The Wider Europe programme aims to help the EU become a stronger geopolitical actor in its eastern neighbourhood. To achieve this goal, the programme supports EU decision-makers’ work on a unified and coherent policy vis-à-vis Russia, and develops consistent strategies to defend the EU’s interests and values in the Wider Europe region. The programme focuses on post-Soviet states, the Western Balkans, and Turkey.
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
The EU and its member states need to make an urgent commitment to Ukraine’s security and long-term commitment to its European future. If they do not, they risk alienating the very Ukrainians they seek to support
Middle powers are shaping a fragmented world for which Europe is ill prepared. To protect its interests and values, the EU needs a foreign policy strategy that emphasises its wide range of interdependencies
The question of Nagorno-Karabakh is unlikely to be discussed any time soon after Azerbaijan took control of the region in September. Europeans should now diplomatically engage with all sides to prevent further escalation, while supporting Armenia’s domestic political stability and strengthening its defence capabilities
Jeremy Shapiro welcomes Aslı Aydıntaşbaş and Dimitar Bechev discuss what the conflict in the Middle East means for Turkey’s foreign policy
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
Ahead of the European Council in December where accession talks with Ukraine are expected to be opened, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) is…
Now that the European Commission has opened up accession negotiations for Ukraine, Kyiv should use careful diplomacy to contend with potential opposition from Budapest
Jeremy Shapiro welcomes Gustav Gressel and Kirill Shamiev to talk about the consequences of the war in Gaza for Ukraine
Over the past year, Moldova has rid itself of Russian gas supplies. But it still receives electricity from the Russian-sponsored breakaway region of Transnistria. Ending this final dependency would bolster Moldova’s security – and Europe’s
To arm Ukraine for the long war, Europe and the United States should support the development of the country’s military industry to reduce its reliance on Western weapons
Georgia’s path to EU membership is a strategic dilemma for the bloc: reward a country for democratic backsliding or leave it vulnerable to further Russian influence. To avoid shattering the hopes of a pro-EU population, a middle ground is needed
The EU and its member states need to make an urgent commitment to Ukraine’s security and long-term commitment to its European future. If they do not, they risk alienating the very Ukrainians they seek to support
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
The EU and its member states need to make an urgent commitment to Ukraine’s security and long-term commitment to its European future. If they do not, they risk alienating the very Ukrainians they seek to support
Middle powers are shaping a fragmented world for which Europe is ill prepared. To protect its interests and values, the EU needs a foreign policy strategy that emphasises its wide range of interdependencies
Russia’s war on Ukraine has featured many of the technological advances the world has made over the past decades. If Europeans are serious about their defence capabilities, they need to learn from this use of emerging technology on both sides of the war
Chinese thinkers are drawing four key lessons from Russia’s war on Ukraine, informing their views on: America, Russia, Taiwan, and economic interdependence with the West
As Russia’s war on Ukraine highlights the Arctic’s geostrategic importance and disrupts its governance formats, European governments need to prioritise cooperation with each other and with the region’s indigenous peoples
Domestic unrest and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine left Kazakhstan in a precarious position. The EU should devise an approach that encourages and guides the country to genuine domestic transformation.
A new agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is a welcome step – but the EU can transform the situation by setting out clearer accession prospects for both countries
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
Georgian government actions are hindering the country’s journey to the EU, yet the Georgian people are strongly pro-European. The EU should more tightly condition the support it provides
The question of Nagorno-Karabakh is unlikely to be discussed any time soon after Azerbaijan took control of the region in September. Europeans should now diplomatically engage with all sides to prevent further escalation, while supporting Armenia’s domestic political stability and strengthening its defence capabilities
Now that the European Commission has opened up accession negotiations for Ukraine, Kyiv should use careful diplomacy to contend with potential opposition from Budapest
Over the past year, Moldova has rid itself of Russian gas supplies. But it still receives electricity from the Russian-sponsored breakaway region of Transnistria. Ending this final dependency would bolster Moldova’s security – and Europe’s
To arm Ukraine for the long war, Europe and the United States should support the development of the country’s military industry to reduce its reliance on Western weapons
Georgia’s path to EU membership is a strategic dilemma for the bloc: reward a country for democratic backsliding or leave it vulnerable to further Russian influence. To avoid shattering the hopes of a pro-EU population, a middle ground is needed
Three years after Belarus’s democratic uprising, Belarusians in Europe are met with increasing suspicion, but now more than ever, European leaders should guarantee enduring support to Belarusian exiles
Serbia’s partial withdrawal of troops along the border with Kosovo should not be enough to quash fears of Serbian aggression, instead the EU and the US must reevaluate their relations with the country’s president
Geopolitical shifts created an opportune moment for Azerbaijan to reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh. With the current ceasefire on shaky ground, the EU needs to use the leverage it has to prevent further escalation
Escalating violence in the north of Kosovo undermines the already difficult dialogue process. The EU and US need to address this destabilisation head on
With less than two months remaining until winter begins, Ukrainian forces are working to secure better positions for the 2024 campaign. Western allies can help them prepare
China is building up its influence in the Western Balkans through projects focused on everything from energy and infrastructure to culture, education, and media. If the European Union is to achieve its geopolitical goals in the region, it will need to understand the nature of competition with Beijing in all these areas.
What role does Russia play in the breakaway regions of Eastern Europe?
Locked in a shadowy life between war and peace, “grey zones” now litter the map of Eastern Europe
Following high level ministerial meetings on Ukraine, ECFR's Wider Europe team report on the implementation the Minsk agreement
Jeremy Shapiro welcomes Aslı Aydıntaşbaş and Dimitar Bechev discuss what the conflict in the Middle East means for Turkey’s foreign policy
Jeremy Shapiro welcomes Gustav Gressel and Kirill Shamiev to talk about the consequences of the war in Gaza for Ukraine
Mark Leonard welcomes Theo Murphy, Pavel Slunkin, Kadri Liik, and Kirill Shamiev to shed light on the possible consequences of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death
Mark Leonard is joined by Alex Stubb, Lykke Friis, and Camille Grand, to discuss the outcomes of the NATO summit in Vilnius.
Mark Leonard welcomes Marie Dumoulin, Kadri Liik, Pavel Slunkin and Kiril Shamiev to shed light on the weekend’s events and discuss the new reality that has opened up in Russia
Mark Leonard is joined by Gustav Gressel to talk about sending fighter jets to Ukraine
Mark Leonard, Timothy Garton Ash, and Ivan Krastev discuss the main findings of ECFR’s latest opinion poll
Mark Leonard reports live from the Munich Security Conference
Mark Leonard invited Michael Thumann to talk about his new book “Revenge: How Putin created the most threatening regime in the world”
Ahead of the European Council in December where accession talks with Ukraine are expected to be opened, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) is…
In vista delle elezioni europee del 2024, la disinformazione si conferma una delle sfide che Italia ed Europa devono affrontare con grande urgenza. Per…
Cosa possono fare Italia ed Europa sul tema della disinformazione e delle interferenze esterne in vista delle elezioni europee del 2024?
How has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022—and the conduct of the war since then—changed China’s support for Russia and its wider outlook on the world? What lessons can Europe learn from China’s relationship to Russia?
What are the political dynamics surrounding the Russian military? Exploring potential scenarios for Russia’s civil-military development and implications for NATO and Europe
Join the discussion on Georgia’s future in light of the recent protests, EU accession process and Russia’s influence in Tbilisi
Russia’s devastating war against Ukraine on European soil has been raging for one year now. With tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives lost, the country is fighting…
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?
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
We will discuss Germany’s role in Europe and will reflect on how the new European order is viewed in Berlin
The geopolitical context has brought the issue of enlargement to the top of the agenda. Europeans are now considering welcoming new members as a response to the new reality.
Engjellushe Morina says EU enlargement fatigue has temporarily passed, but despite record high support from both the public and the governments, it may face more obstacles than the 2004 enlargement
