Brussels Sprouts

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 deal, and the challenging global questions of today that Europe and the US need to answer together.

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 Structures, and her experience navigating a career as a woman in Norwegian national 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 Foreign Ministers and Baltic Presidents. He touches on the challenging and changing security situation facing his country, as well as the value of NATO to Estonia.

Dr. Karen Donfried, President of the German Marshall Fund and former Senior Director for European Affairs on the National Security Council, joins Brussels Sprouts to offer her perspective on the current state of transatlantic relations, reflect on this year’s Brussels Forum, and discuss takeaways from her time at the Obama White House.

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 time to reflect on Lithuania’s inspiring journey to NATO membership.

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 broader European assessment of China’s growing global influence, how Europe should respond to Beijing’s ambitions, and potential opportunities for transatlantic coordination on China.

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-Russia relations

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 burden sharing debate. They explore the leadership of President Macron in shaping French military capabilities and European security strategy, including PESCO and his European Intervention Initiative.

In the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts, CNAS experts Jim Townsend and Rachel Rizzo ask Spanish Ambassador to the US, Pedro Morenés Eulate, how Spain and the United States can tap into their history and heritage to strengthen their relationship today. The ambassador also discuss how the U.S.-Spanish defense relationship grew closer in the years after Benghazi, and offers a helpful description of the nuances in the Catalonia issue.

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 her thoughts regarding the ongoing relevancy of NATO, the continued threat of Russia to European and Transatlantic cooperation, the quality of the State Department's cafeteria, and takes a moment to reflect on her early lessons learned living on a Soviet fishing vessel.

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 discuss what America first means for Europe, how the use of diplomacy has fundamentally changed, and who is filling the void of US leadership in Europe.

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 Lose and Julie Smith reflect on their visit including some of the challenges facing the transatlantic relationship, Danish trade and investment in the US, the world’s first Tech Ambassador from Denmark, and where else Ambassador Lose hopes to visit in the US during his post.

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 and his work in developing, managing, and advancing it. In their discussion, they explore defense technology, the future of NATO, and working with the Nordics.

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 highlights some of the most surprising and note-worthy topics from their travels across the pond, including the latest on German politics, the wave of populism sweeping across Europe, and European views of U.S. foreign policy. What hot-button issues should transatlanticists look out for in 2018? The team covers that topic, too.

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 the Across The Pond, In The Field project— and how important diversity is to the transatlantic relationship.