The Trump administration is drawing on Roman Empire imagery, and Trump’s own version of Christianity, to reinforce its perception of Western values and impose conditional bilateral partnerships. Europeans need to be ready for America’s whole-hearted shift towards values-based diplomacy
Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump have announced a 15% tariff on most EU goods exported to the US. The compromise has avoided a trade war for now—but Europeans need to safeguard the deal’s positive aspects in future trade negotiations
The deadline is looming for Britain, France and Germany to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Iran. They are right to consider an extension to this “snapback” mechanism—and China could play a crucial role in what comes next
This week’s NATO summit sees defence spending at the top of the agenda. But, at the current estimation, Europe risks rearming at an unsustainable pace. This could waste resources and trigger political instability without delivering real security for European citizens
On foreign policy, Germany’s new chancellor will be pulled between conservatism and radicalism. For Europe’s sake, he must choose the latter
With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation in defence, economic security and diplomacy is no longer optional; it’s essential to shaping, not just surviving, the new global order
South Koreans and Europeans agree that Russia is a threat, Ukraine needs support and that the new US administration is trouble. As Trump shakes the global security order, their shared concerns could solidify a stronger EU-South Korea partnership
The Trump-Zelensky Oval Office meeting laid bare what “the end of the post-Berlin Wall era” really means—now, the EU needs to change with the times
Donald Trump has effectively ignored Europeans in his plan for negotiations over the war in Ukraine. In searching for a reason, Europeans must face the uncomfortable truth: they simply aren’t important enough
While Donald Trump’s second administration turns its back on climate action, Europeans can gain a competitive advantage through funding and developing low-carbon technologies. This requires targeted income, specific skills and clear guidelines
The digital space is a key battleground in today’s global power struggles. For the EU to become a global player in the geopolitics of technology, it needs an ambitious external digital strategy – one that allows it to secure its interests, values, and standing in a world of intensifying geo-technological competition
Paradoxically, to fulfil many Europeans’ expectations, Berlin will need to revise the principles of Merkelism that created this trust
To engage more confidently with a world that is changing, outward-looking Germans need to shape a progressive new national identity before it is defined by the forces of isolation and exclusion
The covid-19 pandemic has brought forward a new agenda for multilateralism, focused on areas including global health, economic recovery, climate, technology, and trade
The EU cannot continue to rely on its regulatory power but must become a tech superpower in its own right. Referees do not win the game
The EU Coalition Explorer survey reveals the importance of Germany and France within the EU, and the impact they can have when they cooperate with each other
Failing to coordinate properly in the AI area could threaten future European defence cooperation, including PESCO and the European Defence
Spain, and Europe, need a new story about migration – it remains to be seen how the country will put this into practice
Introduction The last five years have not been kind to the European Union’s foreign policy. The EU has been less relevant, less active, and less…
If Europe does not address these difficult questions soon it will find itself surrounded by more powerful rivals deploying AI against it
The Trump administration is drawing on Roman Empire imagery, and Trump’s own version of Christianity, to reinforce its perception of Western values and impose conditional bilateral partnerships. Europeans need to be ready for America’s whole-hearted shift towards values-based diplomacy
Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump have announced a 15% tariff on most EU goods exported to the US. The compromise has avoided a trade war for now—but Europeans need to safeguard the deal’s positive aspects in future trade negotiations
The deadline is looming for Britain, France and Germany to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Iran. They are right to consider an extension to this “snapback” mechanism—and China could play a crucial role in what comes next
This week’s NATO summit sees defence spending at the top of the agenda. But, at the current estimation, Europe risks rearming at an unsustainable pace. This could waste resources and trigger political instability without delivering real security for European citizens
On foreign policy, Germany’s new chancellor will be pulled between conservatism and radicalism. For Europe’s sake, he must choose the latter
With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation in defence, economic security and diplomacy is no longer optional; it’s essential to shaping, not just surviving, the new global order
South Koreans and Europeans agree that Russia is a threat, Ukraine needs support and that the new US administration is trouble. As Trump shakes the global security order, their shared concerns could solidify a stronger EU-South Korea partnership
The Trump-Zelensky Oval Office meeting laid bare what “the end of the post-Berlin Wall era” really means—now, the EU needs to change with the times
Donald Trump has effectively ignored Europeans in his plan for negotiations over the war in Ukraine. In searching for a reason, Europeans must face the uncomfortable truth: they simply aren’t important enough
While Donald Trump’s second administration turns its back on climate action, Europeans can gain a competitive advantage through funding and developing low-carbon technologies. This requires targeted income, specific skills and clear guidelines
The energy deals the EU and its member states are now making with third countries will shape Europeans’ ability to protect their energy security in the long term. The EU Energy Deals Tracker provides a comprehensive overview of these agreements, including their implications for the sustainable transition
To fulfil its true potential, the EU needs to end its strategic cacophony and focus on capability building
A critical mass of countries agree on the need for more flexible cooperation, but what could it look like?
European leaders are underestimating the danger that Trump presents to the transatlantic alliance and assuming too much continuity in the event of a Clinton presidency
Jessica Hendrick goes behind the scenes of RE-ENGAGE fieldwork with Morten Bøås to reveal what citizens trust when war, repression and disinformation put democracy to the test
Mark Leonard is joined by Gladden Pappin to explore the liberal international order and the recent shift in EU-US relations
Mark Leonard welcomes Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin to discuss the inauguration of the new German government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz
On the morning after Germany’s election, Searching for Deutschland hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin were joined for a live webinar by ECFR colleagues Timo Lochocki…
Mark Leonard welcomes Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin to discuss ECFR’s new podcast mini-series, Searching for Deutschland
In this new episode, Vessela Tcherneva welcomes head of ECFR offices to discuss national implications of the EU elections
At the Munich Security Conference, Mark Leonard welcomes Arancha González Laya, Camille Grand and Jana Puglierin to understand how Europeans can prepare for a second Trump presidency
Mark Leonard is joined by Christoph Heusgen to talk about Germany’s foreign policy
Mark Leonard reports live from the Munich Security Conference
Mark Leonard, Camille Grand, Gustav Gressel, Jana Puglierin, and Jeremy Shapiro discuss what the Leopard 2 decision means for the war in Ukraine
La chiusura dello Stretto di Hormuz ha posto l’Europa di fronte a una doppia sfida: ripensare la transizione energetica in un contesto di forte incertezza sugli idrocarburi e sviluppare nuove rotte di connettività per ridurre la vulnerabilità a shock geopolitici. Tra i temi al centro del confronto: l’elettrificazione come pilastro necessario ma non sufficiente,…
L’Ufficio di Roma dello European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) ha preso parte al Summit “Europe’s Independence Moment”, organizzato da Future Proof Society a Brescia dal 22 al 24 maggio 2026. Due gli appuntamenti in programma: 22 maggio (ore 18:00 – 19:30): Masterclass di Politica Internazionale, presso il Salone delle Scenografie del Teatro…
The international system is no longer held together by a single dominant vision of order. While the US is retreating from its dominant role, China and Russia are advancing competing models of order. In this context, middle powers are actively pursuing new strategies to secure their autonomy and expand their influence. They are challenging established hierarchies, reshaping economic and connectivity networks, and building alternative forms of cooperation that…
Il tema di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR è la transizione demografica, che pone l’Italia e l’Europa di fronte a una sfida esistenziale per il loro futuro sulla scena globale. Un continente sempre più anziano e con un saldo demografico negativo rischia concretamente di retrocedere a una posizione secondaria nei nuovi equilibri economici…
I cosiddetti partiti Challengers – ovvero partiti populisti che, da destra fino alla sinistra radicale, sfidano il mainstream politico – stanno guadagnando sempre più terreno in UE. La loro influenza crescente, alimentata anche dal sostegno dell’amministrazione Trump, apre la strada a scenari inediti che potrebbero ridefinire la politica estera europea del prossimo decennio
Il tema di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR sono i cosiddetti partiti europei Challengers, ovvero i partiti populisti in ascesa in UE, dalla destra alla sinistra. Tali attori politici stanno progressivamente “scuotendo” il mainstream della politica estera europea, acquisendo sempre più influenza nello scacchiere europeo ed internazionale. Il loro modus operandi, amplificato dal sostegno politico fornito…
The event contributes to the wider Ukraine Recovery Conference by examining a critical dimension of Russia’s war against Ukraine: the economic infrastructure underlying the conflict and the maritime security challenges it creates for Europe. It aims to create space for discussion among key experts and stakeholders on policy options to address Russian economic…
Days before a high-stakes NATO summit, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) hosts to a timely webinar on European public attitudes towards Europe’s defence, the first turbulent months of President Trump’s new term, and the capacity of Europe to respond to a changing transatlantic reality. This webinar will launch our brand-new public…
Nella sua edizione 2025, la quarta da quando il progetto è stato lanciato, il Rome Foreign Policy Club riunisce giovani think tanker italiani under-40 per elaborare ipotesi di scenario rilevanti per la politica estera e multilaterale italiana ed europea. Tale esercizio si pone come obiettivo la formulazione di raccomandazioni a supporto delle attività di…
The EU lacks cohesive governance to deploy economic statecraft tools, such as sanctions and export controls, undermining their impact and the bloc’s global credibility. In this webinar, Agathe Demarais and Abraham Newman will discuss their recent policy brief, outlining how the creation of an EU network focused on the design and implementation of…
Carla Hobbs on the need for the EU to intervene following the Ceuta crisis
