World War II finally ends
The tragedy of the Polish air crash has formed a new bond between Poland and Russia. But will they be able to do in the east what France and Germany have done in the west?
Experts & Staff
Ivan Krastev
Chairman, Centre for Liberal Strategies
Biography
Ivan Krastev chairs the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia and is a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences, IWM Vienna. He is a founding board member of ECFR, a member of Open Society Foundations’ global advisory board, a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and the author of the widely acclaimed book “After Europe”. In 2020, he was awarded the Jean Améry Prize for European essay writing. Previously, he served as executive director of the International Commission on the Balkans and as editor-in-chief of the Bulgarian edition of Foreign Policy.
Obama’s First Year
When it comes to Russia, central Europeans are rightly concerned about Obama’s ‘reset’ policy, but for the wrong reasons
Strong enough for a ‘reset’ with Russia? Obama and Moscow
The success of President Obama's “reset” policy with Russia will depend not only on getting U.S. actions toward Moscow right but also on getting insight into the way the Kremlin views the United States and its new president.
Strong enough for a ‘reset’ with Russia?
To persuade Russians to join him, Obama must first demonstrate that he does not need them
What does Russia think?
ECFR publishes a collection of views from key Russian intellectuals
The guns of August: non-event with consequences
The political fallout of the Russia-Georgia war of August 2008 affects far more than the main combatants
Why the Obama Administration should not take central and Eastern Europe for granted
Twenty years after the end of the Cold War, Central and Eastern Europe is no longer at the heart of American foreign policy. A GMF policy brief.
Russia and the Georgia war: the great-power trap
Russia’s flawed understanding of 21st-century international politics means that its military success in the war with Georgia could be followed by its strategic defeat
New World Order: The balance of soft power and the rise of herbivorous powers
A global public opinion survey shows that there is growing public support for a more multi-polar world
The rise of ?herbivorous powers??
A global public opinion survey shows that there is growing public support for a more multi-polar world, and 35% of world citizens would like to see the EU’s influence to grow
Publications
A new political map: Getting the European Parliament election right
Mainstream parties are hoping to prevent an anticipated far-right surge in this year’s European Parliament election. But the results of ECFR’s latest opinion poll suggest their current strategy could backfire – and what they should do instead
Wars and elections: How European leaders can maintain public support for Ukraine
As Russia’s war on Ukraine approaches its second anniversary, European leaders need to prevent Vladimir Putin from capitalising on war fatigue in the West. To maintain public support for backing Kyiv in this crucial election year, they should make clear that a Russian victory is not peace
A crisis of one’s own: The politics of trauma in Europe’s election year
European politics is divided between ‘crisis tribes,’ formed from different traumas. Climate and migration are set to be especially influential in this year’s European Parliament election
Living in an à la carte world: What European policymakers should learn from global public opinion
A new global opinion poll for ECFR reveals that many people outside the West want Europe and the US in their lives for all they have to offer – but that does not translate into full political alignment. People instead prefer an a la carte arrangement, in which their governments pragmatically select their partners depending on the matter at hand
Fragile unity: Why Europeans are coming together on Ukraine (and what might drive them apart)
Recent polling for ECFR suggests that Europeans have come closer together in their support for Ukraine. But the factors driving this unity are fragile, contingent, and may not last
United West, divided from the rest: Global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
New polling for ECFR reveals the West is consolidating – while facing an increasingly post-Western world, in which powers such as India and Turkiye are readier than ever to act independently
Peace versus Justice: The coming European split over the war in Ukraine
New ECFR research reveals that Europeans are split about the long-term goals of the war in Ukraine. Unless political leaders find a new language to bridge the gap between emerging “Peace” and “Justice” camps, Europe could become polarised between – and within – countries.
The crisis of European security: What Europeans think about the war in Ukraine
Europeans are united around three key ideas about the war in Ukraine. The crisis will likely test their readiness to defend the European security order.
What Europeans think about the US-China Cold War
A majority of European citizens believe a new cold war with both China and Russia is under way – but they mostly do not think that their own country is involved
Europe’s invisible divides: How covid-19 is polarising European politics
Europe’s covid-19 experience has been a tale of two pandemics – and the differences in each story could haunt the continent for many years to come
Articles
The pandemic was supposed to be great for strongmen. What happened?
From Trump to Lukashenka, authoritarians are discovering that this isn’t their kind of crisis
Donald Trump’s defeat would deal a blow to European populism
Victory for Joe Biden in November would empower liberals in former Habsburg lands
Seven early lessons from the coronavirus
The Covid-19 crisis will dramatically reshape the EU’s response to all other crises it has faced in the last decade
Will Europe Ever Trust America Again?
As Western leaders gather in London this week, you might be able to detect a huge rupture beneath the surface
What do Europeans really want?
This month’s EU elections aren’t a fight between nationalists and progressives. They are total chaos.
Why Viktor Orbán and his allies won’t win the EU elections
Right-wing populists think voters obsess about immigration. But that’s not the case.
Central Europe’s Tough Choice: Macron or Orban?
Fears about political and economic marginalisation have damped the spread of new EU-optimism to Central Europe
Donald Trump and the Bieber Doctrine
“Go and love yourself” is essentially Mr. Trump’s message to his European allies.
Transforming the global system
In the new polycentric world, global institutions must be reformed so that regional powers have a say in the system
We need new rules for a multipolar Europe
The Deauville summit involving Sarkozy, Merkel and Medvedev was always likely to be a non-event, beyond the recognition that Europe is now a multipolar continent. Instead we need a new system – an informal trialogue on European security that would keep the EU united, Russia post-imperial and Turkey European.
Specials
What Europeans really want: Five myths debunked
New ECFR/YouGov research reveals huge fluidity in current voting intentions: 70 percent of Europeans certain to vote are yet to make their choice. Nearly 100m swing voters are up for grabs.
Podcasts
Ukraine’s future in NATO
Mark Leonard welcomes Ivan Krastev to discuss how NATO membership can help Ukraine negotiate a durable peace
Living in an à la carte world: What European policymakers should learn from global public opinion
Jeremy Shapiro welcomes Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard to discuss how public sentiment can guide Europe in building partnerships and the world of tomorrow
United West, divided from the rest: Global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
Mark Leonard, Timothy Garton Ash, and Ivan Krastev discuss the main findings of ECFR’s latest opinion poll
15 years of ECFR: Reflections on Europe in a tumultuous world
We turned 15! Time to reflect on the past years and ECFR’s role in helping Europe find a strong, united voice
Peace versus Justice: The coming European split over the war in Ukraine
New ECFR research reveals that Europe’s remarkable unity in the early days of the war is under threat from an emerging split – between those who want peace as soon as possible and those who favour justice for Ukraine
Europe’s pandemic politics: How the virus has changed the public’s worldview
As covid-19 raged, speculation grew that the crisis would re– strengthen public support for the state; faith in…
L’avenir de la démocratie en Europe
Podcast de notre conférence du 24 avril « L'avenir de la démocratie en Europe » en partenariat avec la Revue Esprit, en présence…
Voices on Ukraine, voices of Ukraine part 1 – Ivan Krastev
ECFR's Policy Fellow and Associate Director of the Madrid Office, Francisco de Borja Lasheras, and ECFR Board Member and chairman of the Centre of…
Events
26 Mar
Transatlantic Public Opinion on the War in Ukraine
In celebration of the opening of the ECFR Washington office, this public panel will look at the state of public opinion on the war in…
4 Mar
Charm offensive: What should the West make of Moscow’s Efforts to Court the Global South
Exploring Russia’s global engagement and its implications for the West
31 Jan
Power audit of EU-Russia relations: How Europeans are learning to handle a new reality
Concluding that Russia poses a threat and that the EU let its dependencies grow too deep, the bloc so far attempted to decouple from Moscow. How should Europeans navigate the adversarial relationship in the future?
19 Jan
The crisis of American power: How Europeans see Biden’s America
The event will launch an exciting new report by Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard, based on public opinion polling in 11 countries
In the media
Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard on European public opinion ahead of the European Parliament elections
Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard on European public opinion ahead of the European Parliament elections
a significant shift to the right in many countries in the June vote, with populist radical right parties gaining votes and seats across the EU, and centre-left and green parties losing votes and seats
Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard on European public opinion ahead of the European Parliament elections
Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard on European public opinion ahead of the European Parliament elections
Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard on Europeans’ belief on the war in Ukraine