From the pandemic to climate change to concerns over Russia and China, the United States and Europe face a host of common challenges that are best addressed together. However, some Europeans worry that the United States might not be a reliable partner.
On January 24, one year into the Biden administration, the ACG hosted a discussion about how the United States is perceived from Berlin with Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, the Director of the German Council on Foreign Relations (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik, DGAP), and Dr. Stefan Mair, the Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, SWP).
Each week, the ACG hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse in Berlin. On January 24 the ACG hosted a Kaffeepause with Sonja Gillert, Head of Audio for Die Welt, on the meetings between officials from Germany and Russia, as well as Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Berlin and Ukraine.
On January 21, the ACG and the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung had a conversation with Markus Blume, Secretary General of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union.
On January 20, 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke in Berlin before members and friends of the American Council on Germany, Atlantik-Brücke e.V., Aspen Institute Germany, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Secretary Blinken discussed the transatlantic commitment to the rule of law.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed crosshairs on Ukraine, a country he sees as linked to Russia and the people of Ukraine as “one people” with Russians. To back up this fixation with repairing a “historic injustice” Moscow has amassed a force of over 100,000 troops and supporting armor and aircraft along the border with Ukraine. Leading the West’s response, President Biden has threatened “massive consequences” if Russia invades Ukraine. American and Russian diplomats are meeting this week. However, the lines are drawn: Putin is demanding an end to NATO’s eastward expansion, to include Ukraine, and Biden and the West say there will be a very high economic price to pay as well as increased deployments on NATO’s eastern flank. What is the context for this provocation and what are the U.S. and Allies prepared to do? On January 17, the American Council on Germany and the Tennessee World Affairs Council for a discussion with Ambassador John Kornblum about the crisis. He also discussed how we got to where we are and what the possible courses of action for the U.S. and Europe might be. The conversation was led by Dr. Thomas Schwartz, Distinguished Professor of History at Vanderbilt University. This event is held in cooperation with the Belmont University Center for International Business and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.