"Today on ZDF, Maybrit Illner discusses: War or peace - Can security be ensured with the United States?"
Uncensored Take:
Donald Trump's bombing attack on Iran might have rattled some cages, but the debate on whether it nuked their nuclear program is still ongoing. The dude, though, sure did spark some awe at the NATO summit, leaving his peeps dazzled. In The Hague, they're keeping Trump's smile on their faces. Spain is the odd one out here, as NATO members promise to bump up their defense spending to a whopping 5% in the future. Will Trumpie be the White Knight once more for Ukraine and protect European allies like before? Tune in to "maybrit illner" on ZDF on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 10:20 PM to find out - it's all about "War or Peace - Security only with the USA?"
The Yanks are chilling on imposing additional sanctions on Russia for now, keeping the Kremlin talks alive. And direct military aid to Ukraine? Forget it for now, buddy! But how long will the Yanks stay loyal to NATO and Article 5, the security guarantee that keeps us all safe? If they do, will they rescue the European allies like they once did?
Joining the roster on Maybrit Illner's show are some heavy hitters: Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU), Jan van Aken from the Left party, Alfons Mais, the army chief of the German Armed Forces, Ben Hodges, the former Commander of the US Army in Europe, and Florence Gaub from the NATO Military Academy in Rome.
These days, the Yanks don't want to carry the heavy defense burden alone, and they're putting pressure on their European allies to share more financial and operational responsibilities. The NATO alliance has agreed to boost defense spending in the future, with certain members aiming to shell out a whopping 5% of their GDP on defense - that's a major leap from before!
But don't go thinking that means the Yanks are softening on defense, mate. They're as tough as ever, working on upgrading their air defenses, buying more ammo, drones, tanks, and troops. NATO's focus isn't on reducing troops or equipment, but on improving and modernizing their forces to tackle the modern challenges head-on. The alliance is also keen on expanding its defense industrial capacity and boosting innovation and rapid response, suggesting they ain't planning on slowing down anytime soon.
Other heavyweights like Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Ben Hodges, the former Commander of the US Army in Europe, will discuss the future of war-and-conflicts and politics on Maybrit Illner's show. General news suggests that NATO is urging its members to shoulder more financial and operational responsibilities in defense, with some aiming to increase defense spending to a significant 5% of their GDP.
