welcome to the programme. in a week s time, it will be one year since russia invaded ukraine, and world leaders are gathering in europe. us vice president kamala harris has arrived in germany for the munich security conference, which starts tomorrow. european leaders rishi sunak, olaf scholz, emmanuel macron will all be there, as will nato secretary generaljens stoltenberg and a vast array of key defence and intelligence officials. discussions in munich will be accutely focused on the danger of a further offensive from russia, especially after the leader of belarus, alexander lukashenko a key putin ally spoke to members of the western media, including our russia editor steve rosenberg. few people know vladimir putin as well as he does alexander lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of belarus. he s agreed to take questions about the war in ukraine and his role in it. one year ago, i say, you let russia use your country as a staging ground for invading ukraine. are you
well, those residents were speaking to our correspondent nomia iqbal, who is in east palestine. what s the situation as it stands there, as we speak? what s the situation as it stands there, as we speak? nothing has really changed there, as we speak? nothing has really changed that there, as we speak? nothing has really changed that much - there, as we speak? nothing has really changed that much since i there, as we speak? nothing has i really changed that much since the town hall last night, where you heard from those residents who are really upset that the representatives from norfolk didn t show up. there s been meetings with the epa here, as well just to give an update on things like the quality of water, they ve told people it s safe to drink, but when we are at this town hall last night, they were handing out bottled water. so people basically told me they aren t taking any chances, they lljust stick basically told me they aren t taking any chances, they ll just stick to b
absolutely right. - they want, isn t it? that s l absolutely right. democrats they want, isn t it? that s - absolutely right. democrats are saying that they will lift the debt limit, of course, they always do, and it should just be done on its own. republicans, now that they have some control of congress they have control of the house of representatives are demanding that in order to lift the debt limit, they want dramatic spending cuts. they say the reason the limit has to be lifted again is because of what they say is out of control spending. now the problem is there s all sorts of discussions on what can and cannot be included in those spending cuts they ve now taken off some big government programmes from the table like social security and medicare, those are two programmes to help seniors get health care insurance. but this is the basis of the negotiations that will be happening for the next several months. now democrats, i anticipate
i wonder, with this, we ve spoken about the epa s involvement it s funding was cut back under the trump administration, so has enough been done under the biden administration to rebuild that agency so it can step in at times like this where it s needed? it s needed? actually there s a queue problem it s needed? actually there s a queue problem at it s needed? actually there s a queue problem at the - it s needed? actually there s a queue problem at the epa - it s needed? actually there s a l queue problem at the epa right it s needed? actually there s a - queue problem at the epa right now because queue problem at the epa right now because it queue problem at the epa right now because it was cut so much during the trump because it was cut so much during the trump administration, the biden administration has been unable to be five administration has been unable to be five beef administration has been unable to be five beef up its staffing, it s lacking five b
dollars congress, there was billions of dollars for rail that hasn t been implement dollars for rail that hasn t been implement it yet, but it s a big problem implement it yet, but it s a big problem especially since rail is still a problem especially since rail is still a huge way that goods and chemicals are transferred across the vast country. so it s notjust a pedestrian vast country. so it s notjust a pedestrian rail problem where if you ride on pedestrian rail problem where if you ride on american trains, you ll notice ride on american trains, you ll notice the ride on american trains, you ll notice the ageing system, but also for rait~ notice the ageing system, but also for rail. there s a multilayered situation for rail. there s a multilayered situation here of lack of funding for many situation here of lack of funding for many years. situation here of lack of funding for many veere situation here of lack of funding for many years. peter, ust to bring ou