy really bring to the table in these discussions? and the answer is not much, yes, they sent some weapons to ukraine. they sent some money to ukraine. but the reality

is, is that nato, as, as a strategic alliance, as we are so often told that it is, is completely dependent upon the united states, paying the freight for every body. and so it's essentially one country, the united states that carries forward its own plans. and then western europe runs behind it saying, well we're, we're all a couple of mission. we all agree in the same thing. but the truth is, they're not bringing anything to the table other than a voice. and this is why the relationship between the united states and russia may be unnerving in western europe because of russia brings the loss of the table. china brings a lot of the table india brings a lot of the table was in europe, really just a couple of them. another news germans are preparing to head to the polls in a crucial snap election. protests turned violent in berlin on the eve of the pole. in the countries power crisis has been escalating ever since chancellor all up shelters coalition collapse in november is widely expected to leave office after today's vote. here's our t contributor rachel marston with more information,

a big national election in germany this weekend, only the 4th snapped parliamentary election to take place since world war 2. because hey, why wait for the government's 4 year expiration date to come around when it's thinking up the whole joint light forgotten, sour coat in a bavarian heat wave back in 2021 shows for all i've schultz took charge with his traffic light coalition made up of his red social democrats, greens, and yellow, centrist, free democrats, and well, the yellow light unplugged itself, you could say causing the government to crash. so now instead of germans being relegated to just yelling at that one key traffic light, they now get a chance to avail themselves of an electoral off ramp. so heading into the final stretch of the campaign, the center, right christian, democrat, opposition has been cruising along in the lead ahead of the anti establishment. right? alternative for germany party or a f d with some wondering if they will be like kind of

a game show contestant who makes a surprise final search. meanwhile, schultz, the social democrats have been doing it out with the greens for 3rd place, glory high. yes, the greens, a party whose results were so pitiful with single digits and regional elections late last year that it's leaders reside. because apparently those german voters in the east had bigger priorities in mind as germany. the industrialized been trading their gas heating for wind and their bmw, of use for bicycles and shots is for administer the particularly geometry challenge screen on the lead. a bare bach for once confused a $180.00 degree turn with a $360.00 is apparently just as good at geography and started talking like she was chief diplomat of ukraine, even vowing to defend ukraine from germans and the rest the shots. his cabinet was like, uh, yep, sure. sounds good to us. if i give the promise to people in ukraine,

we stand with you as long as you need us. then i want to deliver no matter what my german voting thing, but i want to deliver to the people of your train isn't all going, scott. and then we are very clear with our message to ukraine, but also to the russian aggressor. we will support ukraine as long as necessary, so the ukraine must not lose the score. what is at stake here is the future of the european quarter of peace and freedom. the doors we stand by ukraine side, shoulder to shoulder size, the dodge on district germany, support for ukraine will not cease. we have made provisions struck defense deals and secured the funding in good time so that ukraine can continue to fully rely on us in future. turns out that all of that was just a convenient cover for transferring tax payer cash into the coffers of german defense companies. like ryan metal whose economic fortunes have had it in the

opposite direction from the average germans, or even the average german industries with the economy contracting again. last year, the german tax fair was also supporting a giant e u slash fund called the european piece facility into which germany pay some of the all around $7100000000.00 bureaus that it's leaders say it earmarked for ukraine. berlin has to then apply to brussels to get some of that money back in exchange for digging through. it's old john sitting in the military attic and sending it over to ukraine, where russia then blows it up, sparing germany the guilt of the massive carbon footprint of just dump it in the nearest landfill. and then hey, why do you know, god is still up those plots? it's again with some new weapons now because hey, war might be hell. but it can also apparently be a fantastic spring cleaning program. and this, this whole weapons garage sale scheme that ultimately blew out schultz as traffic

light because back in november. so all it's told is finance minister christian ledner to earmark another 3000000000 for germany weapons for you prayed. and lender said to just give here more hand me downs, which just happen to be horace long range, missiles that could start world war 3. if key of fires them into russia and shot said no thanks. maybe it is a little bit risky to bet on kids uh, competence since even broken down german tax very poorly being made even more broken if that's even possible. apparently it is when you've radians tried to repair them. so when or then bailed right out of shots as coalition and took his yellow traffic light with him. shows thing called for a non confidence vote against himself tossing himself under the bus before anyone else could do it for him. and ultimately resulting in the dissolution of the parliament by the german president in december. and welsh, alters exit sounded

a lot like the going away party for the guy at work, who always microwaves, fish in the office kitchen. well, that's all, it's just a whole lot. schultz has been the worst chancellor. the federal republic has ever had. germany is in the deepest, most severe economic, financial energy and migrant crisis, or parliament faction has just discussed this. even though there wasn't much to discuss. and we won't support shots in the confidence vote, except for 3 persons worried frederick merits might become a war chancellor, for the whole of charles showed again today that he has no strength for fundamental changes in his answers completely failed to address the deep problems of inadequate fitness for economic competition in front of a z, the dispute mr. chancellor rose because you were not able and not willing to hold together a coalition of the s p d greens and f d p which was no longer fit together at the front. timing.

the way you behave at europe and level is embarrassing. they are embarrassing germany. it's embarrassing how you move behave, and the european union seems like ever since charles has been packing for his potentially imminent trip into the political wilderness. he's had some time to think about how maybe it's not such a great idea to treat the german military industrial complex like it's standing on the street corner, shaking you 10 top with an eye patch bagging of brother. would you please spare a dime for your brain, especially when the average german citizen is being brow beaten by german and european the leaves into sharing showers to save energy, for example, because they're told that it will help defeat put in on the battlefield. i had suggested expanding military aid at some point, but if you do that, you also have to say where the money is coming from. i'm again stuff taking this from pensions. i'm against just doing this through cuts to local governments

against us investing less money and railroads and roads. so you have to finance that. additionally, that's a quite the, a pay for any one that seems to have manifested during schultz is uh, tire track back massage, something the current front runner, murtz, cause he had to experience as a zooms along on you talking point auto pilot, my personal view and my willing is still and remains to deliver within a you are being coordinated framework of delivering more veterans to the tooth to ukraine. so what's the next? first of all, it's after the selection. he says, he only has one thing in mind. and let's just say that his chances for that are about as good as ending up as angelie. there's always an ex husband's discipline be, is your plan be to become a lawyer again? so again, that's not plan be my, my plan a is to be elected. chancellor again, so i'll give you, i don't think there will be anything else off to the chancellor shipped off to that . i would like to become an ordinary citizen again. done as well. oh,

okay. so he wants to just be an average german citizen and finally be able to enjoy all the fruits of his own policies like a drain circling economy and skyrocketing cost of living. all righty then. so the wild card in this election is the right wing anti establishment f d party. now in 2nd place nationally after some eastern regional election victories late last year and making statements like this. we want peace and ukraine. we don't want arms deliveries. we don't want tanks, we don't want missiles. we don't want taurus, missiles for ukraine, that would involve germany in the war. i say to friedrich merits. if he really wants to supply weapons, then he can also volunteer to fight and not hand over our soldiers to the suicide mission. he should go there himself, along with high back with anton hoff writer, with an elaina bare bach. they should go to ukraine themselves and leave our people

and our soldiers in peace. some german politicians have tried and failed to ban the f d o, right? but at least one former top you official and champion of democracy has openly bragged that there are always um, certain measures that can be taken, you know, just like in romania where a right wing candidate dared to win the 1st round of elections before democracy was suddenly saved by canceling that 1st round altogether. i wonder, let's wait and see what happens and for the time being, let's keep our cool and enforced our laws in europe. we need to be aware of the risk that our laws may be circumvented. and that if they are not enforced, it could lead to interference. we did it in romania, we will obviously have to do it if necessary. in germany, you long mosque has jumped into the mix platforming and promoting the f. these policies on his x platform, which has absolutely delighted the european political leads. i'm just kidding.

they're losing their minds completely over. it's at the munich security conference, us vice president j. d. vance. call out the german and you establishment treating basic western values like cut calls while they run around flirting with a talk or see any specifically in both their treatment of the a f d. what german democracy, what no democracy, american, german, or european will survive, is telling millions of voters that their thoughts and concerns their aspirations, their please for relief are invalid or unworthy of even being considered democracy. russ, on the sacred principle, that the voice of the people matters. there is no room for firewalls. you either uphold the principal or you don't. while he was in town, that's also met with a few leadership, skipping and meeting with schultz entirely because well, he says that schultz is on his way or any way, a better thing to do, i guess. and that's really all it took for the german establishment to start

wailing about for an election interference. a commitment to never again is therefore incompatible with support for the a f d. that is why we will not accept outside is intervening in our democracy in our elections, and in the democratic formation of opinion. on behalf of this policy, the i'm of the connor from the americans are questioning democratic institutions and they are interfering quite openly in an election, including in relation to democratic tardies and their majorities. and what can i have to say? it disturbs me? it doesn't surprise me because they've talked about this before, but i firmly reject it. it's not the job of the american government to explain to us here in germany, how we should protect democratic institutions. and we will continue on our course and continue on our course, se, and uh, what course is that exactly the scenic route to economic ruin, or the express lane off a cliff. either way, buckle up because it looks like we're about to find out in short order. i irena and

military has launched massive exercises to display its defensive fire power military command says the drills along the southern shores are deploying fighter jets helicopters, you waves and naval warships. this comes and made uncertainty about how the trump administration plans to proceed in dealing with to rob. the are watching the weekly on our, to international sit around for more news and just about 30 minutes. the

hello and welcome to the world. the parts for the 1st time since the end of the cold war, the united states, has engaged with its proclaimed adversary, russia without setting any value laden for conditions signifying july. this change in america's diplomatic and poet, suspense is likely to fold and be extended to all the nations slow to discuss that i'm now joined by much i see to seeing. so you have format types of studies, senator and chairman of the practice on china institute. it's a great honor for me to talk to thank you very much for time. thank you. it's my pleasure. welcome to park a song. thank you. it's amazing to be here, especially at this point of time. i do wanna discuss.