stephen mcdonell, invasion, thanks| doing. fascinating. stephen. ning us. let's take stock now of where things stand tonight. let's take stock now this is the map of ukraine as of tonight — with the areas in red showing the parts under russian control. and land that has been held or regained by ukraine is in purple. 0ur international editor jeremy bowen is in kyiv tonight. as we approach the one—year anniversary on friday, a simple question, but a complex answer, i suspect, who is winning? it is question, but a complex answer, i suspect, who is winning? it is very starkly laid — suspect, who is winning? it is very starkly laid out _ suspect, who is winning? it is very starkly laid out right _ suspect, who is winning? it is very starkly laid out right now - suspect, who is winning? it is very starkly laid out right now and - suspect, who is winning? it is very starkly laid out right now and i - starkly laid out right now and i would say that you could say the ukrainians are winning because everybody expected them to fold in the first couple of weeks

our correspondent in beijing is stephen mcdonell. hejoins us now. what did you make of the meeting?he meeting?— of the meeting? crucially vladimir putin has said _ of the meeting? crucially vladimir putin has said his _ of the meeting? crucially vladimir putin has said his chinese - putin has said his chinese counterpart xijinping putin has said his chinese counterpart xi jinping will soon come to moscow and the thinking is this will be in the coming months. we know this because he made the announcement at a meeting he had with wang yi who is the most senior foreign policy official in china. they met across a table which is very small by the standards of vladimir putin, a guest symbolic of the closeness of the friendship between the two governments. but if you were the beijing government and wanted to show the world that you really were neutral in the ukraine war would you send this very senior government official to moscow to stand side by side with the russian government proclaiming that both of you together were promoting peace and stabilityjust days before the first anniversary

stephen mcdonell their invasion. 0ur north america correspondent gary 0'donoghue is in washington.he americans _ about that where you are? the americans are _ about that where you are? the americans are not _ about that where you are? tue: americans are not having about that where you are? tte: americans are not having a about that where you are? "tte: americans are not having a bit about that where you are? t'te: americans are not having a bit of that. they stated this morning twice now, both from the state apartment and from the pentagon, that they believe this is a surveillance balloon, that they believe it has the ability to manoeuvre itself, they have just told us that it is floating eastwards. they will not be specific about its position, other than to say it is over the middle of the continent of the united states, which gives a certain out of leeway for speculation, and they will not say with a plan to do with it if it gets over water, because of course the option to shoot it down was rejected i the president of this stuff falling to the ground. it is the size of three buse

our china correspondent is stephen mcdonell is in beijing — i asked him for his assessment of china'sna's former minister has issued this rather ominous warning that beijing thinks the conflict in ukraine could spiral out of control, and his words, if certain countries keep pouring fuel onto the fire. now, we didn't mention the us, but that is who he is accusing her of pouring on the fuel. china has been accusing the us of prolonging the war. now, it doesn't mention the war or invasion, lest it offend russia, but now you have the us saying that china is the one that could be making the word go ——that china is the one that could be making the war go longer if it starts supplying arms and ammunition for the russian war effort. beijing says its neutral. researchers in north america say this country is already suppling these dual use technologies. so equipment that could be used to fix fighter jets or jamming gear. later this week, china's leader will be making a speech and apparently calling for a negotiated settlement in ukraine. but if the war keeps going, it looks like vladimir putin

our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell, is in beijing. assessment of china's role in the conflict. as you mentioned, china's foreign minister has issued this rather ominous warning that beijing thinks the conflict in ukraine could spiral out of control, in his words, if certain countries keep pouring fuel onto the fire. we did not mention the us but that is he who is accusing up but that is he who is accusing up pouring on the fuel. china has been accusing the us of prolonging the wall. now, it doesn't mention war or invasion, lest it offends russia but now you have the us saying it is china who is the one making the wall going longer if it starts buying arms and ammunition for the war effort. beijing says it is neutral but research say north america says this country is supplying these dual use technologies, so technology that could be used to fix fighterjets orjoe mcgirr. fighter jets orjoe mcgirr. later this fighterjets orjoe mcgirr. later this week, china's leader president xijinping later this week, china's leader president xi jinpin

here's our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell with the reaction from china's side.zarre days of the cold war, with high altitude spying balloons, with unidentified flying objects no less being shot down by fighterjets and with washington and beijing trading various accusations and criticisms. the latest from here is that fishing vessels have been warned by local authorities that they should be careful because one of these flying objects is going to be shot down and they should prepare for falling debris. the foreign ministry in beijing said if anything more becomes available on that front they will let us know, but foreign ministry spokesperson did say today that the us should not go around accusing other countries of illegally entering its airspace because since january last year more than ten us balloons had illegally flown into china's airspace. as for these other objects, the pentagon says it has deliberately not said balloons, they have some form of propulsion. they don't know who put these objects in the sky above north america, but they are not at the moment

our china correspondent — stephen mcdonell — has been guaging the response from beijing.e in beijing that the visit by us secretary of state antony blinken could provide something of a breakthrough, of a reset in us—china relations. but this balloon or these balloons have put a stop to that. there was, however, a call between china's most senior foreign policy official, wang yi, and antony blinken and according to official readout of that call from the chinese side, they're saying that wang yi told antony blinken that both sides should maintain steadiness and with timely communication, they could avoid misjudgment in terms of this balloon affair, but that beijing would not accept any groundless conjecture or hype regarding the balloons. also, in a separate statement from the chinese foreign ministry, they said that some politicians and media in the us have hyped up this as a means of attacking and smearing china. so you can see, even as china is trying to reassure the us that the balloons have accidentally floated into us airspace, they're still trying to take a strong st

here's more analysis from our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell.w point of tension which becomes days before the us secretary of state is going to be in china which is designed to ease tensions. the chinese government has said they are still trying to ascertain what is going on, we had the foreign ministry spokesperson here warning against artificial hype. in terms of how this is to be considered because she said that that would not bring about a solution to this current problem, but who knew that spy balloons were even a thing at the moment. you have satellite technology, you have advanced aircraft, why still use these balloons, what they bring to these balloons, what they bring to the table i'm not quite sure. yet, although, according to officials in the us, this balloon isn't posing any danger because it's flying at an altitude above commercial aircraft. so they are saying, at the moment, it can't hurt anyone or hurt anything, and yet there must be great temptation in the us to bring it down and have a look at it, however, you'd love to be a fly

let's cross to beijing now and to our correspondent stephen mcdonell., doesn't it? the that looks quite an obvious thing to send up, doesn't it?— that looks quite an obvious thing to send up, doesn't it? the whole thing is re send up, doesn't it? the whole thing is pretty bizarre. _ send up, doesn't it? the whole thing is pretty bizarre. i — send up, doesn't it? the whole thing is pretty bizarre, i have _ send up, doesn't it? the whole thing is pretty bizarre, i have to _ send up, doesn't it? the whole thing is pretty bizarre, i have to say. - is pretty bizarre, i have to say. firstly, i think many people wondered why this type of technology is still being used. we have satellites, sophisticated aircraft, what does a balloon bring that those other types of technology don't? and yet, here we have this alleged spy balloon floating over north america, just two days before us secretary of state, antony blinken, is due to arrive here in beijing for a series of high—level meetings. these are meetings designed to somehow ease tensions between washington and be

stephen mcdonell is our beijing correspondent. russia does russia's president.oon be travelling to moscow. the speculation is that could happen in the coming months. he had this meeting. sitting across a very small table —— or table. china's senior foreign possible sitting across the table symbolic of the closeness of their friendship. table symbolic of the closeness of theirfriendship. and the table symbolic of the closeness of their friendship. and the two proclaimed that they are moving forward. if you were beijing and he wanted to convince the world of your neutrality in the ukraine war. would you send this very senior member of the governments here to stand up in moscow proclaiming you're standing for peace and stabilityjust days before russia's invasion of ukraine. that is what china has decided to do. they know that will be seen in other countries. it is being judged thatis other countries. it is being judged that is more important for beijing to be offering this special moral support at this time for the government in moscow. the russian foreign minister

let's hear the perspective of our china correspondent stephen mcdonell. has said there will be some form of new agreement signed between china and russia during his visit to moscow. so this came after wang yi's meeting with sergey lavrov. he didn't give any details yet of what the nature of these agreements might be but according to this readout he did say to his russian counterpart, no matter how the international situation changes, china has been and remains committed together with russia to make efforts to preserve the positive trend in the development of relations between the major powers. joining me is professor shirley ze yu, senior visiting fellow at the london school of economics who focuses on china. it's good to have you in the studio. thank you forjoining us. how is important is this visit?- thank you forjoining us. how is important is this visit? while it is important. _ important is this visit? while it is important. and — important is this visit? while it is important, and as _ important is this visit? while it is important, and as wang - im

that was stephen mcdonell from beijing.ndeed, i have spent — events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a — events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a lot _ events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a lot of _ events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a lot of time _ events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a lot of time here i events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a lot of time here and i events over the past year? indeed, i have spent a lot of time here and a i have spent a lot of time here and a big reflection for me is i have been catching up with quite a few people i have stayed in touch with since the beginning of the war here, among them two young recruits who when i met them one year ago they were 18 and 19, not long out of school, they were university students, one that economics, one driven biology. i was there the day theyjoined up, i met maxim in the east, in the battlefields of donbas where he spent a lot of time on active service. both of them 48 in the battle around ky

let's cross live to beijing and speak with our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell rishi sunak talkingwere also from china? , ., ., , china? it is as if we have been suddenly _ china? it is as if we have been suddenly catapulted _ china? it is as if we have been suddenly catapulted back - china? it is as if we have been suddenly catapulted back in i china? it is as if we have been suddenly catapulted back in to china? it is as if we have been - suddenly catapulted back in to the most bizarre days of the cold war, with high altitude spying balloons. unidentified flying objects being shot down, and, washington and beijing exchanging accusation, the latest from here, is that fishing boats off the coast of one province have been warned they should be careful because one of these unidentified object also be shot down, they should be careful of the falling backbenchry, the foreign ministry said it wouldn't release —— it would relies any more available as it became available but a foreign minister spokesman said the us couldn't accuse others of illegally entering airspace because since jan la

stephen mcdonell for us in beijing.ey, the mother of two who went missing while walking her dog eight days ago, has said is no evidence that she entered the river wyre. louise cunningham made the comment after lancashire police said they don't believe the 45—year—old was attacked, and that she most likely fell into the water. the force has released details of her last known movements. shortly before nine o'clock last friday morning, nicola was seen with her spaniel by a fellow dog walker. 20 minutes later, she was last spotted in a field further along the riverbank. police have now established that her phone became stationary at a riverside bench at 9:20. 13 minutes later, her phone was found, along with her dogs harness. we can speak now to our reporter, dave guest, who joins us from that area. dave, where are police concentrating their search now? the concentrating their search now? time when the pol focusing the time when the police have been focusing on is key in their investigation? it focusing on is key in their i

stephen mcdonell is our beijing correspondent. standing for peace and stability just days are all standing for peace and stabilityjust days before the first anniversary of russia's invasion of ukraine. that is what china has deliberately decided to do, they know how that will be seen in other countries, but it's beenjudged it is much more important to beijing to be offering this special moral support at this time for the government in moscow. so a gay lover of, the russian foreign minister, even said —— sergei lavrov. of course this is turbulence of russia's making but it's not something that either side is mentioned. the animation studio aardman, best known for wallace and gromit, has been working with the charity, save the children to create a short film to highlight the experiences of refugee children fleeing conflict. the film, called home, will be shown to primary school children across the uk to mark the anniversary of russia's invasion of ukraine. tim muffett visited a school in margate for the premiere. popcorn... red carp

here's our china correspondent, stephen mcdonell, with the latest. disappeared because we have just received this short announcement from his company. but it looks like his disappearance is part of a pattern that these executives especially in the tech sector suddenly are nowhere to be seen and they are being investigated by the communist party's discipline inspection commission. certainly investors, when they heard this announcement from the company, thought there was a problem because shares in his company, china renaissance, collapsed upon that announcement are naturally investors would think potentially that these investigators are looking into china renaissance. but it could be also that they are talking to him about other companies. they will do that because this investment banker has been at the heart of some of the huge deals are stitched together here. he has personally pulled together some big tech mergers so he knows where the bodies are buried if i can put it that way, he would have a lot of information. he could pass on to investigators

earlier, i spoke to bbc�*s china correspondent stephen mcdonell about the current situation between chinaarly askew in recent days since the chinese balloon debacle and how much this pushes china and russia towards one another. well, they've already been building relations, you know, right back to the declaration of this no limits friendship at the time of the winter olympics here. but it's interesting, as this visit is taking place in moscow with china's senior foreign policy official having several meetings and he may even meet vladimir putin, governments seem to be able to convince themselves that their own lines make perfect sense within their little sort of box of self—justification that they live in. but you wonder if the governments of russia and china can see just how contradictory some of these positions seem. so, for example, wang yi comes out of a meeting with russia's senior security official and they both declare, well, what they're both interested in is peace and stability. now, this comes on the one—year anniversary of the invasion of ukraine. also, the two are saying they