Sophia Besch

Guests Jen Kirby, an independent national security reporter, and Sophia Besch, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, dive into Germany's political landscape. They discuss the impending parliamentary elections and the rise of the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party, examining its anti-immigrant stance and neo-Nazi ties. The conversation highlights the implications for both European and U.S. politics, alongside the socio-economic factors driving these developments and their potential impact on democratic values.

Sophia Besch, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Ian Bond, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, delve into Russia's undersea information warfare. They discuss recent threats to vital undersea infrastructure and the challenges in attributing sabotage to specific actors. The conversation highlights hybrid warfare's impact on European security and the significance of international cooperation to defend NATO countries. They also explore the complexities of communicating these threats to the public without inciting panic.