Is peace in Donbas possible?
An ambitious international peacekeeping and transition operation is badly needed in the Donbas
Experts & Staff
Carl Bildt
Co-chair of ECFR’s Council
Former Prime Minister and Former Foreign Minister of Sweden
Biography
Carl Bildt served as both prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden. Under his leadership, the government initiated major liberal economic reforms and negotiated Sweden’s accession to the EU. Previously, he served as EU special envoy to the former Yugoslavia, high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN special envoy to the Balkans, and co-chair of the Dayton Peace Conference. He also chaired the Global Commission on Internet Governance. In 2021, he was appointed WHO special envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.
If Trump blows up the Iran deal, he’ll cause a meltdown in Europe, too
The Iran agreement isn’t about Iran alone. It’s about upholding confidence in the international order.
Taking Turkey seriously
Make no mistake: the West’s attitude toward Turkey matters
More Europe, less Brussels
The idea of the Union must resonate with all Europeans, not just those who get invited to exclusive meetings. The era of Aachen is over; the age of Bratislava has arrived.
Ukraine: The case for ‘voor’
Ahead of the Dutch Ukraine referendum, ECFR co-chair Carl Bildt makes the case for greater integration and cooperation with Europe's eastern neighbour
Dayton revisited: Bosnia’s peace deal 20 years on
Two decades after the end of the Bosnian war Carl Bildt considers the successes and failures of Dayton
The future global order
In the first episode of this series, Carl Bildt explains that with the dramatic increase in the importance of the cyber world, Europe must create the right environment in which an open, dynamic and global internet can flourish. It is a vital European interest and one that we are neglecting.
Russia, EU and Eastern Partnership
What happens to Ukraine now will play a possibly decisive role in the future of the continent itself
Publications
Push back, contain, and engage: How the EU should approach relations with Russia
The bloc should reframe how it speaks of human rights and democracy, while developing closer security and military links with select neighbours
The evolution of US strategic priorities
The Biden administration’s Interim National Security Strategic Guidance reflects an evolution in US strategic thinking and policy priorities
Bosnia to war, to Dayton, and to its slow peace
It will be difficult to sustain progress for Bosnia or the region without a credible and clear EU accession process
From plaything to player: How Europe can stand up for itself in the next five years
Introduction The last five years have not been kind to the European Union’s foreign policy. The EU has been less relevant, less active, and less…
Dayton revisited: Bosnia’s peace deal 20 years on
Two decades after the end of the Bosnian war Carl Bildt considers the successes and failures of Dayton
Articles
What now?
In this age of danger, we will need a strong EU and a strong NATO
Afghanistan: How it could have been different
Nothing was inevitable about the Taliban reconquering of Afghanistan. But in the end the US lost what minimal strategic patience it had.
The Balkans non-paper and the dangers of Plan B
Only a firm framework of integration can bring long-term stability to the Balkans – this is as relevant today as it was in 2003, when EU leaders offered membership to all countries in the region
The Armenian model for Belarus
While many Western observers have seized on Ukraine's 2004-5 and 2014 revolutions to understand the mass protests in Belarus, a much better analogy is Armenia's democratic transition in 2018.
In times of strategic confusion, deeper dialogue is a must
The relationship between the EU and India has vast potential in areas ranging from multilateral institutions to global health
Hashim Thaci should resign
The indictment for war crimes against Kosovo President Hassim Thaci helpfully upends the poorly conceived US initiative to reconcile Serbia and Kosovo. But it fatally delegitimates Kosovo’s current leadership.
Europe risks irrelevance in the age of great power competition
An unpredictable US, rising China and revanchist Russia pose serious strategic challenges
Ukraine’s new front is Europe’s big challenge
There’s plenty Europe should do to push back against Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine
Winning peace
The end of the first world war with its history, remembrance, and challenges | Speech by Carl Bildt
No silver ballot: The problems with a Donbas referendum
The war in Donbas is Europe's worst active conflict – a referendum would not help
Podcasts
New era, new alliance: NATO, Sweden, and Finland
What can Sweden and Finland offer NATO? And are they worried about the Kremlin’s threats to attack their countries?
Events
14 Dec
From surviving to thriving: How Europe should support Ukraine in the long war against Russia
To brace for a “Long War”, Europe needs to be ready to take its lessons learned from more than half a year of the war to heart and deliver enduring support to Ukraine
23 Jun
Anti-Coercion Instrument: How the EU can counter sanctions, boycotts and economic blackmailing
This event is the second webinar in a two-part series on current developments in the global use of economic coercion
In the media
This opens to a period of uncertainty about Italian foreign policy and economy that represents a source of concern for European governments
Carl Bildt comments on the European reaction to the fall of Draghi’s government
Biden must seriously consider the costs of his passivity vis-a-vis Iran and find a way forward — or we may find ourselves in another conflict that no one asked for
ECFR Board Members Carl Bildt and Javier Solana remind that we should not forget about Iran and its expanding nuclear program
Finland and Sweden no longer view NATO membership as a strategic choice. Since February 24, it has become an existential imperative.
ECFR Co-Chair Carl Bildt explains how Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO will alter the European security architecture
A big invasion might not be the most likely, but it’s not impossible
Carl Bildt, co-chair of ECFR is cited on Russia’s potential aggressive action against Ukraine
The invasion is not an option to be excluded. (…) I don’t believe we will see a solution to the crisis in the short term.
Carl Bildt is interviewed about the possible developments of the Russia-Ukraine crisis