Europe’s Holy War

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This week, Berlin-based journalist and New York Times Magazine contributing writer Elisabeth Zerofsky joins us to discuss how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has changed Europe. What explains the righteous fury of previously pacific Germans? Shadi asks Elisabeth and Damir what a "red line" in Ukraine could possibly be—or if it even exists. For example, how might the United States respond in hypothetical scenarios of large-scale massacres and the leveling of entire cities.

In the subscriber-only portion of the conversation, we debate whether Europe has a preference for white—and specifically non-Muslim—refugees. "Anti-immigrant" leaders on the far-right are, all of a sudden, discovering a soft spot for migrants. Are Europeans racist? Perhaps, the argument goes, it's easier to integrate Ukrainians because they are secular, culturally similar, and look like "us." Can that ever justify the double standard? Shadi decides to do away with caution and make a rather controversial argument.

Required Reading

- "Negotiating with Madmen" by Damir Marusic (Wisdom of Crowds)

- "On Putin, Rationality, and Believing In Heaven" by Shadi Hamid (Wisdom of Crowds)

- Is EU Concerned? Twitter account

- "Gerhard Schröder Casts a Dark Shadow over Berlin's Foreign Policy"  (Spiegel)

- Benjamin Wittes' tweet

- "Why John Mearsheimer Blames the US for the Crisis in Ukraine" by Isaac Chotiner (New Yorker)

- Michael Cecire and Damir's Twitter exchange