Conflict Zone: Confronting the Powerful

Sudan is the scene of one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, and millions have fled the civil war. The former PM tells DW that the displacement and famine are "much, much greater than Gaza and Ukraine combined."

Israeli former justice minister Yossi Beilin discusses prospects for a future solution in the wake of Israel's killing of the Hamas leader in Gaza.

Estonia's intel chief shares his assessment of Russia's war in Ukraine and Zelenskyy's "victory plan."

Hardline diaspora affairs minister Amichai Chikli says he doesn't care about criticism of Israeli military goals, including an IDF spokesman's recent statements that "Hamas is an idea" and can't be militarily defeated. In an interview with DW's Tim Sebastian he states: 'It's our moral obligation to eliminate Hamas, whatever it takes.'

French president's call for snap elections as he faces historic disapproval could put Le Pen's far right party in power.

EU Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova, and EPP President Manfred Weber talk to DW's Tim Sebastian about their concerns ahead of the European elections 2024.

Washington's former Mideast negotiator told DW he fears possible ICC arrest warrants seem to many Israelis as "creating moral equivalency" between Israeli officials and the Hamas leaders who ordered the October 7 attack.

Norwegian Refugee Council head Jan Egeland says the devastation in Gaza is already unprecedented and an Israeli military operation against Rafah would be a “bloodbath.”

Senior Democrat and former US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi talks about the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and tensions over Taiwan. Speaking to DW's Tim Sebastian, during this year's MSC, she also discussed upcoming US elections.

A Ukrainian opposition politician tells DW that Kyiv cannot afford "autocratic tendencies" from the president. MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said the country could not win against Russia unless it remained a democracy.

A top Russian analyst told DW that 2023 has been a "surprisingly good year" for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine. The level of Western support for Ukraine will determine the course of 2024, Alexander Gabuev told Conflict Zone's Tim Sebastian.

Can Israel accomplish its goal of eliminating Hamas without causing a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza? One US analyst tells DW it requires "magical thinking."

Ex-Shin Bet head Ami Ayalon asks the international community to "tell us our mistakes" and how to avoid human suffering in Gaza while removing Hamas.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told DW only a two-state solution will bring peace to Israelis and Palestinians. Billstrom said the immediate priority was the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas and bringing aid to people of Gaza.

After leaving Ukraine and marching towards Moscow, Russian Wagner Group mercenaries were branded traitors – but just days later, its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. Are there more surprises coming from this so-called rebellion?

In a Conflict Zone special program, host Sarah Kelly discussed with a high-ranking panel what needs to be done to succeed in the battle against disinformation.

In an interview with DW's Conflict Zone, Russian former Duma MP Ilya Ponomarev said Vladimir Putin's war aims go way beyond Ukraine. He argues that it is NATO in the Russian president's sights.

The world has changed and previous ideas about mutual deterrence no longer apply, Andrei Fedorov, former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, told DW's Conflict Zone.

In a sign of growing impatience, Joe Biden's administration has stepped up its objections to a new abortion law in Texas and asked the Supreme Court to block it. Our guest this week is Bryan Hughes, a Texas State Senator who spearheaded the legislation. What makes him think he's doing the right thing?

Dozens of former Trump officials have been subpoenaed by a Congressional committee over the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January. Will former Trump advisor Jason Miller cooperate? Tim Sebastian asks him on DW's Conflict Zone.

In a sign of growing impatience, Joe Biden's administration has stepped up its objections to a new abortion law in Texas and asked the Supreme Court to block it. Our guest this week is Bryan Hughes, a Texas state senator who spearheaded the legislation. What makes him think he's doing the right thing?

Governing Afghanistan today will not be easy. The 1990s was a completely different time. ''Resistance will continue" claims Jawed Ludin, a former advisor to President Hamid Karzai in an interview with Tim Sebastian on Conflict Zone this week. He also admits: ''One thing that has changed is that today's Taliban have a very deep-seated vengeance."

How will the chaotic end to the US war in Afghanistan affect Washington's relations with European allies, partners in the region, and those left behind? Former US Deputy National Security Advisor Douglas Lute says it's not a proud moment for America, but argues that the status quo was unsustainable.

The Christian Democrats and the Greens are set to play a key role in Germany's upcoming election. But are they capable of leading Germany into a new era? DW's Conflict Zone host Tim Sebastian talks to representatives of both parties: David McAllister for the CDU and Franziska Brantner for the Greens.

For years, the government of Bangladesh has been criticized for its human rights record. Its reputation received another jolt this month with allegations of high-level bribery and corruption. DW's Conflict Zone host Tim Sebastian confronts Gowher Rizvi, international affairs adviser to the country's prime minister.

There is "no alternative" to EU membership for North Macedonia, the prime minister says. But, after 16 years of waiting, can the country overcome serious hurdles to join the bloc? Zoran Zaev is on Conflict Zone.

Why does the EU so often punch below its weight? The Vice Chair of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee tells DW that EU may need to drop the unanimous decision-making on foreign policy to go forward.

Has President Buhari lost control in Nigeria? Government crackdowns on protesters and a Twitter ban suggest weakness at the top, while citizens face rising terrorism. Conflict Zone meets Abuja's ambassador to Germany.

The Council of Europe's verdict on human rights in Europe makes unpleasant reading, saying the continent's democratic environment and institutions are in "mutually reinforcing decline." What has gone so wrong?

A cease-fire between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas has been holding after the recent surge in fighting, but it remains fragile. Is Hamas willing to take responsibility for its share of the blame, and is there any chance for peace talks to resume? Basem Naim, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, speaks to Conflict Zone. 

Israeli Foreign Ministry Advisor Michael Freeman tells DW that every innocent civilian killed is a tragedy but says Hamas are the ones who are stealing the future of Palestinian children.

The Ukrainian foreign minister joins Conflict Zone remotely from Kyiv and tells DW's Tim Sebastian that after the recent build-up of Russian troops at the border, "[w]hat is happening cannot be called a withdrawal."

Libya has a new government of national unity, which promises free elections by the end of this year. But the roadblocks it faces are immense. DW’s Conflict Zone confronts the country’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Tamim Baiou.

Donald Trump lost the election but won't go quietly. Is his party unwilling or just too afraid to call time on their defeated leader? Jack Kingston, a former Republican lawmaker and Trump adviser, talks to Conflict Zone

Talking to DW Conflict Zone host Tim Sebastian, a prominent member of Germany’s ruling CDU party strongly criticized the two conservative politicians at the heart of a damaging mask procurement scandal. Andreas Nick said these cases are “totally unacceptable” and called for a "very clear process" to ensure compliance with ethical standards.

Amid a slow vaccination rollout and growing fears of new mutations, the World Health Organization's top official for Europe is confident his organization is functioning well in the fight against coronavirus. In a heated interview with DW's Conflict Zone, Hans Kluge defended the organization's dealings with China and called for restoring the public's faith in science.

Is Imran Khan calling the shots in Pakistan? On Conflict Zone, his science minister hits back at opposition claims that the military really are in charge. Fawad Chaudhry joins DW’s Sarah Kelly down the line from Islamabad.

Are mass arrests in Hong Kong a further erosion of its freedoms? A pro-Beijing lawmaker says there has been a “tightening” on freedom of expression, but the world is “overreacting” and investigations have to run their course.

A leading member of Britain’s Conservative Party has acknowledged that there will be initial difficulties as a result of the recent free trade deal between the UK and the EU, but defended the agreement as one that is beneficial for both parties.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has declared victory in the conflict in Tigray, but a humanitarian crisis is growing. Zadig Abraha, the minister for democratization, is on DW's Conflict Zone.

Barring unforeseen events, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th US President next month. But with his party deeply divided, are the Democrats really celebrating? DW's Conflict Zone meets Democratic congresswoman Debbie Dingell. Is Biden a man with a vision or will he struggle simply to control his party and the urgent crises Donald Trump will leave behind?

German authorities say Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied any involvement. State Duma member, Vyacheslav Nikonov, tells DW, Navalny is too irrelevant. Why do so many outspoken Russians face mortal danger?What do you mean by Novichok?" Vyacheslav Nikonov told Conflict Zone’s Tim Sebastian when asked about the poisoning of Russian opposition figurehead, Alexei Navalny. The figurehead of the Russian opposition became ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August. Navalny was evacuated to Germany and treated in a Berlin hospital. Nikonov, who sits in the lower house of the Russian parliament for President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, said he “wasn’t very interested in Navalny” and implied Navalny wasn’t important enough to be targeted. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident. "Navalny, as you know, was saved by the Russian doctors," Nikonov pointed out. Nikonov compared the Russian opposition figure to Angela Davis, a leftist radical who was one of the leaders of the American Communist Party during the Cold War. The State Duma member implied Navalny may have been poisoned with the nerve agent after arriving in Germany. "Russophobia is not something new ... actually, in case of Germany, it started like five centuries ago." Nikonov offered this insight into his thinking. "There is always some truth in propaishganda, otherwise it won't work." Asked about the oppression of demonstrations by opposition supporters in Russia, Nikonov said Russian police were polite, especially in comparison to those in the West. "Russian police is much more civilized than German, French or American," Nikonov said. The Russian lawmaker also disputed that the murders of opposition figures were being ignored. "Most of the cases of political murders in Russia have been investigated."