Brussels Sprouts

Not One Inch, with Mary Sarotte

How did the NATO expansion process during the 1990s influence the relationship between Russia and the West? Mary Sarotte joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss her new book, Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate.
Mary Sarotte is an expert in the history of international relations and the inaugural holder of the Kravis Chair at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC. In addition to Not One Inch, she is the author of numerous other works, including The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall and 1989: The Struggle to Create Post-Cold War Europe. Her books have been named Economist and Financial Times "Books of the Year", along with receiving other awards and commendations.

Germany’s Post-Merkel Security and Defense Policy, with Christian Mölling and Claudia Major

What does Germany’s new coalition treaty tell us about how the incoming government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz will approach security and defense policy? Christian Mölling and Claudia Major join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the implications of the transition for Germany, Europe, and the transatlantic relationship.
Christian Mölling is the research director at the German Council on Foreign Relations, where he also heads the Security and Defense Program.
Claudia Major is the Head of the International Security Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. Her work focuses on security and defense policy in Europe and in a transatlantic context.

Russia’s Escalating Pressure on Ukraine and Europe, with Michael Kofman and Kadri Liik

How should the United States and Europe interpret and respond to Russia’s various efforts to exert pressure on its neighbors, including its military buildup on the border with Ukraine? Michael Kofman and Kadri Liik join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the implications of the Kremlin’s actions for the transatlantic community.
Michael Kofman serves as Research Program Director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA and as a Fellow at the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, DC. His research focuses on Russia and the former Soviet Union, specializing in Russian armed forces, military thought, capabilities, and strategy.
Kadri Liikis a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Her research focuses on Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Baltic region. Before joining ECFR, she was the director of the International Centre for Defence Studies in Estonia, where she also worked as a senior researcher and director of the Centre’s Lennart Meri Conference.

Defense and Deterrence in the Gray Zone, with Elisabeth Braw

How should the U.S. and Europe endeavor to deter and defend themselves against aggression in the gray zone between peace and war? Elizabeth Braw joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the path towards creating greater transatlantic resilience to gray zone threats.
Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focuses on defense against emerging national security challenges, such as hybrid and gray zone threats. Concurrently, she is a columnist with Foreign Policy, where she writes on national security and the globalized economy, and a member of the National Preparedness Commission (UK).

Talk Is Cheap, But Capabilities Are Not, with Hans Binnendijk and Amb. Alexander Vershbow

How should the U.S. government respond to recent calls for greater European strategic autonomy in security and defense? Hans Binnendijk and Ambassador Alexander Vershbow join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the path towards a transatlantic agreement on strategic autonomy.
Hans Binnendijk is a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council. He formerly served as Senior Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council and as Director of the National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies.
Alexander Vershbow is a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council. His previous positions include NATO Deputy Secretary General, United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, and U.S. Ambassador to Russia.

The Trade and Technology Council, with Tyson Barker and Frances Burwell

What are the key takeaways from the first meeting of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council? Tyson Barker and Frances Burwell join Carisa Nietsche and Jim Townsend to discuss the goals of the TTC and how it fits into the broader transatlantic technology relationship.
Tyson Barker is head of the Technology and Global Affairs at the German Council on Foreign Relations, or DGAP. He previously worked at Aspen Germany where, as deputy executive director and fellow, he was responsible for the institute’s digital and transatlantic programs.
Frances G. Burwell is a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and a senior director at McLarty Associates. Her work focuses on the European Union and U.S.-EU relations as well as a range of transatlantic economic, political, and defense issues.

The Czech Elections, with Martin Hála and Martina Hrvolova

What do the recent elections in the Czech Republic mean for the future of the country? Martin Hála and Martina Hrvolova join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the fate of incumbent Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, the key factors that decided the elections, and the significance of the vote for democracy in Central Europe more broadly.
Martina Hrvolova is a Visiting Fellow for Democracy Initiatives at the German Marshall Fund. She is an expert on Central and Eastern Europe, human rights, and democracy, and she has more than 15 years of extensive experience with high-stake negotiations, policymaking, and program management.
Martin Hála is a sinologist and lecturer with Charles University in Prague, and the founder and director of Sinopsis, a project that provides analysis of China-related topics in Europe. He has studied in Prague, Shanghai, Berkeley, and Harvard, taught in Prague and Bratislava and led projects in various countries in Asia.

Germany’s Post-Merkel Foreign and Security Policy, with Sophia Besch and Jana Puglierin

What do the recent elections in Germany mean for the country’s foreign and security policy going forward? Sophia Besch and Jana Puglierin join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the different potential coalition options, the likelihood of continuity with the policies of Angel Merkel, and the future of German relations with Europe, the U.S., and China.
Sophia Besch is a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform. She works on European defense issues, with a focus on EU Common Defense and Security Policy, European defense industry co-operation, NATO and German foreign and defense policy. Sophia also hosts the CER podcast.
Jana Puglierin is the head of the Berlin office and a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She directs ECFR’s Re:shape Global Europe project, which seeks to develop new strategies for Europeans to understand and engage with the changing international order. Jana has also advised the German Bundestag as an expert on arms control and non-proliferation.

AUKUS and the Future of Transatlantic Relations, with Thomas Wright and Benjamin Haddad

What is the significance of the recent AUKUS deal for transatlantic relations? Thomas Wright and Benjamin Haddad join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the French reaction to the agreement, how it fits within broader trends of divergence between the U.S. and Europe, and how Europe might respond to a U.S. that is increasingly focused on the Indo-Pacific.
Thomas Wright is the director of the Center on the United States and Europe and a senior fellow in the Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution. At Brookings, Wright works on U.S. foreign policy, great power competition, the European Union, Brexit, and economic interdependence. He is the author of two books, including the recently published "Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order.”
Benjamin Haddad is the senior director of the Europe Center at the Atlantic Council. He is an expert in European politics and transatlantic relations. His work has notably advocated for transatlantic unity in the face of Russian aggression, greater European responsibility, and investment on strategic matters. His recent book “Paradise Lost: Europe in the World of Trump” makes the case for greater European unity in a world of new challenges and threats.

Crackdown Ahead of Duma Elections, with Russian Opposition Member Dmitry Gudkov and Maria Snegovaya

What does the Kremlin’s crackdown ahead of the recent Duma elections tell us about the current domestic political situation in Russia? Russian opposition leader Dmitri Gudkov and Maria Snegovaya, post-doctoral fellow in political science at Virginia Tech University, join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how the shrinking space for civil society in Russia demonstrates Vladimir Putin’s tightening grip over the country.
Dmitri Gudkov is a Russian opposition politician and a former deputy for A Just Russia, from which he was expelled after being elected to the Opposition Coordination Council. In 2014, he was one of the four deputies that did not approve the annexation of Crimea. In the beginning of 2021, he announced that he intended to run for the Russian parliament again, but he was prohibited from doing so.
Maria Snegovaya is a post-doctoral fellow in political science at Virginia Tech University and a visiting scholar at the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University. Her research interests include party politics and political behavior, as well as Russia’s domestic and foreign policy.