Europa will bei Ukraine mitreden (mit Claudia Major)

·47 min·4 clips

A leaked Russian-American peace plan has triggered panic in Ukraine and forced President Zelenskyy to warn of losing dignity or a key partner.

The episode opens with hosts Kai Küstner and Astrid Korall introducing a leaked 28-point peace plan for Ukraine that was negotiated between US and Russian officials. They describe how the document caused diplomatic chaos and forced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to issue one of his most dramatic warnings, stating Ukraine risks losing either its economy, dignity, or a key partner. The hosts detail how European leaders were caught completely by surprise and scrambled to influence the negotiations through crisis diplomacy. They mention numerous emergency meetings including at the G20 summit in South Africa and subsequent talks in Geneva involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The discussion covers questions about the plan's origins, with speculation about involvement from Trump advisor Steve Vitkov, Putin confidant Dmitriev, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Specific problematic provisions are analyzed, including requirements for Ukraine to limit its military to 600,000 troops, renounce NATO membership, cede territory, and exempt Russia from war crimes accountability. The hosts note European counter-proposals that addressed security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5. They interview Claudia Major from the German Marshall Fund, who explains how the original plan represented a shift from alliance politics to great power politics where the US and Russia decide European security matters over European heads. Major analyzes how the plan would have structurally weakened Ukraine's defense capabilities while strengthening Russia's position. She discusses ongoing negotiations in Abu Dhabi focusing on territorial questions and security guarantees. The conversation covers Russian reactions to different versions of the plan and why this moment might seem opportune for Moscow given Ukrainian military setbacks. Major emphasizes the difference between a ceasefire and genuine peace, warning against repeating the Minsk agreements' failures. The hosts conclude by noting continued fighting in Ukraine despite diplomatic efforts.

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