The European Council on Foreign Relations

The death of NATO

2008-11-20T13:15:02-05:00

Now in its 60th year, NATO no longer provides a healthy basis for the trans-Atlantic security relationship. As it enters its twilight years, Europeans must now start to earn the balanced strategic partnership with the US they say they want. America could help, by upgrading the US-EU strategic dialogue.

Commander Obama

2008-11-17T15:11:22-05:00

Undoing Bush’s foreign policy legacy will be a huge challenge for Obama. But what can Europe do to help?

Commander Obama

2008-11-17T14:55:37-05:00

this a summary for Torreblanca. Prueba

On The Periphery Of The New World Order

2008-11-12T17:42:10-05:00

When Barack Obama enters the White House as president in January 2009, what will change for the Balkans?

Destination Washington

2008-11-10T17:32:50-05:00

The G-20 Summit this week-end in Washington offers a good opportunity to reflect on what Europe wants to achieve, both internally and externally.

Czechs raise the stakes on Lisbon

2008-11-10T13:12:58-05:00

All being well with Europe, the Treaty of Lisbon would now have been ready to come into force on 1 January. But all is not well.

The global financial crisis: opportunities for change

2008-11-10T11:43:49-05:00

The world’s severe economic downturn must be addressed alongside and not to the exclusion of other problems, says ECFR Council Member Andre Wilkens.

Russia�s push into wider Europe

2008-11-05T14:06:14-05:00

With a new US president, what are the prospects for a more united trans-Atlantic position on how to deal with a resurgent Russia and the �neighbourhood� states in between?

What now?

2008-11-05T13:59:55-05:00

Once he enters office, President Obama will bring a profound challenge to the comfortable introversion of many EU governments.

Enhancing the EU's role in Afghanistan

2008-11-05T13:57:08-05:00

A new US president will want to see a significant enhancement of the European effort in Afghanistan. The issue is likely to be viewed in Washington as a litmus test of whether Europeans should be taken seriously as strategic partners.

A new partnership in support of international law

2008-11-05T12:13:51-05:00

Obama’s election offers the opportunity for the EU and the US to come together in pledging to fight terrorism within the framework of fundamental human rights.

China - a challenge for the long term

2008-11-05T07:18:52-05:00

The basis of a new EU-US partnership should be close trans-Atlantic coordination and cooperation on China at every level, harmonising positions and pooling leverage and influence.

The EU cannot accept defeat in Congo

2008-11-04T11:02:23-05:00

If the EU or the UN send in substantial reinforcements, rebel leader Laurent Nkunda might pre-empt them by seizing Goma and take peacekeepers hostage.

Georgian lessons for EU generals

2008-11-04T10:20:25-05:00

As the dust of the August war in Georgia begins to settle, the EU is emerging as the nearest thing around to a winner. An article published in E-Sharp!.

US elections - Up to the occasion

2008-11-03T11:33:53-05:00

If the Obama phenomenon is confirmed in the public vote on 4 November, the repercussions in US foreign policy will be huge.

Belarus after its post-Georgia elections

2008-10-26T16:34:01-05:00

The EU has eased its visa ban on Belarusian officials. Was this the right move? How far can Belarus, once notorious as the �last dictatorship in Europe�, really change?

An overly comfortable limbo

2008-10-24T22:48:40-05:00

Like Greece and Macedonia itself, the EU is too willing to accept Macedonia�s state of limbo.

The EU is not an island that can ignore the plight of Iceland

2008-10-23T16:53:06-05:00

EU member states have dented the Union�s guiding principle of solidarity by not acting collectively to help Iceland.

What future for the Lisbon Treaty?

2008-10-15T06:46:14-05:00

Though it might be tempting to kick the Lisbon Treaty into the long grass, today’s European Council should rescue the treaty’s CSFP aspects.

From Atocha to Waziristan

2008-10-13T16:13:29-05:00

Germany�s decision to increase its troops in Afghanistan is both courageous and necessary: the security of both European and Afghan citizens is inseparable.

Learning from the EU's Georgia success

2008-10-10T09:54:29-05:00

The EU’s Georgia mission is looking like a much-needed, if small ESDP success. But there is still much the EU can learn from its deployment.

Rescuing the Lisbon treaty

2008-10-09T17:27:29-05:00

An article by Andrew Duff, Member of the European Parliament and ECFR Council Member, on the attempt to rescue the Lisbon treaty.

Europe is repeating the errors of Asia 10 years ago

2008-10-09T16:30:00-05:00

Even if global action by central banks saves the day, Europe will have taken a step backwards. Yet crises are opportunities for political creativity.

Loosing the 'good' war

2008-10-06T09:28:29-05:00

Afghanistan was always the �good� war and Iraq, the bad one. But what if Bush�s legacy becomes losing the good war and winning the bad one?

The trouble with India

2008-09-29T15:57:00-05:00

The EU may have to base partnership with the world’s largest democracy not on values, but on dealing with Afghanistan.

Europe�s only hope: the Federation Light

2008-09-29T12:42:08-05:00

A piece by Asger Aamund, Chairman of Bavarian Nordic A/S and ECFR Council Member, on the need for a new European vision.

Can China save Afghanistan?

2008-09-29T11:55:08-05:00

With Afghanistan’s reconstruction on the brink, what could the EU and U.S ask Beijing to do?

Where does Russia�s �sphere of influence� end?

2008-09-23T08:29:08-05:00

Russia�s NATO and EU ambassadors push Moscow�s �spheres of influence� into the EU starting with �age-old ally� Bulgaria.

NATO's troubled renaissance

2008-09-22T08:41:00-05:00

If NATO seizes upon the recent events in the right way, it will remain relevant. If it mishandles the situation � overreacts or under-performs � it may be done for.

Ukrainian government collapse threatens permanent crisis

2008-09-19T08:26:00-05:00

Ukraine has lost another government. Tymoshenko has lasted only 8 months as Prime Minister, only a few weeks longer than her first attempt in 2005.