by M. K. Bhadrakumar,* India
(20 June 2022) Only three weeks remain for the summit meeting of the «North Atlantic Treaty Organisation» (NATO) in Madrid, which is expected to unveil a new Strategic Concept aimed at redefining “the security challenges facing the Alliance and outline the political and military tasks that NATO will carry out to address them.”
by Wolfgang Effenberger,* Germany
(11 June 2022) At the invitation of US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, representatives of 40 countries met on 26 April 2022 at the US Air Base in Ramstein/Rhineland-Palatinate to discuss the war in Ukraine. Among them were countries that are not members of NATO. In the run-up, the US Department of Defence had stressed that the meeting was not taking place under the umbrella of the Alliance.
by Willy Wimmer,* Germany
(30 May 2022) The war rhetoric in Washington, Brussels and Berlin accepts escalation and denies its own responsibility. In the process, the impoverishment of the population and the end of Europe are threatened. Politicians act as if this is none of their business.
by Dieter Egli,* USA
(30 May 2022) As we mark the 77th anniversary of the victory of Allied troops over Nazi Germany, the United States still has tens of thousands of troops stationed in Europe. If the events of the past two decades are any indication, it seems clear that this holdover of WWII has had unwelcome consequences for both Europe and also the USA, and should raise additional considerations for all in ending the war in Ukraine.
(22 May 2022) upg. Klaus von Dohnanyi is a political legend. In January 2022 he published his latest book “Nationale Interessen. Orientierung für deutsche und europäische Politik in Zeiten von globalen Umbrüchen“ (“National Interests. Orientation for German and European politicies in times of global upheaval”). In it, he warned against a war in Ukraine. On 22 April, two months after the outbreak of war, the Norddeutscher Rundfunk NDR interviewed him. In the following, we present his most important statements for discussion. They are quoted verbatim and therefore partly colloquial (subheadings “Infosperber”, Switzerland).
by Oskar Lafontaine,* Germany
(15 May 2022) Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the stranglehold of Washington’s gamblers: a negotiated peace with Moscow is becoming ever more urgent.