In Lieu of Fun: #DogShirtTV

Wherein Ben welcomes Minna Ålander, our resident European defense expert, and her colleague Eric Adamson to discuss how Trump's betrayal of Ukraine is playing in Europe and what comes next for US-European relations.

Wherein Ben and Holly Berkley Fletcher discuss random topics, including colonoscopies, projection logistics, and the cactus's new friend, the snowman.

Wherein Ben, Eve Gaumond, and Holly Berkley Fletcher shoot the shit for an hour about whatever's on their minds: Dan Bongino, UFC, Elon Musk's Canadian citizenship, foreign election influence. You know, funny stuff.

Wherein Ben and Alicia Wanless welcome Darcie Draudt, a political scientist specializing in the Korean Peninsula, to discuss what exactly 10,000 North Korean soldiers are doing in Ukraine, as well as the broader implications of their presence for the future of North Korea.

Wherein Ben and Holly Berkley Fletcher welcome Rick Ehrenreich, a former State Department intelligence officer, to discuss the political situation in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Wherein Ben and Alicia Wanless welcome Kate Sweeny, a psychology professor studying the effects of uncertainty, to explain to us how the current state of politics is pickling our brains.

Wherein Ben and Holly Berkley Fletcher welcome Max Johnston, producer of Lawfare's new podcast series on US-Ukrainian relations, to introduce the series, which launches later today.

Wherein Ben and Holly Berkley Fletcher welcome Dr. Beth Stuebing, a surgeon working at a hospital in Malawi, to talk about what the loss of USAID means on the ground and to discuss the broader political landscape of humanitarian aid.

Wherein Ben and Eve Gaumond welcome Jonathan Rauch to talk about the political role of the Supreme Court. Also, Anastasiia Lapatina and her estimable baby are in DC for the launch of her new podcast on US-Ukrainian relations. Register for the launch event here: https://connect.brookings.edu/register-to-watch-ukraine-fate