Foreign policy & defence
Can Europe navigate Trump 2?
08 November 2024
Donald Trump will be the next US president. Europe’s leaders need to accept this reality and protect European interests.
European common debt: Is defence different?
05 November 2024
European defence bonds could help strengthen Europe's defences, but they face significant obstacles.
The EU and Türkiye: A relationship adrift
21 October 2024
A plethora of disagreements haunt EU-Türkiye relations. Without a positive vision, things may only get worse.
Georgia and Moldova: Putin's dominoes?
17 October 2024
Georgia and Moldova are EU candidate countries facing elections this month. Both risk coming under increased Russian influence, but for very different reasons. The EU should invest in keeping them in its camp.
A mere spectator? Europe and the imploding Middle East
09 October 2024
The conflict in the Middle East is expanding. Thus far, Europeans have played a minor role, but they might be able to help prevent the situation getting worse.
Surviving Trump 2.0: What does the US election mean for Europe's economy?
03 October 2024
While EU leaders fret about a second Trump presidency, they should not be complacent about Kamala Harris’s prospects. Neither president would fundamentally change the economic dilemmas facing Europe.
What a Harris presidency would mean for Europe
30 September 2024
A Harris presidency would signal continuity for transatlantic relations. But Europeans should not think they can turn back the clock to the pre-Trump era.
All at sea? UK-German co-operation in the Nordic-Baltic region
26 September 2024
Whatever happens in Ukraine, Russia will remain a threat to EU and NATO interests in the Nordic-Baltic region. The UK and Germany should try to co-operate more closely there.
Amidst complex threats, how can the EU fight terrorism more effectively?
30 August 2024
The EU’s counter-terrorism policy remains under-developed and in need of reform.
Towards a UK-EU Security Pact
06 August 2024
The UK wants to forge a ‘security pact’ with the EU. But too much ambition now risks failure. A gradual approach will be more successful.
NATO at 75: Strong but brittle?
15 July 2024
NATO’s 75th anniversary summit sought to project unity and strength, but large challenges simmer under the surface.
Navigating the storm? The EU, the UK and Trump 2.0
10 July 2024
A second Trump presidency would lead to extensive transatlantic turbulence. The UK and its European partners would need to be pragmatic in finding new ways of working together.
China and the West: The gap is set to grow
05 June 2024
China’s relations with the US and the EU are likely to worsen, because of both its aid for Russia and its economic strategy.
Working hand in hand? EU-UK co-operation in supporting Ukraine
20 May 2024
The EU and the UK have worked together closely to support Ukraine. Now they need to sustain support and strengthen their co-operation to be ready for possible US disengagement.
Does it matter if Ukraine loses?
24 April 2024
Ukraine is retreating and Russia is advancing, militarily and politically. Western leaders seem to underestimate both the impact of Ukraine’s defeat and the West’s ability to prevent it.
And the winner is… Vladimir Putin (for now)
21 March 2024
Putin’s ‘election victory’ does not mean that he will remain in power forever. Western leaders should plan for continued confrontation, but (unlike Putin) they should not fear change in Russia.
The EU's defence ambitions are for the long term
13 March 2024
The Commission’s new proposals to strengthen Europe’s defence industry will be hamstrung by limited funding and member-states' doubts. But in the long term, the EU’s role in defence will probably grow.
Two years (and ten years) of war in Europe: Hard times for Ukraine
07 March 2024
After a difficult year for Ukraine, Putin may be encouraged to think he can win the war. But this is a fight neither Ukraine nor Europe can afford to lose.
How should Europe handle China?: Annual report 2023
09 February 2024
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on how should Europe handle China. The report then highlights some of the CER's most important publications and events from 2023.
Europe should look to the West Bank
06 February 2024
The misery of the Gaza war threatens to spill over into a broader conflict. If they want to avoid escalation and advance peace, Europeans need a serious plan for the West Bank.