Letter from Washington: Why Trump won’t like Europe’s Ukraine plan
The US has rid itself of its responsibility for Europe’s defence—and Europeans have finally responded. For those in Washington, however, it is too little too late
European Union
4 Dec
Bridging expectations: The EU’s vision for 2025 and the role of the Polish presidency
On 4 December 2024 Polityka Insight and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) organised an event in Brussels focused on the priorities of the…
Transatlantic drift: UK-EU defence cooperation in the second Trump era
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
Touching the void: Human rights in foreign policy under Trump 2.0
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
Between two Donalds: How Tusk’s relationship with Trump could foster EU-US cooperation
The United States and Poland have a historic allyship. Despite Donald Tusk and Donald Trump harbouring opposing ideological motivations, there remains scope for the two countries to work together in the interest of European security
Scholz’s populism playbook: Why Germany needs to tackle fringe-party influence to preserve EU unity
Germany’s political chaos is giving populist fringe parties unprecedented influence over policymaking. As internal divisions deepen within the governing coalition, these parties are shaping the political discourse and threatening the country’s – and the EU’s – stability
Recharge or regret: Why the EU must act decisively to secure Europe’s struggling battery industry
Northvolt’s near-collapse demonstrates why the EU needs an economic security doctrine to identify where in the battery supply chain Europe can create winners – and then go all-in for success. If Europe continues down the same path, its battery industry will hit a wall
Better firefighting: Readying Europe for an age between war and peace
Facing wars and crises, the EU can no longer rely on slow peacetime processes. It needs a plan for faster industrial and infrastructural adaptation
Commissioning defence: How to build a European Defence Union
The European Commission has big ambitions for European defence. But getting EU member states to cooperate will be crucial and call for unaccustomed diplomacy on the commission’s part
The emergency lane: How the EU can speed up its crisis responses
In times of crisis the EU can no longer rely on its standard, slow procedures. A European Defence Production Act could transform its ability to deal with shocks
Publications
Better firefighting: Readying Europe for an age between war and peace
Facing wars and crises, the EU can no longer rely on slow peacetime processes. It needs a plan for faster industrial and infrastructural adaptation
Defending Europe with less America
Shifting US priorities and a degrading security environment – not to mention the possibility of a second Trump presidency – mean Europeans finally have to take more responsibility for their own security
The infinite connection: How to make the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor happen
The India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor is alive, if not yet kicking. Europeans should use the hiatus in the corridor’s development to agree on the next steps, with a focus on reconciling the various goals of all its participants
A sharp right turn: A forecast for the 2024 European Parliament elections
The 2024 European Parliament elections will see a shift to the right in many countries and could mean that a populist right coalition emerges with a majority for the first time
Catch-27: The contradictory thinking about enlargement in the EU
A new power audit of member states’ positions on EU enlargement shows broad agreement that it is a geopolitical necessity, but major disagreements about how to prepare the EU. To make credible progress, EU member states need to agree on a roadmap that addresses their conflicting concerns at the European Council meeting in December
Articles
Letter from Washington: Why Trump won’t like Europe’s Ukraine plan
The US has rid itself of its responsibility for Europe’s defence—and Europeans have finally responded. For those in Washington, however, it is too little too late
Transatlantic drift: UK-EU defence cooperation in the second Trump era
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
Touching the void: Human rights in foreign policy under Trump 2.0
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
Between two Donalds: How Tusk’s relationship with Trump could foster EU-US cooperation
The United States and Poland have a historic allyship. Despite Donald Tusk and Donald Trump harbouring opposing ideological motivations, there remains scope for the two countries to work together in the interest of European security
Scholz’s populism playbook: Why Germany needs to tackle fringe-party influence to preserve EU unity
Germany’s political chaos is giving populist fringe parties unprecedented influence over policymaking. As internal divisions deepen within the governing coalition, these parties are shaping the political discourse and threatening the country’s – and the EU’s – stability
Recharge or regret: Why the EU must act decisively to secure Europe’s struggling battery industry
Northvolt’s near-collapse demonstrates why the EU needs an economic security doctrine to identify where in the battery supply chain Europe can create winners – and then go all-in for success. If Europe continues down the same path, its battery industry will hit a wall
Commissioning defence: How to build a European Defence Union
The European Commission has big ambitions for European defence. But getting EU member states to cooperate will be crucial and call for unaccustomed diplomacy on the commission’s part
The emergency lane: How the EU can speed up its crisis responses
In times of crisis the EU can no longer rely on its standard, slow procedures. A European Defence Production Act could transform its ability to deal with shocks
Warming up: How the EU can prepare for COP29 in the wake of the US election
To keep climate cooperation from icing over, European policymakers should be ready to show leadership at COP and take the reins from the US, regardless of its president-elect
From Brussels with leverage: How the EU is recalibrating its China strategy
By imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, the European Commission has turned a corner on its relations with Beijing. To push back against an emboldened Brussels, Beijing will have to change tactics
Podcasts
The future of European politics
Mark Leonard welcomes the heads of ECFR’s national offices to discuss key players outside the traditional halls of European power
Events
4 Dec
Bridging expectations: The EU’s vision for 2025 and the role of the Polish presidency
On 4 December 2024 Polityka Insight and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) organised an event in Brussels focused on the priorities of the…
24 Sep
EU sanctions for a conflict around Taiwan: What’s Europe’s leverage against China?
As the United States shifts its focus toward Southeast Asia and China, Europe faces a critical moment in evaluating its own approach to a potential…
10 Jun
ECFR’s Election Insights: Implications for Europe’s foreign policy agenda
This webinar will provide a snapshot analysis of election results and their implications for Europe’s foreign policy and security agenda. Featuring perspectives from selected ECFR…
28 May
Connessioni infinite: Italia, Europa e progetto IMEC
L’IMEC è un progetto a lungo termine che richiede investimenti considerevoli e presenta notevoli ostacoli interni ed esterni. Ma il potenziale del corridoio di rafforzare i legami tra potenze diverse potrebbe rivelarsi prezioso in questo mondo frammentato e turbolento, con benefici geopolitici e geoeconomici per Europa ed i suoi partner
23 May
Il circolo dell’ECFR – Corridoio IMEC: prospettive per Italia ed UE
Il tema di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR sarà focalizzato sulle prospettive del corridoio IMEC come ponte economico tra Oriente ed Occidente
24 Apr
Europe’s de-risking plans: between ambitions and reality
Quarto appuntamento di una serie di working lunch realizzati congiuntamente da ECFR Roma, SDA Bocconi e l’Institute for European Policymaking @ Bocconi University
12 Mar
BERLIN-MADRID-PARIS-ROME Quadrilateral Dialogue – Europe in the post-US elections scenario
Building on the success and results of the 2023 Project “France-Italy-Germany Trilateral Dialogue: in Pursuit of a common agenda”, the 2024 Quadrilateral Project will continue to promote intra-European dialogue between capitals, extending last year’s trilateral format to Spain
6 Mar
Finding untapped partners for a multilateral world: A Black Coffee Morning
Multilateralism is in crisis. Europeans find it increasingly difficult to shape their environment and make themselves heard on the global stage. Their relative weight is…
22 Jan
Europe debates: EU-Reform und Ukraine-Erweiterung
Die EU muss sich reformieren, bevor sie die Ukraine (und andere Beitrittskandidaten) aufnimmt – nur so verhindert sie totale Dysfunktionalität
6 Dec
L’allargamento e il futuro dell’Unione europea
Secondo appuntamento di una serie di tre working lunch realizzati congiuntamente da ECFR Roma, SDA Bocconi e l’Institute for European Policymaking @ Bocconi University
In the media
There are already concerns over what comes next, given the profound failure of recent regional transitions such as in Libya
It would have been necessary for the EU to come together in this new and transitional phase with the arrival of Trump. Having France and Germany in this condition is not beneficial to EU stability
