we want to go to our correspondent, benjamin alvarez gruber. rding to these reports in germany, it looks like olaf scholz has made the decision to send those tanks to ukraine finally. benjamin: the first media outlet that reported on this, spiegel, said that germany will give the green light for all european allies who want to send battle tanks to ukraine directly. the other thing, germany is also planning on sending its own tanks, a company of leopard 2 a-6 tanks from huntersville stocks -- from bond is where -- from bundeswehr stocks. we tried to call germany's defense ministry, but they said they cannot confirm or deny this indu information. we have the german chancellor addressing parliament tomorrow, so we might have more about this green light after so much pressure was put on the chancellor. brent: and so much extra time for this decision to come. we know what has led to, or what seems to be a shift in position? benjamin: definitely a shift in position, because there was too much pressure from the german opposition and german government p

joining me in the studio now to get some german reaction, is the w political correspondent, benjamin alvarez gruber, benjamin all eyes on germany, and still no decision on dispatching the leopard to, to ukraine. what's been the reaction in berlin's political circles? i would say the mix on one side of disappointment, the german or position accused the government as they called it, an attitude of refusal, one of them, a leading politician of the conservative city. you part even went further saying that the european credibility is dying now, but it's not just your position, but also leading figures within the german government that are criticizing them. one of them, mary, agnes shakima. she's a leading defense politician of the pro business f d p. party she said, unfortunately, germany just failed. that's disappointment on one side. but this also surprised by what the new defense mit is that the new german defense minister said that just now they assessing how many tanks they have. even though his new and office just full 48 hours now, keith has been asking for german leper tanks for a while now. so

let's get more on this from our political correspondent, benjamin alvarez gruber, benjamin the german defense minister is saying that other european countries can start training ukrainian forces on how to use their german made leopard tanks. but why hasn't germany committed to sending its own leopards yet? every one is waiting for a clear sign from the chancellor. re, we know that the final coal will be the one that the german chancellor all of scholes will make the reason national council of security. but in that's in theory that many of them also have the say on this meaning, but the problem, and that's also the criticism that many have that it's not a yes the so no, no, it's a maybe and, but we had from branch then as well from the new defense a min is says, saying that 1st they have to count how many tanks germany has and how many tanks, jeremy, could it deliver. and of course, that also cause criticism by saying it he is, he was in there for 48 hours, but the idea and the wish of ukraine to have. the thanks is not new. and germany has received poland official request to re export

many thanks to d, w political corresponded benjamin alvarez gruber, 9 european countries have promised her new package of military support for ukraine, including battle tax. the group which includes britain, poland, the netherlands, and the baltic states will also send heavy artillery air defense, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles. they announced the measures after meeting of their defense ministers in estonia. so this is of joint marina marin is a defense analyst with the war studies department at kings college london. earlier . i asked her how tanks provide a competitive advantage while ukraine hasn't got any tanks or many tanks, laughed, and whatever it was using, those were old soviet tanks and obviously to gain a competitive edge, especially in light of the fact that the russians have billed ash, along the fence along the front line ukraine is in desperate need for tanks. and as a matter of fact, they are asking for some 2 to 300 tanks, which is a significant number. but this number indeed, makes sense because sake would be integrated to conduct defensive as well as offen

and to also help them for everything they to please benjamin alvarez gruber reporting there. okay, let's take a look now, some of the other stories making headlines. this. our u. s. is formally designated the russian private military contract of the wagner group as a transitional criminal organization. the move means washington can now freeze the groups us assets for its activities in ukraine and other nations. the us treasury has also placed multiple individuals linked to the wagner, under sanctions and investigation by authorities from the us, germany, the netherlands, and interpol as led to the closure of a website run by an notorious ransom waco. the f b. i says the operation called hiv heavily targeted hospitals and other health care providers. it report reportedly extorted more than $100000000.00 us dollars in more than $1500.00 attack. to announce that turkeys foreign minister has acute sweden have been complicit in. quote, a height and racist crime. failing to prevent an anti is land protest in stockholm on the weekend. and he said, holding talks with sweden, all finl

phil: our political correspondent benjamin alvarez gruber filed that report, and i asked him how readyhe new defense minister was for this meeting with his u.s. counterpart. benjamin: it was definitely pretty quick. he met the german president who also told him you need to get started right away. then he had a phone call with his french counterpart, and then the meeting we just saw in the report with the u.s. secretary of defense lloyd austin. but that is something the german chancellor also stressed when he announced who would be his new cabinet member, saying his interior minister he also dealt with many years on topics of security. and he also appointed him to this critical position in times of war. phil: so germany taking a lot of heat from its allies at the moment for blocking the supply of these german-made leopard tanks to ukraine. what we are hearing is germany will drop its objections only if the u.s. sends its tanks in first. do we presume that this was on the table today? benjamin: we presumed that it was on the table and that it also will be on the table tomorrow on friday

earlier i asked the ws political correspondent benjamin alvarez gruber, about these reports that the german chancellor has made the decision to send those tanks to ukraine. the thread, the 1st media out that, that reported on this assess beagle. they opened the article saying i had the decision has been made for 2 things. on one side, the germany will give the green light for all the european allies who want to sent the battle tanks to ukraine directly. and the other thing is that germany is also intending on sending its own tags. the be reports about a company of flip at to a 6 thanks. a company's usually 14 tanks and at other tanks from the industry. so these 14 tanks are from bonuses stocks, and that other tanks from the industry will be prepared to then a be sent a to ukraine. that's the information that we have from several outlets. we tried to confirm the information, calling a germany's defense ministry, but they said that they can neither deny not confirm this information. so we expect this to happen tomorrow. we have the german chancellor addressing the jim in parliament tom

in ukraine sometime in late march, or early april and on site for us there we have t w's, benjamin alvarez gruber, benjamin. and thanks for joining us. how has germany's decision to send tanks to ukraine gone down there? we understand the defense minister gave a statement. what more did he have to say? he sat he, once again m talked about the criticism that the german chancellor shows was too late with the decision to sent the german tanks and he sat expected. would you just mention that they could be in ukraine by the end of march or early april, that there will be the training now there. and the idea of this visit that comes on the 7th day in off. it is talking to the soldiers. he said there was a very important to talk to them to know exactly what the problem saw that they are facing. and to get this inside, he oversaw several exercise of shooting exercises with a small, a guns with rifles, but also with the puma. that's an infantry vehicle of the drum and armed forces to then say that it's important to keep in touch and to also help them for everything . handing over weapons to ukraine. ah, y

let her tax let's go to our political correspondent, correspondent benjamin alvarez gruber for more so benjamin, the german defense minister saying that other european countries can start training ukrainian forces on how to use their german made lopper tanks. but germany still hasn't committed to sending their own lepper tanks to ukraine. why is that? that's a very good question and it shows the criticism and all eyes on the german chancellor . he said that he will take that position a soon. that something that the defense minister sat so many also ukraine allies did not expect a very big change with in you defense minister, the recent national council, a off security. but we know that the decision is up to shoulds a to make it. but for many, also within the german government, and that's something that we just saw in the report. the patient is running out not by also by ukraine. we have the ukraine and president who said this is not the time for discussion. who will go 1st? who will not go 1st, germany is always stressed. the german chancellor has always stressed that he will not go al

w political corresponded benjamin alvarez gruber, ukrainian tank units say they need modern equipment like the leper to in order to break through russian front lines, they insist they'll be able to quickly integrate the new technology on the battlefield. a ukrainian base in the hockey region, the area has been under russian fire again since the weekend of tatiana high to moscow and her medical team are looking after this tank brigade. the men have been stationed here for weeks or more was 1st the chemical. so i was good, isn't that these are russian project childs nearly every day and night. they fire at my colleagues and our ambulances at the moment. we only have 2 of these vehicles, at least this ones survived. the shannon hi to moscow inspects the vehicle. they use as an ambulance, that has to hold out a while longer. there's no money to replace it. that worries her, they're more and more bullet holes. mission a professional necessary the much these are all old cars that volunteers donated to us as an official and that if they buy up cheap old cars, then they bring them here and gi

many thanks to d, w political corresponded benjamin alvarez gruber, ukrainian tank unit, say they need modern equipment like the leopard to, to break through russian front lines. right now, nato allies are in possession of thousands of leopard tags, which include the leopard 2 and the older leopard. one model, ukrainian tank brigades have expressed confidence. they'll be able to quickly integrate the technology on the battlefield if germany gives the go ahead. let's bring in marina miran, she is a defense analyst with the war studies department at kings college london and currently happens to be in munich welcome ukraine. believes tanks can turn the tide of this war. that is clear. remind us all how tanks provide a competitive advantage, particularly in this conflict. while ukraine hasn't got any tanks or many tanks, laughed, and whatever it was using, those were old soviet tanks and obviously to gain a competitive edge, especially in light of the fact that the russians have billed ashlock. defense along the front line. ukraine is in desperate need for tanks, and as a matter of fact, t

we have the confirmation of this reports. benjamin alvarez at gruber for us in berlin. thank you so much for that update will in ukraine, several government officials have resigned and made accusations of food procurement fraud. it is the country's largest corruption scandal since russia's invasion began . ukraine's president ability was lensky announced key personnel changes and a video address. he has also dismissed the governors of 5 provinces. they include yas lava younger shake. it shake his from the her son region. the scene of a fierce fighting in recent months. ukraine is under pressure to tackle corruption as billions of dollars of 8 and military assistance flow into the country. ukraine has a history of endemic corruption, including among the political elite, bought efforts to stamp out graft have been overshadowed by moscow's full scale war . i earlier asked you to lose much his bona in keith if these new allegations have come. as a surprise, we have seen, heard very little about corruption during the 1st 11 months as this war, and that was in part, deliberat