Defending Ukraine and Europe without the US

Three years into the war in Ukraine, what does the future of European security look like without the United States? That’s the question European leaders and NATO officials at this year's Munich Security Conference asked themselves after announcing a 90-minute phone call between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and a blistering speech from Vice President JD Vance criticizing European allies. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer spoke with US Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Pentagon official, in Munich about Europe’s security, the war in Ukraine, and America’s role in an increasingly multipolar world.

Senator Slotkin warns that maintaining Ukraine’s defenses is critical, not just for beating back Russian aggression but also for sending a message to countries like China that the US will stand up when democracies are invaded. But while Slotkin believes it's important to defend US allies, she also agrees with the Trump administration’s view that Europe needs to do a lot more in maintaining its own security.

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).

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