Since reunification, Germany has had its best 30 years. The next 30 will be harder
The EU is in the country’s DNA. But global threats mean a strong transatlantic Western alliance has never been more vital
Experts & Staff
Timothy Garton Ash
Professor of European Studies, University of Oxford
Biography
Timothy Garton Ash is a professor of European Studies emeritus in the University of Oxford and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. A founding member of ECFR, he is the author, most recently, of Homelands: A Personal History of Europe. He writes a column on international affairs in the Guardian, which is widely syndicated in Europe, Asia and the Americas. He is an ECFR Council Member.
Belarus should remind us to believe in freedom’s power
However uncertain the road ahead, these protests show how authoritarianism ultimately subverts itself
Can Germany now hold the European team together?
Angela Merkel’s triumph in brokering an EU covid-19 recovery package could mark the resurgence of a shared political dream
China: Lessons for Europe from the Cold War
Liberal democracies must learn the lessons of the past by thinking long-term, applying a strong moral code – and avoiding hubris
What kind of post-corona world do Europeans want?
The coronavirus crisis could lead us to the best of times. It could lead us to the worst of times
The EU can emerge stronger from the pandemic if Merkel seizes the moment
One member state has become a dictatorship as others spiral into debt. Germany must lead the European Union through the coronavirus crisis
Europe (including Britain) can still be a superpower
The key to European power projection isn’t institutional reform, it’s a shift in attitude and a willingness to cooperate.
1989- the greatest year in European history?
In the first in our mini-series on the events of 1989, host Mark Leonard is joined by very special guest Timothy Garton Ash, historian and…
A message from Timothy Garton Ash: Tell us you want Britain to stay
Leaders across Europe might want to get Brexit over the line. But in the long term the EU would be weaker without the UK
We know the price of appeasement. That’s why we must stand up to Viktor Orbán
This appeasement has to stop. If Hungary’s anti-liberal, nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, persists in his attempts to close down the country’s best and most independent university, and continues to erode liberal democracy in many other ways, then the EU’s powerful grouping of centre-right parties must expel Orbán’s party from its ranks
Publications
How Trump is making China great again—and what it means for Europe
A post-Western world is learning to love China, while Europeans are starting to fear America
Alone in a Trumpian world: The EU and global public opinion after the US elections
Citizens of global powers are upbeat about a second Trump presidency – but this is by no means universal, particularly among traditional US allies
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
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
Articles
If the UK wants to rejoin the European Union, it first needs to understand it
A full return will require a marathon of democratic persuasion, on the continent as much as in Britain. For one side holds most of the cards
This is how to defeat Vladimir Putin
The Russian dictator’s dreams of greatness threaten NATO and the EU, not just Ukraine. Here are eight ways in which he can be thwarted
In a joyful Budapest, with the populists routed, I saw the chance of an unprecedented transition
With the ejection of Trumpian hero Viktor Orban, Hungarians demanded a restored democracy. Now, Europe must support them
Germany’s military power is on the rise. This time it must be firmly embedded in Europe
As Russian aggression continues and Trump’s US threatens NATO, it is even more vital for a unified defence of the continent
Love Actually? Washington’s current relationship with Britain is more like Contempt Actually
If the UK wants to regain serious respect in the world, it needs its European leg as well as its transatlantic one
Only Europe can save Ukraine from Putin and Trump—but will it?
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
When Czech populists win, that’s nothing peculiarly “east European”. It’s the new normal of the Western world
The likely new government in Prague will add one more state opposed to the EU’s green deal, and migration and asylum pact
Americans have 400 days to save their democracy
I never thought I’d see fear spread so far and fast. Next year’s midterm elections are now crucial for the Democratic party—and for democrats everywhere
Britain is great at muddling through. But imagine if its leaders knew where they were heading
British prime minister Keir Starmer’s successful ‘reset’ with Europe highlights an underlying incoherence. The only rational long-term strategy is to rejoin the EU, but British politics is far removed from that
As Trump and Putin menace Europe, I say this: Vive le Churchillo-Gaullisme!
Our continent must be prepared to defend itself, by combining the best of its two most influential traditions
Podcasts
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
The blindsided: How France and Germany cleared the way for Russia
Mark Leonard welcomes Sylvie Kauffmann and Timothy Garton Ash to discuss the former’s new book “The Blindsided” and France and Germany’s history with Putin’s Russia
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
1989- the greatest year in European history?
In the first in our mini-series on the events of 1989, host Mark Leonard is joined by very special guest Timothy Garton Ash, historian and…
Timothy Ash on the economic impact of sanctions against Russia
In the second of two podcasts examining possible sanctions against Vladimir Putin's Russia, following Moscow's actions in Crimea, Timothy Ash looks at the possible…
Events
European Power
The World in 2026: Global Public Opinion One Year into the Second Trump Presidency
How do publics around the world view geopolitics one year into the second Trump presidency? ECFR’s 2024 polling revealed that many middle-power societies welcomed Trump’s return to the White House. Yet twelve months on, perceptions of power, polarity, and alignment have shifted towards a multipolar, post-Western world. On the day of the launch of ECFR’s fourth Global Public Opinion Survey, this webinar will reveal how publics across 21 countries including China, India, Turkey,…
European Power
European views on a second Trump presidency: Time for pragmatism
The re-election of President Trump sent shockwaves across Europe and around the world. From a global perspective, Europeans are seemingly alone in their pessimism about a second Trump mandate compared to people in other countries around the world. But what does the picture look like if we zoom-in on Europe?…
European Power
World views on a second Trump presidency: Alliances, adversaries, and opportunities
As the world prepares for a second Trump presidency and its transformative impact on the global order, Europe faces an urgent need to not only reassess its transatlantic ties but also to rethink engagement with other powers on its path to strategic interdependence. This event which will explore the findings of public opinion polling…
In the media
ECFR policy brief “How Trump is making China great again—and what it means for Europe”, mentioned by Formiche
Timothy Garton Ash on how to defeat Vladimir Putin
ECFR poll mentioned on the European perspective on the US and Trump
ECFR’s survey reveals swing states’ lingering alignment with the US
The policy brief by Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev, and Mark Leonard, How Trump Is Making China Great Again—and What It Means for Europe, mentioned by Geopolitica.info