BerlinsideOut

BerlinsideOut, the podcast that takes an expert look at international politics from Berlin – goes to Tallinn! From the International ‘Lennart Meri Conference’ Dr. Benjamin Tallis, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Action Group Zeitenwende at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), and Aaron Gasch Burnett, a security analyst and journalist specialising in German politics, host a series of special editions of the podcast - TalinnsideOut!

In the fourth episode of BerlinsideOut season two, Ben and Aaron sit down with Albrecht Ritschl, a renowned German economic historian, to trace the historical origins of Germany’s economic model – and how its current emphasis on geoeconomics and free riding on security has influenced German foreign policy towards Russia, Ukraine, and wider Europe.

In season two’s third episode, Ben and Aaron are joined by grand strategy expert Maximilian Terhalle, as well as the DGAP’s own Aylin Matlé and Jacob Ross, to discuss why Germany must move on from its reactive Zeitenwende to a more proactive grand strategy...

In the second episode of BerlinsideOut season two, Ben and Aaron sit down with Yaroslav Trofimov, the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and author of “Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence”.

In BerlinsideOut’s second season premiere, Ben and Aaron dive into Germany’s recent foreign policy problems – driven by a Chancellery whose threat assessment of Russia is increasingly jeopardising European security. Together with parliamentarians Anton Hofreiter and Thomas Erndl, as well as regular panellists Minna Ålander and Britta Jacob, BerlinsideOut lays out how Germany can address its dangerous lack of strategy – and how it can start turning things around to help Ukraine win, deter Russia, and defend European security and democracy.

In this special episode of BerlinsideOut, Ben and Aaron take questions live at the 2024 Pirate Security Conference in Munich. They chat about how Germany needs to change its strategy to have a will to win in the systemic struggle between democracies and authoritarian regimes – and why that starts in Ukraine.

In this special episode of BerlinsideOut, Ben and Aaron head to the Munich Security Conference and talk about how Germany uses the world’s most well-known international security gathering to influence global foreign policy agendas. Ben, Aaron, and guests also chat about the themes influencing the hundreds of meetings happening in Munich...

In BerlinsideOut’s first season finale, Ben and Aaron identify key themes and talk through their highlights from the last few months focusing on how Germany’s Zeitenwende has progressed - or not - in that time, how allies see that, and why Germany needs a real grand strategy.

Ben and Aaron speak with Alexander Vindman – the man who literally wrote the book on Trump – Here, Right Matters – detailing his decision to report the phone call between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, resulting in Trump’s impeachment.

In the penultimate week of BerlinsideOut’s first season, Ben and Aaron take a look at the transatlantic relationship’s current strategic deficit, what’s in store for the relationship during either a Trump or a Biden win in 2024, and the China challenge that will come increasingly into view over the next few years.

Ben and Aaron pick up core BerlinsideOut themes with Anessa Kimball and Stephanie Carvin. They discuss how Germany and Canada both depend heavily on liberal ordering but, thanks to a strategic deficit in both countries, are currently not stepping up to take responsibility for this.

BerlinsideOut talks about Germany’s relationship with Aaron’s (other) home country of Canada, its potential role in helping to provide Germany and the rest of the democratic team with critical resources, whether both countries are underpricing Russian and Chinese threats, and how to leverage another transatlantic relationship amidst uncertain political times in the US.

Ben and Aaron look at Germany’s relationship with Ben’s native UK – and how Russia’s war against Ukraine has necessitated a move-on from the tension around Brexit to new ways of cooperating – particularly on security issues. Together with retired Air Marshal Edward Stringer Ben and Aaron look at the respective capabilities and posture...

Ben and Aaron look at Germany’s relationship with Ben’s native UK – and how Russia’s war against Ukraine has necessitated a move-on from the tension around Brexit to new ways of cooperating – particularly on security issues. They look at how the two countries should prepare for a possible Trump presidency in the US...