Standard fare in European history classes is discussion of the “German question,” focusing on the problem of a powerful Germany in the center of Europe threatening security from 1871-1945. The more serious problem for European security since 1945 has been the Russia question.1/ The problem of German power was addressed by its division from 1945-90. Then Germany unified within European institutions, easing fears of that process. And the U.S. was there all along in NATO in part to help “keep Germany down,” as NATO’s first SecGen put it. 2/

There's a lot of discussion of US policy toward Russia in the 90s these days. If you want to do a deep dive, you can always check out the book Power and Purpose by me and @McFaul and here's a short thread 1/ GHW Bush expressed hope for Europe "whole and free" in 1989 - Clinton team added "and at peace." US policy in the 90s had several components 2/

Given 30th anniversary of the Soviet collapse+with Putin's threats/demands, there's been a frenzy again over the q whether the West made a NATO-enlargement promise it later broke. I think we need to step back+consider some bigger issues re Euro security after end of Cold War 1/ The US sought to reassure the Soviets and then the Russians that the West wouldn't take advantage of Moscow's retreat from Europe after the end of the Cold War to undermine Russian security. It believed it delivered on that assurance. Why? 2/

I’ve learned so much from @shifrinson on this issue of whether the West made a promise on nato enlargement, which I now think is the wrong way to frame it. I would just add one point to this excellent thread 1/

https://twitter.com/shifrinson/status/1393536671451385859

The US and its partners assured the Soviets/Russians they wouldn’t undermine the latter’s security as they retreated from Europe 2/

Unless something dramatically changes with the virus, universities are either going to have to admit that they will be online this fall (year?) or they'll start on campus and abandon after inevitable spikes. 1/ I get the financial fears. The loss of room and board. The fear students will defer. But the virus is what it is. 2/

The Bill Clinton Presidential Library recently posted declassified memoranda of 18 meeting conversations (memcons) and 56 telephone conversations (telcons) between Clinton and Boris Yeltsin from Jan 23 1993 to Dec 31 1999 1/

https://twitter.com/TXNatSecReview/status/1034885942757281793

While @McFaul and I told the story of those years in great detail in Power and Purpose, and @strobetalbott quoted from many of these docs in his excellent memoir, it’s fascinating to read through the docs from beginning to end. 2/

Yesterday both the Canadian Foreign Minister @cafreeland and the German Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas gave speeches on how the world looks from where they sit as representatives of two of America’s closest allies. It ain’t pretty. 1/ Freeland was in DC to accept Foreign Policy Magazine’s Diplomat of the Year award, which she richly deserved. foreignpolicy.com/2018/06/14/201… 2/

Trump walked from TPP thinking the others would come crawling back on our terms+ they didn't. He threatened to walk from NAFTA thinking others would come crawling back on our terms+they haven't. He walked from Iran thinking they will come crawling back on our terms+ they won't.1/ He doesn't understand the issues, doesn't try, and doesn't care. Now he's got an upcoming meeting with KJU for which he has no knowledge, no strategy and no attention span. He trusts his instincts, which get him good ratings but that's about it. 2/