Russia's war against Ukraine raised the question early on as to whether the geopolitical tensions between the “West”, Russia and China have not long since escalated into a new Cold War. Certainly, the global framework conditions are different to those before 1989/91. The world is no longer divided into two blocs, but multipolar and more closely intertwined than ever before. And yet there are conflict constellations that evoke memories of the East-West conflict: There is little trust in the rationality and predictability of the other side, the nuclear threat potential is increasing, the signs of the times are pointing to rearmament instead of arms control. How real is the concern that NATO itself will become a party to the war? Is there a risk of nuclear escalation? Which security policy risk management strategies appear promising? And what role can German politics and science play in this?  

At the event as part of the Leibniz Association-funded project “PATTERN - What role does the past play? The Russian War of Aggression against Ukraine and the Cold War” organized by PRIF and the Institute of Contemporary History (IfZ) will participate:

• Merle Spellerberg, MP (hybrid), Member of the Defense Committee of the German Bundestag, Alliance 90/The Greens
• Michael Gahler, MEP, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, Member of the Group of the European People's Party (CDU)
• Christoph von Lieven (Greenpeace), campaigner & expert on peace and disarmament
• Prof. Dr. Malte Göttsche (PRIF/TU Darmstadt), CNTR's Head of Research Group Science for Nuclear Diplomacy
• Moderation: Dr. Agnes von Bressensdorf (IfZ), Deputy Head of the Research Department, Institute of Contemporary History, Munich

The public panel discussion will also be streamed online and is part of the PATTERN conference (by invitation only). The program can be found here.