Trump-Klat bursts into the discussions about Ukraine

The recording of the “arena” on chaotic conditions in the defense department and on the political world stage has just begun, there are unprecedented scenes in the Oval Office.

In a historical word battle Donald Trump and his vice JD Vance, the Ukrainian President Wolodimir Selenski in front of running cameras of the international press. While head of state and political opinion leaders are already taking a public position, the discussion round, on the program of which the Ukraine War and transatlantic relationships are also located, does not notice any of this.

It takes an hour for the message to penetrate Studio 8 in Leutschenbach. The direction of moderator Mario Grossniklaus, who confidently summarizes the situation and shows a short section from the fatal round of talks in Washington, provides information via a button in Washington.

Shocked faces in the audience – the program that has not been really going until then suddenly appears in a different light.

But from the front.

This Friday evening at Mario Grossniklaus in the “Arena” of SRF under the title “The world in transition – and in the middle of it will discuss Switzerland”:

Because of the discussions about the departures in the Defense Department (VBS) and the federal security policy, this “arena” will not be remembered. Only so much should be said: the « bourgeois shoulder of the shoulder », which SVP National Councilor Alfred Heer loudly demands in army questions, succeeds at least in this « arena ».

SP national councilor Farah Rumy is the only representative to the left of the middle of a lost post when she repeatedly emphasizes that international cooperation is also a security policy and accuses civil alarm. « You might think that Russian tanks are rolling in Chiasso tomorrow, » she says.

This statement also agrees with army, which suddenly sees security, especially threatened inside. Tendency statements on Heers side asylum seekers all remain unjustified in the “Arena”, only the expressions of the school classes in the audience express obvious discomfort.

« You have to condemn the Russian aggression, but … »

Then the discussion round comes to Trump and Ukraine – nothing can be known about what happened in the White House shortly before. Heer, who is also the President of the Swiss delegation of the European Council, does not think much of European values, as he emphasizes, the lack of defense ability in Europe appeals in this context. « If you represent values ​​but have no army, you can't assert them, » says Heer.

The spirits differ what role Switzerland should play in this mixture. While Heer advocates keeping still in the name of neutrality, FDP Councilor Petra Gössi does not see neutrality as close. However, it objects that Switzerland is too insignificant to make a difference for Ukraine.

«At the moment: if you have power, you are right. Trump dictates », says Petra Gössi. The discussion participants learn that Trump demonstrated this power just before all eyes. Moderator Mario Grossniklaus teaches everyone present about the scandal when visiting Selenski in the White House.

The only one who follows the short sequence of the discussion round in the Weissen House is the center of the city council Benedikt Würth: « This is great power policy, live in front of the camera » »

The world in transition – and Switzerland doesn't notice anything?

This “arena” should be remembered less because of the content than because of the simultaneous, overlapping events in the United States.

« The world in transition – and in the middle of it Switzerland » was the topic of the evening. A certain irony of this title developed in the course of the “arena” when the world suddenly broke into the studio. And so the program looked more like the opposite: world politics is made in the white house and in the « arena » Swiss politics does not notice any of it.

Later you will not get rid of the suspicion that the changed geopolitical situation leaves the guests a bit at a loss. Pressing around and the waiver of clear positioning shaped the discussion that evening. Everyone agreed that a new era of power politics has grown in which international law and the rule of law and the rule of law apply little.

What Switzerland wants to counter this remains open until the end. In this sense, Würth's statement on the financing of army costs can also serve: « We still have no convincing concepts. »