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February 9, 2024 40 mins

Cosmic Top Secret: Dr. Stefanie Babst on NATO, Ukraine, and Strategic Course Change

In this gripping episode of Cosmic Top Secret, host Professor Michael John Williams engages with Dr. Stefanie Babst, a distinguished former NATO staff member with over two decades of service, including leading NATO's Strategic Foresight Team. 

Dr. Babst shares her professional journey, insights from her book "Sehenden Auges: Mut zum strategischen Kurswechse" (With Eyes Wide Open: The Courage for a Strategic Course Change), and her critical views on Germany and NATO's responses to the Ukraine crisis and the Russian threat.

Dr. Babst recounts her vivid experience at the Bundestag before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, expressing dismay at the lack of urgency and preparedness among German policymakers. She criticizes the German government for its strategic shortcomings and reluctance to support Ukraine robustly. 

Dr. Babst also discusses the broader European and US responses to the crisis, advocating for a more assertive and unified strategy to confront Russia's existential threat to European security.

The episode delves into the challenges of coordinating military aid to Ukraine, the necessity of a long-term containment strategy against Russia, and the importance of integrating Ukraine into NATO. 

Dr. Babst's compelling narrative and expert analysis underline the need for strategic clarity, decisive action, and transatlantic unity in facing global security challenges.

Tune into Cosmic Top Secret on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google for this enlightening conversation on NATO's past, present, and future challenges, and discover why this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in international security and diplomacy.

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