European analyst Maybrit Illner questions: "Is Europe capable of aiding Ukraine?"
Late-Night Talk Show Tackles Tense Ukraine-Russia Conflict
On June 12, 2025, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) graces Maybrit Illner's show to discuss the escalating tension between Ukraine and Russia, titled "Putin's Revenge, Trump's Game - Can Europe Save Ukraine?"
The conflict has become fiercer, with Vladimir Putin retaliating against Ukraine's "Spider's Web" operation through massive drone attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odessa – the worst since the war's commencement. US President Donald Trump, expressing understanding, declared the Ukrainians had given Putin a reason to "bomb them back to the Stone Age." Unsurprisingly, there's no talk of harsher sanctions from Washington, and Europe is rather cautious, negotiating the 18th sanctions package with gas price caps intended to put more pressure on Russia. However, doubts linger over whether these measures will significantly deter or discourage Russia.
The "Coalition of the Willing" faces a crucial test as they head towards the NATO summit. Amidst this critical juncture, prominent SPD politicians present a "manifesto," advocating for a shift in German foreign and security policy – a stance that puts them against the federal government. As peace in Ukraine seems elusive, the audience wonders how Russia can be deterred, what role Germany should play in Europe and NATO, and if it is capable of shouldering this responsibility.
Joining Maybrit Illner is Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter, Carlo Masala, a Professor of International Politics at the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich, Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, an expert on transatlantic relations and US politics at the Bertelsmann Foundation, and Fred Pleitgen, CNN's US news correspondent.
While specific strategies for deterring Russia discussed during the show are not available, the context suggests drawing on military pressure, economic sanctions, diplomatic efforts, and international support for Ukraine to maintain a united front against Russian aggression. These methods are generally debated in similar discussions regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
During the late-night talk show, the escalating Ukraine-Russia conflict was addressed with Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), joined by political experts and journalists. The discussion encompassed military pressure, economic sanctions, diplomatic efforts, and international support for Ukraine as potential strategies to deter Russia, a topic often discussed in the realm of general news and politics, especially in the context of war-and-conflicts.
