The Defence Café

"The Defence Café is the security and defence podcast of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Brussels (FNF Europe). As European states are confronted with a host of security challenges, they are prompted more than ever to cooperate. This, however, requires trust and compassion, because the world looks different from Estonia than it looks from Spain. For deeper cooperation to occur, deeper communication is needed first. And for deeper communication to be successful, a good cup of coffee is required.In the Defence Café, your hosts Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber will travel across Europe and meet one inspiring individual per episode. Guests in the Defence Café will talk about their ideas on European defence – but also about their countries’ curiosities. Because Europe is united in military diversity.

Eyes on the Arctic - What's happening up North?

Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Arctic expert Andreas Raspotnik. They talk about Arctic cooperation and security, the EU's steps north, and conflicting interests. 

12-20
33:27

Where is NATO heading?

Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Alexandre Krauss, Senior Political Advisor at the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament. They catch up on the latest NATO developments and discuss the NATO Summit in June, its strategic reorientation and the future of EU-NATO relations. 

10-10
27:19

Are We at War? - Cyber Operations and International Law (Part 2)

 Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Isabella Brunner from the University of Vienna. They talk about the public discourse on cyber conflicts, detterence, and ... a new animal. 

09-01
27:19

Are We at War? - Cyber Operations and International Law (Part 1)

Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Isabella Brunner from the University of Vienna. They talk about the importance of correct terminology, cyber treaties, and violations of international law in cyber space.

06-30
31:32

Spain Leading the Way in European Defence Integration

Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Letitia Bobric, Policy Advisor to Ciudadanos (Renew Europe) in the European Parliament. They talk about Spain's threat perception, its involvement in European defence initiatives and the Spanish defence industry.

04-01
23:29

Penguin Politics – Norway and Transatlantic Relations

Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Håvard Sandvik, Senior Policy Advisor at ‎Venstre (Norway). They talk about transatlantic security, Norway’s position in the transatlantic partnership, a new long-term defence plan, and… penguins. 

02-13
38:31

Brexit and Europe’s Security

Teresa Reiter and Jeroen Dobber meet Ben Jones, Teaching Fellow in European Foreign Policy at King’s College London. They talk about the role of security and defence in the Brexit negotiations, the UK’s role in NATO and the UK’s foreign policy prospects after Brexit

11-19
35:43

EU Citizens in National Armed Forces w/Sebastian Vagt

Teresa Reiter, Sebastian Vagt and Jeroen Dobber meet… Sebastian Vagt, the former head of the FNF Security Hub and now FNF Project Director in Morocco. In this hand-over episode, which marks the end of Sebastian’s hosting of the podcast, they talk about one of his favourite idea for further European defence integration: allowing EU citizens to serve in national armed forces.

09-23
41:53

The Netherlands in the Middle of Everything w/Suleyman Aslami

Teresa Reiter and Sebastian Vagt meet Suleyman Aslami, head of office of Dutch member of the European Parliament Samira Rafaela (D66). They debate how the Netherlands were directly affected by conflict abroad, in which ways they serve as pioneers in European defence integration and if the Dutch desire to save money contradicts the idea of a European Army.

07-17
38:28

Why Worry About the Black Sea? w/ András Radnóti

Teresa Reiter and Sebastian Vagt meet András Radnóti, founding member of Hungarian opposition party Momentum and manging director at the risk consultancy Millenium Emerging Europe. They debate the contradictory defence policies of Victor Orbán and take a closer look at what is at stake for Europe in the Black Sea. 

06-25
38:43

France, the European Defence Engine? w/Eve Roehrig

Teresa Reiter and Sebastian Vagt talk with Eve Roehrig, defence advisor in the French National Assembly for Emmanuel Macron's party La République En Marche. They start debating how the Covid 19 pandemic is affecting Macron's plans for a deeper European defence integration and end up discussing animals in warfare.

06-11
35:10

The Security Situation of Lithuania w/Renaldas Vaisbrodas

Renaldas and Sebastian discuss the special security situation of Lithuania as the only country in the world, which borders Russia at its West. They also delve into why visitors find plenty of NATO emblems in Vilnius’ cityscape. And Renaldas elaborates on some Lithuanian defence curiosities and discloses how he feels about firing guns. 

05-27
34:33

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