What do you think?
Rate this book
And Then What?: Dispatches from the Heart of 21st-Century Diplomacy, from Kosovo to Kyiv
So much of modern-day diplomacy still takes place behind closed doors, away from cameras and prying eyes. So what does this vital role really look like in today's world –and what does it take to do it well?
From 2009 to 2014, Cathy Ashton was the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, effectively Europe's foreign policy supremo responsible for coordinating the EU's response to international crises. Arriving in Brussels as a relative novice to international diplomacy, she faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent times in living memory. Decades-old certainties were swept away in days. Hope rose and fell, often in a matter of hours.
From the frozen conflict of Ukraine to the Serbia-Kosovo deal, there were challenges, failures and moments of success. She encountered dictators and war criminals, and witnessed the aftermath of natural disasters, military action, and political instability. Working with US politicians and counterparts including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Burns, she negotiated historic settlements, such as the Iran nuclear deal. An 'honest broker', she navigated the needs of opposing politicians to chart a path towards collaboration and stability.
Now Ashton takes us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn't, and how it felt to be in 'the room where it happened'. From Serbia to Somalia, Libya to Haiti, she offers essential insight into how modern diplomacy works, examining the tools needed to find our way through the many challenges we face today.
From 2009 to 2014, Cathy Ashton was the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, effectively Europe's foreign policy supremo responsible for coordinating the EU's response to international crises. Arriving in Brussels as a relative novice to international diplomacy, she faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent times in living memory. Decades-old certainties were swept away in days. Hope rose and fell, often in a matter of hours.
From the frozen conflict of Ukraine to the Serbia-Kosovo deal, there were challenges, failures and moments of success. She encountered dictators and war criminals, and witnessed the aftermath of natural disasters, military action, and political instability. Working with US politicians and counterparts including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Burns, she negotiated historic settlements, such as the Iran nuclear deal. An 'honest broker', she navigated the needs of opposing politicians to chart a path towards collaboration and stability.
Now Ashton takes us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn't, and how it felt to be in 'the room where it happened'. From Serbia to Somalia, Libya to Haiti, she offers essential insight into how modern diplomacy works, examining the tools needed to find our way through the many challenges we face today.
288 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2023
73 people are currently reading
860 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 31, 2023
“In pursuit of preventing or ending chaos we engage with people we neither like nor respect, and whose views are wildly different to our own”
April 25, 2024
An interesting insight into the world of international diplomacy. If you’re interested in how governments negotiate and strike the various deals we hear about on the news, this book will answer some of the questions you might ask yourself.
December 18, 2024
The author served as the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from 2009 to 2014. She was the first such official as the role was newly created at the time, the equivalent of a minister of foreign affairs for the whole of EU. In this book Catherine Ashton provides insights of major international and regional events. Her first hand experience and her role in the epicentre of decision making in these events are outlined in the form of diary entries.
Ashton narrates sometimes as a diplomat, sometimes as a policy maker, sometimes as a humanitarian. She provides an account of lessons learned, opportunities that were not materialised into meaningful action, and prescriptive policy advice. Overall it is the work of someone who experienced extraordinary events and helped to control, drive, and sometimes shape them. She also subtly admits her inability and exasperation, as the representative of an institution with limited mandates and gravitas, to lead meaningful action. For example, her role as the EU representative, and the supranational institution itself, was reduced to a function of decorum during the negotiations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014. She also implicitly admits that a multiparty negotiating round, where various actors from seemingly the same side with competing or clashing interests, can be detrimental to the intended outcome.
Ashton took part in the Iran Nuclear negotiations, the Serbia and Kosovo dialogue, intervened in the Ukraine crisis talks, shaped the policy toward the eradication of piracy in Somalia, negotiated among the political forces in Egypt following the Arab Spring, managed the negotiations in the post-Gaddafi era in Libya, and visited Haiti and Japan following some devastating natural disasters. Her insights in these events are not ground breaking. But her reading of the difficulties she experienced provide some lessons to policy makers, the media, and even to the wider public. She was not an elected official but strongly believed in public service. She admits that her appointment was a politically driven compromise. But she took advantage of the situation and wholeheartedly devoted her skills and energy to make the world a better place.
As expected, Ashton does not throw under the bus any of her like-minded co-negotiators, despite some uncomfortable statements and course of action. For example, the US going behind the back of everyone and negotiating on their own accord. But she is quick to portray illiberal leaders as the face of evil forces. This is partly the result of cultural misreading of personalities and the wrong attribution of cues to their policies. Just because Putin is cold and never smiles doesn't mean his authoritarianism is the result of this. After all there aren't many Russians out there who are warm and smiley. Even those with the most liberal and democratic credentials.
Granted, the book is a refined gossiping window to the world of negotiating tables, the quirky habits of powerful men (it is mostly men who shape our policies), and the humane elements of a demanding job. Beyond this, we learn about the challenges, ambiquities, and conflict that shape high policy decisions. Ashton teaches us that there is hardly ever a correct course of action when aiming for a particular outcome. She also offers us lessons in the art of diplomacy, especially how to reach a compromise. For example, "sometime leaving enough room for ambiguity in the interpretation is necessary to move forward", or "it would help if each side thought the other had been dragged screaming to a compromise". Ultimately every problem or crisis is unique and the tools used to solve or manage them are bespoke. Her consistent line is that the EU is there to help but the solution must come from within. For Ashton it is building a relationship and investing in trust where the way forward lies. This echos the ideas put forward by Nicholas Wheeler, especially his exploration of how difficult agreements come to conclude in his seminar book "Trusting Enemies".
Ashton narrates sometimes as a diplomat, sometimes as a policy maker, sometimes as a humanitarian. She provides an account of lessons learned, opportunities that were not materialised into meaningful action, and prescriptive policy advice. Overall it is the work of someone who experienced extraordinary events and helped to control, drive, and sometimes shape them. She also subtly admits her inability and exasperation, as the representative of an institution with limited mandates and gravitas, to lead meaningful action. For example, her role as the EU representative, and the supranational institution itself, was reduced to a function of decorum during the negotiations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014. She also implicitly admits that a multiparty negotiating round, where various actors from seemingly the same side with competing or clashing interests, can be detrimental to the intended outcome.
Ashton took part in the Iran Nuclear negotiations, the Serbia and Kosovo dialogue, intervened in the Ukraine crisis talks, shaped the policy toward the eradication of piracy in Somalia, negotiated among the political forces in Egypt following the Arab Spring, managed the negotiations in the post-Gaddafi era in Libya, and visited Haiti and Japan following some devastating natural disasters. Her insights in these events are not ground breaking. But her reading of the difficulties she experienced provide some lessons to policy makers, the media, and even to the wider public. She was not an elected official but strongly believed in public service. She admits that her appointment was a politically driven compromise. But she took advantage of the situation and wholeheartedly devoted her skills and energy to make the world a better place.
As expected, Ashton does not throw under the bus any of her like-minded co-negotiators, despite some uncomfortable statements and course of action. For example, the US going behind the back of everyone and negotiating on their own accord. But she is quick to portray illiberal leaders as the face of evil forces. This is partly the result of cultural misreading of personalities and the wrong attribution of cues to their policies. Just because Putin is cold and never smiles doesn't mean his authoritarianism is the result of this. After all there aren't many Russians out there who are warm and smiley. Even those with the most liberal and democratic credentials.
Granted, the book is a refined gossiping window to the world of negotiating tables, the quirky habits of powerful men (it is mostly men who shape our policies), and the humane elements of a demanding job. Beyond this, we learn about the challenges, ambiquities, and conflict that shape high policy decisions. Ashton teaches us that there is hardly ever a correct course of action when aiming for a particular outcome. She also offers us lessons in the art of diplomacy, especially how to reach a compromise. For example, "sometime leaving enough room for ambiguity in the interpretation is necessary to move forward", or "it would help if each side thought the other had been dragged screaming to a compromise". Ultimately every problem or crisis is unique and the tools used to solve or manage them are bespoke. Her consistent line is that the EU is there to help but the solution must come from within. For Ashton it is building a relationship and investing in trust where the way forward lies. This echos the ideas put forward by Nicholas Wheeler, especially his exploration of how difficult agreements come to conclude in his seminar book "Trusting Enemies".
August 5, 2023
A fascinating read for anyone with an interest in high-level diplomacy or the specific countries and events detailed in the book. I found particularly fascinating the blow-by-blow detail of the beginning of the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, and the Iran nuclear negotiations. Ashton writes compellingly and honestly, seemingly presenting things “warts and all.”
Less positively, I think Ashton has rose-colored glasses about the outcomes achieved by her and the EU in these pages. While she acknowledges briefly the ultimate failures of almost every one of these diplomatic endeavors, most notably Ukraine, Haiti, and Kosovo, she presents it as “diplomacy is a long and hard process and small steps are important.” I think a better conclusion would be “we tried our best, but it wasn’t good enough.” She clearly has some frustration with the EU as a whole, but gives it a lot of leeway…too much in my opinion.
Overall, it’s a book well-worth reading, and an important document to understand how we got where we are, regardless of how bad that place may be.
Less positively, I think Ashton has rose-colored glasses about the outcomes achieved by her and the EU in these pages. While she acknowledges briefly the ultimate failures of almost every one of these diplomatic endeavors, most notably Ukraine, Haiti, and Kosovo, she presents it as “diplomacy is a long and hard process and small steps are important.” I think a better conclusion would be “we tried our best, but it wasn’t good enough.” She clearly has some frustration with the EU as a whole, but gives it a lot of leeway…too much in my opinion.
Overall, it’s a book well-worth reading, and an important document to understand how we got where we are, regardless of how bad that place may be.
November 9, 2025
I enjoy a bit of geopolitics and applaud the tortuous work of those negotiating the (sometimes quite literal) minefields of diplomacy, but I found this memoir by the EU’s first female High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security a real slog. I've given it 3* for thoroughness, and because I may not be the target audience - someone more interested in the process of negotiations would perhaps be enthralled. If you like reading in depth about meetings, this is for you, but I would have enjoyed more general background, simpler summaries and a bit of gossip - which is what I was expecting but not what this is.
October 3, 2023
I love how I wrote a review and Goodreads decides not to upload it.
Anyway sth along the lines of, this should have been motivational en insightful read during my MA in IP bcs sth to do with no women and no insight in how shit actually works. So no we are left with tanked motivation and little to no interest in IR.
Anyway sth along the lines of, this should have been motivational en insightful read during my MA in IP bcs sth to do with no women and no insight in how shit actually works. So no we are left with tanked motivation and little to no interest in IR.
October 12, 2023
Not the most engaging memoir, but some good storytelling (Russian ambassador anecdotes ranking particularly highly) and an interesting window into (mainly the frustrations of) high-level diplomacy.
December 19, 2023
i feel compelled to explain my low rating, as i do not wish to hinder this book’s first ratings on the app.
though i am very interested in international relations, geopolitics, and international conflicts, i would have appreciated if this book had a less condensed approach to its writing, with more simple language to make the stories more appealing.
the anecdotes shared by the writer and truly interesting, but i often found myself getting lost in all the technical jargon.
i might not be the public this book was meant for, but i was surely interested in the value the book had to offer when i stumbled upon it in one of London’s bookshops, so that’s just an observation.
kudos to all her great work during such turbulent times while representing the EU; it really sounded like a headache so i’m greatly impressed by the author’s commitment to her work.
though i am very interested in international relations, geopolitics, and international conflicts, i would have appreciated if this book had a less condensed approach to its writing, with more simple language to make the stories more appealing.
the anecdotes shared by the writer and truly interesting, but i often found myself getting lost in all the technical jargon.
i might not be the public this book was meant for, but i was surely interested in the value the book had to offer when i stumbled upon it in one of London’s bookshops, so that’s just an observation.
kudos to all her great work during such turbulent times while representing the EU; it really sounded like a headache so i’m greatly impressed by the author’s commitment to her work.
April 21, 2024
This book great, but some aspects were a bit of a mixed bag. It is a compilation of 7 “despatches” centred on the international political issues of the period 2008-2014, as headed by Catherine Ashton, the first and last, Briton to hold the position of HRVP (head of EU foreign affairs and Vice-President of the EU Commission). These events are: the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, the Somalian pirates, the Arab Spring in Egypt, the Arab Spring in Libya, the Serbia and Kosovo negotiations, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Russo-Ukraine crisis that ended in the annexation of Crimea. Ashton brings an excellent point of view, talking about her conversations with all the major political leaders at the time: Gordon Brown, David Cameron and William Hague from the UK; President Obama, Hilary Clinton and John Kerry from the USA; Angela Merkel from Germany; President Barroso from the EU; Sergei Lavrov and President Putin from Russia; Prime Minister Dacic from Serbia; Prime Minister Thaci from Kosovo, amongst countless others. The position Ashton held in these negotiations provides invaluable insights into the inner workings of both international diplomacy and the EU.
Of the issues that Ashton documents, the most gripping by far is the Serbia-Kosovo talks. It really epitomises the minutiae and fine margins that can make or break a deal. The overall success (with of course some failures) of these talks really shows the power of negotiation in the modern world. I thoroughly recommend anyone reads this chapter, perhaps the best hour you will ever spend reading about Eastern Europe.
However, some of the topics invoked a mixture of negative feelings. The commentary on Egypt felt that it lacked a cohesive structure and the final chapter of the Ukrainian crisis was inconclusive, and I felt that it didn’t warrant it’s own chapter if not for the current situation in Russo-Ukrainian relations which Ashton would have been keenly aware of.
Overall, Ashton is a good writer and someone who is easy to understand in the context of all these issues. The way she represents the crises she headed resolutions on and the relationships between countries and individuals who represent them is excellent. The crises themselves were on a varying scale of interest (which sounds terrible when talking about events that often cost thousands of people their lives), with Serbia-Kosovo at the top and possibly Egypt at the bottom.
Of the issues that Ashton documents, the most gripping by far is the Serbia-Kosovo talks. It really epitomises the minutiae and fine margins that can make or break a deal. The overall success (with of course some failures) of these talks really shows the power of negotiation in the modern world. I thoroughly recommend anyone reads this chapter, perhaps the best hour you will ever spend reading about Eastern Europe.
However, some of the topics invoked a mixture of negative feelings. The commentary on Egypt felt that it lacked a cohesive structure and the final chapter of the Ukrainian crisis was inconclusive, and I felt that it didn’t warrant it’s own chapter if not for the current situation in Russo-Ukrainian relations which Ashton would have been keenly aware of.
Overall, Ashton is a good writer and someone who is easy to understand in the context of all these issues. The way she represents the crises she headed resolutions on and the relationships between countries and individuals who represent them is excellent. The crises themselves were on a varying scale of interest (which sounds terrible when talking about events that often cost thousands of people their lives), with Serbia-Kosovo at the top and possibly Egypt at the bottom.
January 29, 2024
It is said that a diplomat cannot write decent memoirs: if a diplomat tells the interesting things about their work, they will be branded a traitor; if they tell what they can tell, it will all end up in a collection of trivial anecdotes. This book is much closer to the second description than the first; however, it does not fail to provide context for some of the international political problems she faced during her term, providing a view from an important participant on the meetings: the value of this book is that "I was there". The book is a collection of "what can be done" or "this is as far as we can go": all the issues it deals with (Somalia, Ukraine, Iran, etc.) remain unsolved or have deteriorated (such as the Arab Spring). It still seems like a witness who was involuntarily involved in these problems without many resources. And most of the time, it is seen that she could do little or, without questioning her good intentions, she did nothing. In favor of Mrs. Ashton, it should be said that she started from nothing, and was responsible for creating the infrastructure of the European diplomatic service; that she had few resources; and that she was a woman in a man's world, which is a difficult obstacle to overcome today, let alone 15 years ago.
April 3, 2024
From 2009 to 2014, Baroness Catherine Ashton was the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, effectively Europe's foreign policy supremo responsible for coordinating the EU's response to international crises. Formerly Leader of the House of Lords under Gordon Brown, she spent a year as Peter Mandelson's replacement as EU Trade Commissioner before being promoted to the most senior diplomatic job in the EU. This well written book describes some of the events of her five years as the High Representative as she tackled challenges as varied as the Ukraine revolution, the earthquake in Haiti, the Iran nuclear deal, the "Arab Spring", and the still ongoing challenges on the Balkans. I found it very interesting, although I despaired page by page about how weighty matters affecting millions of people seemed to swing on the egos of a few, rather over-promoted, men. I was fascinated to read how senior diplomats get caught up in "stuff on ground" - she found her self in Maiden Square in Kyiv during the Ukrainian revolution for example. The events she describes and the personalities involved seem of another time now - such as Obama, John Kerry, Sarkozy, Merkel, and José Manuel Barroso. Sadly not though Vladimir Putin.
April 24, 2024
OK, I give this book 4 stars. But let me start by saying that on the cover of the version that I read (paperback 2023 by Elliott&Thompson) there are quotes like: breathless, extraordinary stories, colourful, suspenseful, ...) which I think are really not applicable. It is almost the opposite, but it is still a great book. I think Ashton describes her events and diplomatic efforts and successes almost in a boring fashion, but that in itself is exactly how the European Union deals with the world and with its global diplomacy. And it is very useful and insightful for the reader to experience and understand that this is how Europe functions. It is almost painfully obvious that Europe's top diplomats like Ashton, without any previous international experience, are no personality match for the often terrible creatures they need to deal with to try and reach agreements on behalf of 28 stakeholders, but maybe, just maybe, that is exactly what is needed to try and keep our world in some kind of stability. Negotiating for hours about one or two words in a statement, try and respect everyone's goals and sensitivities. The contrast with the so-called big players is enormous, but to a large extent I felt that the European way was and is not the worst.
May 2, 2025
What this book does do is record plainly a summary of how diligently and arduously some people work in the pursuit of a world as good as it can be amid the noise and haste. After appointment, The Economist described her as being a virtual unknown with paltry political experience, having no foreign-policy background and never having been elected to anything. Well, thank goodness for that: the multi-national complexity of what her incipient role required was something all-consuming and without the hindrance of defending prior entrenchment. Students of negotiation technique and seekers of political intrigue will have to read more widely because of Catherine Ashton’s conscientious integrity but this modestly-written book serves as the essential foundation for all that.
April 18, 2025
I've heard Cathy Ashton speak and was really impressed by her, so I was looking forward to this account of her time as effectively Foreign Minister for the EU.
Stepping into a newly created role, at short notice, with none of the foreign office infrastructure in place that her member countries benefited from, must have been a huge challenge.
Covered in this book are major diplomatic issues covering natural disasters, nuclear proliferation, and war, showing us the behind the scenes view of shuttling diplomacy.
And yet... for some reason that I can't put my finger on, I didn't really connect with this book. It's good, but I was hoping for great and didn't get it.
Stepping into a newly created role, at short notice, with none of the foreign office infrastructure in place that her member countries benefited from, must have been a huge challenge.
Covered in this book are major diplomatic issues covering natural disasters, nuclear proliferation, and war, showing us the behind the scenes view of shuttling diplomacy.
And yet... for some reason that I can't put my finger on, I didn't really connect with this book. It's good, but I was hoping for great and didn't get it.
October 17, 2024
If you want to gain an understanding of the inner workings of diplomatic conversations, posturing and development work in the 2010s this is a great insight. The Iran and Serbia/Kosovo chapters were particularly interesting, whilst the chapter on Ukraine helps provide an initial context in relation to the foundations of the current Russia/Ukraine war. My one issue with the book is that it can be fairly descriptive at times, and Ashton mostly refrains from giving her opinion on a particular issue or leader, but perhaps this is emblematic of her position as a top EU diplomat.
November 30, 2023
If you're interested in the major international issues of our time, this is a worthwhile read. It can be absorbed in chapter sized bites. It's not a sensational telling of events but reveals the complex and lengthy evolution of major happenings (Iran nuclear deal, Ukrainian conflict, Haiti earthquake) as well as attempts to find resolutions. Ashton is an impressive public servant.
May 10, 2024
I love Cathy Ashton, but I found this book a tad disappointing compared to her interview on The Rest is Politics: Leading. She definitely gives an insight into diplomacy during some tough occasions but it was quite repetitive and, at times, a bit boring.
I would suggest listening to the podcast interview over reading the book
I would suggest listening to the podcast interview over reading the book
January 6, 2025
A little hard to follow at times (she has a habit of jumping backwards and forwards in time, especially in the Serbia Kosovo chapter) but a fascinating read. Highly recommend if you have an interest in geopolitics. Still don't really understand what her job scope was, but as that puts me in the same camp as Obama I'll take it.
October 2, 2023
and then what…
… proves to prevent is better to heal as none of the “breakthrough” agreements and efforts particularly in the latter part of the book came to any fruition. At least there was a start. The book is a wonderful showcase of how tentative and fragile is the world and the diplomacy that makes it possible.
… proves to prevent is better to heal as none of the “breakthrough” agreements and efforts particularly in the latter part of the book came to any fruition. At least there was a start. The book is a wonderful showcase of how tentative and fragile is the world and the diplomacy that makes it possible.
February 12, 2024
Clearly a retrospective now, but all the better for that, as the world struggles still with the topics and problems it intelligently discusses and describes. The book does all this in a very approachable manner.
June 8, 2024
A very interesting and insightful book. Although many people said that it wasn’t engaging enough, I completely disagree, with her writing highlighting the often slow-paced and at times dull nature of diplomacy, to come to results that people are rarely completely happy with.
August 7, 2025
A very interesting read on European foreign affairs. Full of behind-the-scenes details that reveal how modern diplomacy works and why it’s so complex, yet so important, to reach solutions through compromise.
October 13, 2023
Maybe you need to be studying International Relations or Politics to appreciate this. I am English teacher with an interest in politics so this didn’t work out for me.
April 14, 2024
Guter Einblick in diplomatische Verhandlungen
August 9, 2024
Fascinating & informative, an in-depth view into news stories from 10 years plus ago….
The only improvement I could have come up with is that this book would’ve been easier to read with an acronym list. Various EU/government bodies are mentioned & thereafter by their acronyms - a list of same that could be referred to would have been hugely helpful. Thank goodness for the internet!
The only improvement I could have come up with is that this book would’ve been easier to read with an acronym list. Various EU/government bodies are mentioned & thereafter by their acronyms - a list of same that could be referred to would have been hugely helpful. Thank goodness for the internet!
November 12, 2023
Even in the higher places negotiations are never smooth. Wrong drafts sent out, back channelled bilateral conversations, if anything this book fascinated me not so much by describing the exact compromise found in a hopeless crisis, but how at the start of negotiations end game is never clearly defined for any party. Especially relevant in the current geopolitical havoc. To agree on something - people have to start talking.
March 14, 2024
A fascinating insight into diplomacy at the highest level and a window into some of the most sensitive world events of the past 20 years
August 7, 2024
An excellent insight into the world of diplomacy. Political views are mostly left out, only facts and personal interpretations are in, which adds to the interest. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews