Ekkehard Brose
@eejbro.bsky.social
German Diplomat (1984-2024); Moscow, Washington, NATO. Former German Ambassador to Iraq and President of Federal Academy for Security Policy in Berlin. My new book: https://buchshop.bod.de/szenenwechsel-ekkehard-brose-9783819231506
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
Yep. American soft power was the special sauce for the empire. Even in times when U.S. policy was controversial or flat out wrong, it brought tremendous good will.
people born in america probably don’t realize how cool america used to be. the death of US soft power is going to have long term consequences we are only beginning to see
February 10, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Yep. American soft power was the special sauce for the empire. Even in times when U.S. policy was controversial or flat out wrong, it brought tremendous good will.
The challenge is called warfare by committee. US was always in the driver’s seat. Who will call the shots once US becomes a mere passenger? Macron cannot send German troops into battle (only the German Bundestag can). Merz cannot threaten nuclear retaliation. Etc. etc. They will have agree!
February 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM
The challenge is called warfare by committee. US was always in the driver’s seat. Who will call the shots once US becomes a mere passenger? Macron cannot send German troops into battle (only the German Bundestag can). Merz cannot threaten nuclear retaliation. Etc. etc. They will have agree!
My argument should not be misread as wanting to preserve a moribund status quo. Quite to the contrary!
Making NATO work with the US taking a seat in the second row will indeed be a challenge. We’ll need to learn to navigate it just as the EU is learning to live with CSFP coalition’s of the willing.
Making NATO work with the US taking a seat in the second row will indeed be a challenge. We’ll need to learn to navigate it just as the EU is learning to live with CSFP coalition’s of the willing.
February 10, 2026 at 11:42 AM
My argument should not be misread as wanting to preserve a moribund status quo. Quite to the contrary!
Making NATO work with the US taking a seat in the second row will indeed be a challenge. We’ll need to learn to navigate it just as the EU is learning to live with CSFP coalition’s of the willing.
Making NATO work with the US taking a seat in the second row will indeed be a challenge. We’ll need to learn to navigate it just as the EU is learning to live with CSFP coalition’s of the willing.
Trouble is this will not happen. The best hope for Europeans is the effective Europeanization of NATO, preferably with US support.
My latest. Key point is that national defense in Europe is not a national sovereign responsibility. This is a fiction. Europe’s states haven’t been sovereign on defense since WWII. Instead they outsourced defense to a foreign power (US). Now Europe has to start working together as Europe on defense
“The most effective way European states can defend themselves without Washington’s backing is to integrate their defense efforts,” writes @maxbergmann.bsky.social. “It is time for the EU to become Europe’s Pentagon.”
February 9, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Trouble is this will not happen. The best hope for Europeans is the effective Europeanization of NATO, preferably with US support.
Brilliant episode of Brussels Sprouts makes good argument for Europeanization of NATO. Indeed, Europe should not wait for the US to take the lead but get the process going. - Well worth your time! 🔽🔽🔽
open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...
open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...
Can Europe Take the Reins of NATO?
I joined Brussels Sprouts last week to discuss how Europe and Canada might take over responsibility for European Security within NATO
open.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Brilliant episode of Brussels Sprouts makes good argument for Europeanization of NATO. Indeed, Europe should not wait for the US to take the lead but get the process going. - Well worth your time! 🔽🔽🔽
open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...
open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...
Europeans liked to be “unrealistic” in assuming that the US would be the ultimate guarantor of their security.
Trust is a fickle thing. Once breached it doesn’t grow back easily.
Europe will have to fend for itself. Let’s try to get the transition right. That is the most dangerous phase.
Trust is a fickle thing. Once breached it doesn’t grow back easily.
Europe will have to fend for itself. Let’s try to get the transition right. That is the most dangerous phase.
Every society goes through phases of internal turmoil that, even if they end well, will at least for a time paralyse the ability of its state to project power externally.
It is unrealistic for Europeans to expect that Americans can eternally escape such eras of crisis, chaos and reconstruction.
It is unrealistic for Europeans to expect that Americans can eternally escape such eras of crisis, chaos and reconstruction.
February 8, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Europeans liked to be “unrealistic” in assuming that the US would be the ultimate guarantor of their security.
Trust is a fickle thing. Once breached it doesn’t grow back easily.
Europe will have to fend for itself. Let’s try to get the transition right. That is the most dangerous phase.
Trust is a fickle thing. Once breached it doesn’t grow back easily.
Europe will have to fend for itself. Let’s try to get the transition right. That is the most dangerous phase.
Interview with Russian Amb. Kelin
In London. Know him well from negotiations on NATO-Russia Founding Act. Skillful diplomat. Interviewer fails to insist on the obvious: Russia invaded a sovereign Ukraine and is demands annexations thus turning over the European order. No way!
youtu.be/0DGesU3occM
In London. Know him well from negotiations on NATO-Russia Founding Act. Skillful diplomat. Interviewer fails to insist on the obvious: Russia invaded a sovereign Ukraine and is demands annexations thus turning over the European order. No way!
youtu.be/0DGesU3occM
Ambassador Andrei Kelin's interview with Channel 4 presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, 4 February 2026
YouTube video by Russian Embassy in London
youtu.be
February 8, 2026 at 1:37 PM
Interview with Russian Amb. Kelin
In London. Know him well from negotiations on NATO-Russia Founding Act. Skillful diplomat. Interviewer fails to insist on the obvious: Russia invaded a sovereign Ukraine and is demands annexations thus turning over the European order. No way!
youtu.be/0DGesU3occM
In London. Know him well from negotiations on NATO-Russia Founding Act. Skillful diplomat. Interviewer fails to insist on the obvious: Russia invaded a sovereign Ukraine and is demands annexations thus turning over the European order. No way!
youtu.be/0DGesU3occM
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
From France with love - The cartoon that appeared this week on the front page of France’s most influential national newspaper, Le Monde. Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
February 6, 2026 at 10:48 PM
From France with love - The cartoon that appeared this week on the front page of France’s most influential national newspaper, Le Monde. Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
Really living up to the quote: "The nation that will insist on drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards."
www.reuters.com/world/us/pen...
www.reuters.com/world/us/pen...
Pentagon ends training, fellowship programs with Harvard, Hegseth says
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said late on Friday his department was ending all military training, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University in what marks the Trump administration's ...
www.reuters.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:50 AM
Really living up to the quote: "The nation that will insist on drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards."
www.reuters.com/world/us/pen...
www.reuters.com/world/us/pen...
Soft power @ work
I'm at the Olympics and the entire stadium booed JD Vance. 😌
February 7, 2026 at 6:46 AM
Soft power @ work
Germany according to Liana Fix can‘t get it right. If it doesn’t invest in its military it is deemed too weak but if it does some will be critical of a dominant Germany in Europe.
My reply: Get over it. We have enough real problems.
www.foreignaffairs.com/germany/euro...
My reply: Get over it. We have enough real problems.
www.foreignaffairs.com/germany/euro...
Europe’s Next Hegemon
The perils of German power.
www.foreignaffairs.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Germany according to Liana Fix can‘t get it right. If it doesn’t invest in its military it is deemed too weak but if it does some will be critical of a dominant Germany in Europe.
My reply: Get over it. We have enough real problems.
www.foreignaffairs.com/germany/euro...
My reply: Get over it. We have enough real problems.
www.foreignaffairs.com/germany/euro...
Es ist mir tatsächlich schon während Trump I bei einem Termin in Frankfurt mit einer US-Delegation passiert, dass man mich mit den Worten „Welcome to the leader of the West“ nur halb scherzhaft willkommen hieß. Das war damals auf Merkel gemünzt. Daran erinnert mich Ihr Titel heute
February 6, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Es ist mir tatsächlich schon während Trump I bei einem Termin in Frankfurt mit einer US-Delegation passiert, dass man mich mit den Worten „Welcome to the leader of the West“ nur halb scherzhaft willkommen hieß. Das war damals auf Merkel gemünzt. Daran erinnert mich Ihr Titel heute
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
Eigentlich wirkt sie gar nicht so gut. Selbst nur eine knappe Mehrheit der Anhänger der Pro-Putin-Partei glauben die Propaganda. Und 80% der Deutschen sind nicht überzeugt.
February 6, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Eigentlich wirkt sie gar nicht so gut. Selbst nur eine knappe Mehrheit der Anhänger der Pro-Putin-Partei glauben die Propaganda. Und 80% der Deutschen sind nicht überzeugt.
Funktioniert das, ein autobiografisch unterlegtes Sachbuch selbst veröffentlichen?
Zu früh für ein Urteil. Verlage sind überfüttert, bräsig, problembefrachtet. Selbst gestalten macht Arbeit&Spaß!
Marketing mühsam, aber geht. Gesprächsveranstaltungen zu Sicherheit sind gerade jetzt politisch wichtig
Zu früh für ein Urteil. Verlage sind überfüttert, bräsig, problembefrachtet. Selbst gestalten macht Arbeit&Spaß!
Marketing mühsam, aber geht. Gesprächsveranstaltungen zu Sicherheit sind gerade jetzt politisch wichtig
February 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Funktioniert das, ein autobiografisch unterlegtes Sachbuch selbst veröffentlichen?
Zu früh für ein Urteil. Verlage sind überfüttert, bräsig, problembefrachtet. Selbst gestalten macht Arbeit&Spaß!
Marketing mühsam, aber geht. Gesprächsveranstaltungen zu Sicherheit sind gerade jetzt politisch wichtig
Zu früh für ein Urteil. Verlage sind überfüttert, bräsig, problembefrachtet. Selbst gestalten macht Arbeit&Spaß!
Marketing mühsam, aber geht. Gesprächsveranstaltungen zu Sicherheit sind gerade jetzt politisch wichtig
Ein Experiment:
Im September habe ich meinen „Szenenwechsel“ veröffentlicht; gerade ist die zweite Auflage erschienen.
Kein Buch für Politik-Geeks, eher für „Normalos“, die verstehen wollen. wie Sicherheit+Diplomatie praktisch funktionieren. Echo +++
Absatz ca. 150 Ex., Werbung von Mund zu Mund.
Im September habe ich meinen „Szenenwechsel“ veröffentlicht; gerade ist die zweite Auflage erschienen.
Kein Buch für Politik-Geeks, eher für „Normalos“, die verstehen wollen. wie Sicherheit+Diplomatie praktisch funktionieren. Echo +++
Absatz ca. 150 Ex., Werbung von Mund zu Mund.
February 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Ein Experiment:
Im September habe ich meinen „Szenenwechsel“ veröffentlicht; gerade ist die zweite Auflage erschienen.
Kein Buch für Politik-Geeks, eher für „Normalos“, die verstehen wollen. wie Sicherheit+Diplomatie praktisch funktionieren. Echo +++
Absatz ca. 150 Ex., Werbung von Mund zu Mund.
Im September habe ich meinen „Szenenwechsel“ veröffentlicht; gerade ist die zweite Auflage erschienen.
Kein Buch für Politik-Geeks, eher für „Normalos“, die verstehen wollen. wie Sicherheit+Diplomatie praktisch funktionieren. Echo +++
Absatz ca. 150 Ex., Werbung von Mund zu Mund.
Unfortunately no surprise. The only heroes in this story are the Ukrainians. Tragic heroes.
Of course Ukraine-Russia talks ended with "little progress and hints of an impasse."
Russia is still after conquest, Ukraine still won't bow down, Russia can't make them. Trump can't get Ukraine to forfeit its freedom and won't put real pressure on Russia.
So the farce of "peace talks" continues.
Russia is still after conquest, Ukraine still won't bow down, Russia can't make them. Trump can't get Ukraine to forfeit its freedom and won't put real pressure on Russia.
So the farce of "peace talks" continues.
Ukraine-Russia Talks End With Little Progress and Hints of an Impasse
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Unfortunately no surprise. The only heroes in this story are the Ukrainians. Tragic heroes.
Certainly a first in my 40 years of experience. Bizarre. Bodes ill.
German lawmakers were supposed to be on a routine visit to Washington, during which they would engage in a dialogue on China.
However, MPs refused to take part in the meeting after their center-left colleagues were blocked — a highly unusual step.
🔗 www.politico.eu/article/pete...
However, MPs refused to take part in the meeting after their center-left colleagues were blocked — a highly unusual step.
🔗 www.politico.eu/article/pete...
February 5, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Certainly a first in my 40 years of experience. Bizarre. Bodes ill.
40 years ago I started my career in the Foreign Service in nuclear arms control. We were following US-Russian talks on medium range nuclear ground based weapons.
Arms control is not driven by naivety but by enlightened self interest. Unfortunately we don’t seem to be living in enlightened times.
Arms control is not driven by naivety but by enlightened self interest. Unfortunately we don’t seem to be living in enlightened times.
Experts warn the expiration of a long-standing nuclear arms control treaty between the two superpowers could mark the start of a new nuclear rivalry. n.pr/3LSIq29
For the first time in decades, the U.S. and Russia have no limits on nuclear weapons
Experts warn the expiration of a long-standing nuclear arms control treaty between the two superpowers could mark the start of a new nuclear rivalry.
n.pr
February 5, 2026 at 1:16 PM
40 years ago I started my career in the Foreign Service in nuclear arms control. We were following US-Russian talks on medium range nuclear ground based weapons.
Arms control is not driven by naivety but by enlightened self interest. Unfortunately we don’t seem to be living in enlightened times.
Arms control is not driven by naivety but by enlightened self interest. Unfortunately we don’t seem to be living in enlightened times.
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
Looks like German manufacturing has turned the corner.
www.destatis.de/EN/Press/202...
www.destatis.de/EN/Press/202...
February 5, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Looks like German manufacturing has turned the corner.
www.destatis.de/EN/Press/202...
www.destatis.de/EN/Press/202...
…aber unbedingt hören sollten.
In Diskussionen höre ich immer wieder das Argument: Aber Russland wird doch nicht ein NATO-Land angreifen!
Falsches Argument. Wenn Putin sich mit Brachialgewalt im Nachbarland Ukraine durchsetzt, steigt sein Erpressungspotential und damit sein Einfluss auf uns alle.
In Diskussionen höre ich immer wieder das Argument: Aber Russland wird doch nicht ein NATO-Land angreifen!
Falsches Argument. Wenn Putin sich mit Brachialgewalt im Nachbarland Ukraine durchsetzt, steigt sein Erpressungspotential und damit sein Einfluss auf uns alle.
February 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM
…aber unbedingt hören sollten.
In Diskussionen höre ich immer wieder das Argument: Aber Russland wird doch nicht ein NATO-Land angreifen!
Falsches Argument. Wenn Putin sich mit Brachialgewalt im Nachbarland Ukraine durchsetzt, steigt sein Erpressungspotential und damit sein Einfluss auf uns alle.
In Diskussionen höre ich immer wieder das Argument: Aber Russland wird doch nicht ein NATO-Land angreifen!
Falsches Argument. Wenn Putin sich mit Brachialgewalt im Nachbarland Ukraine durchsetzt, steigt sein Erpressungspotential und damit sein Einfluss auf uns alle.
😳
Not macht erfinderisch.
Große Not vollbringt kleine Wunder!
Not macht erfinderisch.
Große Not vollbringt kleine Wunder!
A passenger An-28 aircraft armed with miniguns is shooting down Russian drones over Ukraine, French TF1 got an inside. The crew consists of civilian volunteers who have already destroyed nearly 150 drones during air defense missions. #Ukraine
February 5, 2026 at 12:50 PM
😳
Not macht erfinderisch.
Große Not vollbringt kleine Wunder!
Not macht erfinderisch.
Große Not vollbringt kleine Wunder!
Now is the time to pull out the finger and support Ukraine. Putin is trying to freeze them into submission. Are we really doing everything we can to strengthen their resilience? Really everything?
Headline on Reuters: US energy assistance for Ukraine stalls as winter bites
I fear Trump’s learn as we go along Ukraine diplomacy. - Could it be that Putin’s bombs&rockets, Trump’s hankering for raw materials and a certain prize and the winter cold are conspiring to force a bad deal down Zelensky’s throat? Ukrainians and Europe would pay the price. Support Zelensky! Louder!
February 5, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Now is the time to pull out the finger and support Ukraine. Putin is trying to freeze them into submission. Are we really doing everything we can to strengthen their resilience? Really everything?
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
Berliner! Brandenburger! Touristen!
Am 8. März stelle ich hier mit @annewill.bsky.social mein neues Buch vor.
Kommt alle!
Es wird viel zu besprechen geben.
www.tipi-am-kanzleramt.de/de/programm/...
Am 8. März stelle ich hier mit @annewill.bsky.social mein neues Buch vor.
Kommt alle!
Es wird viel zu besprechen geben.
www.tipi-am-kanzleramt.de/de/programm/...
Literatur LIVE im TIPI AM KANZLERAMT - Jörg Lau und Anne Will im Gespräch „Der Westen sind jetzt wir“
Von unzuverlässigen Freunden und entschlossenen Gegnern: Deutschlands neue Verantwortung. Vom SPIEGEL-Bestsellerautor und ZEIT-Außenpolitik-Experten.Die USA sorgen für unsere Sicherheit, China für uns...
www.tipi-am-kanzleramt.de
February 5, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Berliner! Brandenburger! Touristen!
Am 8. März stelle ich hier mit @annewill.bsky.social mein neues Buch vor.
Kommt alle!
Es wird viel zu besprechen geben.
www.tipi-am-kanzleramt.de/de/programm/...
Am 8. März stelle ich hier mit @annewill.bsky.social mein neues Buch vor.
Kommt alle!
Es wird viel zu besprechen geben.
www.tipi-am-kanzleramt.de/de/programm/...
I’m the Prime Minister of Spain. This Is Why the West Needs Migrants. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/o...
Opinion | I’m the Prime Minister of Spain. This Is Why the West Needs Migrants.
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:15 AM
I’m the Prime Minister of Spain. This Is Why the West Needs Migrants. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/o...
Reposted by Ekkehard Brose
