Summary Russia’s leaders often claim that the US is a declining power and that a post-American world is growing ever-nearer. They assert that its European allies are bellicose and mercurial,
It is now many years since the European Union welcomed a new member to its midst. The last occasion was in 2013, when Western Balkan state Croatia joined. That country’s
Summary As prospective EU members, the countries of the Western Balkans need to integrate with the bloc’s internal markets and align with its climate and energy security goals. But the
On November 12th, the EU’s Technology Commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, singled out quantum technology as a field where the European Union has many reasons for optimism. She has pledged to introduce
In late November, France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot boarded his flight from Chad after what he probably thought had been a tense but productive meeting with the country’s president, Mahamat
As Donald Trump’s return to the presidency looms, European leaders are intensifying their diplomatic efforts. Emmanuel Macron has met with Donald Tusk to discuss European troop deployments, while a high-stakes
With the winter holiday season upon us, ECFR is pleased to share the most popular policy papers and articles we published this year. Thanks to you, our dear readers, for
‘Economic security’ has become a Brussels buzzword in recent years, shaped by a blend of pressure from Washington and Brussels’ own protectionist instincts. In sports, playing defence rarely wins championships.
Friedrich Merz’s long and winding journey towards the German chancellery is a tale of the federal republic’s past and present. Marinated in the determinedly pro-European, pro-Western politics of Helmut Kohl’s
How times have changed. On 25 November, the European Union added three Syrian ministers from the Assad regime to its sanctions listings. A matter of days later, Syrian dictator Bashar
Summary Surging global demand for critical raw materials has strengthened the bargaining power of resource-rich African countries. They are introducing new local content obligations for foreign mining companies that wish
Tech billionaire and owner of X, Elon Musk, is set to be right at President Donald Trump’s side in the new United States administration. Musk has emerged as one of
