Crossing the Rubicon: North Korea Sends Troops to Russia

Following meetings with European diplomats in Brussels and Paris, CSIS’s Max Bergmann joins the podcast to discuss a possible United States divorce from our allies in Europe. As geopolitical tensions rise and Washington shifts its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific, European leaders question the long-term reliability of U.S. commitments to NATO and regional security. Economic disputes, defense spending disagreements, and differing approaches to Russia and China have further widened the gap between the transatlantic allies.  Background Reading: Why It's Time to Reconsider a European Army Events: U.S. Allies and Partners Under the Trump Administration

CSIS’s Seth Jones, director of the CSIS Defense and Security Department, joins the podcast to discuss the impact of stopping U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine, whether European countries can fill the gap, and how this could affect peace negotiations. They also unpack the fallout from last week’s dramatic Trump-Zelensky meeting and how it could impact the chances of the minerals deal or a peace agreement favorable to Ukraine, as well as the key difference between economic and security guarantees from the United States to Ukraine. Seth also explains how a U.S.-Russia relationship could shift the global order and previews a new CSIS report on malicious activities from Russian military intelligence in Europe that have affected the war. Events: Russia’s War in Ukraine and the Prospects for Peace Deterring Russia: U.S. Military Posture in Europe

Matthew Pearl, director of the CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, joins the podcast to discuss all things spectrum, including his recent testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on spectrum policy, how spectrum impacts our national security, actions that Congress and the administration can take to restore U.S spectrum leadership, spectrum’s impact on AI innovation, and more. Read or watch Matthew Pearl’s recent congressional testimony on spectrum: https://www.csis.org/analysis/how-spectrum-auction-delays-give-china-edge-and-cost-us-jobs

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

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

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.

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

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.

Philip Luck, director of the CSIS Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business, joins the podcast to discuss the new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, their potential impact on industry and consumers, and other ways to address China's impact on the global economy.

Noam Unger, director of the CSIS Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative, joins the podcast to discuss the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and potential geopolitical or national security impacts that could follow.