The next edition of the ZDF talk show “Maybrit Illner” will take place on Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 10:15 p.m. on ZDF. These are the guests and the topic of the upcoming show.
What topic is the ZDF talk show “Maybrit Illner” about?
The theme of the program is: Putin is playing with Trump – is Europe Kiev’s last hope?
US President Donald Trump has said he has canceled the planned meeting with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. At the same time, the European Union and the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia in an attempt to persuade the Kremlin to call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
The EU is also planning a “reparations bond” worth 140 billion euros from frozen Russian state assets. These funds would ensure Ukraine’s survival for the next three years.
The crucial questions: Will the Europeans take this path? Can they help shape the negotiations to end the war?
Which guests discuss Maybrit Illner on the show?
Union parliamentary group vice-president Norbert Röttgen (CDU)
Hannah Neumann, Green MEP
Andriy Melnyk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations
Reinhard Merkel, lawyer
Frederik Pleitgen, foreign correspondent for the US news channel CNN
The ZDF talk show “Maybrit Illner”
The weekly political talk show “Maybrit Illner” has been broadcast on ZDF since October 14, 1999 and is produced in the capital studio Unter den Linden in Berlin. Moderated by the experienced Berlin journalist Maybrit Illner (born 1965), the show is characterized by its dynamic and in-depth discussions on current political and social issues. Illner regularly invites leading figures from politics, business and society to discuss explosive issues that affect Germany and the world.
The show is known for its special formats and occasional special editions, such as the “TV duel of the opposition” or “illner intensive”, which offer deeper insights and discussions in times of political and social turning points.
Every program is available in the media library of the public broadcaster from the moment it is broadcast.
