Highlights
Featured
One battle after another: Factional struggles and the making of Trump’s foreign policy
- Majda Ruge
- Policy Brief
Trump’s foreign and security policy is the product of factional competition in the White House and a president fixated on short-term wins. Here’s how Europeans should come to terms with this new reality
The new right: Anatomy of a global political revolution
- Mark Leonard
- Policy Brief
The thinkers and ideas of the rising nationalist right merit the political mainstream’s attention. Only by understanding them can it build a resilient counter-project
Carbon bargain: How Europe can adapt to Africa’s new energy alliances
- Sarah Logan, Maddalena Procopio
- Policy Brief
Europeans must adapt their approach to supporting Africa’s energy transitions—or risk losing out to China and other competitors
Don’t look down: How Europeans can escape China’s clean-tech gravity
- Byford Tsang
- Policy Brief
China’s manufacturing surge and trade tactics are dampening Europe’s clean-tech goals. Europeans need to forge coalitions across wary member states to secure their energy independence
Upcoming events
Annual Council Meeting 2026
- · ECFR Berlin
Recent events
Europe Debates | Russia won’t attack NATO
- Online · ECFR Berlin
Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Indignity with Lea Ypi
- Podcast
- Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Mark Leonard welcomes Lea Ypi to discuss her latest book on indignity—and how lessons from the past can help the left counter the new right
ECFR on air
Trust, anger and the limits of EU democracy promotion
- Podcast
- ECFR on air
- The Neighbourhood
Jessica Hendrick is joined by Morten Bøås to go inside RE-ENGAGE’s fieldwork across six EU candidate countries—revealing what citizens actually trust, why anger matters more than apathy and what Brussels keeps getting wrong about democracy promotion
Views from the Council
Trump strikes Venezuela: Three conclusions for Europe
- Carl Bildt
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 3 minute read
Trump’s military action in Venezuela highlights America’s hemispheric turn, its disregard for international law and the president’s growing reliance on force. Europe faces tough choices to defend its interests
Only Europe can save Ukraine from Putin and Trump—but will it?
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
Whether using frozen Russian assets, ramping up defence production or deepening the relationship with the EU, it is up to us to secure Ukraine’s future—and our own
In the Media - Council
Giorgio Rutelli on the German-Italian cooperation in Rome and the three main tasks of Europe
Timothy Garton Ash on the EU’s altered view of the transatlantic relationship and the necessity for new internationalism
Featured and flagship projects
The Data Collection
Explore our open-access data platform for unparalleled access to ECFR’s public opinion polls—empowering research and insight on today’s key foreign policy issues.
Transatlantic twilight: European public opinion and the long shadow of Trump
- Jana Puglierin, Arturo Varvelli, Pawel Zerka
Re:Engage
This project helps the EU in refining its foreign policy, re-engaging neighbours post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine to bolster regional resilience and advance enlargement policies.
The interest of values: The EU’s democracy promotion in the Western Balkans and the eastern neighbourhood
- Piotr Buras, Marie Dumoulin, Tefta Kelmendi, Marlene Marx
Re:Order
Re:Order project explores emerging visions of the global order, as well as the interplay between economic might and geopolitical influence.
Subscribe to our newsletters
Be the first to know about our latest publications, podcasts, events, and job opportunities. Join our community and stay connected!
Discover our newslettersLatest
Selling peace to Trump: How Europe can prevent the next Middle East war
- Beth Oppenheim
- Commentary
- 6 minute read
Israel is agitating for US strikes against Iran, while preparing for renewed war in Lebanon. Europeans should work to contain Trump and Netanyahu to prevent renewed offensives in both arenas, while supporting Lebanon’s fragile governance
Pivoting in plain sight: China’s stealthier geoeconomics
- Vladimir Shopov
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
China is shifting its economic strategies towards micro-integration and market diversification, which pose a more subtle danger to Europe’s industrial heartlands
Calling Paris and Washington: Three areas for G7-G20 collaboration in 2026
- Agathe Demarais
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
France’s G7 presidency coincides with an American-led G20. Paris will not find it easy to collaborate with the Trump administration, but it can still find meaningful areas for G7-G20 cooperation
Avoiding gas panic: Why Europe should remain calm about US energy supply
- Szymon Kardaś
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
American gas supplies are helping Europe’s move away from Russian energy. Despite trade tensions under Donald Trump, reliance on the US carries fewer risks than reliance on Russia
Time to align: How Europe can compete with China on clean tech in Africa
- Byford Tsang, Rhea Ravindra
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
The EU must take concrete steps to support African ambitions to move exporting or processing raw materials and become a maker of clean technologies
Nuuk-lear standoff: Why the US and Europe should cooperate on missile defence in the Arctic
- Rafael Loss
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
Greenland has long played a strategic role in Western defence and missile warning systems. Now Trump’s “Golden Dome” plan offers an opportunity for US-Europe cooperation to boost Arctic security and nuclear deterrence
Our experts are available for media requests. Our work involves many issues relating to Europe and foreign policy, and our programmes focus on Africa, Asia, the Middle East & North Africa, and Wider Europe.
Teresa Coratella, Deputy Head and Policy Fellow at ECFR’s Rome office, on disinformation as a tool of hybrid warfare in Europe: “To talk about disinformation today, we need to talk about the anatomy of European public opinion today, an opinion that, over the past five or six years, has been subjected to unprecedented pressures.”
Teresa Coratella, Deputy Head and Policy Fellow at ECFR Rome office, argues that disinformation has become a central tool of hybrid warfare in Europe. Because its effects spill into everyday public life, shaping trust, social cohesion, and democratic choices, hybrid warfare cannot remain a topic confined to policymakers and stakeholders: it must be understood and confronted by citizens as a whole
Arturo Varvelli, Head of Office and Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR Rome office, argues that Donald Trump’s policies are reshaping global perceptions of China as a stable market partner. Trump’s transactional, nationalist, and unilateral approach appears to be clearing space for Beijing, making it look, to much of the world, like the more predictable and rational counterpart to engage with
Alberto Rizzi on European influence on the US in terms of icebreakers and Arctic security
More on Africa
Middle power dreaming: The geopolitics of Angola’s emergence
- Alex Vines
- Policy Brief
Angola is increasingly active in the world. Here is how Europeans can cooperate with this rising middle power
From summits to substance: Europe’s chance to meet Africa on its terms
- Lena Krause
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
Caught in the Corridor: Angola, Europe and America
- Alex Vines
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
More on Asia
The Taiwan test: Why Europe should help deter China
- Estelle Huang
- Policy Brief
China’s military capabilities are growing and its actions in Europe are becoming more disruptive. The EU should support Taiwan with dual-use technologies and defence cooperation to send a clear signal to Beijing
Band of brothers: Why like-minded powers need to hold the line on China
- Andrew Small, Janka Oertel
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
A new world in trade: How Europeans can make the most of the India deal
- James Crabtree, Manisha Reuter
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on European Power
How Trump is making China great again—and what it means for Europe
- Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev, Mark Leonard
- Policy Brief
A post-Western world is learning to love China, while Europeans are starting to fear America
It’s the (geo)economy, stupid: Why the EU-India deal matters beyond trade
- Alberto Rizzi
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
Disintegrated deterrence: What Trump’s National Defense Strategy means for Europe
- Rafael Loss
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on European Security
Accelerate the accessions: Why faster is better in EU enlargement policy
- Engjellushe Morina
- Policy Brief
The Ukraine war has revived EU enlargement for Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and Ukraine, but they face obstacles. Accelerating membership for these frontrunners would unlock the process before rivals can take advantage
Ore and order: Russia’s rare-earth strategy for the Ukraine talks
- Kirill Shamiev
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
Disintegrated deterrence: What Trump’s National Defense Strategy means for Europe
- Rafael Loss
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on Middle East and North Africa
Averting West Bank collapse: How to revive Palestinian politics
- Hugh Lovatt, Tahani Mustafa
- Policy Brief
Hollowed out by violent Israeli control and Mahmoud Abbas’s personal rule, the Palestinian Authority is losing its grip on the West Bank. European and Arab states must intervene to rebuild legitimate governance and keep Palestinian self-determination alive
Power struggle: What the Saudi-UAE rivalry means for the Red Sea—and Europe
- Camille Lons
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
Traps and limits: Why Trump bombing Iran won’t deliver what he wants
- Ellie Geranmayeh
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
More on United States
The bear in the Baltics: Reassessing the Russian threat in Estonia
- Jennifer Kavanagh, Jeremy Shapiro
- Policy Brief
While Estonia’s geography makes it vulnerable to a Russian invasion, it is also protected due to weakened Russian capabilities, stronger European defence cooperation and its own preparedness. NATO’s European members should be reassured but not complacent
Decision time for Europe
- Mark Leonard
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
Venezuela, Trump’s “Donroe Doctrine” and three dilemmas facing Europe
- Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Chris Herrmann
- Commentary
- 2 minute read