The European Commission’s new support package for the Western Balkans could incentivise the reforms necessary both for EU membership and the green transition. But promoting climate action as a priority in the region will be far from straightforward
There are three steps EU leaders must urgently take to prepare themselves for the enlargement process – starting by suspending Hungary’s voting rights
From the Russia-Ukraine war to America and China, check out the most popular reads with ECFR this year
The politicisation of aid for Ukraine in the US and Europe, combined with the increasing war of attrition, is calling into question the West’s strategy for Ukraine. Kyiv’s allies need to update their strategy to enable Ukraine to push back against Russia’s aggression
Iran may not be directly behind the 7 October attacks on Israel, but Tehran has long worked to strengthen groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The broader dynamics within the Middle East have, in turn, limited these groups’ choices, prompting them to turn towards Iran for support
Just beyond the borders of the EU, the prisons of Belarus hold thousands of hostages of the Lukashenko regime. There is no magic formula for their release, but the EU can draw on international examples to save the lives of at least some of them
The EU’s role as a global climate leader was on full display at COP28. It will only be able to maintain this leadership if it can uphold support for its climate policies back home
The electric vehicle industry demonstrates the challenges of de-risking in practice. The EU needs more than tariffs if it wants to prevent a looming over-dependence on Chinese electric vehicles without strangling its own green ambitions
The EU’s and Chile’s enhanced association agreement will strengthen Europeans’ place in the “à la carte” world. The bloc should continue to tackle its dependencies and build mutually beneficial relations with countries across the globe
Israel’s expanding ground-offensive threatens to push Palestinians out of Gaza and into neighbouring Egypt. This would worsen an already dire humanitarian situation and risks destabilising Egypt, an important European partner