January 10, 2019

Wait Just a Minute: Karen Donfried

Our web series, Wait Just a Minute, asks experts to answer complex questions about global affairs in 60 seconds. In this episode, German Marshall Fund president and former member of the National Security Council, Karen Donfried answers questions on a post-Merkel Germany, if Russia can be contained without the United States, and why Americans should care about European affairs.

Wait Just a Minute: Karen Donfried


Is Germany ready for Angela Merkel's departure?

What we've seen recently is that German voters seem that they are ready for a post-Merkel Germany. We saw diminishing support for Merkel and her party in last fall's election, and in two recent state elections in Germany, her party and her sister party did not do well.

Can Europe contain Russia without the United States?

The US security guarantee to our European allies is a critical factor in deterring Russia from engaging in any aggressive military action.

Why should Americans care about European affairs?

The largest trade and investment relationship in the world is the the one between the United States and the European Union. Investment on both sides of the Atlantic create about 15 million jobs.

What's the best book you've read recently?

A book by Robert Kagan called The Jungle Grows Back. It's an evocative title! It's about the US role in the world.

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Archive






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