Kathleen J. McInnis
@kjmcinnis1.bsky.social
Senior Fellow, Defense & Security Department & Director, SWSP @CSIS. Priors: Capitol Hill, Pentagon, Chatham House, Kings College London. PhD War Studies. Author. Mom. Herder of cats. NATO nerd.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
⚡️ Zelensky appoints new head of Ukraine's mission to NATO.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 13 appointed Aliona Hetmanchuk as the head of Ukraine's mission to NATO, replacing Nataliia Halibarenko.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 13 appointed Aliona Hetmanchuk as the head of Ukraine's mission to NATO, replacing Nataliia Halibarenko.
'At a critical time' — Zelensky appoints new head of Ukraine's mission to NATO
The appointment came "at a critical time for the future of Ukraine, for the future of NATO itself, and, of course, for Ukraine's future in NATO. I realize the responsibility," Aliona Hetmanchuk said o...
kyivindependent.com
June 13, 2025 at 12:20 PM
⚡️ Zelensky appoints new head of Ukraine's mission to NATO.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 13 appointed Aliona Hetmanchuk as the head of Ukraine's mission to NATO, replacing Nataliia Halibarenko.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 13 appointed Aliona Hetmanchuk as the head of Ukraine's mission to NATO, replacing Nataliia Halibarenko.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
Possibly the news photo of the decade.
April 26, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Possibly the news photo of the decade.
Cocomelon: MTV for two year olds
March 21, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Cocomelon: MTV for two year olds
I’ve been called a national security “Swiss army knife several times in my career.
This piece on fixing a visa loophole in the Northern Marianas is one reason why.
www.csis.org/analysis/sea...
This piece on fixing a visa loophole in the Northern Marianas is one reason why.
www.csis.org/analysis/sea...
Sealing the Interagency Cracks: The United States in Oceania
The United States has a major vulnerability it needs to address: China is exploiting an immigration loophole in the U.S. territory of Saipan, posing a security and counterintelligence threat to U.S. b...
www.csis.org
March 13, 2025 at 9:05 PM
I’ve been called a national security “Swiss army knife several times in my career.
This piece on fixing a visa loophole in the Northern Marianas is one reason why.
www.csis.org/analysis/sea...
This piece on fixing a visa loophole in the Northern Marianas is one reason why.
www.csis.org/analysis/sea...
U.S. Foreign military sales are a proxy indicator of international support for U.S. global leadership.
I’m starting to think that Finland ought to cancel the F-35 order while there still is time. It seems to be a great aircraft but in our position, can we really risk some petulant man-child or Kremlin puppet cutting us off on our darkest hour?
The total cut off of deliveries to Ukraine is shockingly punitive. This is money already spent, equipment already built by industry for Ukraine, much of it has little utility to the US military. And it is just going to be sitting there in warehouses idle, as Ukrainian forces fight on.
March 6, 2025 at 10:35 AM
U.S. Foreign military sales are a proxy indicator of international support for U.S. global leadership.
Putting this out there again - my piece in @lawfare.bsky.social from last summer
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
Trump Can’t Withdraw From NATO, but He Could “Quiet Quit”
Not participating in NATO would undermine the alliance—and U.S. foreign policy
www.lawfaremedia.org
March 4, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Putting this out there again - my piece in @lawfare.bsky.social from last summer
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
All — many Americans have asked how YOU can help Ukraine right now
I’ll do another fundraiser soon — but 🇺🇦 has a great resource page. Donate directly into general funds for defense, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, or choose a legit 🇺🇦 charity that fits how you want to help
war.ukraine.ua/donate/
I’ll do another fundraiser soon — but 🇺🇦 has a great resource page. Donate directly into general funds for defense, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, or choose a legit 🇺🇦 charity that fits how you want to help
war.ukraine.ua/donate/
Donate to Ukraine’s defenders
The National Bank of Ukraine has decided to open a special fundraising account to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
war.ukraine.ua
March 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
All — many Americans have asked how YOU can help Ukraine right now
I’ll do another fundraiser soon — but 🇺🇦 has a great resource page. Donate directly into general funds for defense, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, or choose a legit 🇺🇦 charity that fits how you want to help
war.ukraine.ua/donate/
I’ll do another fundraiser soon — but 🇺🇦 has a great resource page. Donate directly into general funds for defense, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, or choose a legit 🇺🇦 charity that fits how you want to help
war.ukraine.ua/donate/
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
Why would China stop the flow of fentanyl through Mexico when they can watch us step on endless rakes and get bogged down in Mexico instead of fighting in the Pacific?
March 1, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Why would China stop the flow of fentanyl through Mexico when they can watch us step on endless rakes and get bogged down in Mexico instead of fighting in the Pacific?
Great Man Theory is going to kill us all
February 28, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Great Man Theory is going to kill us all
Thank you for your service, GEN Brown. You will be missed.
February 22, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Thank you for your service, GEN Brown. You will be missed.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
The move against Franchetti and her team who were just beginning to get a grip on structural problems fueling the US Navy's growing crisis is an act of strategic self-sabotage
“Gen. C.Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's top admiral, are on the list of general officers provided to Congress this week whom Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could fire or remove” abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics...
Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown on list to be possibly removed by Hegseth
Gen. C.Q. Brown, the nation's top general, and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, are both on a list of generals and admirals who may be fired or removed from their jobs by Hegseth,
abcnews.go.com
February 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM
The move against Franchetti and her team who were just beginning to get a grip on structural problems fueling the US Navy's growing crisis is an act of strategic self-sabotage
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
45-50K is also the figure I used in my Monday BBC TV interview, meaning ~9 combat brigades (3x3). Same order of magnitude as in post-Dayton Bosnia (IFOR) and in Kosovo(KFOR) Western forces. Of course these were much smaller places but 🇺🇦 has a very large battle-hardened army providing smart mass...
Brief thoughts on a European force for Ukraine. I think there is a degree of requirements paralysis. It doesn’t have to be hundreds of thousands of troops, or cover a 1200km contact line. Where it is deployed, and in what role, is more important than the overall size. 1/
February 17, 2025 at 12:09 PM
45-50K is also the figure I used in my Monday BBC TV interview, meaning ~9 combat brigades (3x3). Same order of magnitude as in post-Dayton Bosnia (IFOR) and in Kosovo(KFOR) Western forces. Of course these were much smaller places but 🇺🇦 has a very large battle-hardened army providing smart mass...
Unlike the deal with the Taliban, Ukraine and Europe get a vote. Washington will eventually figure this out.
Zelenskyy: "I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine. Never."
February 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Unlike the deal with the Taliban, Ukraine and Europe get a vote. Washington will eventually figure this out.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
Europe can’t rely on the strength of the transatlantic relationship to help contain Russia’s threat – it must lead from the front and be the true force of support that Ukraine needs. Not just for Ukraine’s sake, but for a free and sovereign Europe.
On Ukraine, Europe must step into the void | Virgin
www.virgin.com
February 15, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Europe can’t rely on the strength of the transatlantic relationship to help contain Russia’s threat – it must lead from the front and be the true force of support that Ukraine needs. Not just for Ukraine’s sake, but for a free and sovereign Europe.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
How has the Women, Peace, and Security Act (WPS) evolved within the Department of Defense? How can WPS contribute to accomplishing U.S. strategic objectives?
CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power expert @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social explains:
CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power expert @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social explains:
Why the Women, Peace, and Security Act Strengthens U.S. Defense Strategy
The Women, Peace, and Security Act programs implemented by the Department of Defense already comport with Trump administration policy. Put simply, WPS provides the DOD with a toolkit to make the…
cs.is
February 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM
How has the Women, Peace, and Security Act (WPS) evolved within the Department of Defense? How can WPS contribute to accomplishing U.S. strategic objectives?
CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power expert @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social explains:
CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power expert @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social explains:
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
🖇️Joint statement of the NB8 countries: www.mk.gov.lv/en/article/n...
NB8 countries issue joint statement on support for Ukraine
Latvia, together with the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8), stand fully and firmly behind Ukraine. Ukraine must be able to prevail against Russia’s war of…
www.mk.gov.lv
February 14, 2025 at 11:19 AM
🖇️Joint statement of the NB8 countries: www.mk.gov.lv/en/article/n...
We talk about values because it’s *why* we shoot.
Hegseth at NATO summit: "We can talk all we want about values. Values are important. But you can't shoot values."
February 14, 2025 at 2:13 AM
We talk about values because it’s *why* we shoot.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
A reminder: Vladimir Putin could end the war in Ukraine right now, just by ordering his soldiers to go home. No need for treaties or negotiations.
February 13, 2025 at 12:17 PM
A reminder: Vladimir Putin could end the war in Ukraine right now, just by ordering his soldiers to go home. No need for treaties or negotiations.
One of the reasons the U.S. had / has presence in Europe was to prevent European allies from acquiring their own nuclear weapons. Wonder if that EUR calculation will be reconsidered.
Having read US defence secretary Hegseth’s speech
(available in full here: augengeradeaus.net/2025/02/doku...), I have to say:
The fact, that what he says is pretty catastrophic for Europe is 100% our fault.
(available in full here: augengeradeaus.net/2025/02/doku...), I have to say:
The fact, that what he says is pretty catastrophic for Europe is 100% our fault.
Dokumentation – Hegseths Rede an die Europäer: Übernehmt selbst die Verantwortung – Augen geradeaus!
augengeradeaus.net
February 12, 2025 at 9:53 PM
One of the reasons the U.S. had / has presence in Europe was to prevent European allies from acquiring their own nuclear weapons. Wonder if that EUR calculation will be reconsidered.
Reposted by Kathleen J. McInnis
Enacted by President Trump during his first administration, the Women, Peace, and Security Act helps to advance strategic, operational, and tactical security objectives.
Learn more from CSIS's @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social about how the WPS Act strengthens U.S. security:
Learn more from CSIS's @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social about how the WPS Act strengthens U.S. security:
Why the Women, Peace, and Security Act Strengthens U.S. Defense Strategy
The Women, Peace, and Security Act programs implemented by the Department of Defense already comport with Trump administration policy. Put simply, WPS provides the DOD with a toolkit to make the…
www.csis.org
February 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Enacted by President Trump during his first administration, the Women, Peace, and Security Act helps to advance strategic, operational, and tactical security objectives.
Learn more from CSIS's @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social about how the WPS Act strengthens U.S. security:
Learn more from CSIS's @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social about how the WPS Act strengthens U.S. security:
Boy howdy I hope this comes with big salary increases because doing four people’s jobs without additional pay won’t work out very well.
Newly signed Executive Order is pretty wild. Officially puts Elon in charge of radically downsizing all non-military departments, and all hiring—at a mandated (arbitrary) rate of just 1 for every four workers who quit—must now go through him.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Implementing The President's "Department of Government Efficiency" Workforce Optimization Initiative
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.
www.whitehouse.gov
February 12, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Boy howdy I hope this comes with big salary increases because doing four people’s jobs without additional pay won’t work out very well.
Yep.
On the real meaning of the Hegseth comments: the first metric to watch is whether the Trump admin makes changes to US force posture. In particular, whether we see key enablers & also some naval forces being moved permanently out of Europe.
February 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Yep.
Also rabies is a baaaaad way to kick the bucket
If you get bitten by a rabid animal— you can either trust the science about a virus with near 100% fatality (without treatment), or you can trust some rando on Twitter about the non-existence of viruses.
February 11, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Also rabies is a baaaaad way to kick the bucket
Serious question: if death threats are causing vote intimidation in our legislative branch, why can’t Congress establish its own secret service? Like another legislative branch organization alongside CBO, GAO, CRS?
February 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Serious question: if death threats are causing vote intimidation in our legislative branch, why can’t Congress establish its own secret service? Like another legislative branch organization alongside CBO, GAO, CRS?