Ukraine talk in Illner: Spice: Zelensky wants a quick peace conference with Putin

Ukraine speech in Illner
Spice: Zelensky wants a quick peace conference with Putin

By Marko Schlichting
October 11, 2024, 6:17 am

The Ramstein meeting is crucial for Ukraine, as the future of the war-torn country must be negotiated elsewhere. Maprid Illner talks about it on ZDF and, among others, SPD leader Klingbeil and military expert Masala discuss a possible end to the war.

This Friday, Ukrainian President Zelensky arrives in Germany and will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Both actually wanted to attend the Rammstein convention this weekend. However, US President Joe Biden had to cancel due to Hurricane Milton sweeping across the US. Now the meeting has been postponed, probably until after the US elections. On Thursday evening’s ZDF program Maybrit Illner, the guests talked about what is happening in the Middle East and Ukraine and when it will finally be time for peace talks.

One thing is clear: Europe is not talking much in the Middle East. Even the US has little influence over the warring parties. It’s different in Ukraine. The US is also an important partner, but the influence of European countries cannot be ruled out. Next week, EU heads of state and government are in Brussels to discuss more aid for the country, where two and a half years of bloody war has been raging.

Because the situation in the Ukrainian army is difficult. Russian troops are advancing slowly but unstoppably in the Donbass. Not only are the Russians suffering from constant rocket fire, civilians are also suffering. They have now destroyed 80 percent of the country’s energy infrastructure. Many places only have electricity and heat for six hours a day. “I believe that Europe must take more responsibility, and Germany and France must also play a bigger role,” SPD leader Lars Klingbeil told Maybrit Illner.

Klingbeil did not say what Zelenskyj and Scholz will discuss in their meeting. However, he ruled out the possibility of using long-range weapons in Russia. A topic may be a preparation for the next peace conference that may take place in India. Further support may also be discussed, particularly German assistance in the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Falling support

Support for Ukraine has been declining for some time. It is still unclear what will happen after the November 5 election in the US. But many politicians in Germany are also calling for peace talks. They did not say how they plan to negotiate with Russian President Putin. He recently vehemently declined Chancellor Scholes’ phone offer. However, diplomatic efforts often take place behind closed doors, said Carlo Masala, a military expert. “Only: Mr. Putin says about all these efforts: I’m not interested, I’m on the path to success, I’ll continue.”

Conflict analyst Nicole Teitelhoff has criticized the current debate in Germany as going in the wrong direction. In Germany the frenzied debate goes in one direction. That’s why it felt so special when Chancellor Scholes recently called for more effort in the peace talks in a TV interview. “We have a debate in Germany about support for Ukraine, which is mostly focused on military support. But it is also about political support,” Teitelhoff said. “And there’s the problem: We can’t count on diplomacy. So we’re always trying to measure our political support for Ukraine by whether we provide the Taurus and how much artillery we get there.”

“Don’t Bow to Putin”

But Klingbeil said military support for Ukraine is important. Germany should further strengthen Ukraine militarily. “Ukrainians have a right to self-defense and they must be strong for future negotiations.” At the same time, it should be noted that many countries around the world do not support the Western trend. “That’s why it’s right that we have a strong dialogue with the Global South,” Klingbeil said. The debate over the future of Ukraine and its treatment in Germany worries him. It is important to take the area of ​​the population with questions and concerns seriously.

At the same time, diplomacy and military might should be considered together. This is to strengthen Ukraine militarily for possible negotiations, but at the same time creates pressure on states that can convince Russia to hold peace talks. “The political forces in Germany say that from tomorrow we will not supply weapons to Ukraine, and that there will be peace the day after tomorrow. In Germany, that should never be understood. It is absolutely clear: Russia is the aggressor, Putin is a war criminal, we must not submit to Putin,” Klingbeil said.

This is also the interest of the President of Ukraine, Masala added. Three things are important to Zelenskyj now, which he calls for in his peace plan: more long-range weapons, a signal for his country’s NATO membership process and, if possible, a peace conference this year. And Russia should also participate in this peace conference.