Image credit: Melody Cook/CNAS

June 12, 2023

Brussels Sprouts Live with Jens Stoltenberg and Julianne Smith

By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Jens Stoltenberg and Julianne Smith

In this special episode marking the podcast’s 5-year anniversary, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for a conversation about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the ongoing response to the war from NATO allies, lessons learned from the conflict, and the future of the alliance.

Jens Stoltenberg became NATO Secretary General in October 2014, following a distinguished international and domestic career. As a former Prime Minister of Norway and UN Special Envoy, Mr. Stoltenberg has been a strong supporter of greater global and transatlantic cooperation. Mr. Stoltenberg’s mandate as NATO Secretary General has been extended until the end of September 2023.

Ambassador Julianne Smith assumed her position as the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO in November 2021. Prior to her current position, she served as a Senior Advisor to Secretary Blinken at the Department of State. Previously, she served as the Director of the Asia and Geopolitics Programs at the German Marshall Fund of the United States

  • Commentary
    • Sharper
    • September 20, 2023
    Sharper: Ukrainian Counteroffensive

    With the slow progress of the Ukrainian counteroffensive this summer, observers expressed increased uncertainty regarding the conflict’s trajectory. This lack of advancement c...

    By Anna Pederson, Anna Avanesyan & Charles Horn

  • Podcast
    • September 15, 2023
    The New Authoritarian Axis: Russian Relations with North Korea and Iran

    This past Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to the Russian Far East for a summit with Vladimir Putin. After more than four hours of talks, Kim vowed to provi...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Hanna Notte & Markus Garlauskas

  • Podcast
    • September 8, 2023
    The Future of the Ukrainian Counter Offensive with Mike Kofman and Mark Hertling

    Over the past several months, the world’s attention has been focused on the ongoing counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army. Many of Ukraine’s supporters had high hopes for thi...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Michael Kofman & Mark P. Hertling

  • Commentary
    • War on the Rocks
    • September 4, 2023
    Perseverance and Adaptation: Ukraine’s Counteroffensive at Three Months

    Western support thus far has been sufficient to avert a Ukrainian defeat, and arguably has imposed a strategic defeat on Russia, but not enough to ensure a Ukrainian victory....

    By Michael Kofman & Rob Lee

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia