The McKay Interview
The McKay Interview
Michael McKay
Lt. Gen. (rtd.) Ben Hodges | Ukraine, NATO, and the Shifting Sands of Strategy
36 minutes Posted Apr 22, 2025 at 9:25 am.
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Show notes

In this third appearance on The McKay Interview, retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges returns with hard truths and strategic insight into the war in Ukraine and its global implications. Speaking from Frankfurt, the former Commander of U.S. Army Europe reflects on what’s changed — and what hasn’t — in the 15 months since his last visit.

We cover:

  • The state of the battlefield in Ukraine: territory, logistics, morale, and momentum

  • Russia’s failure to gain air superiority, and why that matters

  • Drones and modern warfare: how unmanned systems are rewriting battlefield tactics

  • Ukraine’s evolving defense structure: manpower, training, and industrial base

  • A sharp critique of U.S. and German leadership — and what it means for NATO

  • What it would take for a ceasefire or peace negotiation to be credible

  • Why Europe must rediscover its strategic self-confidence

  • The best- and worst-case outcomes for the region — and the world

With his trademark clarity and candor, General Hodges helps us make sense of a conflict that continues to shape the 21st century.