Elisabeth Braw — Undersea War: The Battle to Control the Cables and Pipelines That Connect Our World - with Amy Mackinnon

Elisabeth Braw discusses *Undersea War: The Battle to Control the Cables and Pipelines That Connect Our World* with Amy Mackinnon. Braw examines the largely invisible infrastructure beneath the oceans: undersea cables carrying 99 percent of the world’s data and pipelines transporting roughly two-thirds of its oil and gas. She explains how sabotage and geopolitical competition are turning the seabed into a new arena of conflict.

The conversation explores the history and strategic importance of this infrastructure, including the 2022 explosions affecting Baltic Sea pipelines, the disruption of data links to Taiwan’s Matsu Islands, and the subsequent damage to additional Baltic cables and pipelines. Braw argues that the next struggle for global supremacy may take place on the ocean floor.

When: Friday, November 6, 2026

Showtime: 7:00 p.m.

Venue: Politics and Prose at The Wharf, 610 Water St SW, Washington, DC 20024

Tickets: Free admission, with first-come, first-served seating.

Speakers: Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. She writes columns for *Foreign Policy* and *Politico Europe* and contributes to the *Financial Times* and *The Times* of London. She is also the author of the award-winning *Goodbye, Globalization*.

Moderator: Amy Mackinnon covers the United States’ relationship with Europe for the *Financial Times*, including transatlantic diplomacy, NATO and EU relations, the war in Ukraine, and tensions with Russia. She previously worked at *POLITICO* and *Foreign Policy*, reporting on U.S. intelligence and national security. Her journalism has been recognized with the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award.

Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask accessibility questions, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. Requests made up to the event may also be accommodated when possible.

Related book: *Undersea War: The Battle to Control the Cables and Pipelines That Connect Our World* by Elisabeth Braw is available in hardcover for $34.00. It was published October 13, 2026.