BerlinsideOut

32 – Season Finale – The State of Play, The Road Ahead & Where Lies Germany?

Wrapping up season 2 of BerlinsideOut, Ben and Aaron give listeners their take on what to watch out for in international security this summer – particularly at the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, November’s American election, and the incoming European Commission. The hosts talk about the significance of Kaja Kallas’ nomination as the new EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and explore the state of German politics after the European Parliament Elections. They also discuss their own highlights of the season, its most important lessons – and give you a taste of what’s next for BerlinsideOut. Resources: The US Presidential Election 2024 – Two Outcomes, One Set of Challenges, Andrew A. Michta, DGAP Commentary The World Needs to Win in Ukraine, Chris Alexander, The Globe and Mail Kaja Kallas: The Russia-defying Estonian PM poised to lead EU foreign policy, Patrick Wintour, The Guardian Europe’s Response to China Shock 2.0: Hold China Closer, Tom Fairless and Bertrand Benoit featuring comment by Noah Barkin, The Wall Street Journal Step Aside, Joe Biden, Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic Germany has One Year to Replace Olaf Scholz, Paul Hockenos, Foreign Policy Letter: Forget half-measures, G7 must confiscate frozen Russian assets, Letter to Financial Times by Michael Roth, Benjamin Haddad, Rihards Kols and others The West Should Use Frozen Russian Billions to Fund Ukraine’s Victory – Fear is the Only Thing Holding Them Back, Aaron Gasch Burnett, Byline Times Military Mobility: Getting Germany’s Infrastructure Up to Speed, Jannik Hartmann, DGAP Policy Brief Ukraine-Krieg: Umfrage zur militärischen Unterstützung durch den Westen im Juni 2024, Statista Neue Umfrage zeigt deutliche Veränderung: Immer mehr Deutsche wollen stärkere Ukraine-Unterstützung, Lisa Schmedemann, Merkur This podcast is an original production of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). It was created as part of DGAP's Action Group Zeitenwende. Follow DGAP & the hosts on social media: Dr. Benjamin Tallis Aaron Gasch Burnett DGAP on X DGAP on Instagram DGAP on LinkedIn

31 – Turning Point – from Germany’s Reactive Zeitenwende to Proactive Strategic Change in Europe?

In this final regular episode of season 2 – partly recorded on the margins of the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn – Ben and Aaron first chat with a pan-European panel on how to implement the strategic change Europe needs – and back it up with appropriate mindsets, threat perceptions, resources and ‘Teampower’. Then, BerlinsideOut hears remarks from Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas – who spoke with international media during a briefing on the sidelines of the Lennart Meri Conference. Guests: Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia – remarks given at a briefing for international media held on 17 May, 2024 at Stenbock House, Tallinn (@kajakallas) Benjamin Haddad, Member of French Assembly (@benjaminhaddad) Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary-General, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@vseviov) Sabine Fischer, Senior Fellow, Eastern Europe and Eurasia Programme, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) (@sabfis3) Resources: When it comes to shaping history, it's the results that matter, Jonatan Vseviov, TEDxTallinn Estonian MFA official: Putin trying to entrap countries under peace guise, ERR featuring comment by Jonatan Vseviov Its time for a European Defence Fund for Ukraine, Benjamin Haddad, Politico (2023) Die chauvinistische Bedrohung (in German), Book by Sabine Fischer Diplomacy in the Context of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Sabine Fischer, SWP Comment Letter: Forget half-measures, G7 must confiscate frozen Russian assets, Letter to Financial Times by Michael Roth, Benjamin Haddad, and others To have a Sporting Chance of Victory, Europeans Should Learn from Elite Teams, Benjamin Tallis, Diplomaatia Estonia’s Kallas, fierce Russia critic, tipped as new EU foreign policy chief, Reuters Europe’s Iron Lady: Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, Jeremy Cliffe, The New Statesman Germany Needs to Finish the Job – and Think Bigger, Benjamin Tallis, Action Group Zeitenwende, DGAP Commentary This podcast is an original production of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). It was created as part of DGAP's Action Group Zeitenwende. Follow DGAP & the hosts on social media: Dr. Benjamin Tallis Aaron Gasch Burnett DGAP on X DGAP on Instagram DGAP on LinkedIn

30 – #MakeRussiaPay – The Strategic Necessity of Seizing Russian Assets for Ukraine’s Victory

In part two of BerlinsideOut’s ‘Pillars of Victory’ special – Ben and Aaron go from the front lines to the back rooms – to discuss the necessity of confiscating $300 billion in frozen Russian state assets to help fund both Ukraine’s victory and to hold Russia accountable for Ukraine’s reconstruction. They hear from an international panel of guests on why seizing Russia’s assets is legal and economically feasible – and discuss how doing so would demonstrate strategic resolve. Yet, despite the clear case for making Russia pay for its crimes through the seizure of state assets – Germany remains reluctant to do so. Ben and Aaron also discuss the strategic pitfalls such a failure would bring – and the need for politicians to stand up and make sure that doesn’t happen. Guests: Robin Wagener, MdB and Chair of the German-Ukrainian Parliamentary Friendship Group (@robinwagener) Halyna Yanchenko, Member of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine (@HalynaYanchenko) Senator Ratna Omidvar, Independent Canadian Senator for Ontario (@ratnaomi) Yuliya Ziskina, Senior Legal Fellow at Razom for Ukraine (@jziskina) Resources: Seizing Russian Assets is Legal and Strategically Imperative, Aaron Gasch Burnett & Yuliya Ziskina, European Resilience Initiative Center No more excuses: Debunking arguments against seizing Russian state assets for Ukraine, Yuliya Ziskina, Jamison Firestone & Tetyana Nesterchuk, European Policy Centre A structured, predictable, and transparent approach to seizing Russian state assets to help Ukraine, Senator Ratna Omidvar, The Hill Times On Russian assets, Canada throws away a clear chance to lead, Aaron Gasch Burnett, MacDonald-Laurier Institute So soll Putin für Ukraine-Wiederaufbau blechen, Julian Röpcke featuring comment Aaron Gasch Burnett & Wolfgang Stefinger, MdB, Bild (in German) Wir müssen die Ukraine noch viel mehr stärken, Sebastian Schäfer, MdB & Jamila Schäfer, MdB Handelsblatt (in German) Seizing Russian Assets: Too Little, But Not Too Late, Patrick Heinemann, Zentrum Liberale Moderne On Proposed Countermeasures Against Russia to Compensate Injured States for Losses Caused by Russia’s War of Aggression Against Ukraine, Nigel Gould-Davies, International Institute for Strategic Studies Die europäische Angst, russiche Vermögen zu beschlagnahmen – und was dahintersteckt, Die Welt (in German), Tim Daldrup featuring comment from Robin Wagener, MdB International Centre for Ukrainian Victory, Confiscation of Russian Assets This podcast is an original production of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). It was created as part of DGAP's Action Group Zeitenwende. Follow DGAP & the hosts on social media: Dr. Benjamin Tallis Aaron Gasch Burnett DGAP on X DGAP on Instagram DGAP on LinkedIn

29 – "We haven’t even tried yet" – Military Victory in Ukraine

In the first of ‘Pillars of Victory’ a two-part special on what the West – including Germany - needs to do to achieve victory for Ukraine, Ben and Aaron talk with top military, diplomatic and NATO experts, who bring years of experience of top-level decision-making to BerlinsideOut. They discuss the level of Western commitment needed for Ukraine to win on the battlefield, how victory is defined, and how to bring Ukraine into NATO to shield it from further Russian aggression after war’s end. Guests: Ben Hodges, Former Commanding General, United States Army Europe (@general_ben) Oleksandr V. Danylyuk, Chair of Centre for Defence Strategies, Ukraine Ivo H. Daalder, Former US Permanent Representative to NATO (@IvoHDaalder) Teri Schultz, Journalist with Deutsche Welle and NPR, Brussels (@TeriSchultz) Resources: Time to Call Putin’s Bluff, Adam Kinzinger and Ben Hodges, CNN Opinion What Ukraine’s Defeat Would Mean for the US, Europe and the World, Oleksandr V. Danylyuk, RUSI What Ukraine Needs from NATO: Advanced Weapons—And What Membership will Require, Ivo Daalder & Karen Donfried, Foreign Affairs Could a Ukraine under siege join NATO?, Teri Schultz, Deutsche Welle Arming for Growth, Moritz Schularick, IfW Kiel Institute for World Economy Policy Article Security Guarantees for Ukraine: Until NATO Membership, Extending the Joint Expeditionary Force Is the Best Option, Benjamin Tallis, DGAP Policy Brief Chancellor Scholz Must Change Course and Support Ukraine to Win, Benjamin Tallis, Ralf Fücks and Maximilian Terhalle, Byline Times Why Ukraine should get an invitation to NATO, Alyona Getmanchuk & Olena Halushka The war is not going well for Ukraine, Eliot A Cohen, The Atlantic American Aid Alone Won’t Save Ukraine, Jack Watling, Foreign Affairs This podcast is an original production of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). It was created as part of DGAP's Action Group Zeitenwende. Follow DGAP & the hosts on social media: Dr. Benjamin Tallis Aaron Gasch Burnett DGAP on X DGAP on Instagram DGAP on LinkedIn

28 – Germany’s Nuclear Fear: Deterrence, Escalation, Nuclear and Other Threats

In this episode, Ben and Aaron talk to nuclear experts William Alberque and Fabian Hoffmann, as well as to Canada’s former Ambassador to NATO Kerry Buck, about how Russian nuclear sabre-rattling plays into German support for Ukraine, how western leadership on discussing nuclear issues with the public needs to improve, and how to deter Putin’s nuclear brinkmanship. We explain what people in allied states, including Germany, need to know about nuclear weapons and deterrence and how we can drive the debate on these issues beyond debilitating and dangerous fear. We clearly outline the threats we face – and how we can handle them. Guests: Kerry Buck, Former Canadian Ambassador to NATO, Senior Fellow, University of Ottawa (@kerry_buck) William Alberque, Former Director of Strategy, Technology & Arms Control, International Institute for Strategic Studies (@walberque) Fabian Hoffmann, Doctoral Research Fellow, Oslo Nuclear Project (@FRHoffmann1) Resources: Olaf Scholz cites risk of nuclear war in refusal to send tanks to Ukraine, Laurenz Gehrke, Politico Zelenskyy blasts Scholz’s reason for not sending German Taurus missiles, Paul Ronzheimer, Politico Russian Military Thought and Doctrine Related to Non-strategic Nuclear Weapons: Change and Continuity, William Alberque, IISS An Unprepared West Contemplates Threats of Russia’s Nonstrategic Nukes, William Alberque, Real Clear Defense NATO: Thinking Strategically in a New Nuclear Age, William Alberque As NATO alliance marks 75 years, Russia and Donald Trump again threaten its future, Canadian Press featuring input from Kerry Buck Why War With Russia Could Be Closer Than You Think, Twitter Thread by Fabian Hoffmann Strategic Stability and the Ukraine War – Implications of Conventional Missile Technologies, Fabian Hoffmann, CNA Corporation Europe’s Missile Conundrum, Fabian Hoffmann, War on the Rocks This podcast is an original production of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). It was created as part of DGAP's Action Group Zeitenwende. Follow DGAP & the hosts on social media: Dr. Benjamin Tallis Aaron Gasch Burnett DGAP on X DGAP on Instagram DGAP on LinkedIn