GLOBcast: Convening the Council EP#9 for Future of Security

Rising geopolitical tensions. Fracturing arms control agreements. A new era of great-power rivalry.Nuclear security is back in the spotlight—and the transatlantic alliance is under pressure. Tomáš A. Nagy, Senior Research Fellow for Nuclear, Space, and Missile Defense, and William Alberque, Senior Adjunct Fellow at the Pacific Forum and former Director of NATO’s WMD Arms Control Center unpack how NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy is evolving—and what must change to meet today’s challenges. Some of the key episode questions include:Can NATO still deter a more aggressive Russia?What will it take to strengthen alliance unity?How are shifts in U.S. force posture shaping deterrence in Europe?What options are available for Europe to compliment America’s nuclear umbrella?

GLOBSEC Senior Fellow Vladimír Bilčík sits down with Amb. Christopher R. Hill – who just wrapped up three eventful years as U.S. Ambassador to Serbia – for a candid conversation on current state of Serbian politics.🇷🇸🔔 Subscribe & hit the bell to keep up with GLOBSEC’s deep-dive conversations on security, Europe, tech and democracy. New episodes every other week!

Europe is stepping up its game in defence. With Kajsa Ollongren, former Defence Minister of the The Netherlands and a member of Globsec' Ukraine support club, we point to the most urgent steps Europe needs to make to succesfully implement the White Paper on the Future of European Defence. We discuss who should be the leaders of Europe in this effort and the need to simplify European legislation to pave the way towards a genuine European Single market on defence. With the NATO Summit in June approaching, we assess how important is it going to be for Europe to set a new benchmark on defence investment at the level of 5 % of GDP.

Poland votes. With the government and president split between opposing political sides for the past two years, the upcoming presidential election will be a test for both institutions and their leadership. Against the backdrop of an increasing fragile international and security landscape, Poland’s EU Presidency adds another dynamic to the upcoming vote. In this GLOBcast episode we will dissect the upcoming Presidential elections and do an early review of Poland’s EU Presidency with Karolina Zbytniewska, Editor-in-chief at Euractiv Poland.

General (ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding general of US Army Europe and a member of GLOBSEC's Future of Security and Defence Council, offers his assessment and views on the  potential of a withdrawal of a part of the US military force in Europe and the prospects of a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. The possibility of a partial withdrawal of US forces from Europe is another clear sign that the Transatlantic relation is under pressure. Such decision would not only further complicate the security situation for Europe, it would also have implications for the US. Or could it be just a negotiation tactic of the Trump Presidency to put even more pressure regarding defence spending on the European countries before the NATO summit.With the high-level meeting of the Alliance approaching, the stakes are also rising Ukraine. General Hodges clearly defines what outcome will be necessary to prevent Russia from further aggressive actions in Europe. Can it be delivered in a negotiated agreement between Ukraine and Russia?

To mark International Press Freedom Day on May 3, GLOBSEC hears from Alsu Kurmasheva a press freedom advocate and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist who was detained for 288 days by Russian authorities. Alsu reacts to some 2025 GLOBSEC Trends data and shares her experience on her wrongful imprisonment in Russia, the state of press freedom today, how societies can stand up for journalists under attack, and why staying vigilant in 2025 — and beyond — is more critical than ever.  Enjoy and subscribe. For comments or questions on the podcast, contact [email protected]

The Transatlantic relationship is going through a serious crisis since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office. In the discussion, Sir Richard Shirreff warned of NATO’s weakening as the U.S. shifts away from its security commitments. He urged Europe and Canada to increase defense spending, adapt NATO structures, and support Ukraine to counter Russia. He emphasized Europe must take charge of its security while maintaining diplomatic ties with the U.S.

The countdown is on to building an American “Irone Dome”, or is it? With the Pentagon given 60 days to assess this Presidential executive order, Tomáš Nagy, Senior Fellow for Nuclear, Space, and Missile Defense talks with Policy Fellow Roger Hiton to gauge if this a vision or merely a dream.  From strategic feasibility to the cost-benefit as well as adversarial reaction, Tomáš explains why there is merit to the idea and the future pitfalls to its implementation.

"May you live in interesting times," the saying goes. With an abundance of international developments, Professor Stephen M. Walt of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government shares his expertise with Policy Fellow Roger Hiton on the mega changes and forces shaping the global future including the intensifying struggle between the Yalta and Helsinki worldviews, if hegemons are still possible, how alliances are being reconceptualize and if the current trend of asymmetric warfare needs to be addressed with escalation to deter future aggression.

This week, GLOBSEC’s Centre for Global Europe brings you the latest insights on the preparations and priorities of the upcoming Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Senior Fellow Vladislava Gubalova talks with Kinga Brudzinska, Senior Analyst at Polityka Insight in Warsaw to set the stage for the next six months.  With Hungary finishing their EU Presidency, why hasn’t there been better cooperation between the two CEE countries? With seven key priorities, how is the theme of security being applied through multiple domains ranging from information to health? On the domestic political front, how will the Polish government balance the EU Presidency against the backdrop of Presidential elections taking place at the same time?   Enjoy and subscribe. Comments or questions on the podcast contact [email protected] [email protected]