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.
china effecting the decisions taken by vladimir putin and joe biden? joining us a former moscow correspondent, a french nigerian journalist and broadcaster, and the china affairs correspondent with the guardian. he is in the studio with me. good to have your company today on dateline london. let s begin with this question of the sort of phony war stage we seem to be out at the moment with ukraine. the best appears to be playing russia at its own game in the last few weeks. propaganda strikes. mobilising troops from the united states and other parts of europe. in a sense calling president putin s laugh. do you think he is bluffing? the calling president putin s laugh. do you think he is bluffing? you think he is bluffing? the only erson you think he is bluffing? the only person who you think he is bluffing? the only person who knows you think he is bluffing? the only person who knows the you think he is bluffing? the only person who knows the answer - you think he is bluffing? th
nabila ramdani, a french algerianjournalist and broadcaster, vincent ni is china affairs correspondent 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, some sabre rattling. mobilising troops from the united states and other parts of europe. in a sense, calling president putin s bluff. do you think he s bluffing? one of the problems is, i think the only person who knows the answer to that question is vladimir putin himself. and i think it s fairly clear that that is at least in part what this is about. and that s to say that president putin wants russia to be centre stage again in world diplomacy, he wants