Highlights
Featured
Fortune favours the bold: Upgrading the EU’s geoeconomic strategy
- Tobias Gehrke, Filip Medunic
- Policy Brief
The EU has started to join the dots between its economic and security policies. But as other powers reshape the geoeconomic landscape, it needs to upgrade its strategy beyond risk mitigation and competitiveness
Late-stage Putinism: The war in Ukraine and Russia’s shifting ideology
- Mikhail Komin
- Policy Brief
The Kremlin is creating a new, more unified ideology, which it is disseminating among the Russian population and using to attract global south countries to a new conservative alliance
Imagining Trump 2.0: Six scary policy scenarios for a second term
- Célia Belin, Majda Ruge, Jeremy Shapiro
- Policy Brief
The potential return of Donald Trump to the White House is a matter of months away. Here are six scary policy scenarios to give Europeans sleepless nights and prepare them for what could be to come
Beyond competition: How Europe can harness the UAE’s energy ambitions in Africa
- Maddalena Procopio, Corrado Čok
- Policy Brief
The UAE has invested heavily in Africa’s energy sectors in recent years, expanding its stakes in oil and gas, and renewables. Rather than viewing the UAE as solely a rival, Europeans should pursue a strategy of “co-opetition”, balancing competition with cooperation in areas of mutual interest, to fast-track green initiatives
Upcoming events
Dormant NATO: Future Prospects and Challenges
- Online
- ECFR Berlin
Recent events
How to Manage Europe’s Green Technology Dependence on China: A Black Coffee Morning
- Unter den Linden 17, 10117 Berlin (Entrance via Rosmarinstraße 1)
- ECFR Berlin
Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
The World after the West: Nasser Hadian on Iran
- Podcast
- Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Mark Leonard welcomes Nasser Hadian to delve into Iran’s geopolitical positioning
ECFR on air
Africa: Not just about migration
- Podcast
- ECFR on air
- Meloni goes multilateral
In the first big multilateral test for prime minister Giorgia Meloni, this mini-series will explore the four main priorities of Italy’s 2024 G7 presidency: Ukraine, AI, infrastructure, and Africa
Views from the Council
Wake up! After these elections, Europe is again in danger
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
Don’t let anyone tell you the results are “not so bad”. The hard-right vote can pull the entire EU to the right, and imperil Ukraine
Ukraine can still recover with bolder Western support – but right now it’s on the ropes
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
The Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion beat back a giant opponent, but his country can’t defeat Russia on its own
In the Media - Council
Douglas Alexander comments on Scottish independence ahead of the UK general election on July 4
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb talks about the Russian threat and explains why he sleeps soundly at night
Anand Menon suggests that the EU is evolving in a direction that will make deeper cooperation with the UK harder
EU Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen cautions against cutting social funds in favour of defence
Featured projects
Charting The Long War
For seven decades, European integration has been driven by the quest for peace. The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point.
Re:Order
Re:Order project explores emerging visions of the global order, as well as the interplay between economic might and geopolitical influence.
Multilateral Matchmaker
- Carla Hobbs, Rafael Loss, Jana Puglierin, Pawel Zerka
Public opinion polling
Through polling in EU member states, ECFR’s analysis seeks to unlock shifting coalitions in Europe that favour a more internationally engaged union
A crisis of one’s own: The politics of trauma in Europe’s election year
- Ivan Krastev, Mark Leonard
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Europe’s coming paralysis
- Mark Leonard
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
Given the state of the world today, it is difficult to imagine a worse time for Europe to be left rudderless. But with little room to manoeuvre after the European Parliament election, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Olaf Scholz are in no position to steer the EU through major challenges
Dreaming of EU: The challenges ahead for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession
- Leo Litra
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova have formally begun. But four main challenges lay ahead before the EU welcomes its eastern neighbours into the bloc
Innovate, protect, and influence: The EU’s technology trilemma and how to solve it
- José Ignacio Torreblanca, Giorgos Verdi
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
As technological competition between the US and China grows, the EU’s next technology agenda needs to be more assertive to maximise its global influence
Rome’s resolutions: Lessons from the G7 summit in Italy
- Teresa Coratella
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
The G7 summit in Italy was overshadowed by domestic and European politics. But the rest of the Italian presidency and its Canadian successor can build on this summit’s hits and address some of its misses
It just makes cents: Why the EU needs to step up its geoeconomics game
- Agathe Demarais
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
European countries are increasingly using economic statecraft, such as sanctions, export controls or industrial policy, to respond to geopolitical challenges. To co-ordinate a comprehensive response, the next European Commission needs a geoeconomics vice president
Growing pains: The future of EU enlargement after the European Parliament election
- Engjellushe Morina
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
With more right-wing MEPs in the next European Parliament, the EU’s enlargement plans may be in jeopardy unless the next commission president stands firm
Our experts are available for media requests. Our work involves many issues relating to Europe and foreign policy, and our programmes focus on Africa, Asia, the Middle East & North Africa, and Wider Europe.
Alberto Rizzi comments on the impact of the Middle East crisis on the Euro-Mediterranean energy market
Susi Dennison on how changing sentiment reflects the results of the European Parliament elections
“Fortune favours the bold” cited in POLITICO China Watcher
More on Africa
From mines to markets: How Africa and Europe can become green industry partners of choice
- Theophilus Acheampong
- Policy Brief
African and European decision-makers can achieve mutual benefit on critical raw materials – but the EU should be clearer about which parts of the value chain it wishes to invest in
Out of focus: Making progress on climate financing for Africa
- Ameer Chughtai
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
The final nail: Niger’s break with the US
- Will Brown
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on Asia
Trust and trade-offs: How to manage Europe’s green technology dependence on China
- Alexander Lipke, Janka Oertel, Daniel O’Sullivan
- Policy Brief
European policymakers need to answer the ‘trust question’ of how far they want Chinese companies involved in green industries such as solar energy, batteries, and electric vehicles
In the same boat: Why Taiwan is strengthening ties with central and eastern Europe
- Alicja Bachulska
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
Ahead of the curve: Why the EU and US risk falling behind China in Latin America
- Ángel Melguizo, Margaret Myers
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
More on European Power
Winds of change: The EU’s green agenda after the European Parliament election
- Susi Dennison, Mats Engström, Carla Hobbs
- Policy Brief
After the European Parliament election, the incoming EU institutions will likely prioritise security and competitiveness, complicating the path to climate action. Climate progressives will need compelling narratives, strategic resourcing, and diplomatic engagement to advance the best possible climate agenda over the next five years
Into the Wilderness: What a far-right Netherlands would mean for Europe
- Eva Sanders
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Handle with care: The risks of punishing Slovakia’s new government
- Tomáš Valášek
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 3 minute read
More on Middle East and North Africa
Beyond proxies: Iran’s deeper strategy in Syria and Lebanon
- Hamidreza Azizi, Julien Barnes-Dacey
- Policy Brief
Iran has spent decades building up its influence in the Levant as part of its deterrence posture against Israel (and the US). The war in Gaza is now pushing the longstanding Israeli-Iranian conflict out into the open – and Lebanon and Syria are potential flashpoints for further escalation
Why Europeans should support the International Criminal Court over the Gaza war
- Anthony Dworkin
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Strategic aid: How the EU-Lebanon migration deal can work
- Kelly Petillo
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on United States
The art of vassalisation: How Russia’s war on Ukraine has transformed transatlantic relations
- Jana Puglierin, Jeremy Shapiro
- Policy Brief
Europeans’ response to Russia’s war on Ukraine confirms their profound dependence on the US – an unwise position given the security challenge in Europe and coming geopolitical competition with China
Letter from Washington: All-knowing America and US intelligence diplomacy
- Jeremy Shapiro
- Commentary
- Views from the Capitals
- 4 minute read
Europe must prepare for a Trump presidency
- Mark Leonard
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
More on Wider Europe
Brass tacks: Why Russia’s military fails to reform
- Kirill Shamiev
- Policy Brief
The Kremlin has long attempted to reform Russia’s military, but a dysfunctional system of civilian control has led to repeated failures, including in its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These problems will likely continue after the war unless a new Russian leadership emerges to address these persistent systemic problems
Ukraine can still recover with bolder Western support – but right now it’s on the ropes
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
Putin’s military makeover: What to expect from Russia’s new defence minister
- Kirill Shamiev
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read