The future of the world may depend on what a few thousand Pennsylvania voters think about their grocery bills
The Harris-Walz ticket has transformed the presidential race. But on the ground it’s clear: Trump could still win
ECFR Council
Ukraine can still recover with bolder Western support – but right now it’s on the ropes
The Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion beat back a giant opponent, but his country can’t defeat Russia on its own
A new cold war? World war three? How do we navigate this age of confusion?
In history, as in romance, beginnings matter – so what we do now will be crucial in shaping the future
7 May
European Elections and beyond: Crafting Europe’s new geopolitical agenda
Amid a volatile geopolitical environment, ECFR’s recent public opinion poll ahead of the European elections shows that a geopolitical case for Europe resonates with voters,…
A defeat for Putin in Ukraine will improve the chances for the Other Russia
Alexei Navalny’s funeral and this weekend’s so-called election show us two Russias. Support the better one
False economy: Why Europeans should stop slashing development aid to Africa
The first two months of 2024 have seen the EU and member states redirect billions of euros of development funding away from Africa – but this could come at great cost to their long-term interests on the continent
War, business, and politics: Poland’s support for Ukraine amid agricultural protests
Mass farmers’ protests against Ukrainian agricultural imports have raised fears that the country’s strong support for Kyiv is faltering. But the protests are only one part of a much more complicated – and hopeful – picture
Revanchism at prime time: Vladimir Putin, Tucker Carlson, and Ukraine
Vladimir Putin’s ramblings to a compliant Tucker Carlson exposed the true motivations for Russia’s war against Ukraine
As Putin and Trump threaten from east and west, Europe must stand up for itself
In the 1950s, European nations tried and failed to build a defence community. They should try again
Get realist: How the EU can secure its position amid great power rivalry
Europeans should take seriously the thinking of figures such as John Mearsheimer. If they are unable to answer his critiques, they might thereby prove his point
Articles
The future of the world may depend on what a few thousand Pennsylvania voters think about their grocery bills
The Harris-Walz ticket has transformed the presidential race. But on the ground it’s clear: Trump could still win
Ukraine can still recover with bolder Western support – but right now it’s on the ropes
The Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion beat back a giant opponent, but his country can’t defeat Russia on its own
A new cold war? World war three? How do we navigate this age of confusion?
In history, as in romance, beginnings matter – so what we do now will be crucial in shaping the future
A defeat for Putin in Ukraine will improve the chances for the Other Russia
Alexei Navalny’s funeral and this weekend’s so-called election show us two Russias. Support the better one
False economy: Why Europeans should stop slashing development aid to Africa
The first two months of 2024 have seen the EU and member states redirect billions of euros of development funding away from Africa – but this could come at great cost to their long-term interests on the continent
War, business, and politics: Poland’s support for Ukraine amid agricultural protests
Mass farmers’ protests against Ukrainian agricultural imports have raised fears that the country’s strong support for Kyiv is faltering. But the protests are only one part of a much more complicated – and hopeful – picture
Revanchism at prime time: Vladimir Putin, Tucker Carlson, and Ukraine
Vladimir Putin’s ramblings to a compliant Tucker Carlson exposed the true motivations for Russia’s war against Ukraine
As Putin and Trump threaten from east and west, Europe must stand up for itself
In the 1950s, European nations tried and failed to build a defence community. They should try again
Get realist: How the EU can secure its position amid great power rivalry
Europeans should take seriously the thinking of figures such as John Mearsheimer. If they are unable to answer his critiques, they might thereby prove his point
Beyond the Mattei plan: Italy’s search for an Africa policy
This week, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni will present an urgently needed strategic plan for Africa. But as things stand, it is missing a clear strategy and the necessary planning
Podcasts
Giorgia on my mind: The Italian election and European foreign policy
Mark Leonard and his guests discuss the implications of the new government in Rome and its foreign policy agenda, including Russia and China
A fair, green and digital recovery – brought to you by Portugal
How can the Portuguese presidency strengthen European strategic autonomy?
Europe’s battle of narratives
How can Europe win the global battle of narratives during the covid-19 pandemic and a struggle for geopolitical influence?
From fragility to vitality – Analysing von der Leyen’s #SOTEU
Ursula von der Leyen’s first State of the European Union speech was as long as it was broad in topics and calls for action. Host…
Surveillance and the inevitable AI future
In this week’s episode, we feature one of the focus sessions from our Annual Council Meeting this June. Policy Fellow Ulrike Franke moderated this online…
ECFR Clips: In defence of Europe
ECFR council member Loukas Tsoukalis, Professor at the University of Athens, puts the blame for the rise of euroscepticism on the eurozone crisis and a…
ECFR’s World in 30 Minutes: Europe’s interrelated crises
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with Ivan Krastev, Chairman of the Center for Liberal Strategies in Sofia and ECFR board member, Sir Robert Cooper, former…
Events
4 Jul
Annual Council Meeting 2024
The Annual Council Meeting 2024 will take place on 4-5 July 2024 in Madrid
7 May
European Elections and beyond: Crafting Europe’s new geopolitical agenda
Amid a volatile geopolitical environment, ECFR’s recent public opinion poll ahead of the European elections shows that a geopolitical case for Europe resonates with voters,…
7 Jun
Annual Council Meeting 2023
The Annual Council Meeting 2023 took place on 7-8 June in Stockholm
19 Jun
Annual Council Meeting 2022 – Zeitenwende for Europe: Building a new global order in times of unpeace
Just days ahead of the G7, EU and NATO summits, ECFR’s Council Members – Europe’s leading decision-makers, opinion-shapers, and public intellectuals – gathered on 19-20 June in Berlin for the ECFR Annual Council Meeting
9 Dec
Annual Council Meeting 2021
ECFR’s Council Members – Europe’s leading decision-makers, opinion-shapers, and public intellectuals – gathered together on 9-10 December in Berlin for ECFR’s Annual Council Meeting to connect and discuss the myriad issues facing Europe and the European Union today
22 Sep
La geopolitica del Tech. Come la tecnologia influenza il potere europeo
Riunione Annuale dei Consiglieri italiani di ECFR
12 Mar
Europäische Außenpolitik gestalten: Gespräch mit EAD Generalsekretär Stefano Sannino
Prioritäten & Herausforderungen Europäischer Außenpolitik, sowie Deutschlands Rolle in diesem Kontext
29 Sep
Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean: Europe’s mediatory power & Turkish-Greek reconciliation
Virtual debate ahead of the special European Council on Europe’s mediatory power in the Eastern Mediterranean
17 Sep
Estonia in the EU – Punching above its weight?
Roundtable discussion with our partners from the Estonian Foreign Policy Centre, the International Centre for Defence and Security and the Estonian Embassy in Berlin
25 Jun
Annual Council Meeting 2019
The ECFR Annual Council Meeting is one of the leading conferences on Europe’s foreign policy. This year, the meeting took place at the Calouste Gulbenkian…
In the media
It would be problematic under European law and politically unwise if we tried to send all asylum seekers back to neighbouring countries at Germany’s border
Gerald Knaus criticises plans to turn away refugees at the German border
The agreement has become part of Kosovo’s EU path and Serbia’s EU path – it is valid twice, between Serbia and Kosovo and between Kosovo and EU and Serbia and EU
Miroslav Lajčák comments on the Ohrid Agreement that aims to normalise bilateral relations between Serbia and Kosovo
Given the rents she wants to extract from Brussels, Meloni’s tilt further right after Trump’s possible reelection in November remains rather unlikely
Mujtaba Rahman explains why Giorgia Meloni will continue playing to the European centre
Reinhard Bütikofer on German state elections in Saxony and Thuringia
Rather than picking low-hanging fruit, the government seems to have opted for targets that are neither low, nor particularly juicy
Anand Menon comments on the UK government’s cautious ‘reset’ with the EU