Brussels Sprouts

China has remained a persistent—and increasingly complex—challenge. With looming discussions of tariffs and strategic decoupling from the U.S., European leaders are watching closely: How will Washington’s China policy evolve, and what does that mean for Europe’s strategic posture toward Beijing? 
We’re very pleased to welcome Liz Economy and Noah Barkin to help unpack the evolving transatlantic dynamics on China. 
Liz Economy is a Principal with WestExec Advisors and a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. 
Noah Barkin is a Senior Advisor with Rhodium Group’s China Practice and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund 

The relationship between the United States and Europe is facing unprecedented challenges. While the Russian threat to Europe continues to spark fears of a broader conflict, NATO is simultaneously grappling with the implications of a United States that is less committed to European security. To discuss how Europe is reacting to the Trump administration and more, Andrea Kendall-Taylor hosted leading diplomats for a special session at the CNAS 2025 National Security Conference
Bogdan Klich, Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Poland
The Rt Hon Lord Peter Mandelson, UK Ambassador to the U.S.
Jovita Neliupsiene, Ambassador, European Union to the United States
Watch the session and more at conference.cnas.org
 

Please join the Transatlantic Security Program at CNAS’s Annual Conference: America’s Edge, on June 3rd! 
Analysis from the Economist in February this year shows that far- right parties are now Europe’s most popular family of political parties by  vote share – overtaking conservative and social-democratic parties for the  first time in modern European history.  
To help us understand the roots and repercussions of this movement, we’re pleased to welcome Sheri Berman and Richard Youngs. 
Sheri Berman is a professor of political science at Barnard College. 
Richard Youngs is a senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at Carnegie Europe 

Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul this week – the first since March 2022 – have got off to a shaky start. Putin’s no-show meant President Zelenskyy remained in Ankara on Thursday, but he plans to send a delegation to Istanbul led by his Defense Minister. Russia’s unwillingness to send a more senior delegation suggests they are not taking the talks seriously, and there are few signs they have dropped their maximalist war demands and would be ready to make a settlement with Ukraine that ensures a sustainable peace. With their efforts so far having failed to yield significant results, President Trump has expressed his frustration with both Kyiv and Moscow and personally urged Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy to meet directly.  
To discuss this round of talks and the prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, we’re very pleased to have Sam Charap and Sergey Radchenko with us on the podcast.    
Sam Charap is distinguished chair in Russia and Eurasia Policy and a senior political scientist at RAND.  
Sergey Radchenko is the Wilson E. Schmidt distinguished professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. 

In highly anticipated federal elections on April 28th, Canada’s Liberal Party emerged victorious after staging a major comeback in the polls over the past several months. This comeback victory took place against the backdrop of rising tensions between Canada and the United States, with the Trump administration’s combative stance toward its northern neighbor having played a role in boosting the popularity of the Liberals. Prime Minister Mark Carney, in his first week, has taken a firm stand against Trump, asserting earlier this week at the White House that Canada was “not for sale.”  
To discuss Canada's new political era, Kim Richard Nossal and Elizabeth Anderson analyze the election results and implications for Canadian foreign policy. 
Kim Richard Nossal is a professor emeritus in the Department of Political Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and the author of Canada Alone. 
Elizabeth Anderson is a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Associate Fellow in CNAS’s Transatlantic Security Program, as well as a former senior advisor in the office of Canada’s Foreign Minister. 

There’s been a flurry of activity on the Ukraine front this week. Over the weekend, Donald Trump briefly met with Zelensky in Rome during ceremonies for Pope Francis’ funeral. A deal over mineral rights seems imminent, and President Trump rebuked Vladimir Putin, accusing him of leading him along as Russian strikes on Ukraine continue.
However, uncertainty over the future of the U.S. and Ukraine continues, especially over whether the U.S. will push Ukraine to accept maximalist Russian demands.
This week, Charles Kupchan and Eric Ciaramella join Brussels Sprouts to discuss the status of negotiations over Ukraine and the future of the U.S.–Russia relationship.
Charles Kupchan is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University. 
Eric Ciaramella is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  

On April 9th, Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union, secured a coalition agreement with the Social Democrats following his party’s victory in the federal elections. In early May, the Bundestag is expected to convene and elect him as the next Chancellor. One of the most significant initiatives of this new government is likely to be a historic overhaul of Germany’s defense posture.  
To discuss this and more, we’re pleased to welcome Claudia Major and Christian Mölling to discuss Germany's new government and defense strategy. 
Claudia Major is the Senior Vice President of Transatlantic Security at the German Marshall Fund
Christian Mölling is a Senior Advisor at the European Policy Centre  

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 dynamics in Ukraine and present a challenge for European allies as to whether they can step up and fill the gap.  
Celeste Wallander joins the podcast to provide a firsthand account of the evolution of U.S. assistance to Ukraine and to discuss how a united Europe can help Kyiv keep up the fight. 
Celeste Wallander was the assistant secretary of defense for International Security Affairs and is a adjunct senior fellow at CNAS. 

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 tariffs could have a significant impact on both sides of the Atlantic.  
To help us understand where we go from here, we are pleased to welcome Dan Mullaney and Tobias Gehrke. 
Dan Mullaney is the former assistant U.S. trade representative for Europe and the Middle East and is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. 
Tobias Gehrke is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations whose research covers geoeconomics and European Economic Strategy. 

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 US pulls back from the European theater. Soner Çağaptay and Aslı Aydıntasbas join Brussels Sprouts this week to discuss these developments. 
Aslı Aydıntaşbaş is a visiting fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings.  
Soner Çağaptay is the director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.