In this segment of our talk show, participants discuss Europe’s role in an uncertain world: How can EU diplomacy be helpful in the Middle East and Ukraine? And does a greater need for security require compulsory military service again?
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World leaders traveled to the city that never sleeps this week to discuss the biggest crises of our time. The 79th UN General Assembly took place in New York, while Israel carried out massive attacks against the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon – once again at the expense of the civilian population.
What role did the EU play in the talks in Manhattan and how can Europe be made future-proof in this unstable world?
Tobias Cremer, SPD European MP, Katrin Hatzinger, head of the Brussels office of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and Timo Lehmann, Brussels correspondent for the Hamburg news magazine DER SPIEGEL, discussed this with Stefan Grobe this week.
There is war in Europe’s eastern neighborhood and the Middle East, with no end in sight.
After virtually eliminating the terrorist organization Hamas, Israel has now set its sights on the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
The EU is more divided than ever on the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Can the EU therefore have a peace-building influence on the parties to the conflict? Does Europe actually have sufficient leverage to get things moving?
In contrast, Western support for Ukraine appears to be unwavering. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kiev last week and offered billions in loans.
But a lot depends on the outcome of the US elections. Not the best prospect for the future EU Commission, which is likely to be in the starting blocks for weeks.
Ukrainian President Zelensky was in the United States this week, where he sought further support for his country. Among other things, he visited an ammunition factory in Pennsylvania before meeting President Joe Biden in Washington. His appearance in Pennsylvania was also a gesture of support for the Biden-Harris administration during the election campaign.
Finally, the group discussed the debate about conscription, which has flared up again in Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many countries are considering whether conscription could strengthen their national security.
Germany introduced compulsory military service in 1956, requiring men over the age of 18 to do one year of military service. In 2011, this service to the weapon was suspended. Various forms of conscription are now being discussed again.
Should conscription be reintroduced, what are the arguments for it and what are the arguments against it?
The last topic was the UN General Assembly in New York this week. An opportunity to resolve almost all of the world’s crises through diplomacy.
For Joe Biden, it was probably his last major appearance on the international stage as president. In addition, the heads of state and government also signed a pact for the future to make the UN more functional.
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Secretary-General Antonio Guterres outlined the urgent tasks to be completed: a reform of the UN and its working and decision-making mechanism. Thoughts about this have been around for decades – why should it work this time?
