German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who's currently in Warsaw, said a trip to Ukraine suggested by his Polish counterpart "wasn't wanted" by Kyiv. He has been criticized for his closeness to Russia.

The orchestra is determined to raise the voice of Ukrainian culture in the face of Russia's invasion. The German leg of its European tour has begun.

On a visit to Japan, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lauded Tokyo's support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's attack. He also stressed close German-Japanese ties.

Germany has been in focus this week after lawmakers in the Bundestag on Thursday overwhelmingly backed a decision to send heavy weapons to Ukraine. Meanwhile, as Russia cut off gas supplies to EU member states Poland and Bulgaria over their refusal to pay for the fuel in roubles, Germany remains heavily reliant on Russian gas imports – more so than the EU average. We speak to Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry for Economy and Climate, Franziska Brantner, a German MP with the Green Party.

In the World This Week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres tries to negotiate humanitarian corridors in Ukraine while on a visit to Kyiv. French President Emmanuel Macron's re-election honeymoon period proves short-lived, with the focus quickly turning to June legislative elections. And Tesla founder Elon Musk makes a $44 million offer for social media platform Twitter.

In the World This Week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres tries to negotiate humanitarian corridors in Ukraine while on a visit to Kyiv. French President Emmanuel Macron's re-election honeymoon period proves short-lived, with the focus quickly turning to June legislative elections. And Tesla founder Elon Musk makes a $44 million offer for social media platform Twitter.

Many sources consider the Ghost of Kyiv to be an urban legend or war propaganda, and the pilot's alleged existence has been credited as a major morale boost for the Ukrainian population to bolster optimism during the Russian invasion. The stories were shared by Ukrainians on social media.

India's Narendra Modi and Germany's Olaf Scholz did not take reporters' questions following their talks in Berlin, reportedly at the insistence of the Indian prime minister.

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. Leaders voiced optimism at the prospect of both joining the European Union.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he strongly believes Russia won't win its war in Ukraine. His remarks come as the conflict overshadows commemorations to mark the end of World War II in Europe.

In a blow to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD party, voters backed the conservatives, CDU, in an election Germany's most populous state. The Greens meanwhile more than doubled the number of votes they received.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Niger, continuing a three-country tour of Africa. One of the main motivations is that Germany is interested in new sources of energy. We get analysis from Dr. Douglas Yates of the American Graduate School in Paris. Also, as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is sworn in as president of Somalia, we take a look at the challenges ahead for him. Elsewhere, it's been a year since the explosion of Mount Nyiragongo near Goma in eastern DR Congo, with many still homeless as a result.