How the EU can – and should – enhance its security and global competitiveness
To achieve the objectives of security and competitiveness the EU will absolutely need to prioritise its enlargement policy, defence strategy and global partnerships over the coming years to 2030 and beyond. To make the EU fit for 30+ members, it will have to start by reforming its enlargement methodology towards a ‘staged accession’ procedure and […]
With the Harris-Trump battle in full swing, the EU must take the future of the transatlantic relationship into its own hands
After last week’s Democratic National Convention (DNC), Europeans may start studying the polling data coming out of rural Pennsylvania or Michigan to gauge their fate. While recent polling suggests President Biden’s decision to pass the torch has provided a much-needed boost to the Democrats, that doesn’t negate the real possibility of a second Trump presidency. […]
The EU’s security commitments to negotiate Ukraine’s accession
The distinguishing characteristic of the EU’s next eastward enlargement is that it is more security-driven than before. Negotiating accession with a country at war is different from the theoretical deterrence drive of previous integration rounds or from providing a prescription for post-conflict peacebuilding in the Western Balkans. Defence owns the hard meaning of the concept […]
The EU’s defence industrial policies – walking the walk with Euro-defence bonds
Over the last two years, the war in Ukraine has prompted the acceleration and multiplication of EU initiatives to enhance the European defence industry, and Europe’s ability to defend itself and support Ukraine’s defence. Besides spending better, spending together and getting private equity onboard, the next frontier for EU defence spending must be the issuance […]
EU-NATO relations – somewhere between dancing with two left feet and seamless tango
Russia’s war against Ukraine has proven to be a watershed moment for the EU, accelerating the development of a European Defence Union. But the EU and NATO must ramp up political cooperation and synergise resources to enhance European security and for the EU to credibly flex its muscles as a security and defence actor in […]
NATO turns 75 – how it can overcome complacency and reinforce transatlantic security cooperation for another 75
NATO turns 75 years old today. Since 1949, the world’s largest security and defence alliance has provided collective defence for North America and Europe. But, unlike a ‘brain-dead’ 75-year-old, NATO has found a new lease on life following Russia’s war against Ukraine and the arrival of two new Allies. While Allies should celebrate NATO’s achievements, […]
What Putin’s farcical ‘re-election’ means for the EU
Vladimir Putin now adds another six years to his reign in the Kremlin after ‘winning’ a fraudulent election on 17 March with 88 % of the vote. Now he may feel inclined to become even more aggressive towards Ukraine and the rest of Europe. The risks for the EU and its civilisation are now truly […]
A visit by Borrell highlights why Georgia is still the EU’s perennial problem child
The EU’s High Representative, Josep Borrell, has just embarked on his first official visit to Georgia to discuss the country’s progress on its European integration path. The visit carries immense significance given the EU’s impending assessment of the progress made by Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia in their quest for EU membership. While the EU already […]
Solid foundation, rocky future?
Russia’s war on Ukraine has raised serious questions about European security, but it has also led to much greater transatlantic unity. This Policy Insights paper argues that the war on Ukraine has given rise to a new consensus among large parts of NATO and the EU to reinvest in collective security. Charting the progress made […]