Highlights
Featured
The fall of Assad: Europeans have an opportunity to help forge a new Syria
- Julien Barnes-Dacey
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Following a ten-day advance, Syrian rebels have toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad. European governments should step up support for a stabilising, power-sharing transition to protect their regional interests – and Syria’s citizens
Live from the Doha Forum: The Middle East after Assad
- Podcast
- Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Mark Leonard welcomes Julien Barnes-Dacey, Ellie Geranmayeh, and Vali Nasr to discuss shifting dynamics in the Middle East and their implications for global geopolitics
Transatlantic drift: UK-EU defence cooperation in the second Trump era
- Anand Sundar
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
Donald Trump’s re-election is calling America’s commitment to transatlantic security into question. The UK and the EU should deepen their defence relationship in the face of external aggression
Open trade, open minds: Why opposing the Mercosur trade deal would hurt the EU
- Alberto Rizzi
- Policy Alert
- 1 minute read
An agreement between the EU and the Mercosur trade bloc promises an 800-million-person market and reduced tariffs. Yet political fears in Europe threaten to derail the landmark deal, jeopardising global alliances and the EU’s position as a leader in multilateral trade
Upcoming events
Taking stock of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC, 20007 USA
- ECFR Washington
Recent events
Samba Steps: Understanding Brazil’s global role and what it means for Europe
- Online
- ECFR Berlin, ECFR Madrid
Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Live from the Doha Forum: The Middle East after Assad
- Podcast
- Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Mark Leonard welcomes Julien Barnes-Dacey, Ellie Geranmayeh, and Vali Nasr to discuss shifting dynamics in the Middle East and their implications for global geopolitics
ECFR on air
Saudi Arabia and Trump: What’s next for the Middle East
- Podcast
- ECFR on air
- WOMENP
Ellie Geranmayeh welcomes Dr. Manal Radwan to talk about the impact of Donald Trump’s election for the wars in the Middle East
Views from the Council
Trump’s return is terrible news for Ukraine. Europe should step into the breach – but will it?
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
With Germany’s government collapsing and Europeans so divided in their response to Trump, unity is essential yet elusive
The next five years: How strong economic and trade alliances can prepare the EU for a post-America world
- Arancha González Laya
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
Regardless of who wins the US presidential election, the European Union must shape its own future by fostering resilience, refining trade policies, and strengthening global partnerships to navigate shifting geopolitical winds
In the Media - Council
Karolina Wigura on the German government’s decision to reimpose checks at its borders
Lea Ypi on British interest in the migrant pact struck between Italy and Albania
Daniela Schwarzer discusses lessons Draghi’s report on competitiveness holds for Germany
Gerald Knaus criticises plans to turn away refugees at the German border
Featured and flagship projects
Countdown to Trump
What would a Trump win mean for transatlantic relations? Would a Harris presidency mark another, different sort of turning point? What can – and should – a Europe with less US mean?
Defending Europe with less America
- Camille Grand
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.
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Romania’s election crisis: A stark warning for NATO nations on Russian meddling
- Oana Popescu-Zamfir
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Romanian institutions could have better protected the elections had they not underestimated the rise of the far right and tolerated radical and nationalist elements in their ranks
Prepare for the worst: Four scenarios for Ukraine under Trump 2.0
- Todor Tagarev
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
Donald Trump’s policies on the war in Ukraine could both help and hinder Kyiv’s fight. Europeans should be proactive and prepare for all possible outcomes
Keeping Paris in: How Europeans should respond to France’s political turmoil
- Camille Grand, Camille Lons, Pawel Zerka
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
French prime minister Michel Barnier has been ousted following a vote of no confidence. European governments need to demonstrate that, despite France’s internal political turmoil, they maintain a united front in foreign and security policy
Turmoil in Seoul: A potential setback for EU-South Korea security cooperation
- Alexander Lipke
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
The attempted imposition of martial law by President Yoon Suk-Yeol has plunged South Korea into political uncertainty. As Seoul’s immediate focus turns inward, its ability and willingness to tackle shared challenges with Europe may decline, from the war in Ukraine to Chinese economic coercion
Back to the battlefield: A new chapter in Syria’s civil war
- Julien Barnes-Dacey
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Syrian rebel forces have seized Aleppo, reigniting the country’s civil war. As Bashar al-Assad remobilises, the country is likely to be sucked into a new cycle of devastating violence
Touching the void: Human rights in foreign policy under Trump 2.0
- Mireia Faro Sarrats
- Commentary
- 6 minute read
Donald Trump’s second presidential administration is imminent. The European Union should prioritise international collaboration to challenge America’s likely hardline approach to human rights
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.
Arturo Varvelli on post-Assad Syria and the dialogue role the EU should play with Turkey
According to Julien Barnes-Dacey, the EU should not be afraid to engage in talks with the Syrian rebels
More on Africa
Material world: How Europe can compete with China in the race for Africa’s critical minerals
- Sarah Logan
- Policy Brief
The EU faces a massive uphill struggle to secure critical raw material supply chains – and its efforts may even be undermining the bloc’s de-risking objectives by indirectly helping Chinese companies
Point-scoring over protection: How Russia’s politicking harms Sudanese civilians
- Jonas Horner
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
Reste calme: Why Europeans should take a measured approach towards Trump in Africa
- Will Brown
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
More on Asia
The idea of China
- Alicja Bachulska, Mark Leonard, Janka Oertel
- Book
China’s ideas could become the country’s next big export. The Idea of China examines Chinese thinking about global order, AI, demographic change, and more – and considers how these ideas could influence the world
When East meets West meets Trump’s America: European diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific
- James Crabtree, Alexander Lipke, Elli-Katharina Pohlkamp
- Commentary
- 8 minute read
Carbon diplomacy: How Europe can steer China’s climate path
- Byford Tsang
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
More on European Power
Energy Sovereignty Index: Gains, gaps, and the road ahead
- Szymon KardaÅ›
- Special
ECFR’s 2024 Energy Sovereignty Index shows both progress and persistent pitfalls on the EU’s path to energy independence, efficiency, and cleanness. While gains in renewable energy and efficiency are notable, the bloc’s heavy reliance on energy imports is a critical vulnerability
Between the lines: Monitoring Putin’s response to Ukraine’s long-range missiles
- Camille Grand
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
The new Futurism: What a Meloni-Musk alliance could mean for Europe
- Arturo Varvelli
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
More on Middle East and North Africa
Mending fences: Europe’s stake in the Saudi-Iran detente
- Julien Barnes-Dacey, Cinzia Bianco
- Policy Brief
Saudi-Iran diplomacy offers a rare path to prevent deepening conflict in the Middle East and support regional stability. Europeans should see this diplomacy as a chance to address their core interests, and not just as Iran’s attempt to bypass Western pressure
Avoiding the next front: Iraq’s fight to stay out of the Israel-Iran conflict
- Hamzeh Hadad
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
The International Criminal Court and Netanyahu: A test for European principles
- Anthony Dworkin
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on United States
Trump’s tinderbox: US politics and the next war in the Balkans
- Adnan Ćerimagić, Majda Ruge
- Policy Brief
Serbian revisionism is on the march and would be greatly strengthened by a Trump win. The EU must prepare a deterrence plan — and take greater responsibility for Western Balkan security
Reste calme: Why Europeans should take a measured approach towards Trump in Africa
- Will Brown
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
The new Futurism: What a Meloni-Musk alliance could mean for Europe
- Arturo Varvelli
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
More on Wider Europe
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
- Policy Brief
With EU enlargement back on the agenda, democracy promotion in candidate countries is a key geopolitical interest for the bloc. The EU’s previous efforts to promote democracy in the Western Balkans and eastern neighbourhood may hold valuable lessons for the years ahead
Staying power: Securing peace in Ukraine while balancing European interests
- Marie Dumoulin, Camille Grand
- Commentary
- 6 minute read
Deconstructing Russia’s anti-colonial posturing in the global south
- Mikhail Komin
- Commentary
- 5 minute read