Episode 78: From the End of the Cold War to the Start of a Hot One: An In-Depth Examination of the Evolution of U.S. and NATO-Russia Relations
The Precision-Guided PodcastShow Notes
The aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has seen a resurgence of interest in the topic of transatlantic security. Discussions of why the war in Ukraine began often focus on debates over the wisdom of NATO expansion in the post-Cold War era; the rise of a revisionist, increasingly imperialist Russia under Putin; and the escalating security dilemma entailed by these two dynamics. While these factors are certainly important in explaining how the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine came about, the story of how U.S. and NATO-Russia relations evolved in the post-Cold War period is one with considerably more nuance than is often represented in contemporary geopolitical commentary. To try and enhance the depth of public discourse on this critical subject, Dr. Stephen Flanagan joins host Mark McGuire on this episode of the Precision Guided Podcast to offer his insights on the evolution of US/NATO-Russia relations in the post-Cold War era.
Dr. Stephen J. Flanagan is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at RAND and Adjunct Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. His research interests include U.S. alliance and partnership relations and regional security in Europe/Eurasia, U.S. global defense strategy, and outer space security. Dr. Flanagan served in several senior positions in the U.S. Government, including at the National Security Council staff as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Defense Policy (2013-15) and earlier for Central and Eastern Europe; National Intelligence Officer for Europe; Associate Director and Member of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff; and Professional Staff Member for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He also held senior research and faculty positions at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, National Defense University, the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Flanagan has published six books and over seventy reports and journal articles on transatlantic, international security, and defense issues. His commentaries have appeared in publications including POLITICO, Foreign Policy, War on the Rocks, and Defense News. Dr. Flanagan is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the editorial board of International Security. He earned an A.B. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.
More from The Precision-Guided Podcast
Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach, discusses the importance of combining industry and government to foster innovation in the national security and technology landscape. The relationship between public and private sector talent is based on trust and provides a unique opportunity to make advancements. Additionally, this period in innovation marks an unprecedented shift from historical government-led innovation to private sector-led development. Furthermore, Russia’s War against Ukraine demonstrates this relationship between the government and private sector while pursuing innovation and national security. Arun leaves listeners with three recommendations for how individuals can contribute to the technology and innovation needed to improve national security.
This episode dives into the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and explores how recent trends and developments in the technology continue to transform. This episode also examines the growing challenges of content moderation, as many social media companies continue to scale back their moderation efforts. Peyton Taylor (SSP‘25) hosts Dr. Daniel Byman, Director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University and Director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at CSIS.
Sea control is more important than ever. With 80-90 percent of the global trade over sea, it is impossible to maintain the current economic order without stability and security of the world's major trading routes. However, more forces than ever are able to destabilize the global maritime network. Whether it is a resurgence in piracy, increased terrorist threats, or state paramilitary organizations, the number of threats at sea is increasing. Today we sat down with Pieter Zhao to discuss these new threats. We also talk about his research into how states are choosing to meet these threats including his work on private maritime security firms and paramilitary maritime forces. Articles Discussed: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol77/iss1/7/ https://militairespectator.nl/artikelen/winning-without-fighting-indo-pacific
Amid President-elect Donald Trump’s recent pledge to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican products, if Mexico does not curb the flow of fentanyl, this episode dives deep into the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations and the fight against organized crime. Join host Nelly Hernandez Valdez and policy expert Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown as they explore: Fentanyl and the Cartels: How Mexican criminal groups have become key players in the U.S. fentanyl epidemic and their strategies for controlling local economies and territories.
A wicked problem is a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. In the national security space many of the problems we face are wicked problems. Such problems require creative and unconventional thinkers. Dr. Tammy Schultz believes that fiction provides the tools needed to engage with wicked problems. We talk about teaching creativity, professional military education, and how doing something different than usual can hold the key to literally changing the way your brain works.