The Ties That Bind: Rearming the Alliance

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind, a project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining the past, present, and future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship.
This season we examine how Western European NATO members like Germany are shifting their defense policies, pursuing rearmament, and what lies ahead for the future of European security.
This week FPRI President Aaron Stein sits down with Peter Beyer, a member of the German Bundestag, to evaluate the trajectory of Germany’s Zeitenwende defense shift. The conversation explores Germany's expanding defense spending, military rearmament, and the ongoing response to Russian gray-zone threats and drone incursions. Beyer also addresses internal political pressure from the rising far-right AfD party and provides insights on the future of US-German security cooperation and transatlantic relations.
The third season of the Ties That Bind is generously supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung USA.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tiesthatbind.substack.com

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind, a project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining the past, present, and future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship.
This season we examine how Western European NATO members like Germany are shifting their defense policies, pursuing rearmament, and what lies ahead for the future of European security.
This week we are pleased to feature a conversation with FPRI President Aaron Stein and Roderich Kiesewetter, a Member of the German Bundestag (CDU/CSU) who has held various command and staff positions, including at the EU Council , NATO and the German Ministry of Defense. The two discuss the strategic framework of the recently released German defense policy, key reforms and capabilities, and what strength means in the new European security environment.
The third season of the Ties That Bind is generously supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung USA.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tiesthatbind.substack.com

We often assume our safety is a “government problem,” but guests Admiral Rob Bauer, the former Chair of the NATO Military Committee, and Strategic Communications Advisor Eleonora Russell argue that this mindset is our greatest vulnerability. Drawing from their 2025 book, If You Want Peace, Prepare for War: A Blueprint for Deterrence, they challenge the idea that military strength alone is enough to protect our future.
In this special episode of the Ties That Bind we discuss the core lessons from the book, what a “whole of society” approach really entails, how to effectively rebuild trust and engage citizens and industry, and what the future of the alliance may look like if we start fighting for the “we” in a world of “me.”



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tiesthatbind.substack.com

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind, a project of the Foreign Policy Research Institute examining the past, present, and future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship.
This season we examine how Western European NATO members like Germany are shifting their defense policies, pursuing rearmament, and what lies ahead for the future of European security.
This week we are pleased to feature a conversation with FPRI President Aaron Stein and Roland Theis, a Member of the German Bundestag (CDU/CSU) who sits on the Defense and European Affairs Committees. The two discuss shifts in German defense policy, the erosion of transatlantic trust, and a way forward on rebuilding a strong US-European ties. You can read a transcript of their conversation here.
The third season of the Ties That Bind is generously supported by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tiesthatbind.substack.com

Welcome back to the Ties That Bind.
This week, we go even further north, to Finland, one of the alliance’s newest members. Like the other frontline states we’ve visited this season, Finland shares a turbulent and complicated history with Russia that has long molded its security and foreign policy. But unlike the other frontline states, it was not a member of NATO at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. February 24, 2022, proved to be a lynchpin moment for how Finnish society viewed its security and its future.
In this episode, we’ll hear from two Finnish experts about that moment in time, both culturally and politically, about the process and challenges of Finland’s NATO accession, the country’s strategic role in the Arctic, and what it means for the alliance. We’ll also hear about Finland’s whole-of-society defense model, how the country’s culture has informed its security calculus, and what other allies can learn from the Finnish experience. And we’ll also discuss lessons for Finland’s history for Ukraine.
Featured Guests:
* Minna Ålander is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis.
* Joel Linnainmäki is a Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and a former special advisor to the former Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tiesthatbind.substack.com