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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More from the Transatlantic Security Program
Transatlantic Security
Ukraine Negotiates for Its Future
There’s been a flurry of activity on the Ukraine front this week. Over the weekend, Donald Trump briefly met with Zelensky in Rome during ceremonies for Pope Francis’ funeral....
Transatlantic Security
Germany's New Defense Agenda
On April 9th, Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union, secured a coalition agreement with the Social Democrats following his party’s vi...
Transatlantic Security
The Hidden Past and Uncertain Future of the U.S. and Ukraine with Celeste Wallander
Under the Trump administration, U.S. support for Ukraine is no longer guaranteed. President Trump's pause on aid and intelligence to Ukraine in March may have been brief, but ...
Transatlantic Security
Europe's Trade War Woes
On April 2nd, President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs across the globe – with only a handful of countries left untouched. The EU was hit with tariffs of 20% and the European ...
Transatlantic Security
Turkey’s Democratic Downturn
Turkish democracy has come under fresh assault as the Erdoğan government arrested the leader of Turkey's largest opposition party and the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, an...
Transatlantic Security
How America Wages Economic Warfare with Eddie Fishman
The last two decades have marked a revolution in economic warfare. As the United States has increasingly sought to weaponize the global economy against its adversaries, the wo...
Transatlantic Security
Will Trump Reshape the American Military
Last month, the Trump administration carried out a large-scale firing of senior military leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of Naval opera...
Transatlantic Security
Can Europe Fight Back with Shashank Joshi and Camille Grand
This week, the Trump administration announced the suspension of U.S. military aid and intelligence to Ukraine. Reports have emerged that Trump administration officials have he...
Transatlantic Security
Germany's New Political Era
Last Sunday, Germany held parliamentary elections that are set to usher in a new political era for the country. The far-right Alternative for Germany had its best electoral re...
Transatlantic Security
Can Ukraine and Europe Win Alone? with Gustav Gressel and Franz-Stefan Gady
The Trump administration began negotiations with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia last week, and its exclusion of both Kyiv and its European backers from the table cast doubt...
Indo-Pacific Security
Averting AI Armageddon with Colin Kahl and Jacob Stokes
In recent years, the previous bipolar nuclear order led by the United States and Russia has given way to a more volatile, tripolar one, as China has quantitatively and qualita...
Transatlantic Security
Trump World Takes on Europe
The first few weeks of the second Trump administration have seen a flurry of executive orders, tariffs imposed (or threatened) on allies and adversaries alike, and bold statem...
Transatlantic Security
Trump's Vision for America and the World
On Monday, January 20th, Donald Trump took office as the 47th president of the United States. Now in his second term after a four-year hiatus, his inauguration heralds a new e...
Transatlantic Security
The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World with Hal Brands
For more than 100 years, the continent of Eurasia has played a central role in global geopolitics. In the 20th century, numerous authoritarian powers from Germany under Kaiser...
Transatlantic Security
What Can Europe do in Syria?
After 54 years of brutal rule in Syria, the al-Assad family’s reign came to an end last week. Following 13 years of devastating civil war, which saw over a million refugees fl...
Transatlantic Security
What's to Come in 2025
As we welcome the New Year, Brussels Sprouts is zooming out for a big-picture view of what to expect in 2025. Top of mind is the impact of a second Trump presidency on U.S. fo...
Transatlantic Security
Canada, Trump, and the Post-Trudeau Era
In just a few days, Donald Trump returns to office with Canada in his sights. At the same time, it has been less than two weeks since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau re...
Transatlantic Security
Turmoil in Paris and Berlin Going into a Second Trump Term
Earlier this week, France’s government collapsed following a successful no-confidence vote from left-wing and far-right lawmakers. This political crisis comes on the heels of ...
Transatlantic Security
Trump and the War in Ukraine with Michael Kofman and Robert Lee
More than 1000 days into the War in Ukraine, questions about continued support for the Ukrainian effort and the prospect of a negotiated settlement in the months to come have ...
Transatlantic Security
What Trump Means for Europe with the Eurofile Podcast
For this special edition episode of Brussels Sprouts, Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend join forces with The Eurofile from the Center for Strategic and International Stud...
Indo-Pacific Security
The Future of Russia and China in Central Asia
Despite the many proclamations that Russian and Chinese interests would collide in Central Asia, Moscow and Beijing continue to work together in service of their shared object...
Transatlantic Security
Developing the European Defense Industry
Since the war in Ukraine began, the European Union has provided substantial military support to Kyiv. Yet years of underinvestment and a lack of coordination mean that Europe’...
Transatlantic Security
Russia and the Rise of BRICS
This past Tuesday, Russia hosted a high-profile summit of the BRICS group in Kazan, Russia, demonstrating its growing determination to challenge the Western-led international ...
Transatlantic Security
Russia in the Middle East with Jonathan Lord and Hanna Notte
One year after the October 7 attacks by Hamas, the crisis in the Middle East has grown more and more complex. With the region teetering on the brink of broader conflict, the B...
Transatlantic Security
Exploiting Russian Weakness: Moldova and Georgia at a Crossroads
Later this month, both Moldova and Georgia will hold crucial elections with the potential to profoundly shape their futures. As Russia attempts to reassert dominance along its...
Transatlantic Security
What Can We Expect from a Harris-Walz Foreign Policy?
As the 2024 presidential elections approach, there is increasing speculation about the potential implications for U.S foreign policy. Today on Brussels Sprouts, we will have t...
Transatlantic Security
The Origins of Elected Strongmen: How Personalist Parties Destroy Democracy from Within
This week, CNAS hosted the book launch for The Origins of Elected Strongmen: How Personalist Parties Destroy Democracy from Within, a new book by Dr. Joseph Wright, Dr. Erica ...
Transatlantic Security
Splitting the Atom on U.S. Nuclear Strategy
Earlier this year, the Biden administration revised its nuclear strategy, the nuclear employment guidance, which is updated approximately every four years. This time, however,...
Transatlantic Security
Germany's Historic Elections and What Comes Next
Germany is currently at a critical juncture, balancing numerous challenges both at home and abroad. Just last weekend, populist parties including the far-right AfD scored subs...
Transatlantic Security
Assessing the Kursk Offensive with Mike Kofman
The Russia-Ukraine war has recently entered a new phase with the Ukrainian military’s offensive in Kursk, marking one of the most significant battlefield developments in more ...
Transatlantic Security
Brussels Sprouts from the NATO Public Forum on NATO's Ability to Fight Russia and the Importance of the European Pillar
As you might now from our last episode, At the NATO Public Forum in July, Brussels Sprouts roamed the halls of the Marriot Marquis hotel in DC interviewing Public Forum guests...
Transatlantic Security
Cautious Optimism in Washington: Brussels Sprouts and Friends from the Halls of the NATO Public Forum
This week we’re bringing you something a little different. At the NATO Public Forum in July, Brussels Sprouts roamed the halls of the Marriot Marquis hotel in DC interviewing ...
Transatlantic Security
A Night of NATO at the National Archives
Just a few weeks ago, leaders from across the globe gathered in Washington, D.C. for the historic 75th NATO summit. Over the course of the three-day event, allies engaged in d...
Transatlantic Security
75 Years of NATO: Key Takeaways from the Washington Summit
Last week, Washington, DC hosted the NATO summit – marking the historic 75th anniversary of the alliance. Despite the significant milestone, the mood was serious in DC with th...
Transatlantic Security
Kurt Volker and Douglas Lute Discuss the Upcoming NATO Washington Summit
From July 9th to 11th, NATO will hold its historic 75th-anniversary summit in Washington, DC. On the sidelines, CNAS and other think tanks will host the NATO Public Forum. Tho...
Transatlantic Security
A Discussion of European Leadership
Leadership dynamics in Europe are at a critical juncture. Following the recent European Parliament elections, both French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf ...
Transatlantic Security
Resuscitating Europe's Defense Industry
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the attempt of transatlantic partners to provide Kyiv with the weapons systems and ammunition it needs to keep up the fight for the...
Transatlantic Security
Georgia's Democracy Crisis
On 14 May Georgia’s parliament passed a controversial law that requires media and nonprofit groups to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive m...
Transatlantic Security
Richard Fontaine and Hal Brands Discuss the Axis of Upheaval
The effects of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine are reverberating far beyond Ukraine’s borders. Perhaps most fundamentally, Putin’s invasion has catalyzed deepening cooperation...
Transatlantic Security
The High Stakes of European Security with Thomas Wright at the 2024 CNAS National Security Conference
The current moment in the transatlantic relationship is one of high stakes. The United States and its European allies are continuing to grapple with numerous difficulties, inc...
Transatlantic Security
Russian Influence on the Upcoming EU Elections
While the world’s attention has been focused on Russia’s military operation in Ukraine over the past two years, Moscow has continued its attempts to use other, nonmilitary too...
Transatlantic Security
Taking the Temperature of China’s Relationship with the United States and Europe
On Sunday, May 5th, Chinese President Xi Jinping will begin his first trip to Europe in five years. On this trip, Xi will make a high-profile two-day visit to France, where he...
Transatlantic Security
The State of the War in Ukraine with Michael Kofman
As the war in Ukraine continues into its third year, the mood has become increasingly dark. While territorial changes continue to be minor, Russia’s slow but steady advances a...
Transatlantic Security
Interpreting the Recent Turkish Elections with Asli Aydintaşbaş and Steven Cook
Just under a year ago, Turkish President Erdogan won another five years in power in the Turkish presidential election. Last week, however, local election results in Turkey del...
Transatlantic Security
Macron’s Change in Tune and the War in Ukraine
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there has been a notable evolution in France’s approach toward Moscow. In the initial months following the invasion, Fr...
Transatlantic Security
Putin’s Fifth Term and Russian Domestic Politics
This past weekend, Russians went to the polls for the country’s presidential election. To the surprise of no one, Vladimir Putin emerged victorious with a record-high 87 perce...
Transatlantic Security
Franco-German Tensions and the War in Ukraine
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macon made waves when he said that he had not ruled out sending ground troops to fight in Ukraine. This statement prompted a strong reacti...
Transatlantic Security
Discussing Two Years of War in Ukraine with Marie Yovanovitch and William Taylor
February 24 marks the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Heading into the third year of war, Ukraine faces a challenging outlook. No longer are U.S...
Transatlantic Security
German Politics and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party
Throughout January, Germany witnessed weeks of mass protests against the far-right in numerous towns and cities across the country. The immediate impetus for these demonstrati...
Transatlantic Security
Hal Brands on the Looming Threat of Global Conflict
During the past two years, the world has seen the eruption of two major conflicts in two different regions. In Europe, Russia has launched a war of aggression against Ukraine ...
Transatlantic Security
Russia, Putin, and Ukraine in 2024 with Fiona Hill
This week’s Brussels Sprouts discusses expectations for Russia in the pivotal year ahead. As we approach the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine this...
Transatlantic Security
A Look at 2024 with Richard Fontaine and Michèle Flournoy
On this week’s episode of Brussels Sprouts, we are setting out to identify some of the big-picture trends shaping the transatlantic relationship and international affairs more...
Transatlantic Security
Crisis in the Middle East with Jon Alterman
Since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas this past fall, many have feared the possibility that the fighting could metastasize into a broader regional conflict. Such ...
Transatlantic Security
The Resurgence of Europe’s Far-Right
As we enter 2024, one of the biggest issues likely to face transatlantic partners is the rise of far-right parties in Europe, which have recently gained significant electoral ...
Transatlantic Security
Michael Kofman and Shashank Joshi Analyze the Ukrainian Battlefield in 2024
As 2023 came to a close, many people began to characterize the war in Ukraine as a stalemate. Though it is true that very little has recently changed along the front lines and...
Transatlantic Security
Remembering a Titan: The Complex Legacy of Henry Kissinger with David Sanger and Stephen Sestanovich
On November 29, former U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger died at the age of 100. With a long career spanning many decades as both a scholar...
Transatlantic Security
Understanding the State of U.S. Support to Ukraine with Ambassador Ivo Daalder
As winter approaches and territorial changes along the frontlines in Ukraine continue to be minimal, the realization is setting in that a long war likely lies ahead. To contin...
Transatlantic Security
How the West Can Court the Global South
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many observers have focused on the consolidation of Western unity in responding to Moscow’s aggression. However, attitu...
Transatlantic Security
Did China and Russia just sabotage critical infrastructure in the Baltic?
During the past several weeks, a string of attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea has highlighted the challenges NATO faces in protecting itself against hybrid t...
Transatlantic Security
The State of European Aid to Ukraine with Justyna Gotkowska, Liana Fix, and Tara Varma
More than a year and a half after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sustained Western support for Kyiv is as critical as ever. With the future trajectory of the war rem...
Transatlantic Security
Europe, Russia, and the Conflict in Gaza
Two weekends ago, news broke that Hamas had infiltrated Israeli territory, killing hundreds of civilians while taking many others hostage. In the wake of these attacks, Wester...
Transatlantic Security
Germany’s Shifting China Strategy
Last month, Germany adopted its first ever strategy on China. Looking forward, Berlin’s implementation of this strategy will impact Germany, as well as the broader cohesion of...
Transatlantic Security
Lukashenko, Wagner, and the Future of Belarus
Over the past month, Belarus has been increasingly in the spotlight, with the announcement of the Wagner Group’s relocation to the country following its aborted mutiny in Russ...
Transatlantic Security
A Post-Prigozhin Wagner Group with Kimberly Marten and Vanda Felbab-Brown
Last week, the world learned the shocking news that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the notorious head of Wagner private military company, died in a plane crash north of Moscow. Prigozhin’...
Transatlantic Security
The Russia Stability Tracker
In February 2023—one year into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine—CNAS convened a group of leading U.S. experts on Putin’s Russia and authoritarianism to assess...
Transatlantic Security
Democracy under Threat
In 1998, Viktor Orbán was elected the prime minister of Hungary in free and fair elections. He was supported by the Fidesz party—a movement he founded in 1988 that became a po...