Blueprints on the border: Germany’s Lithuania deployment may be Europe’s new template
By stationing troops in Lithuania, Germany sets a precedent that other European powers may soon be pressed to emulate
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The plus sides of pragmatism: How the EU can engage with South Korea’s new president
At first glance, South Korea’s next president will be less Western aligned than the last, emphasising pragmatism over value-alignment. To maintain strong ties with Seoul, Europeans will need to reframe their diplomatic approach
Brussels hold’em: European cards against Trumpian coercion
Faced with an aggressive United States, Europe has more leverage than it realises. Across trade, technology, infrastructure, finance and people-to-people relations it has ways of retaliating
Nächste Veranstaltungen
Keine bevorstehenden Veranstaltungen.
Vergangene Veranstaltungen
17
Juni
3
Juni
Actually, maybe: How German Angst could become Europe’s nightmare
Germany’s political centre is crumbling—but its leaders appear unable to get ahead of the impending crisis
Germany’s second China shock
Mark Leonard welcomes Janka Oertel and Andrew Small to discuss how China’s industrial rise is shaking Germany—and Europe’s—economic foundations
Political crisis in Germany
Mark Leonard welcomes Jörg Lau and Jana Puglierin to discuss Germany’s deepening political crisis, the rise of the AfD and how the country’s regional elections could impact Europe’s largest democracy
Trust the numbers: Germans are open to a more hawkish China policy
ECFR polling suggests significant public support not only for tougher German policy on China but also for investment in renewables—tackling twin problems together
If Marine Le Pen wins: A European guide to a far-right France
A Le Pen-led France would mean major changes to European politics. Here’s how political leaders can begin to prepare
Two of a kind: How France and Italy can show the way for Europe’s Africa policy
Rome and Paris have each overhauled their economic strategies towards Africa in the past few years, competing openly for influence on the continent. Here is how the EU can use that rivalry to sharpen Europe’s offer to Africa
Serbia: Inside the leaderless movement
Jessica Hendrick welcomes Igor Bandović and Luka Filipović to discuss Serbia’s largest protest movement in decades
The magnificent ten: A coalition of the willing to drive the EU’s next enlargement
A Team Enlargement coalition of EU member states can drive the changes needed to bring Ukraine and others into the bloc
ECFR’s summer entertainment list 2026
Whether you’re heading off on holiday or staying home this summer, ECFR’s entertainment recommendations—spanning books, podcasts and tv series—will help you reconnect with your internal and external wellbeing
How to think about a Le Pen presidency of France
Le Pen is racing into the French presidential election, even with a fraud conviction hanging over her campaign. Europeans should begin preparing for the rupture her victory could bring
Publikationen
If Marine Le Pen wins: A European guide to a far-right France
A Le Pen-led France would mean major changes to European politics. Here’s how political leaders can begin to prepare
The magnificent ten: A coalition of the willing to drive the EU’s next enlargement
A Team Enlargement coalition of EU member states can drive the changes needed to bring Ukraine and others into the bloc
The future is fermented: How Europe can succeed in the next industrial race
The next industrial revolution will be built with microbes as much as machines. China understands this. Europe still has the science to compete but must act quickly before industrial leadership slips away again
The art of the swarm: Systemic rivalry with China on European terms
The EU can exploit its system to say no to China—now, and long into the future
The bear with the bomb: Russian nuclear coercion and the future of European deterrence
Russia is expanding its nuclear-capable, long-range weapon systems to press Europe and fracture NATO. Europeans need to plug the gaps in their nuclear capabilities and create a strategic deterrent that can function without US support
Mitigate, deter, escalate: Europe’s options against US economic coercion
The US under Trump will seek new ways to coerce Europe economically. Here is how Europeans can resist the pressure and emerge stronger for it
If Bardella wins: Scenarios for a far-right presidency in France
Jordan Bardella is the frontrunner in the French presidential election next year. His win would transform France’s place in Europe. This scenario shows how
The new climate battle: Five deals to recharge the green transition
As climate policy becomes increasingly contested, Europe must adapt its Green Deal to a new political era. The first policy brief in the New Politics project outlines five new deals to make the transition more durable, popular and politically resilient
Making defence European again
The Russian threat is not going away any time soon. To defend themselves without America’s help, Europeans need to pursue a new, distinctly European model of defence and deterrence
Beijing hold’em: European cards against Chinese coercion
Europe has a China problem and pretending otherwise is making it worse. Chinese cheap exports and a monopoly on rare earths are not just economic irritants, but leverage wielded deliberately. Europeans can no longer just de-risk. They need a deterrence strategy with teeth
Artikel
Actually, maybe: How German Angst could become Europe’s nightmare
Germany’s political centre is crumbling—but its leaders appear unable to get ahead of the impending crisis
Trust the numbers: Germans are open to a more hawkish China policy
ECFR polling suggests significant public support not only for tougher German policy on China but also for investment in renewables—tackling twin problems together
Two of a kind: How France and Italy can show the way for Europe’s Africa policy
Rome and Paris have each overhauled their economic strategies towards Africa in the past few years, competing openly for influence on the continent. Here is how the EU can use that rivalry to sharpen Europe’s offer to Africa
ECFR’s summer entertainment list 2026
Whether you’re heading off on holiday or staying home this summer, ECFR’s entertainment recommendations—spanning books, podcasts and tv series—will help you reconnect with your internal and external wellbeing
How to think about a Le Pen presidency of France
Le Pen is racing into the French presidential election, even with a fraud conviction hanging over her campaign. Europeans should begin preparing for the rupture her victory could bring
After Ukraine: The peace dividend Africa does not want
The end of the Ukraine war would flood the global market with surplus weapons, fighters and drone expertise—much of which may end up making African conflicts deadlier. Governments in Africa and Europe should prepare now
How China’s silent coercion has Europe sanctioning itself
Beijing no longer needs to actively deploy economic coercion to shape Europe’s economic agenda in its interest
Trump in Beijing: Why the game stays the same for Europe
Donald Trump is in Beijing, but Europeans should not expect decisive guidance or a grand bargain with Xi Jinping. They should instead focus on managing their own exposure to Chinese risks
Power couple: How South Korea fits in Europe’s battery strategy
Europe’s battery dependence on China is clear, but closing the gap alone will be difficult. Partnering with South Korea, the world’s second-largest manufacturer, offers a faster and more realistic route
Striking reversal: How Europeans should react to Trump’s missile cancellation
Trump’s troop cut in Germany punishes Merz and halts America’s missile plans. Now Europe needs to accelerate its sovereign long-range strike capabilities and forge new defence partnerships
ECFR-Spezial
Multilateral Matchmaker
Multilateral coalitions are increasingly important for combatting global challenges. Europeans have many eligible – and untapped – potential partner countries, but to stand out they need to ensure their offer is as grounded in these partners’ interests as their own
European Sovereignty Index
The EU can overcome the new challenges it faces and can shape the global order. To achieve this, Europeans will need to improve their joint capacity to act
Moving closer: European views of the Indo-Pacific
It will take more than just strong support from France, Germany, and the Netherlands to ensure that the new EU strategy for the Indo-Pacific is effective in the long term
EU Cohesion Monitor
European cohesion is bouncing back after crisis years. The EU Cohesion Monitor presents new insights on cohesion as an underestimated source of strength and collective action in the EU
EU Coalition Explorer
The Coalition Explorer illustrates the expert opinions of more than 800 respondents who work on European policy and creates a visual understanding of the views held by Europe’s professional political class
European Solidarity Tracker
The European Solidarity Tracker collects and displays instances of pan-European solidarity throughout the coronavirus crisis
Podcasts
Germany’s second China shock
Mark Leonard welcomes Janka Oertel and Andrew Small to discuss how China’s industrial rise is shaking Germany—and Europe’s—economic foundations
Political crisis in Germany
Mark Leonard welcomes Jörg Lau and Jana Puglierin to discuss Germany’s deepening political crisis, the rise of the AfD and how the country’s regional elections could impact Europe’s largest democracy
Serbia: Inside the leaderless movement
Jessica Hendrick welcomes Igor Bandović and Luka Filipović to discuss Serbia’s largest protest movement in decades
Marine Le Pen’s comeback
Mark Leonard welcomes Célia Belin and Jeremy Cliffe to discuss Marine Le Pen’s return to the French presidential race
Moldova: The EU frontrunner outrunning Russia
Jessica Hendrick welcomes Dumitru Alaiba and Maia Machavariani to discuss how tiny Moldova became Europe’s toughest target for Russian interference—and why Russia keeps failing
Eastern Europe: Where the region will stand in a decade
Jessica Hendrick welcomes Sophie Gueudet and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze to discuss whether Ukraine and its Eastern European neighbours will move closer to the EU—or fall further into Russia’s orbit—by 2035
Europe, Trump and the war in Iran
Mark Leonard welcomes Piotr Buras, Carla Hobbs, Camille Lons, Jana Puglierin and Arturo Varvelli to discuss how Europe is responding to the war in Iran
Live from MSC 2026: Transatlantic turning point
Mark Leonard welcomes Jeremy Cliffe, Ulrike Franke, Janka Oertel and Majda Ruge live from the Munich Security Conference to unpack its biggest moments
The world in 2026
Mark Leonard welcomes Julien Barnes-Dacey, Jana Kobzová, Andrew Small and Alex Vines to discuss upcoming political changes in 2026
Made in China: How Europe can tackle economic coercion
Mark Leonard welcomes Tobias Gehrke and Andrew Small to discuss how Europeans can combat varieties of Chinese economic coercion
Events
29
Apr.
Global Strategy Lab: the UK’s geopolitical choices and trade-offs on clean tech
As the UK pursues its ambition to become a “clean energy superpower”, it will have to navigate working with major geopolitical partners, like China and the EU, and the strategic trade-offs involved with aligning closer with one over the other. China has become an increasingly important supplier, investor, and manufacturer across key clean technologies,…
10
Feb.
The New Right: Understanding its legitimacy and policy agenda
As the rise of the new right and “MAGA-ization” of politics is having a greater impact on the UK and Europe, this event will aim to discuss these new movements – looking at their critique of the status-quo, their electoral base, policy agenda and organising and communication methods. Having spent the past year talking to…
3
Juni
Asia
2026 Republic of Korea (ROK)–G7 cooperation forum
The G7 and its close partners, particularly the Republic of Korea (ROK), face a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape marked by growing economic competition, technological fragmentation, and mounting security challenges. From supply chain vulnerabilities to shifting alliances and rising geopolitical tensions, these developments are testing the resilience of existing frameworks for international cooperation
Africa
After the Mali attacks: What way forward for the Sahel and West Africa?
Recent coordinated attacks by jihadist and separatist groups in Mali, unprecedented in their scale and coordination, have placed the state’s security apparatus under strain and reinforced concerns over instability across the wider region, despite the reconfiguration of Bamako’s external partnerships. More broadly, the Sahel and West Africa are facing a complex set of…
European Power
From rupture to re-ordering: Middle powers and Europe’s choices
The international system is no longer held together by a single dominant vision of order. While the US is retreating from its dominant role, China and Russia are advancing competing models of order. In this context, middle powers are actively pursuing new strategies to secure their autonomy and expand their influence. They are challenging established hierarchies, reshaping economic and connectivity networks, and building alternative forms of cooperation that…
23
März
European Power
The New Right: Anatomy of a Global Revolution
As European and German politics are being reshaped by electoral volatility, fragmented party systems, and the continued rise of populist forces, we are delighted to invite you to a public debate on “The New Right: Anatomy of a Global Revolution.” In the aftermath of the important regional elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate,…
Annual Council Meeting 2026
The Annual Council Meeting 2026 will take place on 17-18 June 2026 in Vienna
European Power
Europe Debates | Russia won’t attack NATO
Russia’s hybrid warfare targeting NATO states has intensified since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Attacks on digital and energy infrastructure as well as drone incursions into NATO airspace occur almost daily now and put the alliance on alert about the potential of Russian aggression in the not-too-distant future. Between US president Trump…
9
Dez.
Asia
Implications for the UK of Europe’s approach to China and economic security
China now poses a deindustrialisation-level shock to Europe’s economic future. The external impact of Chinese overcapacity, involution, and Beijing’s technological leadership and supply-chain dominance in critical future technologies is presenting an existential threat to Europe’s industrial base. The EU is weighing new measures in response, including stricter investment screening, European preference in procurement, a…
2
Dez.
European Power
A big, beautiful European strategy for Trumponomics
Since the return of U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House in January, European policymakers have been struggling to sketch a sensible response to Trumponomics – an unpredictable, fast-changing and often baffling mix of U.S. trade, investment and finance policies that have a direct impact on Europe’s interests. In her latest ECFR policy brief,…
