EU governments start advising nationals ‘to get out of Ukraine’ – DW’s Teri Schultz

It's been a rollercoaster 24 hours on global stock markets, with huge swings on Wall Street and volatility hitting its highest level since October 2020. Investors are waiting for the decision from the US Federal Reserve on when it will start raising interest rates, but are also concerned about the rising tensions at Ukraine's border. Meanwhile, Bitcoin has slumped as low as $33,000, down over 50 percent from its peak in November. Our Business Editor Stephen Carroll has the details.

Russia still seems to be beefing up the military presence on its border with Ukraine, while Kyiv has received military support from the US and and its NATO allies. Germany won't send weapons to Ukraine, saying that would only escalate the situation.

With Russia massing 100,000 combat-ready troops just across Ukraine's eastern border, many fear an invasion is imminent. DW's Nick Connolly traveled to Ukraine's war-torn Donbass region and talked to residents and soldiers who live on the front line.

The dispute surrounds a controversial disciplinary committee for judges set up by the government. Critics say the committee has become politicized and is being used to influence judges. DW met a judge who lost his job because of a ruling by the committee.

With concern still high over a potential war between Russia and Ukraine, NATO's deputy secretary general spoke to FRANCE 24. Mircea Geoana told our Europe editor Catherine Nicholson: "NATO will not get involved militarily in Ukraine – we support Ukraine in many other ways, individual allies support Ukraine. And in order to deter Russia from doing that ... is to really demonstrate to the leadership in the Kremlin that in a cost-benefit analysis, an additional military intervention in Ukraine is a net loss for Russia."

"Everything is on the table" regarding new EU sanctions on Russia - but "de-escalation through diplomacy" remains the bloc's priority in the Ukraine crisis. So says EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders in an in-depth interview with FRANCE 24's Europe Editor Catherine Nicholson. The former Belgian foreign minister said the European Commission is preparing measures that could include individual sanctions on "people involved in the possible aggression – such as freezing their assets or a travel ban", as well as what he described as "concrete economic sanctions: transfer of technologies from Europe and in co-ordination with the United States; energy; and maybe financial services".

The first contingent of 2,000 additional US soldiers has arrived near Frankfurt, with others touching down near Poland's border with Ukraine. The White House says the troops will protect eastern NATO members from potential Russian aggression.

Since December, Russia has gradually amassed more than 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine. Amid stalled talks between the US and Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron is embarking on a solo mission to Moscow and then Kyiv, insisting a diplomatic solution is still possible. For more on what to expect from this latest diplomatic push, we spoke to Natia Seskuria, Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. "Russia will not stop at Ukraine," she warned.

Johnson and Sunak visit a hospital in show of unity amid government crisis

Emmanuel Macron is on a special trip to Moscow to meet and talk with Vladimir Putin. The mission: to try and calm matters on the Ukraine-Russia border and avoid what many analysts say is certain war. Macron is representing the EU, with France holding the rotating presidency. What influence does he take into these talks?

Biden, Scholz discuss 'diplomatic resolutions' to Ukraine crisis

After Moscow and Kiev, Emmanuel Macron is in Berlin to huddle on Ukraine. The French president's host is also fresh off the plane. German chancellor Olaf Scholz is just back from Washington to host Macron and his Polish counterpart Andrej Duda. We find out if the three are on the same page, what with 100,000-plus Russian troops still surrounding Ukraine on three sides.