"Hard but fair" (ARD) – Norbert Röttgen on Ukraine: "This is Mr. Putin's sphere"

“The main thing is peaceful and warm: Does Germany shy away from a clear edge against Putin?” Frank Plasberg discusses the Ukraine crisis in “Hart aber fair” (ARD).

Cologne – “It looks like something out of a film whose suspense hardly makes a peaceful end possible,” predicts Frank Plasberg on “Hart aber fair” (ARD) on Monday, February 14, a dark love story. Russia’s march on the Ukrainian border: like a lover who can’t bear that the sweetheart wants to lead her own life.

“Hard but fair” (ARD): An escalating dispute over Ukraine’s self-determination

Many Western countries have now issued a travel warning to Ukraine. “If you don’t absolutely have to be there, you should go,” says Frank Plasberg on “Hart aber fair” (ARD) and Sarah Pagung (Russia expert at the German Society for Foreign Policy) confirms that not so many governments would recommend it at the same time , if there was no fear that another war could break out there.

Secret service circles say Russia could attack Ukraine as early as next Wednesday (February 16, 2022). Even if Sarah Pagung emphasizes on “Hart aber fair” (ARD) that she would be careful with statements coming from the American secret services: Around 130,000 Russian soldiers ready to fight have now arrived at the Ukrainian border. Also on Monday, February 14, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and, for his standards, found surprisingly clear words there: He expected Russia to take “clear steps towards de-escalation”.

“Hard but fair” (ARD): “Russia behaves absolutely irresponsibly.”

This is what Michael Roth (member of the SPD and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee) finds in “Hart aber fair” (ARD). Vladimir Putin is deliberately creating a threatening situation and is thus making a massive contribution to the “destabilization of Eastern Europe”. Norbert Röttgen (Member of the CDU and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee) explains that Vladimir Putin is absolutely determined to “change the political map of Europe”.

The motivation behind it: Fear of democracy? Isn’t it just a matter of time before young Russians question why they don’t have what countries like Ukraine and Belarus are fighting for? With an aging man in power who cannot be open to modernization and who, according to Norbert Röttgen, still does not accept that the Soviet Union no longer exists. “Actually, Vladimir Putin’s only concern is to turn back the clock.”

He wants two spheres: an American one and a Russian one. Europe doesn’t matter. “We don’t have to interfere with the eastern countries,” because that’s “Mr. Putin’s sphere,” explains Norbert Röttgen on “Hart but fair” (ARD). “Putin has no means of attraction, only aggression.” A simmering mixture and “politics from the 19th century”, Norbert Röttgen sniffs: Because here the stronger delusional tries to take what he has with all means thinks he deserves it just because he once owned it.

“Hard but fair” (ARD): When will there no longer be respectful dialogue in the Ukraine conflict?

In an interview with Emmanuel Macron, Vladimir Putin said with regard to Ukraine: “Whether you like it or not, you will have to comply, my beauty!” That such a sexist statement did not cause much more outrage is Mariam Lau ( Editor in the political department of the time) at “hard but fair” (ARD) absolutely incomprehensible. She, Ukraine, has to submit just because Russia once could call her her own?

Well, the roots of the two countries are still deeply connected, as can be seen in the case of Vassili Golod (editor and reporter in the WDR newsroom as well as podcaster): His father comes from Ukraine, his mother from Russia. He also has relatives in eastern Ukraine, in Crimea occupied by Russia, where war has been raging since 2014. There he finds completely different views than with his grandfather in Russia. Even this one still has the outdated imperial thinking, where Ukraine is still part of the territory of Russia: it has been an independent country for 30 years now.

A completely different development took place there: Here they are proud of their democracy and that they can express their opinions freely. According to Vassili Golod on “Hart aber fair” (ARD), no one can force these two countries back together. Russia is “like a toxic partner” who doesn’t see that the relationship is over. A partnership on an equal footing with Russia is not possible because Ukraine is looking for partners who will treat it “better”. A renewed peaceful meeting of the two seems unthinkable.

“Hard but fair” (ARD) with Plasberg: “War is not popular”

Now the question is how the separation will continue. Norbert Röttgen on “Hart aber fair” (ARD) points out that there will be a domestic political risk for Vladimir Putin if he either loses soldiers or there are economic sanctions against the population. Sarah Pagung agrees, because the populations in Ukraine and Russia still see each other closely, as shown: Losses or restrictions would harm both sides.

And how do we react in Germany? Looking away because it doesn’t concern us? But “they are our neighbors,” explains Mariam Lau down to earth. “Of course we should be on the side of Ukraine.” Out of a democracy against another forced marriage. Everyone else agrees with their attitude here: “We lack empathy and interest in the Eastern countries, but they are Europeans too,” Michael Roth appeals to human sympathy and understanding.

It is gratifying that actually all governments are “singing the same song, albeit in a different tone”: We are on the side of Ukraine. This political opinion now only has to be represented by Olaf Scholz as a marriage counselor on Tuesday in Moscow in order to hopefully prevent a mud fight that would cause even more injuries on both sides. (Tina Waldeck)