Brussels Sprouts

Hosted by Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend, this podcast offers small bites on Transatlantic Security, NATO, the EU, Russia, and all things Europe.

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Explore the Brussels Sprouts Archive

Russia's Military Buildup on the Ukrainian Border, with Maxim Samorukov and Michael Kofman

What is motivating Russia's recent military buildup on the Ukrainian border? On April 6, 2021, Maxim Samorukov and Michael Kofman joined Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend...

Technology Policy in the Transatlantic Alliance, with Frances Burwell and Tyson Barker

Frances Burwell and Tyson Barker join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to discuss transatlantic technology policy, the EU’s Digital Compass, and where the U.S. and Eu...

Russian Foreign Policy, with Amb. Gaston Stronck, Amb. Mikko Hautala, and Amb. Jean-Arthur Régibeau

Ambassadors Gaston Stronck, Mikko Hautala, and Jean-Arthur Régibeau join Andrea Kendall to discuss Russian foreign policy and the state of Russia-Europe relations. H.E. Gasto...

Europe–Russia Relations Today, with Kadri Liik and Dmitri Trenin

Kadri Liik and Dmitri Trenin join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the current state of Europe-Russia relations and how the United States should approach Russ...

Debating American Democracy Promotion, with Emma Ashford and Thomas Wright

Emma Ashford and Thomas Wright join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to discuss the future of America's democracy promotion efforts abroad and what the U.S. governmen...

German Foreign and Security Policy after Merkel, with Constanze Stelzenmüller and Sam Denney

Constanze Stelzenmüller and Sam Denney join Carisa Nietsche and Jim Townsend to discuss German foreign and security policy, upcoming German elections, and what might change af...

Vaccine Nationalism and the European Union, with Sarah Wheaton

Sarah Wheaton joins Carisa Nietsche and Jim Townsend to discuss vaccine nationalism in the EU, the ongoing vaccine rollout, and what both mean for the future of European integ...

Pro-Navalny Protests and the Future of Putin’s Russia, with Joshua Yaffa

Joshua Yaffa joins Carisa Nietsche to discuss recent protests across Russia, Alexei Navalny, the future of Vladimir Putin’s regime, and U.S.-Russia relations. Yaffa is a Mosco...

The Future of Transatlantic Technology Policy, with Lindsay Gorman and Martijn Rasser

Lindsay Gorman and Martijn Rasser join Carisa Nietsche to discuss future priorities and approaches on technology policy within the transatlantic alliance. Gorman is the Fellow...

Understanding the EU and China's Comprehensive Investment Agreement, with Noah Barkin

Noah Barkin joins Carisa Nietsche and Jim Townsend to discuss the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), the new investment agreement between China and the European Unio...

Engaging the Public on Foreign Policy, with Mayor Frank Scott and Alan Salazar

Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. and Alan Salazar join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how their communities in Arkansas and Colorado engage with foreign policy issues...

Live: The NATO 2030 Report, with Wess Mitchell

Wess Mitchell joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend on a special, live episode of Brussels Sprouts to discuss the “NATO 2030” report’s findings on the future of the NAT...

Russia’s Influence in the Former Soviet Space, with Olya Oliker and Paul Stronski

Olya Oliker and Paul Stronski join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts to discuss recent events across the former Soviet space and...

How Should Biden Deal with Moscow? with Rose Gottemoeller and David J. Kramer

Rose Gottemoeller and David J. Kramer join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss priorities and approaches to the new administration’s diplomacy with Moscow. Gotte...

The Biden Administration and Europe, with Steven Erlanger

Steven Erlanger joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how Europe is reacting to the incoming Biden administration. Erlanger is the chief diplomatic correspon...

Youth Voices in Foreign Policy, with Indiana High School Students

On a special episode of Brussels Sprouts, four high school honors students from Indianapolis join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the future of U.S. national...

A Transatlantic Approach to China, with Melanie Hart and Janka Oertel

Melanie Hart and Janka Oertel join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how the next administration can work with Europe to counter China. Hart is a senior fellow...

Building Transatlantic Unity on China, with Noah Barkin and Peter Chase

Noah Barkin and Peter Chase join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss prospects for greater U.S.-Europe cooperation on China under the next administration. This i...

Why Turkey Matters to the United States and Europe, with Soner Cagaptay

Soner Cagaptay joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the future of Turkish politics and democracy, Turkey’s role in the NATO alliance, and why the U.S. shoul...

European Outlooks on the Transatlantic Relationship, with Jana Puglierin

Jana Puglierin joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how Europeans are thinking about the United States and a future transatlantic relationship. Puglierin is...

Prospects for Democracy in Belarus, with Judy Dempsey and Jonathan Katz

Judy Dempsey and Jonathan Katz join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the ongoing protests in Belarus and the country’s prospects for a democratic political tr...

Disinformation and Democracy, with Nina Jankowicz

Nina Jankowicz joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, and Carisa Nietsche to discuss the continuing use of information warfare by malign actors, particularly Russia and Ch...

Kicking-off the Next Season of Brussels Sprouts with Amb. Nicholas Burns

In the first episode of the new season of Brussels Sprouts, Amb. Nicholas Burns joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss U.S.-Europe relations under the Trump a...

Putin’s Rise to Power, with Catherine Belton

Catherine Belton joins Andrea-Kendall Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss her new book, Putin’s People, and what she has learned from her reporting into Vladimir Putin’s rise t...

Polish Democracy After Duda’s Re-election, with Melissa Hooper and Dalibor Rohac

Melissa Hooper and Dalibor Rohac join Andrea-Kendall Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to discuss the results of Poland’s presidential election and the prospects for democracy in Pol...

Vladimir Putin and the Future of Russian Politics, with Michael McFaul and Vladimir Kara-Murza

Ambassador (ret.) Michael McFaul and Vladimir Kara-Murza join Andrea-Kendall Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss recent anti-democratic developments in Russian politics and U.S...

Defense Priorities in a New Administration, with Michèle Flournoy

Michèle Flournoy joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how a Biden administration can work with NATO to confront transnational threats. Flournoy has been a l...

Germany, Nuclear Sharing, and the U.S. Drawdown with Ulrike Franke and Frank Sauer

Ulrike Franke and Frank Sauer join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to break down the U.S. proposal to drawdown in Germany, nuclear sharing, and more on a joint Brussels...

The Russia-China Defense Relationship, with Mike Kofman and Alexander Gabuev

Mike Kofman and Alexander Gabuev join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to explain the Russia-China defense relationship on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts. Kofman...

The U.S. Withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty, with Steven Pifer and Anna Wieslander

Steven Pifer and Anna Wieslander join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts to discuss the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Open S...

Reflecting on Five Years in the U.S., with Finnish Amb. Kirsti Kauppi

Kirsti Kauppi joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss her time as Finland’s Ambassador to the United States, Finland’s response to COVID-19, and more. Amb. Kau...

Putin’s 20 Years in Power, with Mike Carpenter

Mike Carpenter joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss lessons learned from Vladimir Putin’s time in office, how Putin views the United States, and more. Dr. C...

Britain's Post-COVID Foreign Policy with Edward Ferguson

Edward Ferguson joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the United Kingdom’s COVID-19 response, post-pandemic foreign policy, and more. Ferguson is the Ministe...

Live: The Effects of Coronavirus on Putin's Political Agenda with Amb. John Tefft

Ambassador John Tefft joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss Vladimir Putin’s pandemic response, opportunities for U.S. diplomacy, and more. Amb. Tefft served...

Live: What Trump 2.0 Would Mean for Transatlantic Relations With Kori Schake

Kori Schake joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the possibility of a second Trump term, transatlantic relations, and more. Schake is the Director of Foreig...

Live: How the Democrats Would Reshape Relations With Europe with Julie Smith and Tom Wright

How could a new Democratic President revitalize the transatlantic relationship? Julie Smith and Tom Wright join Andrea Kendall Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the potential...

Live: Europe Responds to the COVID Crisis with Constanze Stelzenmüller and Nathalie Tocci

In this week's episode of Brussels Sprouts, Constanze Stelzenmüller and Nathalie Tocci join Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, and a live virtual audience to discuss lessons...

Populist Politics and the COVID-19 Pandemic with Daphne Halikiopoulou and Paul Taggart

Daphne Halikiopoulou and Paul Taggart join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to discuss the populist response to the crisis and what type of political blowback we can ...

China, Europe, and COVID-19 with CNAS’s Ashley Feng and Kristine Lee

Ashley Feng and Kristine Lee join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to explain China’s response to COVID-19 on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts. Feng is a Research ...

Macron and France's National Security Policy with Benjamin Haddad and Alice Pannier

Benjamin Haddad and Alice Pannier join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts to discuss France’s foreign policy and Emmanuel Macron’...

Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman Discuss "Weaponized Interdependence"

Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts to discuss their concept, “weaponized interdependence...

Torrey Taussig and Max Bergmann on the Future of Foreign Policy

On the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts, Torrey Taussig and Max Bergmann join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the future of progressive foreign policy. The...

Breaking Down the Munich Security Conference with Thomas Wright

Thomas Wright, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss what took place at ...

The Career Diplomat with William J. Burns

William J. Burns, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former Deputy Secretary of State, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the...

Thomas Graham on Changing America's Approach to Russia

Thomas Graham, Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and Senior Advisor at Kissinger Associates, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to discuss ...

Richard Fontaine Discusses U.S. Strategy, Iran, and John McCain's Legacy

Richard Fontaine, CEO of CNAS, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss conditions for military intervention, the future of the Iran crisis, and what he learned...

Ilan Goldenberg Recaps the Iran Crisis

Ilan Goldenberg, Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Security Program at CNAS, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the fallout from Qassem Soleim...

Vladimir Milov on Russian Politics

Vladimir Milov, Russian politician and former Visiting Scholar with the Carnegie Endowment, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss Russian opposition politics...

Kathleen McInnis Discusses "The Heart of War"

Kathleen McInnis, International Security Analyst for the Congressional Research Service, joins Carisa Nietsche and Jim Townsend to discuss her book, “The Heart of War: Misadve...

Matti Anttonen on Arctic Security

Matti Anttonen, State Secretary of Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for a conversation about Arctic security, Finland’s fore...

Celeste Wallander on Ukraine

Celeste Wallander, President and CEO of the U.S. Russia Foundation, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss Russian operations in Ukraine and the U.S. response...

Josh Shifrinson and Jim Goldgeier Discuss NATO Expansion

Jim Goldgeier, Professor of International Relations at American University, and Josh Shifrinson, Professor of International Relations at Boston University, join Andrea Kendall...

Moscow, Beijing, and the Future of Russia-China Relations with Dmitri Trenin

In a period of such rapid global change, how does the Kremlin view China? Dmitri Trenin, Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor to discuss Russian...

The 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall with Ambassador Dan Fried

Ambassador Dan Fried, Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the state of European and America...

Norway, NATO, and the High North with Norwegian State Secretary Audun Halvorsen

Audun Halvorsen, State Secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss Norwegian foreign policy, what the A...

Germany and the State of the Transatlantic Relationship with Julie Smith

Julie Smith, Director of the Asia Program at The German Marshall Fund, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to recap her year as the Weizsäcker Fellow at the Rober...

Discussing Turkey’s Offensive Against the Kurds in Syria with Nick Heras

The United States’ withdrawal and the Turkish military’s incursion into the Kurdish-controlled northeast have completely changed the balance of power in Syria. Without America...

The Transatlantic Alliance at 70 with NATO's Camille Grand

Camille Grand, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the 70th anniversary of NATO and the challe...

France and European Security with Dr. Alice Pannier

Dr. Alice Pannier, Assistant Professor of International Relations and European Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Tayl...

5G and the Future of Technology and Governance with Daniel Bagge

Daniel Bagge, Cyber Attaché of the Czech Republic to the United States and Canada, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for an in-depth discussion on the security ...

Behind the Turmoil in Italian Politics with Erik Jones

Dr. Erik Jones, Director of European and Eurasian Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for a...

Brexit with Luke Coffey and Amanda Sloat

Luke Coffey of The Heritage Foundation and Dr. Amanda Sloat of the Brookings Institution join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for a rundown of the latest Brexit develop...

A Conversation with Maggie Feldman-Piltch and #NatSecGirlSquad

#NatSecGirlSquad founder and Unicorn Strategies managing director Maggie Feldman-Piltch joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the importance of competent div...

"The New Battle for the Atlantic" with Magnus Nordenman

Former Director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council Magnus Nordenman joins Jim Townsend and Carisa Nietsche to break down his latest book, The New...

Ilan Goldenberg on Iran, Europe, and the United States

CNAS Senior Fellow and Middle East Security Program Director Ilan Goldenberg joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for an in-depth look at the current situation in the ...

Populism in America and Abroad with Dr. Sheri Berman

Populism expert Dr. Sheri Berman of Barnard College joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for a discussion about the history, present, and future of populism in Europe ...

Dmitry Suslov on the Trends Shaping Russian-American Relations

Dmitry Suslov, Deputy Director of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, joins Andrea Kendall-T...

The Populist Challenge to Liberal Democracy with Cas Mudde

Dr. Cas Mudde, Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss contemporary ...

The State of Global Democracy with Larry Diamond

Senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Dr. Larry Diamond joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to disc...

Brian Taylor on Putinism and Its Long-term Effects on Russian Politics

Dr. Brian D. Taylor, Chair of the Political Science Department at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor for a discussion about his book, The Code o...

Greek Politics with Katerina Sokou

Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Kathimerini and Skai TV Washington Correspondent Katerina Sokou joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche to discuss t...

Istanbul, Erdogan, and the Future of Turkish Politics with Steven A. Cook

Dr. Steven A. Cook, Council on Foreign Relations Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Carisa Nietsche for a disc...

Dr. John A. Gans, Jr., on "White House Warriors" and the National Security Council

Dr. John A. Gans, Jr., joins Jim Townsend and Carisa Nietsche to discuss his recent book "White House Warriors: How the National Security Council has Transformed the American ...

5G: What It Is and What It Means for the Transatlantic Relationship

CNAS Adjunct Senior Fellow Elsa B. Kania joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss 5G technology and its implications for transatlantic security. Elsa B. Kan...

Chinese and Russian Influence in the Balkans

Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo are joined by recent George Washington University Elliot School of International Affairs graduates Zlata Gogoleva, Rachel Long, and ...

Cooperation and Fragmentation: Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks on Transatlantic Relations

Latvian Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss the future of transatlantic, European, and Latvian security in an age of grow...

Partner to Competitor, Honeymoon to Disillusionment: Dan Kliman on Europe and China

Dan Kliman joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the evolving nature of China’s relationship with Europe, how the Belt-and-Road Initiative is challenging the...

Demystifying Putin: Dr. Angela Stent on What Putin Wants

Dr. Angela Stent, Director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University, provides an answer to the oft-asked question: what does Puti...

Edward Lucas on Why Europe’s Past is Not Prologue

Edward Lucas, Senior Vice President at the Center for European Policy Analysis, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss trends in European security, the fu...

Brussels Sprouts on the Road for NATO at 70

Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo take Brussels Sprouts on the road in this special edition of the podcast recorded live from the April 3 NATO Engages conference host...

Minister Jüri Luik on Baltic security, NATO, and Russia

Minister Jüri Luik, the Estonian Minister of Defense, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss Baltic security, NATO, and Russia....

Special Episode: Dr. Amanda Sloat on Brexit

Dr. Amanda Sloat, Robert Bosch Senior Fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to di...

Dr. Claudia Major on European and German Defense Policy

Dr. Claudia Major, a Senior Associate in the International Security Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor an...

Josef Janning on the Future of the Transatlantic Relationship

Josef Janning, Senior Policy Fellow and Head of ECFR Berlin, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the future of the transatlantic relationship, U.S.-Ger...

Deputy Prime Minister Radmila Šekerinska on North Macedonia

Deputy Prime Minister Radmila Šekerinska, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to di...

Benjamin Haddad on France’s Yellow Vest Movement

Benjamin Haddad, Director of the Future Europe Initiative at the Atlantic Council, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss France’s Yellow Vest movement....

Andrew Weiss on Russia

Andrew Weiss, James Family Chair and Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss ...

Molly Montgomery on the Balkans

Molly Montgomery, a Vice President in Albright Stonebridge Group’s Europe Practice, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the Balkans and the future of t...

Dr. John Manza on NATO Readiness, NATO’s Iraq Mission, and Challenges Facing NATO Today

Dr. John Manza, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Operations, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the future of NATO readiness, NATO’s training mi...

Amb. Ian Bond on Brexit and What's Next for Europe

Former Ambassador Ian Bond sits down with Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss his perspective on Brexit and what the future holds for the transatlantic relat...

Amanda Sloat on Brexit

Dr. Amanda Sloat, the Robert Bosch Senior Fellow at Brookings and DC’s Brexit expert, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss Brexit: how it happened, why ...

Amb. Azita Raji on Nordic Regional Security

Former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Azita Raji joins Jim Townsend and Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor to discuss Nordic security, European military capabilities, and Trident Juncture....

Alina Polyakova on the Russian Provocation in the Sea of Azov

Dr. Alina Polyakova, the David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center on the United States and Europe, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for...

Luke Coffey on Brexit and the Future of the Special Relationship

Luke Coffey, Director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation, sits down with Jim Townsend to talk about the future of UK defense...

LtGen Jan Broeks and LtGen Esa Pulkkinen on EU/NATO Cooperation

LtGen Jan Broeks, DG of the NATO International Military Staff, and LtGen Esa Pulkkinen, DG of the EU Military Staff, sat down with Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend t...

Elisabeth Braw on Modern Deterrence

Elisabeth Braw, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), sits down with Jim Townsend and Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor to discuss what modern deterrence ...

Special Episode: Ulrike Franke on the State of German Politics

Ulrike Franke, a Policy Fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, speaks with Jim Townsend and Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor about the rapidly shifting nature of Germ...

Anna Wieslander on Swedish Elections and the Nordic View of European Defense

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 we...

Combatting Disinformation in Lithuania

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 ...

UK Director of International Security Policy on the US-UK Relationship and a Changing NATO

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 betwee...

Christian Mölling on German Defense Spending, Burden-Sharing, and Strategic Autonomy

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 conversation...

Julie Smith and Jim Townsend Reflect on the Podcast and Julie’s Upcoming Transition to Berlin

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 t...

Sophia Besch Talks German Politics, Defense, and U.S.-German Relations

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 sp...

Lieutenant General (R) Ben Hodges on U.S. Troops in Europe, German Defense, and NATO’s Role in the Black Sea

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 advocati...

Special Edition: The 2018 NATO Summit – a European Perspective

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 Townse...

Special Edition: Expectations for the 2018 NATO Summit with former U.S. Ambassadors to NATO

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 Jul...

Lord Paddy Ashdown on the Balkans, Brexit, and the Changing Transatlantic Relationship

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 relations...

Special Edition: Talking the 2018 NATO Summit with NATO Permanent Representatives

In the run up to this year’s NATO Summit, three prominent NATO Ambassadors discuss what we can expect in Brussels, what binds NATO members together, and their experiences as w...

Dr. Brad Roberts Talks Nuclear Deterrence and Strategic Fluency

Dr. Brad Roberts, the Director for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile ...

Director of GMF's Paris Office talks Macron, Merkel, Iran, and July's NATO Summit

Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, Director of the German Marshal Fund's Paris Office, sits down with Brussels Sprouts to discuss Macron, Merkel, and the future of transatlantic rela...

Lithuanian Vice Minister of Defense talks cyber strategy and security

Edvinas Kerza, Vice Minister of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, sits down with Julie Smith and Rachel Rizzo to discuss the country's new cyber report, evolving threats in ...

Christian Mölling on Macron and Merkel’s Washington Visits and German Defense Policy

Christian Mölling, Deputy Director of the German Council on Foreign Relations, discusses the German perspective on President Macron’s and Chancellor Merkel’s recent visits to ...

Danish Minister of Finance Talks Transatlantic Trade, Danish Defense, and Nord Stream 2

Danish Minister of Finance Kristian Jensen discusses the uncertain future of TTIP, the Danish decision to increase defense spending, the challenge of Nord Stream 2 to European...

Ambassador Gérard Araud on President Macron’s Upcoming Visit to Washington

French Ambassador to the United States Gérard Araud discusses what we should expect from President Macron’s upcoming visit to Washington, the European perspective on the Iran ...

Norwegian Deputy Minister of Defense on Russia and NATO’s Evolving Maritime Posture

Norwegian Deputy Minister of Defense Tone Skogen joins with CNAS experts Julie Smith and Jim Townsend to discuss challenges in the North Atlantic, the new NATO Command Structu...

Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs on his visit to the White House, Estonian security

Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser sits down with CNAS Adjunct Senior Fellow Jim Townsend to discuss his recent visit to Washington DC with the other Baltic Fore...

Dr. Karen Donfried on today’s transatlantic relationship and its post-Trump future

Dr. Karen Donfried of the German Marshall Fund joins Brussels Sprouts to discuss the current state of transatlantic relations, how it has been permanently transformed by Presi...

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs on Baltic security concerns, NATO membership

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius, sits down with CNAS’ Jim Townsend to discuss his recent visit to Washington, Baltic security concerns, and takes the...

Peter Potman on the Rise of China and Transatlantic Cooperation

Peter Potman, Director of the Asia and Oceania Department at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joins Julie Smith and Dr. Dan Kliman of CNAS to discuss the Dutch and...

Dr. Celeste Wallander discusses the Munich Security Conference, future of US-Russia relations

Dr. Celeste Wallander sits down with Julianne Smith to reflect on the 2018 Munich Security Conference, and discuss what we can look forward to in terms of the future of US-Rus...

Philippe Errera discusses President Macron's vision for defense and European security

French Director General for International Relations and Strategy Philippe Errera joins Brussels Sprouts to outline the French approach to the upcoming NATO summit and the burd...

Spanish Ambassador to the US talks Spain-U.S. Relations

In the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts, CNAS expert Jim Townsend asks Spanish Ambassador to the US, Pedro Morenés Eulate, how Spain and the United States can tap into their...

CNAS CEO Victoria Nuland on NATO, the EU, and Russia

The Center for New American Security's new CEO Victoria Nuland joins Brussels Sprouts to discuss her storied 32-year diplomatic career working on European issues. She shares h...

Former Ambassador of Bulgaria discusses U.S.–European relations

Ambassador Elena Poptodorova, former Ambassador of Bulgaria to the United States and Vice President of the Atlantic Treaty Association, sits down with Brussels Sprouts to disc...

Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose on US-Danish relations and visiting Salt Lake City

Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose recently visited Salt Lake City with the Transatlantic Security Team as a part of the Across The Pond, In The Field project. Hear Ambassador L...

Robert Work talks NATO's technological innovation and the DoD

CNAS Senior Counselor for Defense and former Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work sits down with CNAS experts Julie Smith and Jim Townsend to discuss Third Offset strategy ...

Amanda Sloat on recent European travel, hot-button issues of 2018

Dr. Amanda Sloat, Julie Smith, and Jim Townsend all recently visited different European cities, from Brussels to Munich to Berlin. The latest episode of Brussels Sprouts highl...

Christian Hänel talks the importance of diversity in transatlantic relations

Christian Hänel, of the Robert Bosch Foundation, chats with CNAS expert Julie Smith about why he was “positively surprised” by his first visit to Pittsburgh—as part of t...

Andy Dlinn talks transatlantic relations, meaning behind "America first"

Andy Dlinn, President of the PA Republican Leadership Council and member of the National Council of the John Birch Society, sits down with CNAS expert Julie Smith to disc...

"Brussels Sprouts" podcast: Insights from Pittsburgh, Mark Houser on Why Macron Will Forever Remember His Visit There

CNAS' new program “Across the Pond, In the Field” is taking foreign policy discussions on a national road trip—visiting 12 cities over a span of three years. During our ...

PODCAST: Trump decertifies Iran nuclear deal: What happens now?

CNAS experts Julie Smith, Ilan Goldenberg and Elizabeth Rosenberg discuss President Trump’s decision to decertify the Iran nuclear deal. The discussion breaks down what the mo...

Constanze Stelzenmüller discusses Germany’s 2017 election

As Germans prepare to head to the polls on Sunday, expert Constanze Stelzenmüller breaks down the ins-and-outs of the 2017 election....

What It's Like on the Inside: Camille Grand on Working at NATO HQ

Camille Grand, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment at NATO, offers an inside-the-building update from NATO HQ. Things are busy in Brussels, and Camille offers h...

Ambassador Mark Brzezinski Discusses his Father's Legacy

Mark Brzezinski, managing director at Makena Capital Management and former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, sits down with Julie and Jim to discuss the legacy of his father, Dr.&nbs...

Back-to-School Edition: Previewing the Fall Agenda for Transatlantic Relations

Julianne Smith and Jim Townsend discuss what the coming months might look like for transatlantic relations and the NATO alliance....

Dr. Michael O'Hanlon Discusses the Future of NATO

Dr. Michael O'Hanlon, senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, stops by to discuss the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization....

Rethinking UK's Brexit Strategy: Tidbits from the Chatham House Director

On this episode, Dr. Robin Niblett discusses Britain's current political climate and how the country could find its own way post-Brexit. Dr. Niblett also provides a quick tuto...

Maintaining European Alliances: A Perspective from the British Defence Secretary

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon stops by to discuss what's coming out of Brussels on defense. Hosted by Julie Smith and Jim Townsend....

European Defense Capabilities: A Conversation with Tomas Valasek

In this episode of Brussels Sprouts, Tomáš Valášek, the director of Carnegie Europe, sits down with Julie Smith to discuss Central Europe's perception of President Trump and a...

No Better Option: Dr. Kori Schake on the NATO Alliance

Dr. Kori Schake, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, sits down with Julie Smith and Jim Townsend to discuss the current transatlantic security landscape, President Tr...

European Security amid the Trump Presidency and British Election: How does Germany Move Forward?

Norbert Röettgen, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag, shares his thoughts about the British election, German Chancellor Merkel's remarks followi...

Readiness and Defence: An Outlook from Lithuania and Estonia

In this episode, Jim Townsend sits down with the Lithuanian and Estonian ministers of defence to discuss the respective landscape and outlook on security, international affair...

Trump's Visit to Europe: Home Run or Missed Opportunity?

Julie Smith and Jim Townsend discusses President Trump's visit to NATO and Sicily and the impressions from European foreign leaders. Julie also provides a lesson in European d...

Investing in Defense: Norway's Perspective on Opportunities for the NATO Alliance

Norwegian Minister of Defence Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide discusses the NATO defense landscape and Norway's role and investment in readiness. Hosted by Jim Townsend....

Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist on Transatlantic Relations

Swedish Minister of Defense Peter Hultqvist joins Julie Smith and Jim Townsend to discuss Sweden's worldview, the current state of transatlantic alliances, Stockholm's relatio...

Why NATO is like a Potluck Dinner: Conversation with Jim Townsend and Julianne Smith

Transatlantic Security experts Jim Townsend and Julie Smith discuss this week's NATO Ministerial and why NATO is like a potluck dinner....

Is Europe in Crisis or on Track? Nordic Pearls of Wisdom from Carl Bildt

Transatlantic Security experts Julie Smith and Jim Townsend sit down with Former PM of Sweden Carl Bildt to talk about the future of Europe and why every country in the transa...

NATO's Back on the Table: Reflections from the Secretary General

After a successful meeting in Washington with President Trump, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg sits down with CNAS' Transatlantic Security team. Hosted by Jim Townsend...

CNAS Launches New Transatlantic Security Program

With the launch of the new Transatlantic Security Program, Julianne Smith, senior fellow and director of the program, sits down with Jim Townsend to discuss the program's focu...