Dear Dr. Stelzenmüller, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for your unique analytical perspective and intellectual approach. To me, your thinking is characterized by a remarkable clarity and structure that goes far beyond what is customary in current security policy and strategic analysis.
As a German in Washington, you occupy a deliberately chosen, non-neutral position—similar to Fareed Zakaria as an Indian in America—and turn this into a productive dynamic. You are not merely an observer, but a shaper of transatlantic relations. Your decision to accept America’s invitation is an expression of an active, well-deserved sense of belonging, which you embody with energy and passion for the transatlantic ideal. It is precisely this attitude that makes you, in my view, an indispensable analyst, because you act not only with your head but also with your heart, without ever sacrificing your analytical independence.
What particularly distinguishes you is your ability to recognize the broad outlines of the architectural framework and to think through strategic consequences. You analyze developments not merely as isolated events, but always ask what they mean in institutional and policy terms. Your focus is on the principles underpinning Western security. You think in terms of systems, guarantees, and institutional resilience—and that is precisely what we need today more urgently than ever.
Your role as Senior Fellow and Fritz Stern Chair at Brookings is, in my view, no coincidence, but a logical consequence of your expertise: you combine the ability to understand America from the inside with a deeply European perspective. This enables you to build bridges and help shape debates on both sides of the Atlantic. You never take a stance against America, but are always seeking constructive solutions that strengthen both sides.
Your journalistic background at Die Zeit adds an extra dimension to your academic precision: you recognize narratives, understand the power of stories and arguments—and do not allow yourself to be blinded by mere data sets. You demand substance and context, and that elevates your analyses to another level.
In a male-dominated world of security policy, you are one of the few women at the top. You always engage with your counterparts as equals, demanding and earning respect as an intellectual peer. You are a role model not only for yourself but also for many other women and men in this field.
That is precisely why I am convinced: you are the ideal person to bring the concept of decarbonization at the source and the geopolitical opportunity for Europe into the international debate. You have the intellectual depth, the institutional experience, and the communicative power to position this issue in such a way that it is understood not as a short-term fad, but as a strategic lever for Europe’s role in the world.
I am proud to see you as a conversation partner and analyst who is capable of building bridges, penetrating systems, and shaping the direction of debates. It would be a great asset to the international discussion if you were to embrace this concept and—with your analytical brilliance and persuasive power—bring it into the global debate.
I write this to you with the utmost respect!