From aid to inclusion: A better way to help Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan
Europeans should adopt a new approach to supporting Syrian refugees – one that would also benefit host communities in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan
Syria
Turkey’s open door closes: How Europe can better support Syrian refugees
If Turkey and other countries begin deporting more Syrians back to Syria, Europe could experience a new wave of arrivals. European policymakers need to devise a more sustainable, longer-term approach to the issue.
Council of war: The future of UN cooperation on Bosnia and Syria
Europe needs to prepare for a breakdown of multilateral cooperation with Russia. Yet, in doing so, it should be careful not to provide space for Moscow to justify unilateral action of its own.
Unsettled: The impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on the Middle East and North Africa
Heightened conflict in Ukraine could have serious consequences for European interests in the Middle East and North Africa. It could further disrupt energy supplies, exacerbate food insecurity, and help states in the region gain leverage over the US and Europe.
Syria’s war, Europe’s problem
What does the re-engagement of regional actors mean for the future of Syria? And what role can Europe play to create breathing space in the country?
13 Dec
Part of the problem? A better European approach to human rights in the Middle East and North Africa
How can Europeans more effectively advance their human rights agenda as part of, and while maintaining, their broader relationships with regional states?
Part of the problem: A better European approach to human rights in the Middle East and North Africa
European states face accusations of neglecting the matter of human rights in their southern neighbourhood, and even of being complicit. Yet they are failing to maximise the influence they could bring to bear.
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
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
From aid to inclusion: A better way to help Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan
Europeans should adopt a new approach to supporting Syrian refugees – one that would also benefit host communities in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan
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…
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
To end a war: Europe’s role in bringing peace to Syria
National politics need to be front and centre in de-escalation efforts
How Britain should respond to chemical weapons attacks in Syria
UK parliament must examine merits of military action in case of further chemical weapons attacks in Syria
No going back: Why decentralisation is the future for Syria
Decentralisation offers one of the few ways to hold the country together, albeit in a looser form
Articles
Turkey’s open door closes: How Europe can better support Syrian refugees
If Turkey and other countries begin deporting more Syrians back to Syria, Europe could experience a new wave of arrivals. European policymakers need to devise a more sustainable, longer-term approach to the issue.
Council of war: The future of UN cooperation on Bosnia and Syria
Europe needs to prepare for a breakdown of multilateral cooperation with Russia. Yet, in doing so, it should be careful not to provide space for Moscow to justify unilateral action of its own.
Unsettled: The impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on the Middle East and North Africa
Heightened conflict in Ukraine could have serious consequences for European interests in the Middle East and North Africa. It could further disrupt energy supplies, exacerbate food insecurity, and help states in the region gain leverage over the US and Europe.
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
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
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
Idlib chaos: The latest test for Turkish-Russian ties
Turkey and Syria are now at war – but the ultimate arbiter of what happens next is likely to be Vladimir Putin
Managed chaos: Russia’s deal with Turkey on northern Syria
Russia is now in charge of a multi-front war. It will need to manage relations between multiple local actors very carefully.
Specials
Part of the problem: A better European approach to human rights in the Middle East and North Africa
European states face accusations of neglecting the matter of human rights in their southern neighbourhood, and even of being complicit. Yet they are failing to maximise the influence they could bring to bear.
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
Podcasts
Syria’s war, Europe’s problem
What does the re-engagement of regional actors mean for the future of Syria? And what role can Europe play to create breathing space in the country?
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:…
Events
13 Dec
Part of the problem? A better European approach to human rights in the Middle East and North Africa
How can Europeans more effectively advance their human rights agenda as part of, and while maintaining, their broader relationships with regional states?
14 Feb
Pourquoi l’Europe doit-elle rapatrier ses ressortissants combattant pour l’EI ?
Madame, Monsieur, cher.e.s ami.e.s de l’ECFR, Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter à un Black Coffee Morning sur le thème suivant :…
31 Oct
Trump’s pull out: What next for Syria and what next for European Policy?
A panel discussion on the effects of the withdrawal of American troops from Syria and the EUs possibilities with regards to reacting to the ongoing crisis
28 Mar
Le retour des combattants terroristes étrangers dans l’Union Européenne
Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter à un Black Coffee Morning, en présence de Marc Hecker, Sharon Weill, Anthony Dworkin et Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, directeur du bureau de Paris de l’ECFR sur le thème suivant : « Le retour des combattants terroristes étrangers dans l’Union Européenne ».
2 Oct
« Comment la France peut remobiliser l’Europe au Moyen-Orient »
Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter à une table ronde avec Nicholas Westcott, Directeur la Royal African Society de Londres, Gurvan Le Bras, Chargé de mission au CAPS, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, Directeur du bureau de Paris de l’ECFR, et Claude Guibal, grand reporter à France Inter
22 Sep
Que peut faire l’Europe pour établir la paix en Syrie ?
L'ECFR a le plaisir de vous convier à un BCM animé par Julien Barnes-Dacey et Manuel Lafont Rapnouil
19 Oct
« La décentralisation est-elle la solution du conflit syrien ? »
Table ronde avec Jihad Yazigi, Bassma Kodmani et Manuel Lafont Rapnouil sur le conflit en Syrie
5 Jul
Berlin Foreign Policy Club: Syrien und die EU
Ein Berlin Foreign Policy Club Treffen zum Thema “Syrien und die EU”, wobei das neue Papier von Julien Barnes-Dacey “The war next door: Syria and the erosion of stability in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey” vorgestellt wurde.
10 May
Медийна закуска със Себастиан Дулиен за Европейския бежански съюз
На организирана медийна закуска от ЕСВП София, заедно с колегата ни от Берлин Себастиан Дулиен ще ви представихме доклада „Цената на бежанската криза в Европа“, който…
12 Apr
Struggling to Survive: Slavery and Exploitation of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
How can Europe help to ensure the protection of Syrian refugees in Lebanon?
In the media
The reality is, Syria is still not safe for return
Erdogan has been saying he would like to [launch] another cross-border [operation] into Syria and it’s clear he wants to do this before the Turkish elections
I don’t see how buffer zones in contested areas should generate return impulses
Asli Aydintasbas is critical of the efforts to establish a buffer zone in the Hasaka region in northeastern Syria
I don’t think that Turkey has made a general change in its Syria policy, I think that these moves are seen as a necessity to respond to domestic pressure
