Its seven in the morning in singapore, and seven in the evening in new york, where the case for the prosecution is coming to a close at Donald TrumpsHush Money Trial in new york. His formerfixer, Michael Cohen, was once again on the stand today in manhattan facing cross examination. The former president s lawyers pushed him on the accuracy of his recollection of phone calls with mr trump after hed earlier testified that it was over the phone that he got the go ahead to make a payment to Stormy Daniels. Mr trumps lawyers also asked whether mr cohen made regular secret recordings of phone conversations, which they said would have been unethical. Mr cohen responded that if he had recorded a crime happening, it would have been an exception to the rule of ethics. Mr trump may have been sitting in the courtroom with only his legal team but a group of republican politicians turned out to support him. They echoed his claims that the prosecution was politically motivated and without any justification. Heres mr trump making that point again on his way into court. Outside, if you take a look, it looks like were fort knox. Theres so many police and they dont allow people to come, you know, youre allowed to have friendly protests, but were not allowed to have anything. They have more police and more assistant das, ive never seen anything like it. Our North America correspondent John Sudworth has been outside the court in new york. Michael cohen faced another hours long, Gruelling Barrage of questions from Donald Trumps defence team, attempting to portray him as a Compulsive Liar out for revenge. For example, they played the jury some comments that mr cohen made in one of his podcasts in which he said he wanted to see donald trump rot in jail. For his part, mr cohen remained pretty calm under questioning, conceding that he had at times been dishonest. But his contention is that where he has lied, where he has committed criminal acts, they have been at the behest and on behalf of his former boss. Now, the jury might be asked to decide which of those two versions they believe fairly soon. A verdict is expected, if not next week, then probably the week after. In a case that has major ramifications for this years president ial election and arguably for The Future Of American Democracy Richard Painter is a Law Professor and former chief white house Ethics Lawyer for president george w bush. I asked him or his thoughts on the trial as the Prosecution Phase neared its end. The Defence Phase neared its end. The Defence Lawyers phase neared its end. Tue Defence Lawyers questioned michael coe for very long time and went on and on, and didnt learn anything more about Michael Cohen and what happened and we do at the beginning. Michael cohen did lie, he went to prison for a crime that he participated in at the behest of his client, donald trump, and thats what the evidence shows. I think its unbelievable that Michael Cohen just would have done this on his own and paid Stormy Daniels 30,000 and falsified Business Records without Donald Trumps knowledge or approval. The defence can seek to try to show that donald trump did not know about this and didnt approve it and thats what this case is all about. We have not heard the defence present their case yet, but so far, the prosecution has presented what appears to be a quite compelling case. Appears to be a quite comellin case. � ,. , compelling case. And give us a sense of what compelling case. And give us a sense of what might compelling case. And give us a sense of what might be compelling case. And give us a sense of what might be going i compelling case. And give us a i sense of what might be going on inside the Republican Party. I mean, weve seen a sharp support at the courthouse, but what are peoples leanings within the party, given how high profile this case is . Well, the Republican Party is going to have to figure this one out. I was a republican for 30 years, through 2018, but i finally gave that up with the party doing anything donald trump wanted them to do. A lot of republicans believe it was a mistake to many donald trump in 2016. I believe if they had nominated any other candidate, they probably still have munster would have won the election and would probably still hold the white house today. But donald trump has a psychological hold on a lot of people who still call themselves republicans, and some may choose to sit with him. We saw the speaker of the house of representatives instead of attending to the nations business, he is watching the courtroom in manhattan, it makes no sense to me. I dont think it makes sense a lot of americans. But this is the choice that a lot of leading republican politicians have chosen, its what they have chosen to do. Still to come a bit later in the programme well hear from the outgoing president of taiwan, tsai ing wen, and what she thinks of relations with beijing. But first. Russias president and his chinese counterpart have promised to Work Together to combat what they say are Destructive And Hostile us policies. That commitment was made on the first day of Vladimir Putins two day trip to beijing the trip continues on friday. The two leaders also promised to deepen their Economic Partnership something which has been a theme in their meetings but which is being drawn into sharp focus by americas concerns that chinese assistance is making it easier for russia to meet the financial burden of the war in ukraine. Steven hall from the University Of Bath told me more the xi putin relationship. They have been talking a good talk in terms of the everlasting brother shipped and various other times they have developed since president xi came to power. They seem to be very close and this is another maxim that they have developed during these talks will stop we are certain the relationship seems to be more than just cordial now, it seems to be very close and notjust between putin and president xi but also between russia and china primarily the war in ukraine has brought them closer together. Has brought them closer together has brought them closer touether. �. , together. Im glad you brought u. Together. Im glad you brought u the together. Im glad you brought up the war together. Im glad you brought up the war. Two together. Im glad you brought up the war. Two years together. Im glad you brought up the war. Two years on, up the war. Two years on, beijing still hasnt condemned that conflict in ukraine. How can china and russia really taken the strategic relationship, as they said in comments after the meeting, when beijing is walking the tightrope . When beijing is walking the tightmpe . Tightrope . Well, as youre corresponding tightrope . Well, as youre corresponding to tightrope . Well, as youre corresponding to said, tightrope . Well, as youre l corresponding to said, china certainly is walking the tightrope, it is trying to balance in terms of supporting russia so that russia doesnt lose the war in ukraine but at the same time it doesnt want to antagonise america too much. So it is a tightrope, but we have seen in the past that Training Exercise have been occurring between the chinese and russians, we saw in terms of the collective Security Organisation military manoeuvres only last year as well in mongolia and central asia. So there is always the possibility, certainly, china will probably keep on sending technological components that may or can be used for russias war machine, but will try to do it on the quiet in the hope that america doesnt pay too much attention. Which seems that america is doing at the moment, so that is certainly a problem for xi. Now to slovakia where the Prime Minister, robert fico, remains in a Critical Condition in hospital. A 71 year old man has been charged with attempted murder, after a series of shots were fired at close range while mr fico spoke to crowds after a political meeting. Ministers say they believe the gunman acted alone, but that it was politically motivated. 0ur Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford is in handlova, where the attack took place. At the spot where a man tried to kill a Prime Minister, there is a hole where a bullet hit a tree and a faint stain of blood. Small traces of a giant moment that has shocked slovakia deeply. It was early afternoon when robert fico strode out of a meeting and towards a group of supporters, but on the edges of the crowd was the gunman. He looks the other way at first, then abruptly pulls out a gun, points at the Prime Minister and fires five times. Gunshots by the third shot, hes being tackled by Security Officers as the Prime Minister tumbles to the floor. Mr fico is then dragged to his car and rushed to hospital. The gunman detained and handcuffed. You were filming with the Prime Minister. Dana was reporting on the Prime Ministers visit to her town. She says the gunman didnt stand out at all until he attacked. Nothing special. He stay and was. Looked normal. Man waiting for our Prime Minister. Robert fico had come from this event, offering support for a small town economy. But on the big stage, hes a populist who opposes sending arms to ukraine and will block its entry to nato. He also thinks Vladimir Putin has been demonised. His government claims these issues infuriated the gunman and drove him to this attack. The Interior Minister describes him as a lone wolf, but the governments accusing the opposition here and the media of Whipping Up Tension and hatred. Given that mr fico himself often uses very confrontational language, inflammatory language himself, would you agree that he is at least, or the government is at least partially to blame for the tensions in Slovak Society right now . Translation robert fico won elections for the fifth time. Then a frustrated part of the political spectrum and the media started a six month hunt which has ended like this. Im not pointing fingers, but you phrased a question to divert attention from the real reasons that led to this. The Prime Minister is still in intensive care, but his life is no longer at risk, after an attack that has exposed huge divisions here and their danger. Sarah rainsford, bbc news, bratislava. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Ukraine says it is sending more forces to try to stabilise the front line in its northeastern Kharkiv Region where Russian Forces have made advances since launching a Surprise Offensive last week. The Ukrainian Military has released this footage of its troops heading into vovchans� k, the scene of fighting in the last few days. 0ne analysis suggests russia has seized around 278 Square Kilometres of territory thats around 107 square miles in the last week. Thats the biggest gain in a single operation since december 2022. But despite that, nato, which is monitoring the situation, says moscow does not have sufficient forces to make a war defining breakthrough. The russians dont have the numbers necessary to do a strategic breakthrough, we dont believe. More to the point, they dont have the skill and the capability to do it, to operate and the scale necessary to exploit any breakthrough to strategic advantage. They do have the ability to make local advances, and have done some of that. They have also made some local losses. Im joined now Byjohn Herbst a former Us Ambassador to ukraine and a senior director at the atlantic council. Good to have you on the programme. We saw earlier President Putin is in beijing. What do you think you might be asking china for, with regards to the war in ukraine . Asking china for, with regards to the war in ukraine . To the war in ukraine . He miaht to the war in ukraine . He might be to the war in ukraine . He might be. Russia to the war in ukraine . He might be. Russia has might be. Russia has consistently been looking for more economic support and more Military Support from china. And while china has provided some economic support in the form of buying reduced priced russian oil and gas, and russia has sent some high tech parts for russian arms, they have avoided doing more so as not to run afoul of us sanctions. So putin is likely to not have received the answer he wanted in beijing. What he got was a lot of rhetoric from both russia and china about the United States. United states. Beiing are certainly United States. Beiing are certainly walking United States. Beijing are certainly walking a United States. Beijing are. Certainly walking a tightrope. The us support for ukraine is crucial, but it is divisive. A robust do you think us backing is, especially ahead of the us election . ~ ,. , is, especially ahead of the us election . ~ ~ election . Well, Something Like 37 to 5096 election . Well, Something Like 37 to 5096 of election . Well, Something Like 37 to 5096 of americans, 37 to 50 of americans, according to recent polls, support the amount of aid we are Going Forward to see more aid. Are Going Forward to see more aid. 57 are Going Forward to see more aid. 57 to are Going Forward to see more aid. 57 to 58 are Going Forward to see more aid. 57 to 58 stop it also says that a large majority of both republicans and democrats in the house and the senate voted in favour of aid to ukraine. The point is, there is a small faction within the Republican Party which does not understand that moscow considers the United States as its Principal Adversary in moscow is working very hard in europe and globally to undermine us. And therefore, the smart place for us to stop putins aggression is by providing support to ukraine might stop that us package funding. Might stop that us package fundinu. ,. , ~ ,. , funding. That will take some time to filter funding. That will take some time to filter through funding. That will take some time to filter through to funding. That will take some time to filter through to the | time to filter through to the front line. The ukrainians were already surprised by that offensive in the north east. Do you see any hope of a ukrainian counteroffensive soon . Tia. Counteroffensive soon . No, ukraine does counteroffensive soon . No, ukraine does not counteroffensive soon . No, ukraine does not write counteroffensive soon . Tin, ukraine does not write now have the equipment or the disposition of its forces for a successful counteroffensive. I think they do have the ability to blood moscows still snickometer offensive. To blood. That will grow now the aid package has passed and the first assistance has arrived. In fact, you can make the argument that moscow has increased efforts in the north east of the past couple of weeks in the realisation they have moment a lot of opportunity to move before ukraine is properly armed once again. Ukraine is properly armed once aaain. � , ukraine is properly armed once a. Ain. , � ,. , ukraine is properly armed once aain. , � ,. , again. Thats an interesting insi. Ht. Again. Thats an interesting insight. Ukraine again. Thats an interesting insight. Ukraine has again. Thats an interesting insight. Ukraine has been l insight. Ukraine has been calling on dc to allow it to strike targets inside russia. How do you think thats been received in washington . Ukraine is absolutely received in washington . Ukraine is absolutely right, received in washington . Ukraine is absolutely right, the is absolutely right, the administration has been much too cautious, even timid since moscow began the bigger patient. It has sent ukraine the weapons it needs to succeed, Weapons Ukraine also needs to protect american interests. 0ne needs to protect american interests. One aspect of that timidity has been beneficial to allow ukraine to use american weapons to strike out legitimate Military Targets in russia. The absurdity of the position, geopolitical acidity for the United States, is espec