"Ms. Merkel will simply not take risks even when they are necessary, said Julianne Smith, a former Obama official now with the German Marshall Fund in Washington. 'It’s the worst of all worlds — we need Merkel to lead and sadly it’s not happening,' she said..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"Julianne Smith, a former national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, told Newsweek, 'It shouldn't be shocking, given what the president has said about the NATO alliance for the better part of the last three years,' that American support for the bloc has dropped. "NATO has enjoyed bipartisan support in the U.S. for 70 years, but Trump's presidency has exposed rifts within the organization. 'I worry that in a second Trump term, maybe we would see some additional damage to [...]
"Europe’s momentum in developing a clear-eyed approach toward China has stalled. In March 2019, the European Commission issued a white paper naming China a systemic rival and economic competitor. That publication marked a fundamental shift in how far European institutions were willing to go in raising the challenges China poses to Europe’s openness and prosperity. It also reflected shifts that were occurring in capitals across Europe. Just as the European Union was rolling out its white paper on China, German Chancellor [...]
"According to Julianne Smith of the German Marshall Fund of the United States: 'The Chinese have started brazenly claiming that it is China, not the United States, that shares more values with Europe. [They] also frequently remind European audiences that unlike the United States, China believes in climate change and multilateralism, a message that is especially powerful in a place like Germany.' "Now consider this: At a moment when the U.S. State Department is in free fall, China is upping its [...]
"The transatlantic relationship has suffered a series of near-fatal blows in recent years. President Trump has openly questioned America’s Article 5 commitment to defend any attacked NATO member, dubbed the European Union a 'foe,' and repeatedly disparaged some of America’s closest allies—for example, calling Germany 'captive to Russia.' The people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. France and Germany, instead of joining forces to chart a future course for the European project, have spent years trapped between [...]
“'The Chinese have started brazenly claiming that it is China, not the United States, that shares more values with Europe,' said Julianne Smith of the German Marshall Fund in Washington. “'Chinese scholars and officials also frequently remind European audiences that unlike the United States, China believes in climate change and multilateralism, a message that is especially powerful in a place like Germany,' she said..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"Julianne Smith, a former national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, told Newsweek it is premature to talk about a post-Russia NATO. 'This is not an alliance looking for more to do,' she explained. 'It still has to focus on its core mission of enhanced deterrence in central and eastern Europe.' "... The alliance isn't united on China, Smith said, 'which is why it's important for NATO to start talking about the challenge. Portugal and Greece look at China much [...]
"No single word better describes today’s international system than 'competition.' China and Russia are competing with the United States for power, influence, and access to markets across multiple continents. With its Belt and Road investments and targeted diplomacy, China is creating new partnerships across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Russia has been busy establishing new strategic links across the Middle East with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Syria. Occasionally, when their strategic interests collide, China and Russia work together, as they did [...]
"'What we’ve seen over the last couple of days is a whole assortment of personal and compelling reasons why people chose the career path of public service,' said Julie Smith, a Europe expert who served as deputy national security adviser to then-Vice President Joe Biden. 'Outside of Washington, the image of public service has become a bad word — a bunch of dark suits who are there for the wrong reasons. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Most are idealists [...]
"'Trump’s deference to Putin remains one of Washington’s greatest mysteries,' said Julianne Smith, a former deputy national security adviser to former vice-president Joe Biden. 'No one knows for sure whether it’s just Trump’s admiration for Putin’s authoritarian rule or it’s the fact that Trump owes Putin something.' “'Either way, Trump’s refusal to speak ill of Putin or Russia’s aggression in its neighborhood and beyond is eroding US leadership and the transatlantic alliance.' “... 'Allies are growing tired of the constant barrage [...]