PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 12/12/25
Dec 13, 2025
This week, the panel features Anne Applebaum, an expert on Eastern Europe, and Susan Glasser, a seasoned political journalist, along with Amna Nawaz and Vivian Salama from The Atlantic. They delve into Trump's controversial peace proposal for Ukraine, which some argue favors Russia. Applebaum emphasizes Ukraine's political limits on territorial concessions while Glasser warns of the implications of the U.S. national security strategy on alliances. The conversation highlights European concerns over reliability and NATO's future.
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U.S. Plan Mirrors Russian Talking Points
- The Trump administration has repeatedly shifted toward pressuring Ukraine to accept territory concessions and renounce NATO aspirations.
- That policy trend shows an effort to win Russia's buy-in rather than prioritize Ukrainian security guarantees.
On-The-Ground Ukrainian Improvisation
- Jeffrey Goldberg recounts meeting Ukrainian drone factories and decentralized units during a visit.
- Those operators improvised and fought without tightly centralized orders, reflecting Ukraine's war-time adaptability.
Security Guarantees Are Nonnegotiable
- Security guarantees are central to any viable Ukraine deal because without them investment and civilian life are untenable.
- Anne Applebaum argues pressure must be placed on Russia, not Ukraine, to make peace durable.