Maybe 40 percent full and its below 0. Its one or 2 degrees below 0. So its a very different different atmosphere. The focus goes on, the athletes and the politics probably will be put aside. However, its very possible with natalie to may speak out, or we have a lot of contention for these 2 and a half weeks while were bridging, one foreign visitation has made it is russias president. Again, christian is the 1st foreign leader to meet chinas teaching, paying in person since the start of the pandemic. The past that they shed an unshakable bond with military concerns with latin powers. Talking the agenda as statement denounced the u. S. Australian, a new case, security life, china bills, militarily in the south china sea. They also agreed that nato should end any expansion a key issue with mouth and concern of conflict and ukraine. Germanys chance or is expected to fly to both russia and ukraine next week. The talks on those tensions, dominic cane has won this now from berlin. There all those in the media here in germany, but also in the International News media whove been saying, where is ola shots . What c p an up to . Why are we not hearing more from him in so far as ukraine is concerned, and sons, other world crises . Well, he is planning lots of different involvements. So we know that on monday of next week, he will be in washington, d. C, meeting president joe biden. The German Government has a slight difficulty in that it wants to emphasize diplomacy and the threat of sanctions against russia as an act of aggression. And yet it doesnt want to arm the ukrainians. It doesnt want to give weapons to defensive weapons to key if, even though they know there are increasingly loud voices coming from kiev asking for precisely that. So its quite a difficult path that Mister Schultz and his colleagues are having to, to go down by trying to talk tough to the russian government while stressing the need for diplomacy. And yet also trying to appear like an ally to those in kiev who are asking for weapons which the germans dont want to give them. And rescue teams in morocco, a trying to save a boy who fell into a 30 to meet a deep. Well, theyve been digging for 4 days now and say they hope to free the 5 year old as soon as they can finish my case and be has more a camera is lowered down this well, and shows 5 year old ray, an alive, but unable to move hes been trapped since tuesday rescue teams, giving him food and water, 3 pipes. What are some up of what landlord on you on a bottle . I managed to communicate with the child and asked if he could hear me. There was a response. I waited for a minute and saw that he began using the oxygen oxy. Him the accident happened in the north American Village of a grand rescue team say they cant widen the well to reach him as its too dangerous. So theyre using diggers to strip away the earth to the side of it. Its an agonizing wait for his family. Nobody aliya barrow. Milton or when he disappeared, i prayed to god, and i begged him to get him out of that well alive and safe. I pray to god to ease my pain and he is in that hole of dost, via the rescue has gripped the nation and beyond. Hashtags save ran has been trending on social media across north africa. Well with its the 4th day that ryan has been under ground. Were asking the authorities to bring him out. Hes been down there too long rescue team say that close to rescuing ran. A Police Helicopter is on stand by to take him to hospital Victoria Gate and be al jazeera. Was that lines this out at the bottom line is coming out next. Ah. Hi, im Steve Clemens and ive got a bit of a cold, but i still have a question. Is there a really bad war brewing over the ukraine . Lets get to the bottom line. Ah, ukraine finds itself caught in the middle of a tug of war between russia on one side and the west nato europe in the United States on the other. Russia has beefed up its military presence all along its border with ukraine. And president Vladimir Putin insist that key of must remain firmly in the russian axis. The 2 countries have been waging low intensity war for the past 8 years. And ukrainians are split on which way to go. Prudent is said that even the prospect of expansion of nato into ukraine is a major security threat, and he just wont allow that to happen. Blaming the United States for the current instability europe in the United States, as therell be huge repercussions for moscow. If it does invade ukraine, so where do things go from here . Can the tensions blow up into a full scale war . Today were talking with american diplomat, kurt volker, the former Us Ambassador to nato, and the former u. S. Special representative for ukraine. Ambassador of oak ridge, terrific, to be with you. And i have to tell our audience that youre in ukraine right now. What are you doing in ukraine at this moment . Right. Well, thank you. Stay for having me. Its great to be here. Im in ukraine because today we are formally opening the American University keys to project ive been working on for a couple of years. Its a partnership with Arizona State university, and were going to be offering the american style education at American University degrees, fully accredited for students in ukraine. Here in key. Were starting with graduate students in march, and we are welcoming undergraduate students in september. And this is the bottom line and tell you the bottom line of this is that we have confidence in ukraine. We believe in the country, we believe in the young people, we believe in its independence and we believe it is future as a european country. And so were making this investment today, well, let me ask you and i dont mean to be too facetious with this, but i mean one my question, you know, the timing that youre doing with his university, it sounds great. But isnt this part of the package of things that Vladimir Putin is saying he doesnt want to have happen . May not be the university, but nato expansion further integration into the west. His concern that right on russias border, you have an america and western tilting nation. How do you sort that out . Yeah, well 1st, i want to rephrase the way that you discussed this in your opening. I dont see this is a ton of war between russia and the westover ukraine. I see this is either supporting an independent ukraine. Would you crane honestly the United States and europe does, or trying to have a subordinate ukraine, one that subordinate to moscow, which is why president putin ones. So by supporting an independent ukraine, i dont think the total war, i think its empowering ukrainians. And thats something that latitude is afraid of because empower ukrainians who control their own government and build a prosperous democracy. This part of europe will then be an example to russians wonder why they cant be a prosperous democracy and part of europe. So i think thats the issue that rushes efforts to hold ukraine backs versus a western effort to empower as to the timing. Youre absolutely right. There is a chance that were in the ukraine again, you did, so in 2014 took ukrainian territory and is point with over 100000 forces to attack. And if he does that, he can certainly make major gains and ukrainian territory. But this is the whole point though, is that in the end, ukraine is the country that will succeed. Theyll succeed because they have a distinct, Strong National identity. There are people believe in democracy and the ability to choose their government. And they see themselves overwhelmingly. And historically, and today, part of europe, they dont want to be bored and rushed. And so i think in the long run, ukraine will prevail. And its up to those of us or the west to make these investments to build these connections and to help them succeed. You know, i respect and asher boker kurt, were friends, the way you frame this is a set of choices for ukraine, but there are a lot of geo strategic observers who see this as really the 1st major g o strategic test of president biden. And america, at this moment, under his stewardship, under his leadership, and that, what biden does one way or another, well have a lot more repercussions beyond ukraine. What do you think biden is getting right . What do you think hes getting wrong . Well, i think the 1st time i read that this is a major strategic test, but ukraine is the device. What is really trying to do is rewrite the Security Architecture in europe. If you remember after world war 2 and dividing your between the western sphere into ones that are russians here from 975, i think the chords onward it was different. It was respect for every nation sovereignty and territorial integrity, non interference, internal affairs, non threats, and use of force in europe, changing borders by force, all these things that prevail for 50 years, but now mood and just trying to rewrite it. So. Ringback i think 1st off biden is getting right, is rejecting russia efforts to rewrite those rules. The answers to russia, demands to the United States and nato were delivered in moscow. We were very clear, no, not going to reweigh European Security in that way. We will talk about arms control, we will talk about transparency and confidence building measures. And well do it on a reciprocal basis with you that we are very happy to do. But were now doing was assigned to russia some sphere of influence that you in charge of other countries. So that much is right. The part that i think to be stronger from the us, theres a couple of one of them is ukraine need security assistance. Now, if theres any way to prevent a rushing attack, it is for the russians to believe that the cost of that attack will be too high. I understand that we will not be ukraine defense. Theyre not a member of nato, and it wouldnt put us in direct conflict with russia, but we should be dealing much more and more rapidly to getting arms to ukrainians, trainers to ukrainians advisors. Maybe in the us forces of the front lines good to hope. New grains behind the lines. If this were john mccain, we would have a full scale training equip, program up and running all ready for your grade. That i think is something we should be doing. Another thing that we are doing is setting some forces to eastern nato countries so that they feel reassured, thats good. And then a final thing that i think that we could be doing is getting that message and right. I, after afghanistan, where there was a catastrophic withdraw. The bite administration seems determined not to repeat any of that scenario at all. So russia does attack, we will have already told her citizens to lead the problems that were sending the signals. Now telling americans to leave ukraine and not go there at a time when everything here is normal and peaceful. And the president of ukraine is trying to keep calm and exercise confidence. And i think you should also be trying to project confidence together with you. Great. But in the long run, we know the grand prevail in the long run. We are ukraines friends, and were not going to cut and run. They get messaging is getting mangled at the moment. You know, kurt, you did a extraordinary interview with ryan lisa, a political recently a podcast that i would highly commend our listeners to listen to was called a former nato ambassador gets inside putins head. But in that you reminded me of something i had forgotten about, which is that the 100. 00, the anniversary of the founding of the soviet union comes at the end of this year, 2022. How is that a driver do you think for how putin sees his role in history and in russian history and what hes trying to do . Well, thanks for bringing that up. Dave, and of course, ryan is the 2nd best to interviewer in washington. The story is that the soviet union was founded on the remnants of the russian empire after the czarist collapse. One it was lasted for a 100 years when the soviet union being founded in 1922 until today. And so 2022 will be the 100 anniversary. The founding was a union who was a k g b officer in eastern germany. I think he felt betrayed by gorbachev. And by the leaders of the soviet union, when the soviet union collapsed. And that the soviet union may be gone, but he, as russia leader is going to rebuild. The russian rating is and to restore a greater russia on the territory of the former soviet union. So he has to december 30 to this year to mark that 100 anniversary. And if you look at what hes been doing over the last, id say 15 years or so, he has rebuild the russian military. Hes. Hes upgraded, renovated, the nuclear forces, taking over parts of georgia. Youve taken over crimea, and parts of the grain. He has never gotten the scores in the house. You know, its actively controlled the Security Forces in bell rings and recently was able to take control and Security Forces in cause expand as well. This is quite a set of undertakings and i think didnt seize himself in the tradition of peter the great or catherine the great as people who built rush built a greater russia where was a powerful country respected in the world. And i think he sees himself as in that mode and, and this is the year for him to do it. I understand why, you know, on myself, on why we might not deploy us forces or nato forces there. But we certainly have in other countries, you know, part of out of airy emissions is one of the big task said has, has kept nato alive and things beyond its borders. Why wouldnt this classify as an adequate out of area emission, given it, it would it be another attempt after 2014, to redraw the lines and boundaries of a sovereign nation. Right, so, so many complicated things and your questionnaires be the 1st one. Lets start with out of area emissions. That phrase came up when we have a war in bosnia brutal and nic cleansing, and nato was saying, look, were not obliged to defend anybody because theyre not natal members. But then we were so a call at the end of the cleansing nato deciding that it would is your name to stop the killing. And then put in place a peacekeeping force under a un mandate that does have an area of concert. Got started around 2002 regularly ministerial meeting and nato and towel was our secretary of state. Then they have to be there with them. And we dish this concept because its not about who youre defending. Its about where the french are coming from. And we dont control where the threat come from. They can come terence as we were thinking after 911. 00, they can come from russia and the former soviet union when it was a soviet union. But nowadays read and talking about Cyber Attacks that come from anywhere or even possible threats from china. So theres, now the very concept is less poignant right now. But what we do face is natal members saying that were not obliged to defend ukraine. And if we try to do so, we will be in a direct conflict with russia, and that can escalate into a wider war, not only over ukraine, but over europe. Generally. We dont want to be in a war with russia much find ways to try to manage this without directly defending ukraine. So thats the way that as more over time your to your question about the appeasement and it is this modern day version of appealing. And lets start with what hitler was doing. It would start was doing and then think about what it means today. You had hitler claiming that there were germans living in other countries. And those germans should have really in germany. They should be car german, germany later in the place where all germans committed, adequate space for all germans. He then also said that he had security concerns over some of the neighbors. And then he signed a secret deal install to divide up poland. And this was a ribbon truck tag. So from 939 to 941. Now come back to why i say 941. 00 un hitler normally consolidate power in germany. Takeover austria and take over nice day to land. And then all of us will walk in and then gang up with stalin to launch an invasion into poland. And the central and Eastern Europe between the soviets and the nazis. And then turn attention to western europe. The u. S. Could not get involved in world war 2 until the japanese attacked. Pearl harbor in 1941 december 1941. So there is a long time when chamberlain went in unique and said okay, well give hitler, this is david land and thatll be enough. And then they take me and say, well, well stop object of the log in. Thatll be enough. And the reality is, hitlers appetite grew with eating, and the fear is having already built a greater stronger russia than before. Taken territory so called reading from georgian from ukraine, including crimea, and part of adult keeping directory under his control. Now expanding his reach and putting forces just this week and there is a hearing that okay, he is demanding more and more and then we saw us on december 17th, last year, 2021. He presented his demand to the us today. These were demand. No nato enlargement, rolling back deployments of forces on to the territory of central and Eastern European members of nato recognition, if you will. The russians here of influence, no Nuclear Missile presence in europe. So everything you can think of that would have been a wish to the soviet union back in the day was on switch listed december. And this is an end up ending European Security in order of over 50 years. And the concern that people has shouldnt be even entering into negotiation over this was washer. Or should we really tell her now at putting in place capacities to make it clear that the cost to russia just trying to impose that kind of order would be too high . And thats where i think making sure we do the latter put in place the capacities to show good and that he cant just do it on his own would be necessary to avoid any kind of modern day, please. I think that history is really important to understand because, you know, i think it sits in the, in the, you know, the minds of, of, of Many Americans and europeans watching this, looking at his history, gonna repeat itself. How do you avoid it . But theres another dimension here which also plays eerily back to the past, which is in your party. I can tell for our folks, you are a known republican, but theres a split in the Republican Party thats, you know, very over where, where even some senators, almost sound as if theyre rooting for the russian side of this. But ad minimum of the lesser side, summer saying this is not our conflict. We should not be picking a fight with russia. Ukraine, ukraine doesnt matter. And so im interested in what the dynamics because that sounds to me like a kind of isolationism, which was also part of the 1930s equation. Thats exactly right. Thats exactly right. And i think you put your finger on it. There are voices in there looking party that adopt that there are also more traditional pro National Security, proactive voices in the party that are speaking out. And so this year, both on both sides, i would also say to you here in democratic side as well. So more and more proactive and pushing National Security and others are saying, you know, we have no dog in that fine and its over there. And we want to focus on other progressive domestic issues here at home instead. So you get it on both sides and i do think it runs the risk of being a new type of isolationism, where the absence of the lesson in the world or in the absence of us leadership creates a vacuum. That the worst actor is exploiting. First, we recently talk to journalist caught t martin about her book about chancellor angle americal, and about previous times where miracle played such a vital role in managing putin because Barrack Obama didnt want to. What does her absence today mean . Is europe playing the role . It should, does angle a miracles, departure from her role matter in the current equation is put and seeing that as an opportunity. Whats your view on the kind of the western european dimension of this . Yeah, this is an immensely complicated question as well. And kathy understands so well. She, a little girl, was in budapest and spend time living in the u. S. Embassy before the family able to get out of the country because of the russian romances and looks after the 956 revolution. But she understands exactly the kind of failure to respond when the, when the soviets are on the move concerning western europe. Cancel, miracle played a role. We kind of have to appreciate it, but also was it enough . She kept europe on track united with sanctions against russia. Because of their earlier invasion of ukraine and occupation of crimea. And so she refused to allow you sanctions to be relaxed, even though they were countries in the pushing for that. At the same time, she was tremendously committed to not confronting russia in any way. Typically, any kind of military pushback or security pushback on russia and always seem to engage brewton, which has the curse back and was not her intent. But remember, all the pressure was put on you. Chris brush gets past even though theyre the ones doing the attacking and occupying. And everyone says you cant do more, cant you reach out to the people . And these can you implement the mens agreements even though you dont control the territory anymore . Oppression of moral equivalence. Even the one was in the grocer and one was a victim. With her movie, weve seen a further dynamic dsp craddick party, and germany now have a lead position with the chance. Youll remember that it was chancellor schroeder, the last s p d gen or germany before merrill and when he left, where did he . He was hired by a loud america who 2 chairs and nord stream, consortium. And is in charge of your dream to project so controversial in europe today. Right . So the s p d is now leading the chancery in germany and has a desire not to put this on the table or to confront russian that is making germany position look weak, probably making it look even weaker than it really has. They have been taking some steps including prompting that all sanctions are potentially on the table. Then you have france, my call and going into an election the spring he wants to increase his profile as a negotiator is been talking to him directly. They reconvene the norman new format negotiations, ukraine, marsh, and germany. He is looking to position himself individual re, uniquely, to help as re election crop prospects bars. Johnson was just here in ukraine. The other day is pushing the u. K. Image as an independent actor. Now after breakfast and then you have which like germany and a lot of us and you can on interests with russia and would rather see if theres not some kind of a combination that can be made. So youre really under the surface, reasonably divided over what to do about russia and ukraine and in a much weaker position than it was. America was chancellor. By the way, that explains a little bit some a good timing is not just the history of the soviet union as being a 100 versus a year. Its all over that we face a transition in germany, maybe a week or germany. We base to divide your replace the parents that we use in us after afghanistan, ryan, and the fact that in the long run and ukraine will end up being a stronger country over time. So to make good now, now the best time, let me just get one last for you about a minute left per. And that is youve said in an interview that you thought theres a possibility that Vladimir Putin might invade a limited territory in the north. The south and the east. And so my question is, will, if that were to happen, will we find ourselves then accommodating to ukraines . I think it is more likely that he would only try to take the south or east, although he might invade from the north as well just to create multiple fronts. But i think that is more likely than a full scale invasion, trying to take the whole country or even keep and i think i would call it to ukraines. What id say is we havent occupied a free ukraine, which i would hope that the west would embrace fully if that were to happen. And then we have an occupied part of ukraine that will probably remain occupied as long as students president of russia, which may be a long time. But i dont think they did last summer. Well, thank you so much, kurt volker, former us, ambassador nato and former special representative ukraine. Now co founder of the American University in kiev. Thanks so much for being with us today. Thank you. See, in the struggle over ukraine, here is the test for president joe biden. Is he going to be a realist and cut a deal . Recognizing that ukraine is just the wrong cause to spill american prestige blood over . Or is he going to be an idealist who believes in standing up for ukraine sovereignty and its freedom of choice, and that no cost is too great to bear for these universal standards of decency and international order. Its a really tough call. Both come with great cos, theres no easy way out of this conflict. Russia has the ambition and its willing to take risks and americas fatigued from 20 plus years of worth. And theres just little Popular Support in America Today to defend a far away nation until biden decides what his strategic game plan is in the world. Russia and china can easily make america look weak and indecisive. And thats the bottom line. Ah, the charcoal region of paraglider, the one of south america stop it, we follow to men who seem to thrive on its challenges. A veteran truck driver who answers every call, whatever the weapon to provide for his growing family. And the cowboy who enjoys his rough life risk in an old paragraph on the al jazeera. Gotcha, one of the Fastest Growing nations in the way. Ronnie cut needed to oakland and Development International shipping company to become a p middle eastern trade and learning skillfully mapped out 3 key areas of develop, who filling a prominence of connecting the world, connecting the future while the cato gatos gateway to whoa trade. Ah, no, im randomizing london with a quick look at the main stories. Now. A spectacular ceremony is open the beijing winter olympic games. Nearly 3000 athletes are in a strict bubble because of the ongoing pandemic, and no foreign is able to wash and compete. In addition to tight cove at 19 controls, games are fraught with political tensions of obligations of human rights abuses, boycotts. I was in the 2008 ordering ceremony here. 30 and a half years ago. It was 30 to 33 degrees, sweltering hot pack stadium, 91