Highlights
Featured
Energy Sovereignty Index: Gains, gaps, and the road ahead
ECFR’s 2024 Energy Sovereignty Index shows both progress and persistent pitfalls on the EU’s path to energy independence, efficiency, and cleanness. While gains in renewable energy and efficiency are notable, the bloc’s heavy reliance on energy imports is a critical vulnerability
Brazil: Europe’s bridge to the global south
Brazil and Europe share many similarities: both seek autonomy amid escalating US-China tensions – while championing multilateralism and navigating democratic pressures for a values-based foreign policy. However, their potential for collaboration remains largely untapped
Touching the void: Human rights in foreign policy under Trump 2.0
Donald Trump’s second presidential administration is imminent. The European Union should prioritise international collaboration to challenge America’s likely hardline approach to human rights
Reste calme: Why Europeans should take a measured approach towards Trump in Africa
During his first presidency, Donald Trump’s Africa policy was defined by a series of gaffs and confused foreign policy decisions. His re-election is a wake-up call to European governments that building a strong relationship with the world’s fastest-growing continent is more vital than ever
Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Ceasefire in Lebanon
Mark Leonard welcomes Julien Barnes-Dacey to discuss the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon
ECFR on air
Saudi Arabia and Trump: What’s next for the Middle East
Ellie Geranmayeh welcomes Dr. Manal Radwan to talk about the impact of Donald Trump’s election for the wars in the Middle East
Views from the Council
Trump’s return is terrible news for Ukraine. Europe should step into the breach – but will it?
With Germany’s government collapsing and Europeans so divided in their response to Trump, unity is essential yet elusive
The next five years: How strong economic and trade alliances can prepare the EU for a post-America world
Regardless of who wins the US presidential election, the European Union must shape its own future by fostering resilience, refining trade policies, and strengthening global partnerships to navigate shifting geopolitical winds
In the Media - Council
Karolina Wigura on the German government’s decision to reimpose checks at its borders
Lea Ypi on British interest in the migrant pact struck between Italy and Albania
Daniela Schwarzer discusses lessons Draghi’s report on competitiveness holds for Germany
Gerald Knaus criticises plans to turn away refugees at the German border
Featured and flagship projects
Countdown to Trump
What would a Trump win mean for transatlantic relations? Would a Harris presidency mark another, different sort of turning point? What can – and should – a Europe with less US mean?
Featured
Re:Engage
This project helps the EU in refining its foreign policy, re-engaging neighbours post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine to bolster regional resilience and advance enlargement policies.
Featured
Re:Order
Re:Order project explores emerging visions of the global order, as well as the interplay between economic might and geopolitical influence.
Featured
Latest
Back to the battlefield: A new chapter in Syria’s civil war
Syrian rebel forces have seized Aleppo, reigniting the country’s civil war. As Bashar al-Assad remobilises, the country is likely to be sucked into a new cycle of devastating violence
On the rocks: How the EU can keep Georgia’s European future alive
Barely a month after Georgian Dream declared victory in a contested and undemocratic election, Georgia’s European future hangs by a thread. The EU must act decisively to prevent its slide towards Moscow
Avoiding the next front: Iraq’s fight to stay out of the Israel-Iran conflict
As Israel and Iran clash, Iraq’s Shia leadership is trying to rein in domestic Iranian-backed paramilitaries to shield the country from becoming a new battleground in the Middle East
Staying power: Securing peace in Ukraine while balancing European interests
European governments’ hesitation to pursue strategic security goals in Ukraine risks leaving them absent from peace negotiations, undermining both Kyiv’s position and Europe’s role in shaping a stable European security order
Point-scoring over protection: How Russia’s politicking harms Sudanese civilians
Russia’s veto of a UN resolution to protect Sudanese civilians highlights the deadly consequences of great-power competition. As Sudan faces a catastrophic man-made humanitarian crisis, European efforts must prioritise local initiatives to safeguard vulnerable populations
Deconstructing Russia’s anti-colonial posturing in the global south
The Kremlin has embraced a narrative that deeply resonates with the global south: that the Western world order is unjust, positioning Russia as its main challenger. However, translating this narrative into concrete actions has been challenging for Putin’s regime
In their op-ed, Leo Litra and Elie Tenenbaum argue for a European coalition to issue ironclad security guarantees to Ukraine
Maddalena Procopio on the Lobito Corridor as clear positioning of the United States in Africa towards China
Aleksander Smolar on Polish negative attitude towards EU trade-talks with Ukraine
More on Africa
Material world: How Europe can compete with China in the race for Africa’s critical minerals
The EU faces a massive uphill struggle to secure critical raw material supply chains – and its efforts may even be undermining the bloc’s de-risking objectives by indirectly helping Chinese companies
More on Asia
The idea of China
China’s ideas could become the country’s next big export. The Idea of China examines Chinese thinking about global order, AI, demographic change, and more – and considers how these ideas could influence the world
More on European Power
Better firefighting: Readying Europe for an age between war and peace
Facing wars and crises, the EU can no longer rely on slow peacetime processes. It needs a plan for faster industrial and infrastructural adaptation
More on Middle East and North Africa
Mending fences: Europe’s stake in the Saudi-Iran detente
Saudi-Iran diplomacy offers a rare path to prevent deepening conflict in the Middle East and support regional stability. Europeans should see this diplomacy as a chance to address their core interests, and not just as Iran’s attempt to bypass Western pressure
More on United States
Trump’s tinderbox: US politics and the next war in the Balkans
Serbian revisionism is on the march and would be greatly strengthened by a Trump win. The EU must prepare a deterrence plan — and take greater responsibility for Western Balkan security
More on Wider Europe
The interest of values: The EU’s democracy promotion in the Western Balkans and the eastern neighbourhood
With EU enlargement back on the agenda, democracy promotion in candidate countries is a key geopolitical interest for the bloc. The EU’s previous efforts to promote democracy in the Western Balkans and eastern neighbourhood may hold valuable lessons for the years ahead