On my upcoming move to New Delhi (more on that soon!), what happens when our expectations clash with reality, and whether a city can ever reciprocate the love we feel for it. 👇🏼 open.substack.com/pub/rachelri...

Earlier this week, @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social, @lianafix.bsky.social, @elenalaz.bsky.social, @rachelrizzo.bsky.social, and @leslievinjamuri.bsky.social discussed how the war in Ukraine has reshaped European geopolitics, global power dynamics, and the future of warfare. brnw.ch/21wWUZB

Grrrr Professional**

Most of the time I write about foreign policy. Sometimes I write about Washington, DC and the relentless progressional climb to nowhere. open.substack.com/pub/rachelri...

Thrilled to contribute to a new report on the state of the Transatlantic relationship for ORF. In my chapter, "An American Perspective on the Transatlantic Partnership," I highlight a few likely outcomes for US-European relations given the Trump Administration's current approach. 👇

Read the full range of expert views on the links above, including @susmonika.bsky.social @kjmcinnis1.bsky.social @tobiasbunde.bsky.social @annwieanna.bsky.social @sophiabesch.bsky.social @rachelrizzo.bsky.social @jteurope.bsky.social @erikbrattberg.bsky.social

@rachelrizzo.bsky.social delivers strategic clarity to BBC's global audience on U.S.-Ukraine policy & Germany's weapons decision. Principled, evidence-based analysis our complex world demands. 🇺🇸🇺🇦​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ #ProudlyTruman www.linkedin.com/posts/rachel...

“They get along, she and Elon Musk get along. I think that means she can speak a Trumpian sort of language that many other European leaders simply can’t,” @rachelrizzo.bsky.social tells @politico.com.

My thoughts to @politico.com ahead of Meloni’s visit to Washington 👇🏼

I’m leaving my tenth (!!) trip to India with my mind and heart full. the consistent quality of the Raisina Dialogue never ceases to amaze me. As the Trump Administration drastically shifts U.S. foreign policy, this really feels like a huge moment for in India…

Conference selfie at Raisina dialogue. With Maha Yahya @carnegiemec.bsky.social, @rachelrizzo.bsky.social, Kristina Kausch @gmfus.bsky.social, Manuel Muniz, Romana Vlahutin and of course my NATO bestie Benedetta Berti

Thanks to the Observer Research Foundation for letting me contribute a piece to this year’s Raisina Edit, a collection of essays based on pillars of the 2025 Raisina Dialogue. In it, I talk about how Trump will reshape Transatlanticism under new rules & expectations www.orfonline.org/expert-speak...

In June 2024, I wrote this piece with Michael Benhamou for Defense One: “Europeanize NATO to save it.” We lay out a 25-year plan to shift much of Europe’s continental security to the Europeans themselves. Obviously that timeline has been moved WAY up… www.defenseone.com/ideas/2024/0...

With US joining Russia to block UN Ukraine vote it is even more important to understand where Germany will go. Come join us tomorrow at 12:30 to debrief on the German election w/ @rachelrizzo.bsky.social @johannaroth.bsky.social @majidsattar.bsky.social www.eventbrite.com/e/panel-on-t...

Interested in German politics and in DC? Please come to debrief the election on Tuesday Feb 25 12:30 with an amazing panel: @rachelrizzo.bsky.social @johannaroth.bsky.social @majidsattar.bsky.social www.eventbrite.com/e/panel-on-t...

@rachelrizzo.bsky.social 100% correct that we have to remember that Trump doesn't see Putin as a fundamental threat to European security or US interests. As such, curbing the threat from Russia is unlikely to be part of his "peace" plan. www.politico.com/news/2025/01...

NPR's Ruth Sherlock on the Musk/Starlink in Italy story (feat. @rachelrizzo.bsky.social). I suspect, however, that one important factor in the Meloni government's decision is an attempt sidestep US pressure on Italy's anemic (1.5% of GDP) defense spending. www.npr.org/transcripts/...

Can Donald Trump actually buy Greenland? And, uh, what does Greenland think about this? We answer these questions and more in our @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social #Greenland primer! www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-at...

Four years ago on Christmas Eve we said goodbye to our Beans. In her memory, Team Beans continues to fight for babies and toddlers battling brain cancer. Please consider donating to cancer research in her memory at: danafarber.jimmyfund.org/site/TR?fr_i...

🇩🇪 One might assume that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz losing a vote of confidence this week signals political paralysis ahead. “But that assessment fails to look deeper at the politics in Berlin,” explain Jorn Fleck and @rachelrizzo.bsky.social:

Off to #Warsaw for Central Europe Week hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center! Do they have eggnog there?? I hope so.

Happy Thanksgiving from Cape Town, South Africa! No turkey but a lot of other meat and fixins, amazing wine, and pumpkin desserts. We highly recommend Chef’s Warehouse Merchant Bar & Grill, on Bree St. 🍷🥩 @rachelrizzo.bsky.social

The pardoned White House turkeys were just indicted by the Manhattan district attorney

Hi from Cape Town! Any restaurant recs? 🇿🇦

Threads blew a 3-1 lead

With a fully remote team of just 20 employees, Bluesky has surpassed 20 million users in its first year since opening to the public and is stealing thunder from rivals hundreds of times its size. At a time when conventional wisdom among bosses is that workers must be in-person to be productive.

quite the cover from @politico.eu

He’s right. Also, it seems like the only proof you really need to support women in combat is to talk to men who have fought alongside women in combat.

I guess it’s time to introduce myself: hi Bluesky! I’m Rachel. Live in DC (but spend a lot of time across the pond), work at a think tank, & research US foreign policy & the US-European relationship. I also post about pop-culture, philosophy & ideas if I’m feeling pensive, & make dumb jokes!

À lire:

Maybe Bluesky is healthier for me because even though no one is really sharing this over here, also no one is telling me I should go to prison for writing it like they are on X!

Ma première op-ed dans @lemonde.fr écrite (en français !) avec Michael Benhamou. Donald Trump reviendra à la Maison Blanche en Janvier. Notre suggestion? “Europeanize” l’OTAN. 👇🏼 www.lemonde.fr/idees/articl...

If there is one other bedrock US forpol/natsec policy pillar that has diametrically reversed as much as trade policy, it is NATO policy. A decade ago there was relative hostility to the Europeanization of NATO. Now it is consensus among DC Atlanticists. Co-authored by @rachelrizzo.bsky.social.

More like Fox & Strangers bc I’ve literally never heard of this man.

I told @breakingdefense.bsky.social that I don’t think a second Trump term automatically spells disaster for Ukraine. Trump doesn’t want to start his 2nd presidency with his own version of Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal; he doesn’t want to look like a capitulator. breakingdefense.com/2024/11/a-se...

Ok so is everyone moving to Bluesky now? Is that what’s happening?

Look, look! My first BlueSky post!