European security
The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War left the North Atlantic Alliance without a clear mission. Funded mostly by the United States, it remains the chief guarantor of Europe’s security. Now, Washington is pushing for European members to foot more the cost of defence. New challenges, including migration, Russian assertiveness and the conflict in Ukraine, have all produced tensions within the EU and the NATO alliance.
Reports on European security See all →
Vaccine diplomacy: Soft power lessons from China and Russia
Russia’s and China’s vaccine deliveries come with soft power messages. The EU extends significant pandemic-related aid to its neighbors and the international community but its “political signaling” has been weak.
Critical raw materials: Assessing EU vulnerabilities
Securing the supply of materials that go into advanced technologies has become a political imperative around the world. Rare earth elements present the greatest risk, as China dominates their production. Europe is moving forward with plans for mining, partnerships and recycling, but is that enough to eliminate its geopolitical vulnerabilities?
Europe’s partners: The United States, Russia and Turkey
In their dealings with Washington, Moscow and Ankara, European powers and also Brussels make little attempt to understand the other side. Behaving as if they were morally superior, shortsighted leaders ignore geopolitical realities and put Europe’s vital interests at longer-term risk
European sovereignty in global competition
Europe can ill afford to farm out its foreign and defense policies to Brussels. The centralized, technocratic command center of the European Union is best suited to attend to the common market. Europe will come back as a global actor only if the continental European member states and the United ...
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More Disruptions
Expanding state
A trend toward increased government influence in economies and personal life is curbing growth, and freedom, in many Western countries. The outsized role of government results in misplaced incentives, overregulation – which restrains markets and competition – and irresponsible budgetary ...
Middle East politics
The region, one of the cradles of civilization, is going through a turbulent period of historic realignment. Its powers are vying for political, military, economic and religious dominance with local players and outside actors. Armed conflicts, mainly civil wars, are ...
