And Then What?

What does a diplomat actually do? Ashton takes us behind the scenes of major crises in Libya, Iran and more to reveal how modern-day diplomacy really works.  

What does a diplomat actually do? Ashton takes us behind the scenes of major crises in Libya, Iran and more to reveal how modern-day diplomacy really works.  

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. 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 Iran nuclear 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. 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.  

‘Brilliant – suspenseful and dramatic. I read it in a day.’ Ken Follett, international bestselling author of The Pillars of the Earth

‘A colourful insider account of European diplomacy … It’s clear our politics would have turned out better if we had had more Cathy Ashtons’ Luke Harding, The Observer

‘Fascinating and illuminating reading […] this book is truly remarkable history.’ Lord George Robertson, Former Secretary General, NATO

‘A riveting, absorbing account of modern diplomacy by one of the greatest international diplomats of recent times. And Then What? is hugely informative, full of tremendous insights, and a truly great read!’ General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and NATO/US Forces in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA

‘If generations of Earthlings-to-be do indeed engage in cosmic negotiations with other lifeforms, it will be because of the success of Cathy and her diplomatic compatriots in bringing us to realise we are Earth-life, together.’ Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut

‘[Ashton] combines acute analysis with moving portraits of the many people she engaged with, from dictators to shopkeepers; from overworked civil servants to distressed toddlers searching in vain through rubble for their parents […] A must for students of politics and a treat for lovers of general non-fiction.’ Misha Glenny, Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, and author of McMafia

‘This riveting, deeply personal and wonderfully accessible book takes the reader inside the room during the successes, setbacks and personalities of this turbulent period of history.’ Sir Kim Darroch, former British Ambassador to the USA, National Security Advisor, and UK Permanent Representative to the EU

‘Catherine Ashton’s gripping memoirs are not only a perfect combination of very precise facts and touching personal emotions, but for all foreign policy observers they convey important lessons of the past to serve for the crises of today.’ Pierre Vimont, former French ambassador to the EU and the USA

"A candid memoir of a fraught time in office provides a useful record of high level negotiation in Iran and Ukraine" Guardian

‘Ashton’s detailed account in her book of the events leading up to Putin’s 2014 invasion is fascinating’ i news 



‘And Then What? is breathless and conversational — and all the more readable for that. But while her tone is down-to-earth, the events that Ashton played a part in were dramatic and often historic.’ Gideon Rachman, Financial Times



‘Former EU representative Catherine Ashton is a voice of reason in a polarised world … This thoughtful memoir … is an eye-opening journey through negotiations over Ukraine, the Iran nuclear deal, the western Balkans and the Arab spring.’ Ben East, The Observer

‘Crises such as the war in Gaza propel top diplomats into a whirlwind of international negotiation. Ashton’s memoir of her time as the EU high representative for foreign policy provides a vivid sense of what it feels like to be at the centre of events — including the aftermath of the Arab spring and Russia’s first moves on Ukraine.’ Financial Times

Baroness Catherine Ashton served as the European Union’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from 2009 to 2014, and the first female EU Commissioner for Trade. She is a life peer and former Leader of the House of Lords, as well as serving as a UK government minister in the Education and Justice departments. She is Chair of the Global Europe Programme at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, senior policy advisor to Chatham House and a consultant to the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.  

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