Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center
Max Bergmann

Max Bergmann is the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, where he focused on Europe, Russia, and U.S. security cooperation. From 2011 to 2017, he served in the U.S. Department of State in a number of different positions, including as a member of the secretary of state’s policy planning staff, where he focused on political-military affairs and nonproliferation; special assistant to the undersecretary for arms control and international security; speechwriter to then secretary of state John Kerry; and senior adviser to the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs. Before serving in the State Department, Bergmann worked at the Center for American Progress as a military and nonproliferation policy analyst and at the National Security Network as the deputy policy director. Bergmann holds a master’s degree in comparative politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bates College. His recent commentary has been published in outlets such as Politico (March 2022, August 2022), the Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and Sasakawa USA.

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Russian Roulette

Lessons from Soviet Foreign Policy with Sergey Radchenko

Max and Maria interviewed historian Sergey Radchenko about his book To Run the World, discussing how Soviet foreign policy insights can shed light on Russia's current global strategy.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya — February 6, 2025

Russian Roulette podcast logo
Audio Briefs

Trump Needs a Plan to Get Europeans to Step Up on Defense

An audio version of “Trump Needs a Plan to Get Europeans to Step Up on Defense,” a new commentary by CSIS's Max Bergmann. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann — January 31, 2025

Audio Briefs
The Eurofile

The Coming Transatlantic Tech Collisions and a Conversation with Federico Rampini

Max and Donatienne recap Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen’s speeches at the World Economic Forum in Davos before previewing European tech regulation during Trump’s second term. Then, they turn to a conversation with Federico Rampini, Global Columnist for Corriere della Sera, to discuss Prime Minister Georgia Meloni’s tenure, the state of the Italian economy, and what the second Trump administration means for Italy and the EU.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann and Donatienne Ruy — January 30, 2025

CSIS
The Eurofile

Greenland Back on Trump’s Menu and a Conversation with Jeremy Cliffe

Max, Donatienne, and Otto discuss Trump’s recent statements about Greenland and the reactions to Elon Musk’s interjections into European politics. They are then joined by Jeremy Cliffe, editorial director and senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, to preview the upcoming German elections and Europe’s approach to Trump’s return to the White House.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann, Donatienne Ruy, and Otto Svendsen — January 16, 2025

CSIS

Defending the North Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions

The Arctic is increasingly characterized by geopolitical and military tensions. President Trump's aggressive engagement strategy, greater Sino-Russian cooperation, and NATO’s Scandinavian enlargement will likely shape the region’s security landscape for the coming years.

Report by Max Bergmann, Otto Svendsen, Marc Jacobsen, Rebekka Åsnes Sagild, Eskil Jakobsen, and Øystein Solvang — January 14, 2025

Russian Roulette

25 Years of Putinism with Sam Greene

 Max, Maria, and Dr. Sam Greene discuss the impact of Vladimir Putin's 25 years of rule in Russia, analyzing the changes in the country and exploring the future of his regime.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya — January 10, 2025

Russian Roulette podcast logo
Russian Roulette

The War in Ukraine in 2025 with Michael Kofman

Max and Maria were joined by Russian military expert Michael Kofman to discuss where the war in Ukraine may be headed in the year to come. With a new administration in Washington and political turmoil across Europe, Russia continuing to make grinding gains on the battlefield, and calls for some sort of negotiated settlement rising, the next six months could prove critical to the future direction of the conflict. 

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya — December 19, 2024

Russian Roulette podcast logo
The Eurofile

2024 Year-End Review and a Conversation on French Politics with Georgina Wright

Max and Donatienne recap the major stories that shaped 2024 and look ahead at the coming year. They are then joined by Georgina Wright, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director for International Studies at Institut Montaigne, for a discussion on the political turmoil currently roiling France.

 

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann and Donatienne Ruy — December 19, 2024

CSIS