The Ties That Bind: NATO at 75 and Beyond Podcast

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind, a project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining the past, present, and future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship. This season we examine how Western European NATO members like Germany are shifting their defense policies, pursuing rearmament, and what lies ahead for the future of European security. This week we are pleased to feature a conver...

We often assume our safety is a “government problem,” but guests Admiral Rob Bauer, the former Chair of the NATO Military Committee, and Strategic Communications Advisor Eleonora Russell argue that this mindset is our greatest vulnerability. Drawing from their 2025 book, If You Want Peace, Prepare for War: A Blueprint for Deterrence , they challenge the idea that military strength alone is enough...

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind, a project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining the past, present, and future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship. This season we examine how Western European NATO members like Germany are shifting their defense policies, pursuing rearmament, and what lies ahead for the future of European security. This week we are pleased to feature a conver...

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we go even further north, to Finland, one of the alliance’s newest members. Like the other frontline states we’ve visited this season, Finland shares a turbulent and complicated history with Russia that has long molded its security and foreign policy. But unlike the other frontline states, it was not a member of NATO at the start of Russia’s full-scal...

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we go back North to the shores of the Baltic Sea for a perspective from Latvia. In this episode, we’ll hear from three Latvian experts on the evolution of the country’s defense posture, NATO cooperation, and its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We’ll also hear about what’s happening on the domestic front, with the evolution of national and mu...

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind, A project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining how NATO shapes the transatlantic relationship and its role in the global security landscape. This week we welcome Oana Lungescu, the longest serving Principal NATO spokesperson to the podcast. Our conversation covers her personal experiences in communist Romania, her remarkable career trajectory as a...

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we are looking further south along NATO’s eastern flank at Romania. Romania has long advocated for increased NATO and US presence in the Black Sea. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the importance of the Black Sea and Romania’s role have been reflected in an increased NATO presence and multiple defense and infrastructure investments. The cou...

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This season, we are looking at NATO from a bit of a different vantage point, specifically that of the frontline states. How are frontline states investing in and planning for their defense? How are they thinking about their role and contributions in the Alliance and on the world stage? How have their historical experiences shaped how their governments and societ...

In this episode we look back at a defining year in NATO history and we look ahead to the challenges and the opportunities positioned to shape the alliance in the coming years and decades. Featured guests: * Nina Soljan , Head of NATO Affairs and Security Policy, NATO Headquarters * Susan Colbourn , Historian; Associate Director of the Program on American Grand Strategy, Duke University * Sara Moll...

This conversation was recorded in late November and has been edited for clarity. Rick Landgraf: This is the Ties That Bind, NATO at 75 and Beyond, a podcast of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Today, I'm speaking with Congressman Brendan Boyle, who represents Pennsylvania's second congressional district, which is entirely within the city of Philadelphia. He is also the chairman of the NATO P...

In this episode we explore the history and evolution of NATO’s Indo-Pacific partnerships, the alliance’s role in the growing US-China rivalry, and look ahead to a new era of NATO engagement outside of the Atlantic in a time of increasingly interconnected global conflicts.  Featured guests: * Gwendoline Vamos, Senior Officer, Asia-Pacific Global Partnerships at NATO Headquarters * Ian Langford, sen...

There has been much debate over defense spending, investment, and who is sharing the burden of European defense among NATO allies for years. Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has served as a grim and stark reminder of European defense investment shortcomings and vulnerabilities. It has been a few months since NATO allies met in Washington to commemorate the alliance’s 75th anniversar...

An insider's look into NATO with Benedetta Berti, the Director of Policy Planning in the Office of the Secretary General. The following conversation was recorded on July 3, 2024. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tiesthatbind.substack.com

In this episode we go back to the beginning. What is NATO? What challenges has NATO faced in the past? How are these similar or different to today’s issues? Why is NATO important for US national security? Why should Americans care about the security of Europe? Former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, and Seth Johnston join Rick to explain NATO’s history,...

Maintaining political cohesion on the issue of continuing the flow of Western military aid to Ukraine is a pressing concern for NATO and will be at the top of the agenda when the heads of state and government of the 32 allies meet in Washington, DC from July 9th to 11th. While support for Ukraine will likely remain stable in the short-term, what lies ahead is less certain.  What is NATO’s role in...