Brussels Sprouts

Anna Wieslander, the Director of Northern Europe with the Future Europe Initiative at the Atlantic Council, speaks to Jim Townsend about this year's elections in Sweden, as well as the distinctly Nordic view of European defense.

Viktoras Daukšas, the Director of the Demaskuok.lt (DeBunk) Initiative, and Giedrius, one of the many “elves” fighting Russian trolls online throughout the Baltic region, sit down with Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Bacevich Fellow Rachel Rizzo to discuss their experiences with disinformation and how best to fight it.

Nick Gurr, the Director of International Security Policy at the UK Ministry of Defense, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the deep connections between the US and the UK, the benefits of a dynamic NATO, and the new normal in relations with Russia.

Christian Mölling, the deputy director of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), sits down with Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the conversations happening in the German Bundestag right now about defense spending, burden sharing, and strategic autonomy amid shifting transatlantic dynamics.

Julie Smith and Jim Townsend sit down for a bookend episode of Brussels Sprouts to look back on previous episodes and what they’ve learned from them. They also take the time to reflect on Julie’s time at CNAS as she sets out for Berlin and how her commitments to and ambitions in the transatlantic relationship evolved over her career.

Sophia Besch of the Center for European Reform joins Jim Townsend to discuss the shifting internal dynamics in Germany and what they mean for U.S.-German relations, defense spending, and how President Trump is changing things.

LTG (R) Ben Hodges, the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis, joins Julie Smith and Jim Townsend to discuss his recent piece advocating against permanently basing U.S. troops in Poland, his time commanding United States Army Europe, the current health of the U.S.-German relationship, and prospects for NATO flotilla in the Black Sea.

The 2018 NATO Summit is one of the most anticipated events in transatlantic relations this year. Seven European embassy defense representatives join Julie Smith and Jim Townsend to offer their countries’ perspectives and expectations for the Summit as it quickly approaches.

The 2018 NATO Summit is just over the horizon but much remains uncertain and the transatlantic relationship is being tested. To give us a better grasp on what to expect in July, Julie Smith and Jim Townsend sat down with three former U.S. Permanent Representatives to NATO Ambassador Victoria Nuland, Ambassador Doug Lute, and Ambassador Alexander “Sandy” Vershbow.

Lord Paddy Ashdown, former High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, sits down with Julie Smith to discuss his thoughts on the damage done to the transatlantic relationship and gives us an update on the Balkans and Brexit.