on today's programme, we will try to puncture the propaganda of arms and the theatre of diplomacy. what lies behind the threatened conflict over ukraine? the minsk agreements, what are they? could they be a way out of the crisis? and why, for some, have they the whiff of munich about them? how is china affecting the decisions being taken both by vladimir putin and joe biden? joining us this week, ned temko, a former moscow correspondent, who writes for the christian science monitor, nabila ramdani, a french algerian journalist and broadcaster, vincent ni is china affairs correpondent with the guardian. he is here in the studio with me. welcome to all of you. good to have your company today on dateline. let's begin if we may, ned, with this question of the sort of phony war stage we seem to be at at the moment with ukraine. the west appears to be playing russia at its own game in the last few weeks. propaganda strikes.