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 result ever, capturing 20% of the vote and finishing as the second-largest party in the Bundestag. This domestic shift is taking place against the backdrop of massive turmoil wi…

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 on the viability of any potential settlement. At the same time, it is far from certain that the Ukrainians can continue their war efforts without the United States’ support, …

In Munich and Brussels last week, the Trump administration signaled a seismic shift in U.S. policy toward its European allies. Since World War II, the United States has been the primary security guarantor of Europe. Yet recent remarks from President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have questioned this …

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 qualitatively built up its nuclear arsenal. At the same time, there have been significant breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, including for military applications. As a result o…

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 statements about world affairs. Trump’s remarks about Greenland, including his refusal to rule out taking the Danish territory by force, have been some of his most provocative and E…

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 Wilhelm II to the Soviet Union aimed for primacy through control of this vast landmass and its resources. Today, command of Eurasia is once again essential to understanding a…

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 era for both the United States and the world. To look at Trump's vision both at home and abroad, Robert Kagan joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend on this week’s episod…

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 resigned. With an election expected in Canada the first half of the year - one that heralds a change of government - 2025 promises to be disruptive on both sides of the border. …

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. foreign policy, as many worldwide grapple with tough questions about the future of Washington’s global leadership. Ukraine also faces a pivotal year in its war with Russia, as s…

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 flee to Europe, and millions more internally displaced within Syria, the rebel victory brought both a sense of relief and celebration while also bringing a sense of trepidation …

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 the collapse of Germany’s ruling coalition several weeks ago, leaving both of the European Union’s largest member states rudderless at a time when the bloc faces major challen…

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 become all the more important. Trump has refused to say that he wants Ukraine to win the war and has pledged to end the war immediately. To help us make sense of this, Mike Ko…

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 Studies (CSIS) to reflect on the outcome of the recent United States presidential election with Max Bergmann and Donatienne Ruy. Listen in as they discuss what a second Trump term…

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 objectives. A new report from CNAS analyzes how the relationship is shaping the region. Read it here: Russia and China in Central Asia: Cooperate, Compete, or De-conflict? Most impo…

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’s defense industrial base has struggled to keep up with demand. While there is a renewed sense of urgency to tackle this issue, in September, NATO’s outgoing secretary-general…

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 order. As the group has expanded its membership during the past year, it has grown to encompass nearly half of the world’s population, lending it greater credibility as a plat…

As the 2024 presidential elections draw nearer, it’s becoming increasingly urgent to understand the potential implications for U.S. foreign policy. This week, Brussels Sprouts continues its two-part series focusing on the election by shifting focus to the foreign policy that could emerge under a Trump-Vance administration. To discuss all of this, M…

NATO marked its 75th anniversary this year – a testament to the strength and continued relevance of the alliance. Celebrations have been muted however, due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increasing concerns from Europe about US commitments to transatlantic security. The role of NATO is as crucial now as it was 75 years ago but the security …

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 Biden administration is facing increasing pressure to mediate and prevent an all-out war. Meanwhile, regional dynamics are becoming more intertwined with broader geopolitics, a…

On this special episode of Derisky Business, CNAS's economic security podcast, Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė, the European Union's Ambassador to the United States, joins Emily Kilcrease and Geoffrey Gertz for a wide-ranging conversation on Europe's growing role as a economic statecraft power, the importance of the transatlantic alliance in addressi…

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 periphery amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin’s actions have triggered different geopolitical reorientations in different countries across the region. Moldov…

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 the first discussion in a two-part series on this topic, focusing first on what we might expect from a Harris-Walz administration. In many respects, Kamala Harris’s foreign pol…

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 Frantz, and Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor. Moderated by Susan Glasser, this event discusses how democracies around the world are being weakened by the actions and efforts of their…

Earlier this year, the Biden administration revised its nuclear strategy, the nuclear employment guidance, which is updated approximately every four years. This time, however, the administration seems to have made some significant changes, placing greater emphasis on China given its growing nuclear capabilities, as well as directing the United Stat…

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 substantial gains in two state elections in eastern Germany. Two major factors behind these results are the political salience of migration in the national debate, and discussions…