Can we still be saved, Katja Gloger and Georg Mascolo? A Conversation About Germany’s Russia Policy

On 24 February 2026, it will be four years since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine — a date that forces us to take stock: of the war itself, but also of the political decisions and illusions that preceded it. Few journalists in Germany know Russia and German-Russian relations as well as Georg Mascolo, investigative journalist and former editor-in-chief of Der Spiegel, and Katja Gloger, longtime Moscow correspondent for Stern. In their joint book “The Failure: An Investigative History of German Russia Policy,” they reconstruct how Germany ignored warning signs for years and lulled itself into a false sense of security.

What conclusions do Mascolo and Gloger draw from their research? Which mistakes must politics not repeat? How does Germany use its influence on Russia today? What conditions are necessary for a just peace in Europe? A conversation on stage with Publix director Maria Exner about what realistic, responsible Russia policy means today — with plenty of time for questions from the audience.