kitchen talk: „Frieden verhandeln im Krieg“ (book presentation and discussion in German)

Background and context

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine marks a historic turning point – in the European peace order as well as in the self-image of key players. Academia and the media are also confronted with profound challenges: How can political agency be rethought under conditions of military violence and geopolitical uncertainty? What responsibility does science bear in the public debate when research suddenly becomes relevant to security? How can the media report in a fact-based and differentiated way? And what ‘alliances’ (Stephan Ruß-Mohl) can and should the media and science forge in the process?

Political scientist Cindy Wittke and journalist Mandy Ganske-Zapf place their book ‘Frieden verhandeln im Krieg - Russlands Krieg, Chancen auf Frieden und die Kunst des Verhandelns’ (Quadriga 2024) in this field of tension. In it, they analyse how ceasefire and peace negotiations in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine can be conceived and prepared for – and what it will take for there to be a just peace in Ukraine at some point.

We will discuss with the authors not only frozen conflicts, ‘deals’ and conditions for a just peace, but also about the role of science and journalistic reporting when it comes to the discourse on peace in Ukraine. Anastasia Rodi, freelance journalist and Ukraine correspondent for taz, will join the panel.

We look forward to an intensive exchange on the realities of war, concepts of peace, opportunities for negotiation and academic and journalistic responsibility.