thousands of brazilians have been protesting against what appears to be the targeted killing of a city councilor mario franco in a drive under some gum as was shot dead in their car on a wednesday in rio de janeiro a thirty eight year old was a popular public official and a critic of killings by police and some of rivers for a district of. columbia's government has revived peace talks with the last remaining rebel group the national liberation army. because the actions between the two sides ended in january when the group initiated attacks just after a temporary ceasefire expired president one manual santa says he's resuming the talks save lives peru's president is facing impeachment for a second time pet republican survived a first bid to remove him from office last december by eight votes and the nine year old leader is accused of lying about his ties to brazilian construction giant out of breath robert mugabe has spoken out for the first time since being ousted the zimbabwe's president he's called is a move from office last november to saying you never thought emerson. would have

turned against him well those were the headlines the news continues here on al-jazeera after inside story of watching. britain takes its case against moscow to the u.n. over the poisoning of a former russian spy at a time of friction of a break and an unpredictable white house how will a divided west tackle a resurgent russia which is again defining itself at least according to president putin as a great power. hello

welcome to the program. the rhetoric of the cold war appears to be back with strong words at the u.n. security council and the expulsion of twenty three russian diplomats from britain the us france and germany along with the u.k. have issued a joint statement blaming moscow for the poisoning of the former spy surrogates cripple and his daughter in the u.k. flooding here putin's expected to win a fourth term in sunday's presidential election and he's been talking about russia's weapons capability this month in his state of the union speech two weeks ago he said that new nuclear missiles that could penetrate any u.s. defense system of being developed the united states has been sending mixed messages on how to deal with russia president donald trump has repeatedly been ambiguous but others in his administration say that russia should be held accountable the united states stands in absolute solidarity with great britain. the united states believes

that russia is responsible for the attack on two people and the united kingdom using a military grade nerve agent dozens of civilians and first responders were also exposed russia says the accusations are insane and that britain is refusing to cooperate with moscow in the investigation into the incident. and we are extremely concerned about what has taken place several days ago on the territory of the united kingdom we are taking information about the situation of using chemical weapons on the territory of the united kingdom with utmost concern to this day i can confirm this again london refuses to provide any factual information regarding this case. so is there a rush to judgment by western powers on russia let's bring in our guests for today from moscow with we're joined by the office live not as often former russian

diplomat in london matthew goodwin seanie a visiting fellow in the europe program at chatham house and from santander in spain by skype is for greece for ca chief strategy officer and global and former director of policy planning from they said gentlemen good to have you with us there just love that start with you britain's private us that's reason may says there's no alternative conclusion other than the that the russian state was responsible for the attempted murder of mr scruple and his daughter what do you make of that. oh or iconic of magine that russian government in it was in in some such condo our friend. or relative because it is absolutely clear today it is step though spoiling russian west and relations and this concrete situation that putin is before a presidential election because russia is interested will calm down any

international influence on the inside situation so i don't think that the russia have a new connection with this gaze and all what this we are watching today is based on a legations i think that saga. starting of the case could give good. want to what's happening indeed but on my opinion it is the part of the go mobile road development omo baroda position although west of the contras. are russia because we again have combined this was the russian behavior in syria and all that was made. in a good. and in a gray and many other places i think that the polish says that there are russia demonstrates right now before the western world is absolutely

independent from its. position america it was upset to his russian behavior russia confronting american policy in many places in the world grain middle east and even a far east so i think that it is the pot of a global confrontation we is a russian federation. and that was used by this case in a london ok i don't believe that russia have a new connection with this case because it is not the in the interest right now or the russia matthew could win in london you had well v.s.s. love was saying that what do you make of that. well i think there is clearly a very consistent line coming from berlin paris london and washington that the

nature of the material the fact that it is high grade a high grade military nerve agent really put solaris pointing in one direction and it the argument certainly made by to reason may and also the u.s. and people from the security services is that if this isn't anything to do with russia then that and then put forward a plausible explanation there are only two scenarios one is that it did come from russia sanctioned by the russians state the other is the russian state has lost control over high grade military agents those are affected lead the two scenarios are at play. meanwhile the british government has has pushed ahead with the sanctions which you know no government is going to impose the most significant sanctions that they've seen since the mid one nine hundred eighty s. unless they have compelling credible intelligence from the security services

point to where this substance has come from so all ours are pointing in the same direction for response here in incident on the the answer was echoing russia's envoy to the u.n. who called the report is made of a false flag attack possibly by the u.k. itself in order to discredit russia and how plausible is that does anyone believe that there could be another explanation that that russia was really not involved in this when the first we've all respect all your russian guests. to mention remind me of the foreign minister now the last one to mention. i do not sentiency concierge meenie be basically also when you reach facts so. true some distorted then it connections which are not really the reality that matter of the question here and in the end they are creating these doubt or trying to create

these doubt that in fact this is a plot of the west against russia so i don't think it really stands the test of evidence as matthew said it just earlier days an overwhelming body of evidence that points to a nerve agent produced in russia having be used by the russian authorities to attempt a murder on the former russian spy and this is in a way also all declare a police you better russian state that they have the right to aim at russian full of former russians but i still consider traitors outside the russian territory so certainly disease caused the fatah tent and patton that has been existing now full more than four years and i think this is the big question now is how do we respond to it because clearly this isn't what the shit event and its cannot be seen

as just a small or a tent it's a very significant one using us i definitely feel there are agents in the middle of the biggest city on daylight so i think now the real question is how robust but also a collective response will be from preachin but also the british nato and you're like ok we'll come on to the response in a little more depth in in just a few moments but. just before we move on behalf of you heard what both matthew and fabrice were saying that about this overwhelming body of evidence against russia britain's foreign secretary said that russia's smug soft casting response to this incident indicates its fundamental guilt that they want to similar taney asli deny it yet at the same time glory if he's got a point has. well russia straighted absolutely independent of course in international affairs she doesn't join american activity in the middle

east and many other areas in the world saw saying that if there's a main reason why now confront a sham is arising from the day to day between the west headed by the united states and russia recently watch it in bed it did did different regions of the world and i saying that it before a russian at bet is a den show elections this tension increased tension. there putin will help him is he is an electoral cum playing inside their arch as the russian federation because more. pressing will be on putin so i just want to pick you up on something you said. right at the beginning of the program when you felt that the russia's role in syria in crimea and ukraine

may have something to do with all of this. grey mir is a salute to the definitely russia will never change is. and never always draw from crimea it is sad kind of place for russians and support and will enjoy support from all russian population it is not only his decision i seeing that. consolidating public opinion from. favor of putin will be a absolutely right now that's why it before the election old period he. make a visit to crimea and he didn't straighted that big success all russia when it accepted crimea or russians to russian federation i think

he is not contradicted to his his own interest is before an electorate. and that's why i conceded that. gray media it is being a cart in the hand of putin were his army all this electoral votes through rago that we're watching today in russia because he's really face now as strong opposition leader good union square on the left side who is demanding from him change his internal economical social and political course inside russia and it's he is the losing the group the union in menu fields and now a key to compensate his losses inside the policy. while he's demonstrating his loyal it to russia in crimea you know crane in strong position in the international level because of you you have brigade pretenders idea

of the united states ok in demonstrating the air there but unit is military but you need to surround syria. so i think that if there is a framework of the struggle put in is the gaining points for on the point of your. electoral interests all right matthew goodwin the u.s. ambassador to the u.n. nikki haley said that if we don't take immediate concrete measures to address this soulsby won't be the last place that we see chemical weapons used to call it go to a defining moment is it. i think in some respects it is. the british foreign secretary was quite careful this morning to say that this does not mark a return to the code wall but i think in some respects it will become something of a watershed in the new post cold war relationship between russia and the west there is a sense the in westminster at least and i think also in washington that pasta bent

slightly there of. really was not taken seriously by the russian state that those reactions. from britain were not hot enough i think now you're seeing the rolling out of a more thorough response over twenty diplomats expelled the royal family told that they will be boycotting the cop i suspect they'll be the pressure on travel bans and the movement of assets by wealthy russians in london putin is going to some point today announce his response to that and it will be retired the asians bob what what we may see over the next day or two is actually the west's response begin to spiral into france and germany and in the united states who may join that action coming from britain so we are nowhere near the end of this this issue it will

likely spiral and i do know it will ultimately undermine the bilateral relationship between britain and russia but also russia's standing visibly the west for greece and if russia is behind the the soles replays and what's going on here is putin testing alliances looking to test the west's resolve if the u.k. pushes back hard against russia's what extent is it is it merely giving president putin exactly what he wants. well that's the one point where i agree with the russian guest is that days again here played by it would seem to gain some points abroad to hide he's loss is a total and especially easy going to make situation but it's also a game that he prologues himself he chooses to be on the offensive and i can tell you having been inside the machine room at nato during the ukraine conflict this is

a great reluctance for the western allies to enter into a confrontation and to escalate but as matthew just stated and as i say there here are this is a watershed event and the question now is how concrete and could lick t.v. the responses are going to be the mistress an ounce yesterday but a british prime minister after her but mostly symbolic even dissensions chief looked it would not be automatic sanctions they might become sanctions if there are proven cases of russian. individuals being involved in some cases so it's i think it's not as strong as it sounds but the rehab strains could come again after all how did nato and european allies going to respond and i think here it's about also the western leaders sticking their responsibility we haven't heard since twenty fourteen basically since the ukraine complete countless

statements about hybrid war that the west would respond that the west the west was getting ready here we have a hybrid war do question is whether a hybrid attack on one ally is an attack of all the alliance and i think this is really where we have to see the sheeple fall not done but also from washington and the european capitals what does it mean concretely it could mean first maybe getting the british sanction in. two e.u. white sections next week you have a council a european council or the e.u. leaders including to decimate and i think you actually can make the call to make basically a new package of sanctions against russia under nato side i didn't means dismiss a situation of collective defense she has a yourself to seize and use of force by russia against britain this is a case of self-defense under article fifty one of the un charter which could be the

prelude to also invoke nato as collective defense grills article five it doesn't mean there's going to be good not to let it military response but it means is a clear statement not on your story very pretty but the readiness to act the question and the bottom line is if we don't act what is going to prevent russia from doing that again in the future you know if you can give me a short answer if you would just on the e.u. for a moment how united will the response be given that some of the states in the in the east of the former soviet bloc countries who are naturally a wary of the big neighbor neighbor to the east well yes i think the reality show will be coming out of the west a member states mostly it's only germany and france whether they will be willing to basically negotiate a new package of sanctions products ikey i think that could be actually more

potential inside the e.u. is there should be to do financial sanctions that there might be inside nato to do concrete measures because they too will be seen by some european allies as too is going to answer it so i think there's a real cow to play it you know it may be tempting and it's of twee stuff history that almost a year before leaving the european union return might be actually calling for one of the greatest evil short story directed. have you noticed like you heard what fabrice was saying there if there is a united e.u. package of sanctions against russia if nato takes self-defense measures are we entering a new cold war with russia here. well i think that the cold war is going on and in some places as. well it when in a hot war not only a cold war because we know wash our relations with the united states in the city

and area not in a syrian region for example where we have that. direct. confrontation between and i reckon and the russian. military services one of them supported this first s. and now the syrian governmental forces so i think that she to asian is right dangerous it needs contacts and diplomatic and political manages to settle down all contradictions what we watch today we watch we watch and when any chance to meet mr putin was mr trump and we watch that mr trump is and was he doing it when welcome his russian colleague and that's why no dialogue no political contacts no got to do nation in any other place because our

opinions our current relations with the united states is critical as i stand for the united states i'm a firm russia won all that satellite it is impossible in the real situation and i think that's the main reasons of their increasing tension and all this cases poisoning people in the great britain in great britain. getting to break even and there is a big question for us for russians why what is happening such kind of getting poisoning only in great britain. what is this soil what is there in great britain that killed people that russian people because as the last person as if he was traveling to alon done after freeing mean from then.

from that. i rest ok he was absolutely clean when he when they left their country and now it has no. no. for then as as i don't. have. math he could it all right matthew goodwin a look i want to ask you a question about about britain's response and whether russia has miscalculated but it just occurs to me and i could see do you think a campaign of russian with the misinformation and obfuscation aimed at a british and u.s. audience is now. i think that's likely that certainly consistent with russia's past action what we've heard even during this conversation is a lot of talk about international relations a lot of talk about the russian election we've not actually had any credible

response to the specific threat that is. or the sorry the specific issue that is at hand which is how did this happen if it did not indeed originate in russia and that's the question that the russians have to answer and they can talk about say we are and they can talk about putin's election but how did a high high grade military agent get to the point where it is being deployed on the british ordinary street something not that that's the question they need to answer not international relations so i think there will be a very strong and concerted and consistent response from the u.k. and u.k. is allies and that will continue for some time to count and for greece a very quick answer from you please because we're almost out of time if russia is behind this attack has it miscalculated. you know because they feel just short term he's going to play and play in the. playbook especially ahead of the elections

and order not to yes because russia is going to keep on being put into a corner it could be especially by the west when there was talk seems determined restriction the right of maybe least in some of the sections actually now and again we've passed a new a new line in russia is going to be kept and contain it going to beat me as wrong because it doesn't actual change your behavior you can have as many diplomats and as much time looking as you want and if you give it would be welcome perhaps but as long as you don't have a russian change of behavior and actually you have your own we're comfortable exerting containment and force until russia sees it it's not to need citrus to keep on being distracted and at risk ok gentlemen then we must end it many thanks indeed for being with us they had a slew of matters of in moscow matthew goodwin in london and for the sport in some time that. thanks for watching t.v. good you can see the program anytime just by going to the web site al jazeera dot

com for further discussion join us on our facebook page facebook dot com forward slash a.j. inside story and you can also join the conversation on twitter handle at a.j. inside story from be adrian for the good of the whole team here though thanks for watching i'll see you again often. in the past seven years over three million homes. and eleven million people displaced.

syrians made homeless by. sharing their stories. in the ruins of a dream and this time on al-jazeera. eight candidates but only one likely winner but he may proteids tight grip on the kremlin as under eighteen years now and when the russian people votes on march the eighteenth there is every indication that they will return him to power is the fourth presidential term. follow the russian elections here on al-jazeera. we are witnessing around the word this whole remind me which is only looking at how to make the next profit devastating economies devastating ecosystems putting a price on the protection of nature green economy is sound good but it was all about privatized sation of nature should our environment be for sale what we're

trying to do this destroyed people to trade water crunch given them a financial incentive to do that pricing the planet at this time on al-jazeera. we understand the differences and the similarities of cultures across the world. so no matter where you call home al-jazeera will bring in the news and current affairs that matter to you. al-jazeera. hello i'm daryn jordan in doha at the top stories here on al-jazeera the u.s. is impose new sanctions on russia getting more than a dozen people for trying to influence the twenty six thousand election trumpet ministrations threatening to keep tough policies in place until moscow changes its behavior russia has vowed to retaliate on the investigation into.