Politics on Point

In this last episode of the Special Transatlantic Talks series, we explore approaches to counter foreign information manipulation, the different approaches in the US and the Europe, as well as specific tools such as the Hamilton 2.0 dashboard.Moderated by AIES Director Michael Zinkanell, this discussion features Bret Schafer, Senior Fellow for Media and Digital Disinformation at the Alliance for Securing Democracy and creator of Hamilton 2.0, a tool tracking Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state media. The session focuses on foreign interference, emphasizing how disinformation, distinct from misinformation, involves deliberate efforts to mislead. Bret explores tools like the Hamilton 2.0 Dashboard and Information Laundromat that expose state-sponsored narratives and promote transparency. The discussion also addresses how global coordination, media literacy, and individual responsibility are essential to counter disinformation, while contrasting the U.S. and EU approaches to regulation and platform accountability.This special series is conducted in partnership with YATA Austria, the Young Transatlantic Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.

In this episode of the Special Transatlantic Talks series, we explore Austria’s defence partnership with the United States and the implications of this cooperation for both countries, especially in light of evolving geopolitical dynamics.Moderated by AIES Research Fellow Ulf Steindl, the discussion features a distinguished guest, Major General Norbert Huber, who serves as Austria's Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Attaché to the United States, Canada, and Brazil. With decades of experience in the Austrian Armed Forces, including leadership roles in armament procurement and force development, Major General Huber offers unique insights into Austria's strategic reasons for defence cooperation with the U.S. and the benefits of the State Partnership Programme with Vermont. The episode also covers Austria’s partnership with NATO and its complementarity with U.S. defence relations, as well as Austria’s utilization of U.S. defence procurement programmes.This special series is conducted in partnership with YATA Austria, the Young Transatlantic Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.

In this episode of Transatlantic Talks, we dive into the pivotal implications of the 2024 U.S. elections on both domestic and foreign policy. Moderated by Michael Zinkanell, Director of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), this bipartisan discussion features two distinguished guests:Mark Pfeifle, founder and president of Off the Record Strategies. Previously, he served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communication at the White House. As a recognized leader in crisis communications, digital media, and cyber security, Pfeifle is a frequent expert commentator for major outlets like CBS, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal.Jason Altmire, a former U.S. Congressman who served three terms in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013. Now a leading public affairs consultant, Altmire is also the author of Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It. Known for his centrist voting record, he frequently contributes to The Hill and appears on national news programs.The episode covers the stark contrasts between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s leadership styles, as well as their differing approaches to foreign policy, including relations with China, NATO, and the EU. The discussion also highlights the growing challenges of artificial intelligence, disinformation, and how these factors may impact electoral integrity. Additionally, the speakers explore the potential shifts in transatlantic relations based on the election outcome.This special series is conducted in partnership with YATA Austria, the Young Transatlantic Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.

In the second episode of the Transatlantic Talks series, we explore the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential elections on transatlantic relations. This episode, originally a virtual video discussion held on September 3, 2024, features an expert panel moderated by David Kirsch. The discussion includes:Elmar Theveßen, Washington Bureau Chief for ZDFJulius van de Laar, political consultantKnut Dethlefsen, project director at the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in BrusselsSergey Lagodinsky, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFAPaul Aigner, US election analystThe panel delves into Kamala Harris’s campaign following Joe Biden's resignation, the significance of her running mate Tim Walz, and the implications for US-European relations. Key insights focus on the importance of swing states, the influence of key demographics, and concerns about possible unrest following a close election.This special series is conducted in partnership with YATA Austria, the Young Transatlantic Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.

In this inaugural episode of the Transatlantic Talks series, we explore the future of Europe’s defence strategy amidst an evolving transatlantic security landscape. Featuring special guest Michael Kofman, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, this episode delves into NATO’s strategic priorities following the war in Ukraine and the inclusion of Finland and Sweden in the alliance. Join host Michael Zinkanell, Director of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), as they discuss the challenges of European military investment, NATO's regional defence initiatives, and the broader implications for the U.S.-Europe relationship.This special series is conducted in partnership with YATA Austria and the Young Transatlantic Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.

In this episode, AIES Research Fellow Livia Benko is in conversation with Kwame Owino, Chief Executive Officer of the International Institute of Economic Affairs Kenya (IEA), to discuss the current state of EU-AU relations against the background of dramatic changes in the international system - above all the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In this episode, AIES Director Michael Zinkanell is in conversation with Choi Shing Kwok, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, to discuss the current state of EU-ASEAN relations against the background of dramatic changes in the international system - above all the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In this episode, AIES Research Associate Nick Nieschalke is in conversation with Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), to discuss the current state of transatlantic relations against the background of dramatic changes in the international system - above all the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In this episode, AIES Associate Fellow Lawrence Kettle is in conversation with Una Aleksandra Bērziṇa-Čerenkova, Head of the Political Science PhD programme and the Director of the China Studies Centre at Riga Stradins University, to discuss current challenges and developments in EU-China relations. This episode is the first in a 4-part special series on the EU as a global actor. Future episodes of this series will focus on the EU's relations with the United States, ASEAN, as well as the African Union. This special series is conducted in partnership with the Multilateral Dialoge Vienna of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

In the final episode of the special series on US-Europe relations, AIES Director Velina Tchakarova talked to Dakota Wood, Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs at the Heritage Foundation, about the prospects of and the West's preparedness for a next Great War.

In the sixth episode of the special series on US-Europe relations, AIES Deputy Director Michael Zinkanell talked to Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, about the broad spectrum of emerging threats to US and EU security and how the transatlantic community could become more resilient going forward.

In the fifth episode of the special series on US-EU relations, AIES Senior Research Fellow Sofia-Maria Satanakis talked to Benjamin Haddad, Director of the Europe Center at the Atlantic Council in Washington D.C., about the US perspective on European defence efforts and integration.

In the fourth episode of the special series on US-Europe relations, AIES Director Velina Tchakarova talked to Dr. Andrew Michta, Dean of the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, about the global order and transatlantic cooperation in the face of challenges posed by China and Russia.

In the third episode of the special series on US-Europe relations, AIES project manager Katrin Süss talks to Nathaniel O. Keohane, President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), about Climate Diplomacy and the role that the US and Europe have to play in the international effort against climate change.

In the second episode of the special series on US-Europe relations, Christoph Schwarz, Research Fellow at the AIES, talks to Rachel Rizzo, Director of Programs at the Truman Center, on how NATO is living up to the internal and external challenges that the Alliance is facing in the 21st century.

In the first episode of the special series on US-Europe relations, AIES president Dr. Werner Fasslabend is in a conversation with the author, professor, and scholar Stanley R. Sloan about the first hundred days of the Biden administration. Sloan, expert on transatlantic relations and US foreign policy, shares his insights about the possible implications of President Joe Biden for the US, Europe, and the world at large.

In this episode, Julia Schuetze and Rebecca Beigel from the Berlin-based think tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV) join AIES deputy director Michael Zinkanell in a discussion about the relevance and benefits of cyber-security exercises in effectively countering threats in this domain.

In the seventh episode of the AIES Politics on Point Podcast, AIES Senior Research Fellow Sofia-Maria Satanakis and AIES Project Coordinator Katrin Süss share their findings about the shift in Turkey's Foreign Policy based on their recent publication on this matter.

In the second of two episodes about EU trends in 2021, AIES experts Katrin Süss, Sofia-Maria Satanakis, and Christoph Schwarz explore the EU's recovery from Covid-19, European security and defence, as well as the developments in global and European space affairs.

In the first of two episodes about EU trends in 2021, AIES experts Velina Tchakarova, Michael Zinkanell, and Livia Benko explore the geopolitical macro-developments, European integration in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the regional stability in and around Europe.