Brussels Sprouts

Apr 10 2025 100 ep. 52 mins 2.5k

Brussels Sprouts Podcast artwork

Small bites on Transatlantic Security, NATO, the EU, Russia, and all things Europe. Hosted by Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend at the Center for a New American Security.

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The Hidden Past and Uncertain Future of the U.S. and Ukraine with Celeste Wallander

Apr 10 2025 64 mins

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 it sent a clear message to Europe and Ukraine that the U.S. may no longer be a reliable partner for Ukraine. A reduction or end to U.S. support for Ukraine could have a significant impact on the conflict dynam

Europe's Trade War Woes

Apr 03 2025 62 mins

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 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised a ‘united response’ and stated a willingness to retaliate. As the U.S.’s biggest trading partner, any actions taken by the EU in response to the t

Turkey’s Democratic Downturn

Mar 26 2025 52 mins

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, and issued arrest warrants for more than 100 others. Concurrent with Turkey’s domestic turmoil, Ankara is looking to play a more prominent geopolitical role, both in Syria and in Europe, especially as the U

How America Wages Economic Warfare with Eddie Fishman

Mar 20 2025 47 mins

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 world has become fractured into competing blocks, resulting in an economic arms race among major powers. This is the argument made by Eddie Fishman in his new book, Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Econ

Will Trump Reshape the American Military

Mar 13 2025 45 mins

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 operations, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, and the top military lawyers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. While expected, these moves were nonetheless largely unprecedented, upending longstanding bipar

Can Europe Fight Back with Shashank Joshi and Camille Grand

Mar 07 2025 72 mins

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 held secret discussions with some of Zelensky's political opponents. On Thursday, Trump told reporters he would consider only defending those allies who spend enough on defense. These events, along with everythi

Germany's New Political Era

Feb 27 2025 42 mins

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 within Europe and the transatlantic

Can Ukraine and Europe Win Alone? with Gustav Gressel and Franz-Stefan Gady

Feb 25 2025 63 mins

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, even if Europe steps up its supp

Brussels Sprouts LIVE: Transatlantic Turbulence and the Future Role of the U.S. in European Security

Feb 21 2025 59 mins

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 status quo. This week, Brussels Sp

Averting AI Armageddon with Colin Kahl and Jacob Stokes

Feb 13 2025 62 mins

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 of these two trends, it is now impo