The Leopards are free!
Mark Leonard, Camille Grand, Gustav Gressel, Jana Puglierin, and Jeremy Shapiro discuss what the Leopard 2 decision means for the war in Ukraine
Security and Defence
Strategy, capabilities, technology: A manifesto for new European defence
To develop a new approach to defence, European states need to bury their longstanding disputes and learn from Ukrainians’ experiences on the battlefield
Test drive: How Ukraine could strengthen Europe’s Sky Shield Initiative
Ukraine’s experience of defending itself against Russian aerial attacks could make it an important future member of Europe’s Sky Shield Initiative
The coming transatlantic rift over Ukraine
Europeans will have to put their money where their mouth is to maintain relations with the US over Ukraine – and deliver a ‘long war plan’, such as that proposed by ECFR
In Europe’s defence: Why the EU needs a security compact with Ukraine
The EU should conclude a security compact with Ukraine. Such an agreement would help the country defend itself against Russia and maximise the effectiveness of European military support.
Arm for the storm: Germany’s new security strategy
Germany’s National Security Strategy should aim for more than just a return to the status quo ante but with more money. The Zeitenwende is forcing Germany to reinvent itself as a European security actor.
Staying power: How the EU can support NATO in eastern Europe
NATO should deter Russia by establishing a truly permanent presence in front-line states. The EU has a major role to play in this effort.
War and sovereignty: How the EU can enhance its ability to act
The EU has made insufficient progress in enhancing its sovereignty, particularly in security and defence. The union now needs to overcome internal differences to bolster its external ability to act.
Immediate impact: How Western heavy weapons are already helping Ukraine halt Russia
If the West truly wants Ukraine to win, and quickly, it should urgently intensify its supply of weapons to the country
The NATO Summit and the future of European Defence
Mark Leonard is joined by Nick Witney, Jana Puglierin, and Tara Varma, to evaluate the outcomes of the NATO Summit in Madrid, especially regarding European defence
Publications
In Europe’s defence: Why the EU needs a security compact with Ukraine
The EU should conclude a security compact with Ukraine. Such an agreement would help the country defend itself against Russia and maximise the effectiveness of European military support.
The fall of the Afghan government and what it means for Europe
ECFR’s policy experts examine what the Taliban takeover means for countries and regions around the world: Europe, the US, the Middle East, Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, and the Sahel
Ambiguous alliance: Neutrality, opt-outs, and European defence
The EU’s work on its Strategic Compass should include debates on the special status states’ future role in European defence
The big engine that might: How France and Germany can build a geopolitical Europe
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
Machine politics: Europe and the AI revolution
The EU appears to be largely uninterested in AI’s geopolitical importance, but its member states can only influence the global development of AI if they act tog
Divided at the centre: Germany, Poland, and the troubles of the Trump era
Introduction For most Europeans, it is now obvious that the foreign policy of US President Donald Trump threatens the global liberal order. Trump’s hostility towards…
Under the gun: Rearmament for arms control in Europe
Introduction During the cold war, arms control and disarmament agreements helped create a stable equilibrium between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, reducing the…
No middle ground: Moving on from the crypto wars
The ‘second crypto war’ is in full swing; European governments need to stop trying to defeat encryption and get more sophisticated themselves instead
Poland and European Defence Integration
Introduction After decades of relying on the United States for protection, the European Union’s member states are finally moving towards greater defence integration with…
Influence by default: Europe’s impact on military security in East Asia
In the continued absence of a policy, European commercial actions in the armament sector could have a destabilising impact on Asian security
Articles
Strategy, capabilities, technology: A manifesto for new European defence
To develop a new approach to defence, European states need to bury their longstanding disputes and learn from Ukrainians’ experiences on the battlefield
Test drive: How Ukraine could strengthen Europe’s Sky Shield Initiative
Ukraine’s experience of defending itself against Russian aerial attacks could make it an important future member of Europe’s Sky Shield Initiative
The coming transatlantic rift over Ukraine
Europeans will have to put their money where their mouth is to maintain relations with the US over Ukraine – and deliver a ‘long war plan’, such as that proposed by ECFR
Arm for the storm: Germany’s new security strategy
Germany’s National Security Strategy should aim for more than just a return to the status quo ante but with more money. The Zeitenwende is forcing Germany to reinvent itself as a European security actor.
Staying power: How the EU can support NATO in eastern Europe
NATO should deter Russia by establishing a truly permanent presence in front-line states. The EU has a major role to play in this effort.
War and sovereignty: How the EU can enhance its ability to act
The EU has made insufficient progress in enhancing its sovereignty, particularly in security and defence. The union now needs to overcome internal differences to bolster its external ability to act.
Immediate impact: How Western heavy weapons are already helping Ukraine halt Russia
If the West truly wants Ukraine to win, and quickly, it should urgently intensify its supply of weapons to the country
Denmark’s Zeitenwende
Denmark’s decision to end its opt-out from EU defence shows that it is still possible to win referendums on closer European integration. Yet it does not signal a broader shift in the country’s EU policy.
Tools of influence: Drone proliferation in the Middle East and North Africa
States in the region increasingly design and produce their own drones. The EU should respond by investing in European drone technology and creating a shared accountability regime for the use of such systems.
Five reasons driving European defence integration after the Ukraine invasion
The shock of the Ukraine war, rising national defence budgets, and a European Commission in the driving seat could finally bring about true European defence integration and consolidation
Podcasts
The Leopards are free!
Mark Leonard, Camille Grand, Gustav Gressel, Jana Puglierin, and Jeremy Shapiro discuss what the Leopard 2 decision means for the war in Ukraine
The NATO Summit and the future of European Defence
Mark Leonard is joined by Nick Witney, Jana Puglierin, and Tara Varma, to evaluate the outcomes of the NATO Summit in Madrid, especially regarding European defence
New era, new alliance: NATO, Sweden, and Finland
What can Sweden and Finland offer NATO? And are they worried about the Kremlin’s threats to attack their countries?
European defence reloaded
What are the biggest challenges in building greater European sovereignty in defence? And how will this effort be funded?
Will Western unity on Russia hold? Reporting from Munich Security Conference
Live from the Munich Security Conference (MSC)!
The crisis of European security: What Europeans think about the war in Ukraine
Mark Leonard and Jeremy Shapiro discuss our latest polling results on the Ukraine crisis and how European policymakers might adjust their policies to reflect the public mood it reveals
Europe’s role in tackling the Russia-Ukraine crisis
What are European and American interests in the Russia-Ukraine crisis? What are possible ways to avert a calamity?
The transatlantic meaning of AUKUS
What does AUKUS mean for the future of transatlantic relations?
The politics of catastrophe with Niall Ferguson
Why do some societies and states respond to catastrophe better than others: some fall apart, most hold together, and a few emerge stronger?
In search of Global Britain
The Integrated Review lays out a vision for the UK’s role in the world – how does look like & how does the EU fit into the picture?
Events
6 Apr
Invasione russa dell’Ucraina: Ruolo dell’UE nel contesto regionale e globale
Gli europei richiedono maggiore cooperazione a lungo termine su diversi dossier, in particolare in materia di sicurezza e difesa
10 Mar
A new era for Europe: Do Europeans trust France on Russia?
Our panel will discuss insights from new public opinion polling of 15,000 citizens across 12 EU member states, captured in the upcoming report by Susi Dennison and Tara Varma.
13 Jan
Deutsch-französische Zusammenarbeit im Bereich der europäischen Verteidigungsindustrie || La coopération franco-allemande dans le domaine de l’industrie européenne de la défense
Deutsch-französische Debatte zu Rüstungskooperation im Kontext strategischer Autonomie | Un évènement franco-allemand dans le domaine de l’industrie de défense, pour la construction d’une autonomie stratégique
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
6 Dec
Defence of Europe: How much autonomy can the EU afford?
Introductory remarks: Michał Kuź, Foreign Policy Expert, Jagiellonian Club There is a growing awareness that the EU should do more on defence given the strategic…
5 Oct
Waves of ambition: Russia’s military build-up in the Black Sea
What can the EU and NATO do to reduce the risk of escalation in the region?
1 Jun
EU defence: Looking for a Strategic Compass
How do Europeans see the future of EU crisis management? What are the EU military capabilities? How does the EU’s defence initiatives complement those of NATO?
19 Nov
European Defence and NATO: towards Mutual Reinforcement
The current Covid19 crisis has reanimated the debate on defence, bringing to light new concerns, insights, and considerations about our future shared security. The objective of this initiative is to have an informative and innovative discussion on the future of European Defence and of NATO to drive toward mutual reinforcement.
15 May
Caring about Sharing: Die Zukunft der Nuklearen Teilhabe
Diskussionsrunde zum Thema Nukleare Teilhabe
28 Nov
« Une proposition pour une nouvelle architecture de sécurité européenne »
Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter à une table ronde en présence de Jeremy Shapiro, Pierre Vimont et Sylvie Kauffmann
In the media
We have lost a lot of time in pointless debates about tanks and we are losing it even more about fighter jets and artillery
Ukraine still gets too few weapons to be able to defend its territory effectively, says Gustav Gressel
Submarines are currently not realistic
At the very latest after the end of the war, Ukraine will need a powerful air force
It would be good to have a defence minister who is a more powerful actor
