A torch a few days before the official opening of the Winter Olympics as its going ahead despite 0lympics as its going ahead despite the four boycotts and strict covid i9 restrictions. We start with tensions on the ukraine border. Russia has been locked in a Military Standoff with ukraine, and weve now seen the first Major Movement of us forces in response. Some 2000 troops will be sent to poland and germany, and 1000 troops already in germany will go to romania. Heres The Pentagon Spokesman making that announcement. The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with our nato allies. The Current Situation demands that we reinforce the deterrent and defensive posture on nato� s eastern flank. President biden has been clear that United States will respond to the growing threat to europes security and stability. I want to be very clear about something. These are not permanent moves. They are moves designed to respond to the current security environment. Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in ukraine. They are going to ensure the robust defence of our nato allies. Russias Foreign Ministry has called it an unjustified and destructive move. Separately, the us also has 8500 troops on standby. Theyve been put on heightened alert to be ready to deploy at short notice as part of the nato defensive alliance� s response force. The Secretary General of the alliance says. Heres the romanian president welcoming the decision. Translation we are going through an extremely tense period in which the risks and threats to regional, european and euro atlantic security, including romanias security, have increased. There is a clear tendency to return to the policy of force and to challenge the current liberal international order, as well as the European Security architecture built after the cold war. All this is a response to a recent escalation of Russian Military activity close to ukraine. In satellite images, we can see russia has over 100,000 troops close to the ukraine border. And thats not all. These pictures are from today. Russia has also been holding large scale joint military drills with belarusian forces. Belarus borders ukraine. But the Ukrainian Foreign minister maintains that russia hasnt yet gathered enough forces to mount a full scale invasion. At this moment, my assessment of ukraine and its partners, this number and composition of forces is not sufficient for a full scale invasion. However, we keep vigilant, we keep monitoring further dynamics. I want to reiterate, ukraine calls on russia to withdraw the troops it amassed near our border, bring them back to their bases, stop intimidating ukraine and the wider euro atlantic community. Russia has denied all along that its planning to invade ukraine. It does, though, have demands. Top of the list is no nato membership for ukraine. Nato is a defensive alliance, and ukraine has sought tojoin it for years. Russia also wants nato to stop its expansion eastwards. America hasnt agreed on any of this. Lets bring in retired general mark kimmitt, who served in both the us army and the State Department under president george w bush. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. How do you assess the decision to move the 3000 Troops Eastwards . I decision to move the 3000 Troops Eastwards . ~. , decision to move the 3000 Troops Eastwards . Eastwards . I think more than an Hinu Eastwards . I think more than Anything Else eastwards . I think more than Anything Else is eastwards . I think more than Anything Else is a eastwards . I think more than Anything Else is a demonstration. It demonstrates america is one of the people on the ground to defend its nato allies but im not sure that anybody should be celebrating in ukraine based on Whatjohn Kirby said. We are not going to put them in ukraine, not going to fight in ukraine so while it may make a difference to the nato alliance, italy does not do any favour to the Ukrainian Government or the people. Do you think those trips should be going in the ukraine . I do you think those trips should be going in the ukraine . Do you think those trips should be going in the ukraine . I think thats a olitical going in the ukraine . I think thats a political decision going in the ukraine . I think thats a political decision for going in the ukraine . I think thats a political decision for anything a political decision for Anything Else. Never one to come or are we willing to defend a non nato ally against the russians was meant are we willing to shed blood for a non nato ally and for a country that most people cannot find on the map . A little decision but there are of course Military Calculations here. Do you think ukraine will be able to defend itself without american troops within the country . It really deends troops within the country . It really depends on troops within the country . It really depends on what troops within the country . It really depends on what the troops within the country . It really depends on what the russians troops within the country . It really| depends on what the russians want troops within the country . It really depends on what the russians want to do. Jealous of what the analysts say and the Government Official says, 180,000 troops is certainly enough to have a major impact against the ukrainian army. Take a look at 1939, a very small element from the german army was able to muster the french lies with actually no problem and cause a surrender in a matter of weeks. So my assessment is the ukrainians might be able to fight a Rearguard Action or perhaps partisan warfare after the fact, but if the russians are serious about this come out and they can take a majority of the country militarily if not the entire country itself. I mentioned that ou entire country itself. I mentioned that you serve entire country itself. I mentioned that you serve the entire country itself. I mentioned that you serve the us entire country itself. I mentioned that you serve the us army entire country itself. I mentioned that you serve the us army in entire country itself. I mentioned that you serve the us army in europe but you also served in the State Department to macias and the politicians and military leaders from both sides. Give us an insight into how that would work at this stage of an escalation . I into how that would work at this stage of an escalation . Into how that would work at this stage of an escalation . I think its been Sequential Stage of an escalation . I think its been sequential up stage of an escalation . I think its been sequential up at stage of an escalation . I think its been sequential up at this stage of an escalation . I think its been sequential up at this point i been sequential up at this point most of the major effort right now for better or worse is diplomatic. The president and Cemetery State that they can solve the problem without resorting to Military Force but at the same time, the military is doing planning so that as we used to say in nato, that we will defend and it prepared we will fight to win. Again that would only be in the context of nato and our article five agreements and i dont think we will conduct either defensive or offence of operations inside ukraine. find of operations inside ukraine. And beafina of operations inside ukraine. And bearin in of operations inside ukraine. And bearing in mind and bearing in mind what you know about russia and about Vladimir Putin, have our viewers around the world assess the seriousness of the point europe has reached compared to other points of tension in recent decades. Bgain reached compared to other points of tension in recent decades. Tension in recent decades. Again i think its important tension in recent decades. Again i think its important to tension in recent decades. Again i think its important to understand j think its important to understand that Vladimir Putin is not focused primarily on the external issues but its more on the internal issues inside of russia. He does have problems, he does have significant internal problems with his acceptance, the weather the russian people embrace him. He has serious economic problems and serious demographic problems. So many ways, analysts think discipline may be a version the problems hes having a home. , ~ i. ,. , home. Thank you for oining us, think you home. Thank you for oining us, think you for t home. Thank you for oining us, think you for your home. Thank you forjoining us, think you for your time. Across europe, diplomacy is in high gear. Borisjohnson met the ukrainian president Zelensky In Kyiv yesterday. And this is today. Dutch Prime Minister mark rutte, also in the ukainian capital, calling for de escalation. President zelensky and i, we agreed that every effort must now be made to de escalate the dangerous situation in which we find ourselves. And i believe, we believe that the only route to a solution is through de escalation, diplomacy and dialogue. Borisjohnson has also spoken with the russian president today, and we are told the Prime Ministers stressed any russian incursion into ukrainian territory be a tragic mistake elation. But the kremlin has signalled that its not open to compromising. Translation it is worth talking to anyone. Russia, and even more so president putin, is open for communication with everyone, even with those who are utterly. Confused and dont have a clear. Understanding of whats happening in our country. Hes always ready to give i an exhaustive explanation. Lets speak to our chief International Correspondent who was live with us each evening from kyiv this week. Talk to me about american troops. With the ukrainian president like those Troops Notjust in Eastern Europe but actually inside ukraine . , ~ , ukraine . Know. Ithink they understand ukraine . Know. Ithink they understand that ukraine . Know. Ithink they understand that this ukraine . Know. Ithink they understand that this is ukraine . Know. Ithink they understand that this is not i ukraine . Know. I think they i understand that this is not on ukraine . Know. I think they understand that this is not on the cards and that this would be very provocative and we heard from Ukraine Positive for mr today who say we are not expecting other countries to fight our wars. Many made a point to emphasise that the more defensive weapons that ukraine receives from its partners in the nato alliance, the less possibility that they will be used in other words a strong ukraine militarily, politically, financially is the best deterrent against any russian aggression. Deterrent against any russian aggression deterrent against any russian an uression. � ,. , aggression. And these before we introduced you aggression. And these before we introduced you we aggression. And these before we introduced you we heard aggression. And these before we introduced you we heard from i aggression. And these before we introduced you we heard from russia saying that when reboot is always happy to give a full estimation of the russian position of a given he is and that might we see some direct talks between mr pruden and some of the relevant World Leaders . Isnieiit talks between mr pruden and some of the relevant World Leaders . The relevant World Leaders . Welt p witness with the relevant World Leaders . Welt p witness with a the relevant World Leaders . Welt p witness with a very the relevant World Leaders . Welt p witness with a very busy the relevant World Leaders . Welt p witness with a very busy man. The relevant World Leaders . Welt p i witness with a very busy man. Almost every day i will later call him up, Emmanuel Micron of france who soon makes a trip to moscow to see but are food and there has had to Telephone Calls with the russian leader and joe biden had eight Telephone Call earlier this week and borisjohnson as we have just been reporting and the only one which has not had one is president zelinski of the ukraine and it is for that reason that president zelinski said in the press conference last night with Boris Johnson in the press conference last night with borisjohnson that in the press conference last night with Boris Johnson that the in the press conference last night with borisjohnson that the norm format is one that ukraine actually supports and beliefs could have a possible role in de escalating this crisis because it brings together germany, france, ukraine, and russia and one of the only places where possibly they will talk to each other and we expect the normandy format to be meeting very soon to Start Playing its own role or trying to play a role and doing what everyone talks about but we are not seeing yet and that is to de escalate these tensions. Seeing yet and that is to deescalate these tensions. Whenever ou come deescalate these tensions. Whenever you come on deescalate these tensions. Whenever you come on outside deescalate these tensions. Whenever you come on outside source deescalate these tensions. Whenever you come on outside source we deescalate these tensions. Whenever you come on outside source we are you come on outside source we are often talking about conflict is talking about diplomatic initiatives but also like to ask you about the day to day life of the places where you are reporting from. I wonder in kyiv at the moment if i did not know about all this somatic activity, what i know that there was a Military Threat or the possibility of a Military Threat of you to miles away . Of a Military Threat of you to miles awa . ~ ,. ,. ,. , of a Military Threat of you to miles awa . ~ i. ,. ,. , away . Well you have to remember that ukraine is a huge away . Well you have to remember that ukraine is a huge country. Away . Well you have to remember that ukraine is a huge country. As ukraine is a huge country. As a Biggest Country after russia from the former soviet union, so we are a very long way away from what they would refer to as the front lines and if you are an elderly couple living in eastern ukraine, close to the russian border, your life will have been turned upside down in my colleague reported today a very sad story about a woman who basically enter her nightdress in the dead of night had to flee her home of 30 years. They feel day and not the very visible presence of the russian separatists in their area. The ukrainian president talked about yesterday it used to be a very vibrant city in the east and now it is suffering because it is very much the middle of all of these tensions. Here in kyiv, life goes on but when you speak to ukrainians, the city if you speak to ukrainians, the city if you can see behind me of such ally and beauty, the bars are full, the restaurants are doing a great business but the economy is suffering full so the currency is down even though the president spoke today that it was doing better and we heard from several prominent individuals here that investors are staying away and that explains why the president here has been telling or at least last week try to urge everyone to calm down, the crisis is no worse now than it was a year ago. As ever, thank you very much indeed. A minister in the buff assembly has told officials to stop carrying out checks on goods entering of an elephant rest of the uk but these checks were introduced and we talked about this a lot on the programme as part of the brexit deal agreed between the uk and the eu. The arrangement is made to ensure Customs Checks happen at ports and not on the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland. There are public in the eu and Northern Ireland being in the uk and Northern Ireland being in the uk and so outside of the European Union and so outside of the European Union and others arranged in what is called the Northern Ireland protocol and is proven deeply unpopular with and is proven deeply unpopular with a number of people including Unionist Politicians who dont want any barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the uk. Edwin poots is in the dup. Izfe edwin poots is in the dup. Ive never issued ed