Transatlantic Tensions at the Munich Security Conference
CSIS’s Steve Morrison and Caitlin Welsh join the podcast to discuss the fallout from Vice President JD Vance's controversial speech at the Munich Security Conference. European leaders, particularly in Germany, were outraged by his criticism of the far-right party AfD and his refusal to meet with Chancellor Scholz. They also dive into the broader implications for NATO, the Transatlantic Alliance, and the future of U.S.-European relations, especially as the U.S. shifts toward direct negotiations with Russia, sidelining European allies. The conversation also explores the critical issues of food security, climate change, and health security, highlighting the absence of U.S. leadership and the growing importance of European unity. We reflect on the long-term impact of these developments on global stability and security.
Guests:
J. Stephen Morrison - Senior Vice President and Director, Global Health Policy Center, CSIS
Caitlin Welsh - Director, Global Food and Water Security Program, CSIS
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27:33
Ukraine Minerals Deal Explained
CSIS’s Gracelin Baskaran, Director of the Critical Minerals and Security Program, joins the podcast to break down the recent U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal and its implications for global resource security. They discuss why Ukraine agreed to the deal without security guarantees, the risks this poses for private investment, and the broader geopolitical stakes. Baskaran also draws comparisons to China's mineral deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo and highlights the urgency of securing U.S. supply chains. Plus, a look at her upcoming book, Critical Minerals in the Future of the U.S. Economy, and what it means for national security.
Background Reading: https://www.csis.org/analysis/critical-minerals-and-future-us-economy
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13:54
Protecting the Backbone of the Internet
CSIS’s Erin Murphy, deputy director of the CSIS Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics, joins the podcast to discuss why subsea cables are so important to global security, the global actors most likely to sabotage these cables, how they play into great power competition with China, and policy recommendations to mitigate these threats.
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22:15
Tumultuous Times in Europe
CSIS’s Max Bergmann, director of the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, joins the podcast to discuss the current state of European security, the potential for a U.S.-Europe tech war, how Ukraine negotiations might evolve, and more.
Read or listen to Max Bergmann’s new report, The Transatlantic Alliance in the Age of Trump: The Coming Collisions, here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/transatlantic-alliance-age-trump-coming-collisions
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33:02
Responding to the LA Wildfires
Ann Lee, co-founder and CEO of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE Response), joins the podcast to discuss California’s risk of wildfires, CORE’s work to support those impacted by the fires, and how we can learn from relief efforts from past natural disasters to build resilience.
Brasil