People before politicians: How Europeans can help rebuild Lebanon
Lebanon is home to key strategic interests for the EU, which does not want another failed state on the Mediterranean
Syria / Iraq / Lebanon
Mediation nation: Iraq’s new role in Iranian-Saudi talks
Europe should support the recent Iranian-Saudi talks in Baghdad as an opportunity to help stabilise the Middle East, despite risk of that engagement being derailed
The gulf between them: What Arab Gulf countries can learn from Iran’s approach to Iraq
An Iraq that has diverse regional relationships is more likely to be stable and secure, in line with European interests in the Middle East
First aid: How Russia and the West can help Syrians in Idlib
A one-year extension to the current aid arrangements would be no one’s first choice – but would ensure civilians in Idlib continue to receive help
How the Turkey-UAE Rivalry is remaking the Middle East
How can the EU prevent the Turkey-UAE rivalry from destabilising European security and foreign policy?
A decade of death and ruin: How Europe can create breathing space in Syria
Circumventing the regime to support Syrians on the ground is difficult but Europeans need to adjust their Syria policy in favour of this effort
Protracted, neglected, and ineffective: Lessons from the Lebanon tribunal
International courts are no substitute for politics – not least when the countries that set them up fail to back them
After the Beirut blast: Lebanon’s descent into chaos
It is imperative that the European Union provide sustained support to key actors in Lebanon, working around the Lebanese state wherever possible
Torn between two allies: How Europeans can reduce Iraqi dependence on Iran and the US
Europe should help the Kadhimi government undertake political and economic reform, increase its geopolitical autonomy, and take on a greater security role
Economic meltdown in the Middle East: How Europe can soften the impact
Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq are all teetering on the brink of economic collapse. Europe cannot afford to be a helpless bystander.
Publications
People before politicians: How Europeans can help rebuild Lebanon
Lebanon is home to key strategic interests for the EU, which does not want another failed state on the Mediterranean
The gulf between them: What Arab Gulf countries can learn from Iran’s approach to Iraq
An Iraq that has diverse regional relationships is more likely to be stable and secure, in line with European interests in the Middle East
Torn between two allies: How Europeans can reduce Iraqi dependence on Iran and the US
Europe should help the Kadhimi government undertake political and economic reform, increase its geopolitical autonomy, and take on a greater security role
A new Gaza: Turkey’s border policy in northern Syria
EU member states can find ways to cooperate with Turkey to support stabilisation in parts of the safe zone, without violating their interests and core principle
Society max: How Europe can help Syrians survive Assad and coronavirus
European governments should pivot to a strategy focused on protecting those societal forces that are still standing and that can help salvage a better future
Beyond good and evil: Why Europe should bring ISIS foreign fighters home
EU member states have failed to come up with a coherent policy on how to handle the hundreds of their citizens having travelled to join ISIS in Syria
Can Assad win the peace?
Introduction After eight years of war, the Syrian government has reasserted control over much of the territory it lost to opposition and foreign forces. As…
The displacement dilemma: Should Europe help Syrian refugees return home?
Introduction After eight years of fighting and destruction resulting in the largest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time, the government of Bashar al-Assad…
When the weapons fall silent: Reconciliation in Sinjar after ISIS
Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons in Sinjar are attempting to rebuild their lives after the brutal reign of ISIS
Alone in the desert? How France can lead Europe in the Middle East
France sees the MENA region as a state for foreign policy and great power politics and an opportunity to shape global politics and punch above its weight
Articles
Mediation nation: Iraq’s new role in Iranian-Saudi talks
Europe should support the recent Iranian-Saudi talks in Baghdad as an opportunity to help stabilise the Middle East, despite risk of that engagement being derailed
First aid: How Russia and the West can help Syrians in Idlib
A one-year extension to the current aid arrangements would be no one’s first choice – but would ensure civilians in Idlib continue to receive help
A decade of death and ruin: How Europe can create breathing space in Syria
Circumventing the regime to support Syrians on the ground is difficult but Europeans need to adjust their Syria policy in favour of this effort
Protracted, neglected, and ineffective: Lessons from the Lebanon tribunal
International courts are no substitute for politics – not least when the countries that set them up fail to back them
After the Beirut blast: Lebanon’s descent into chaos
It is imperative that the European Union provide sustained support to key actors in Lebanon, working around the Lebanese state wherever possible
Economic meltdown in the Middle East: How Europe can soften the impact
Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq are all teetering on the brink of economic collapse. Europe cannot afford to be a helpless bystander.
Politicised aid: Why Europe should sustain cross-border humanitarian assistance to northern Syria
European countries should work to renew the UN Security Council resolution on cross-border humanitarian access to northern Syria, lest the area slides into a deeper humanitarian crisis
What Assad’s ‘victory’ could mean for Syrians in Germany
Germany is a safe haven for Syrians for now – but a government decision to lift the ban on sending refugees back to Assad’s Syria would have catastrophic consequences
Time for a reset: Iraq’s new prime minister and the US-Iran rivalry
Iraq needs to reset its relations with both Tehran and Washington in a way that protects Iraqi sovereignty and allows the central government to reassert control over the security apparatus
The path through Moscow: How Europe can help Syria
Syrian opposition figure calls on Europe to work closely with Washington to build on growing Russian frustration with the Assad regime and increase their demands of Moscow
Specials
Deep sea rivals: Europe, Turkey, and new eastern Mediterranean conflict lines
The eastern Mediterranean is becoming ever more perilous as geopolitical fault lines steadily enmesh the region. These rifts emerge from the Cyprus ‘frozen conflict’, competition for valuable gas fields, and the increasingly entangled wars in Libya and Syria.
The Middle East’s new battle lines
An ECFR guide to the key disputes threatening to spark a wider Middle Eastern war
The Islamic State through regional lens
This series examines the reaction of key Middle Eastern actors, as well as looking at European policy options, the dynamics driving IS itself, and the impact within Syria and Iraq respectively.
Podcasts
How the Turkey-UAE Rivalry is remaking the Middle East
How can the EU prevent the Turkey-UAE rivalry from destabilising European security and foreign policy?
ECFR Conversation with Ibrahim Kalin
ECFR Conversation with Ibrahim Kalin, Spokesman and Senior Advisor to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Chaired by Julien Barnes-Dacey, Director of ECFR’s…
Many elephants in the room: the EU and the Turkey, Syria, coronavirus and refugee crises
The European Union faces a multi-crisis situation at the moment. As the conflict in Idlib and the circumstances at the Greek-Turkish border has erupted, Europe…
After Baghdadi is before Baghdadi: How the West still has to fight ISIS
How will IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s killing impact ISIS as a terror organisation and the situation in Syria? Host Mark Leonard is joined by…
Europe with no cards to play: Erdoğan, Trump, and Europe’s weaknesses
Turkey's offensive into northeast Syria is moving at an unprecedented pace with grave consequences. Europe's utter irrelevance in the face of US withdrawal from the Turkish/Syrian…
The US role in Syria
Anthony Dworkin steps in for Mark Leonard and discusses the US strategy in Syria with Asli Aydintasbas, Julien Barnes-Dacey and Jasmin El-Gamal. The podcast was recorded…
Russia and the Middle East
Podcast de notre conférence du 1 octobre en partenariat avec l’Institut d’études de sécurité de l’Union européenne (EUISS) : « Russia and the Middle East…
The Idlib crisis – Can Turkey and Europe avert disaster?
Mark Leonard examines the looming Syrian-Russian military action in Idlib in discussion with ECFR experts Asli Aydıntaşbaş, Julien Barnes-Dacey, and Almut Möller. What do Turks…
The role of France in the Middle East
Is France alone in the desert? ECFR experts Julien Barnes-Dacey and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil discuss how France can lead Europe in the Middle East
Chemical weapons attack in Syria: What next?
Mark Leonard speaks with ECFR experts Asli Aydintasbas, Kadri Liik, Julien Barnes-Dacey, and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil about how the international community might respond. Bookshelf:…
In the media
The Biden administration is not going to invest in placing the Assad regime under significant pressure […]The result is regional actors recalibrating
Julien Barnes-Dacey comments on how the US is using a softer touch in the Middle East under President Joe Biden
There is a bit of a different atmosphere this year in the UNSC negotiations. Turkey very much wants to keep the border crossing open, and it is very important for Russia to salvage this relationship
Kelly Petillo analyses the stakes for Russia and Turkey when it comes to preserving a ceasefire in Syria
Many times, some INGOs trying to reach the northeast cross-line were completely turned around at government checkpoint
Kelly Petillo comments on the upcoming UN Security Council vote on cross-border humanitarian access
‘Opposition’ candidates are hand-picked by the regime and might even vote for Assad themselves
Julien Barnes-Dacey thinks that Syria’s presidential ‘election’ is not even worth talking about
These countries are primarily interested in tying Syria closer to the Arab world again – away from Iranian and Turkish influence
Julien Barnes-Dacey says that some countries in the region are already interested in the normalisation of relations with Syria