Max and Donatienne discuss the assassination attempt on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico (0:53) and the announcement of a new Dutch government (0:53). Then, they turn to a conversation with Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, for a conversation about President Xi’s recent trip to Europe and the state of Sino-Russian ties (18:54). Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Pekingology | CSIS Podcasts
May 23, 2024•41 min
For today's special bonus episode, Max sat down with Tinatin Japaridze and Eto Buziashvili to discuss the ongoing protests taking place in Georgia. Georgian civil society is mobilizing yet again in opposition to the controversial "foreign agents" law being pushed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
May 15, 2024•52 min
Max and Donatienne discuss Emmanuel Macron’s latest speech about the future of Europe (0:55). Then, they will begin to unpack the EU parliamentary election (08:53) before briefly discussing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Europe (14:55). Finally, we will turn to a conversation with Rebecca Christie, Senior Fellow at Bruegel, for a conversation about the Enrico Letta report and the European single market (18:54). Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts EU bank-saving raid can ...
May 09, 2024•49 min
Max’s Ukraine trip and the passage by the U.S. Congress of a national security supplemental (0:48), foreign interference (15:43), Ivo Daalder (23:22) Max and Donatienne discuss Max’s trip to Ukraine and the long-awaited passage of a U.S. national security supplemental (00:48). Then, they briefly discuss the recent flurry of foreign influence attempts by Russia and China in European politics (15:43). Finally, a conversation with Ambassador Ivo Daalder, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and CEO of th...
Apr 25, 2024•50 min
Donatienne and Otto discuss the recent meeting of NATO foreign ministers, including the Secretary-General Stoltenberg’s idea to set up a five-year, €100 billion fund to continue supporting Ukraine (01:03). Then, they will briefly discuss the latest meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council in Leuven, Belgium (11:15) and the results from the Slovak presidential election (19:16). Finally, a conversation with Ignacio Molina, Senior Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute to discuss Spain’s fo...
Apr 11, 2024•44 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the recent European Council meeting and the implications for Ukraine and European defense. Then, they turn to recent developments in Central and Eastern Europe, including Slovakia’s presidential election and the latest turmoil in negotiations to form a new Bulgarian government. Finally, Max and Donatienne turn to a conversation with Jeff Rathke, President of the American-German Institute to discuss the latest developments in German politics. Learn more: Russian Roulett...
Mar 28, 2024•50 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the recent Franco-German spat on Ukraine and the direction of European defense before turning to the EU’s new defense industrial strategy. Then, Max talks to Ambassador Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defense at the European External Action Service (EEAS), about the EU’s role as a defense actor. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts The European Union Charts Its Own Path for European Rearmament
Mar 15, 2024•54 min
Max and Donatienne discuss Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for a second term as European Commission President and Dutch PM Mark Rutte vying to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO Secretary General. Finally, Max and Donatienne are joined by Ilaria Mazzocco, senior fellow with the Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at CSIS, for a conversation on growing European dependencies on China for climate technologies and China's EV export boom. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Green Indust...
Mar 01, 2024•45 min
Max and Donatienne discuss former President Donald Trump’s latest comments on NATO from the campaign trail in South Carolina and the reactions in Europe. Then, they briefly cover the recent protests by European farmers and the reemergence of a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. Finally, Max and Donatienne are joined by Emily Benson, director of the CSIS Project on Trade and Technology and Senior Fellow with the CSIS Scholl Chair in International Business, to discuss the EU-US Trade an...
Feb 15, 2024•44 min
Max and Donatienne discuss Ukraine’s continued struggle to secure funding from the European Union. Then, we will turn to a conversation with Catherine Belton from the Washington Post on Russian attempts to influence European politics. Catherine reports on Russia and has written extensively on the Russian elite and security services. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Europe Needs a Paradigm Shift in How It Supports Ukraine
Feb 01, 2024•47 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the recent efforts to continue EU funding for Ukraine. Then, they are joined by Marcus Roberts, Chief of Public Data at Yougov, for a conversation about polling trends ahead of a major election year in Europe. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Europe Needs a Paradigm Shift in How It Supports Ukraine
Jan 18, 2024•51 min
Max and Otto discuss the recent reforms of the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact and what it portends for the European Union in 2024. Then, Max is joined by Jim Townsend, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for European and NATO Policy and current adjunct senior fellow in the Transatlantic Security Program with the Center for a New American Security, for a conversation about European defense and next year’s NATO summit in Washington, DC. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts ...
Jan 04, 2024•41 min
Max and Donatienne recap the recent European Council meeting, where EU leaders agreed to open accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova but failed to agree on a $55 billion aid package. Then, they discuss some key events and developments from the past year and what they may portend for the year ahead. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Dec 20, 2023•37 min
Max and Donatienne recap the recent elections in the Netherlands where the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) secured a surprising victory. Then, they cover the latest turmoil following the German constitutional court’s decision to strike down the government’s attempt to repurpose COVID funds. Finally, Max is joined by R. Dan Kelemen, Senior Associate with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. Max and Da...
Dec 07, 2023•41 min
Max and Donatienne discuss a recent major blow to Germany’s environmental strategy, Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez officially forming a new government, the resignation of Portuguese PM Antonio Costa, and the EU’s artillery promise to Ukraine falling flat. Then, Max is joined for a conversation with Rym Momtaz, consultant research fellow for European foreign policy and security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), on Emmanuel Macron and French foreign policy. Learn m...
Nov 21, 2023•55 min
Max and Donatienne first discuss Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Kyiv and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s call for bold EU reforms. Then, they are joined for an ‘exit interview’ with Stavros Lambrinidis, Ambassador of the European Union to the United States, as his time in Washington, DC comes to a close. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts
Nov 09, 2023•50 min
Max and Donatienne first discuss the Polish election results and their broader implications for Europe. Then, they review the recent EU-US summit in Washington, D.C. Lastly, Max is joined for a conversation with David Lammy, the UK Shadow Foreign Secretary and Labour MP for Tottenham. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Poland’s Election Could Transform the European Union The Future of British Foreign Policy: A Conversation with UK Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP
Oct 26, 2023•42 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the upcoming elections in Poland, the EU’s uncoordinated first reaction to the ongoing crisis in Israel, and how turbulence on Capitol Hill affects the future of security assistance to Ukraine. Then, they are joined for a conversation with Tara Varma, a visiting fellow in the Center of the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, for a conversation on the state of French foreign policy in a European context. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Be...
Oct 13, 2023•45 min
Max and Donatienne first look back at Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the European Union speech and what it portends for her vision of Europe’s future. Then, they are joined for a conversation with Timothy Garton Ash, professor of European Studies at Oxford University, to discuss the history of contemporary Europe and his new book, Homelands: A Personal History of Europe. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Beyond the Battlefield: Global Implications of Russia’s War in Ukraine
Sep 28, 2023•56 min
Max and Donatienne are first joined by Caitlin Chin, fellow with the CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, to discuss the impact of the EU’s Digital Services Act, as very large online platforms will now have to comply with Brussels’ online content rulebook. Then, they are joined for a conversation with Federico Steinberg, visiting fellow with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, to discuss the state of Europe’s economy. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Beyond the Battlefield:...
Sep 14, 2023•47 min
Max and Donatienne first recap their summer vacations in Europe, including an assessment of Irish neutrality in the current European political climate. Then, they are joined by Mujtaba (Mij) Rahman, managing director for Europe at political risk research and consulting firm Eurasia Group, for a conversation about the current state of European politics and Europe’s future geopolitical trajectory. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Germany's New China Strategy: A Conversation with German...
Aug 31, 2023•44 min
Max and Donatienne first discuss the state of Europe’s far right following Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s recent visit to Washington. Then, Max is joined for a conversation with Charles Powell, director of the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid, about the Spanish election results and their implications for the future of European politics. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Whither Spain? The July 2023 General Election Results and Beyond | CSIS Commentary Spanish Elections & ...
Aug 03, 2023•35 min
Max and Donatienne first discuss the recent NATO summit in Vilnius, the resignation of PM Mark Rutte’s government in the Netherlands, and the European Union’s ongoing migration problem, after EU leaders recently agreed to a new pact on asylum policy. Then, they are joined for a conversation with political analyst, activist, and media writer Agon Maliqi about the ongoing tensions in Kosovo. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts What Hap...
Jul 20, 2023•48 min
Max and Donatienne are first joined by Federico Steinberg, visiting fellow at CSIS, to discuss the European Union’s new economic security strategy. Then, Max sits down with the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador David Quarrey to preview the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Learn more: Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Germany's Financial Attack on NATO | CSIS
Jul 06, 2023•57 min
Max and Donatienne recently sat down with Marie Jourdain and Sean Monaghan to discuss a new CSIS report dissecting the state of European defense. The report calls for a critical role for the European Union to play in integrating and coordinating efforts to rebuild European militaries from the bottom-up. You can read the full report here and watch the webcast from the live event here.
Jun 29, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Max and Donatienne first discuss a new CSIS report about European defense integration and the EU’s role in rebuilding European militaries. They then cover Germany’s first ever national security strategy and a recent meeting between the leaders of France, Germany, and Poland ahead of the NATO summit in July. Lastly, Max and Donatienne turn to a conversation with Mathieu Droin about European naval capabilities and why they matter to the broader European defense landscape. Learn more: Transforming ...
Jun 22, 2023•43 min
Max and Donatienne discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech at the GLOBSEC Bratislava Global Security Forum where he called for tangible and credible security guarantees for Ukraine. They then cover the recent European Political Community summit in Moldova and discuss the EPC in relation to EU enlargement. Lastly, Max and Donatienne turn to a conversation with John Christianson about European strategic air enabling capabilities – a critical gap in European defense. John is an active-dut...
Jun 08, 2023•41 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the recent 1.2B euro fine levied at Meta, the U.S. tech giant controlling Facebook, for breaching the EU’s GDPR rulebook – the largest such fine in the 5-year history of the privacy regulation. They then cover the recent first round of the Turkish elections, where President Erdogan outperformed polling figures and is now heavily favored to retain power after the second round of voting on May 28. Lastly, Max and Donatienne turn to a conversation with Dan Keleman on demo...
May 25, 2023•54 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the Tories’ resounding defeat in local UK elections, renewed debates about the Stability and Growth Pact, and European Commissioner Thierry Breton’s push to ramp up Europe’s artillery production. They then turn to a conversation with Jude Blanchette, who holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, to discuss Sino-European relations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts Pekingology | CSIS Podcasts
May 11, 2023•54 min
Max and Donatienne discuss the recent dispute over European blockages of grain imports from Ukraine and the state of media freedom and democracy in Greece. They then turn to a conversation with Ilke Toygür, non-resident senior associate with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program, to preview Turkey’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections three weeks out from voting day. Read More: Transatlantic allies in action: Unpacking EU-US cooperation on Turkey ahead of elections , by Ilke...
Apr 27, 2023•47 min
