who've been killed in freeness turkish forces try to take the time from kurdish fighters launched an offensive in january to remove the kurdish why p.g. and establish a buffer zone along its border turkey considers the group a terror organization the assault has forced tens of thousands of people to flee the area the foreign ministers of iran russia and turkey have been holding talks in the capital of kazakhstan to try to resolve the syrian conflict zain a holder now from a stop. at the end of the day these three players are championing their own peace what is their peace they are not ready to discuss any political transition for example what they want to discuss is about rewriting the constitution some reforms and the opposition is refusing to accept anything that doesn't involve political transition so it's not really clear what they can achieve if they don't have the united states and the west on board at least an illegitimate peace deal more news on the web site it's always there for you of course al jazeera dot com tweet me i'll tweet you back at peter i'm here from ten g.

tomorrow between now and the top of the inside story i'll see you soon. 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. let me a 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 matters offer former russian diplomat in london matthew goodwin senior visiting fellow in the europe program at

chatham house and from santander in spain by skype is from greece foresee a 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 estates 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 are iconic to imagine that the russian government in it was in in some such condo our friend. or relative because it is absolutely clear today it is step the spoiling russian west i'm relations and this concrete situation that putin is before the presidential election because russia is interested will come down any international influence on his side 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. studying 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 broda 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 russian demonstrate 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 interests right now or the russia matthew could win in london you had what vs just 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 puts all hours 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 in and sent on the. was echoing russia's envoy to the u.n. who called the souls reports ning of a false flag attack possibly by the u.k. itself in order to discredit russia i mean 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 a foreign minister now the last one to mention. i do not sentiency concierge meenie they basically also when you reach facts. true some distorted bennett 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 forward a former russian spy i still consider traitors outside the russian territory so it's not only disease part of a content and content 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 in if he's got a point hasn't he. well russia straight 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 confronted 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 the same that it before a russian at presidential elections this tension increased tension. there putin will help him is he is an electoral complain inside there are russian federation because more. pressing will be on putin so just 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 and 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 that will 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 probably got piñon 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 be a card in the hand of putin were his army all this electoral votes the rago that we're watching today in russia because he is really a 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 manuf elt and now a key compensate his losses inside policy. while he's demonstrating his loyal it to russia in crimea you know grain in strong position in the international level because of you you have big rate pretenders idea of the united states ok in demonstrating the air there but unit is military

but you need to send 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. a defining moment is this. 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 cold 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 pressure on travel bans and the movement of assets by wealthy russians in london putin's going to some point today announce his response to that and it will be retired 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 you know it will ultimately undermine the bilateral relationship

between britain and russia and also russia standing visibly the west for greece and if russia is behind the the souls replace 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 when it gets to one point where you know i agree with the russian guest the steady gaze again here please. but 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 dream 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 evidence and the question now is how concrete and could lick t.v. the responses are going to be the mistress and now it's yesterday but a british prime minister after her but mostly symbolic even dissensions she floated would not be automatic sanctions then 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 real strange could come again after all how did nato and european allies going to respond and i think here it's about or saw 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 on all the airlines and i think this is really where we have to see the sheeple from london but also from washington and the european capitals what does it mean concretely it could mean first maybe getting the british sanction into e.u. white sanctions next week you have a council a european council in order to eat. including to decimate anything he or she can make the call to make basically a new package of sanctions against russia and the nato side i didn't means dismiss a situation of collective defense she has a yourself to seize the full 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 verity 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 should be coming out of the west or member states mostly it's only germany and france whether they would be willing to basically negotiate a new package of sanctions products if we have seen it 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 treat 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 sure absolutely direct it. 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 and a hot war not only a cold war because we know wash our relations with the united states in this idiom area not in a syrian region for example where have that. direct. confrontation

between i'm not taken and the russian. military services one of them supported this forces 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 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 of that satellite it is impossible in the real situation and i think that's the main reasons of their increasing tension and all these 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 it's been here 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 i. know. for they are as as i'd. have. met 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 here 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 that's the that's the question they need to answer not international relations so i think there will be a very strong and concerted inconsistent response from the u.k. and u.k. is allies and that will continue for some time to count and fabrice 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 i think on the 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 leasing some of the sanctions actually now and again we've passed a new a new line in russia's bid 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 you welcome that 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 disrupted and at risk ok gentlemen then we must end it many thanks indeed for being with us there just love matters of in moscow matthew goodman in london and for the sports here in sun town that. thanks for watching don't forget you can see the program any time 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 our handle at a.j. inside story from the adrian finnegan for the whole team here our thanks for watching and see again by foot. the scene for us where they're online what is american sign in yemen that peace is always possible but it never happens not because the situation is complicated but because no one cares or if you join us on set there are people that that is

choosing between buying medication and eating basis is a dialogue i want to get in one more comment because this is someone who is an activist and has posted a story join the global conversation at this time on al-jazeera. eight candidates but i did want likely wina what he may prove since tight grip on the kremlin as five eighteen years now when the russian people. there's every indication that they will return him to our physical presidential to. follow the russian elections here on al-jazeera. in the past seven years over three million homes destroyed. and eleven million people displaced. syrians made homeless by war shared their stories. in the ruins of a dream at this time on al-jazeera.

understand the differences. and the similarities of cultures across the world so no matter how you take it al-jazeera will bring you the news and current affairs that matter to. zero. and richelle carey in doha these are the top stories on al-jazeera russian foreign minister sergey lavrov says moscow will expel british diplomats that's in response to britain ordering all twenty three russian embassy staff over the poisoning of a former double agent and his daughter in the u.k. last week well scrutinize any and all.