Featured commentary & analysis

The Europe Center uses real-time commentary and analysis to explain to key audiences in America current developments in Europe and how they affect the transatlantic relationship.

Europe Center

New Atlanticist Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military. 
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
Europe Center

New Atlanticist Aug 27, 2025

The US-EU face-off over pharma is on pause—for now

By Emma Nix

Both Europe and the United States would benefit from working together to secure affordable and accessible pharmaceutical supply chains.
Economy & Business European Union
Europe Center

New Atlanticist Aug 25, 2025

Trump should kickstart Kosovo-Serbia talks into making real progress

By Agon Maliqi

The Trump administration has an opening to reinvigorate dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, but it must avoid the mistakes of past mediation processes.
European Union Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
ALL COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

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Get the latest updates, publications, and events from the Europe Center.

Regions in focus

European Union

Growing from its start as the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Union has risen as a key actor and norm-setter in areas as diverse as trade, energy security, digital policy, and defense. In an era of great power competition, the United States has a national interest in the EU reinvigorating faith in the European project.

France

The United States’ oldest ally, France is a key strategic partner for Washington. France remains a key country to watch for the future of the European project as it pursues a vision for a more integrated, cohesive European Union.

Germany

Germany is a key player in the transatlantic relationship and in Europe. The US-German relationship has been the backbone of the international order for seven decades, and a strong transatlantic community and rules-based order relies on close US-German cooperation.

Poland

Poland is a major actor within NATO and the European Union, a growing economic powerhouse, and an influential regional leader. With increased Russian aggression, foreign influence campaigns, and a rise of populism, the United states needs to continue investing in the relationship with a key ally.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a long-time friend and ally of the United States. Despite wrestling with internal challenges, the UK plays an important leadership role in the international system as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a NATO leader, and the bridge between Europe and the United States on issues of defense, security, sanctions, and trade.

The Western Balkans

The Balkans are enjoying a period of relative stability after decades of turmoil. US and European engagement are as necessary as ever to stabilize the fragile peace of the 1990s and build further Euro-Atlantic political and economic integration.

Issues in focus

Transatlantic Digital Marketplace Initiative

The Transatlantic Digital Marketplace Initiative seeks to foster greater US-EU understanding and collaboration on digital policy matters and build tangible cooperation in this fast-growing area of the transatlantic economy.

Three Seas Initiative Programming

The Atlantic Council strives to promote a Europe undivided, free, and prosperous through its support of the Three Seas Initiative. The Initiative seeks to bolster investment in Central and Eastern European transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure to improve regional connectivity and bolster development.

Transform Europe Initiative

Based on the lessons of the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine, the Transform Europe Initiative aims to strengthen European security against petro-aggression, climate change, and weaponized corruption. The initiative aids in the development of structural reforms and expedited but practical solutions that promote Europe’s decarbonization and defenses against transnational kleptocracy networks.

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Featured in-depth research & reports

The Europe Center conducts research to guide the actions and strategy of key transatlantic decision makers on the issues that will shape the future of the transatlantic relationship.

Europe Center

Report May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU’s political influence in the region.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Europe Center

Issue Brief Mar 14, 2025

The Three Seas Initiative stands at an inflection point

By Emma Nix, Ian Brzezinski

The Three Seas Initiative is preparing for a critical summit in Warsaw in 2025. What opportunities exist to ensure the Initiative can accomplish its goal of ensuring a Europe whole, free, secure, and at peace?
Central Europe Economy & Business
Europe Center

Issue Brief Mar 5, 2025

The EU must become a strategic player in defense—alongside NATO

By Justina Budginaite-Froehly

The European Union and NATO need renewed alignment on defense to meet the new geopolitical moment. Refocused cooperation would provide a critically needed burden sharing to eliminate vulnerabilities and prepare Europe to withstand new realities.
Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia
ALL IN-DEPTH RESEARCH

Featured events

By convening American and European leaders, through public events and workshops, the Europe Center promotes dialogue to bolster the transatlantic partnership.

Public Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Europe and the new world order

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot will share his vision of Europe’s role for the future of transatlantic relations.
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
Public Event Thu, April 3, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

Europe’s Teresa Ribera on the EU’s clean transition and US-EU relations

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president of the European Commission, shares her vision for the EU, the bloc’s competitiveness, and the US-EU relationship.

Digital Policy Economy & Business Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia
ALL EVENTS

Debriefs

#AtlanticDebrief

#AtlanticDebrief hosts interviews with leading experts, policymakers, and newsmakers from both sides of the Atlantic to unpack the challenges and opportunities of the transatlantic relationship.

Explore the Series

#BalkansDebrief

The Atlantic Council Europe Center’s #BalkansDebrief series features timely conversations on key issues impacting the Western Balkans. Nonresident senior fellow Ilva Tare hosts newsmakers, experts, and officials for discussions on rule of law, energy security, cultural heritage, Russian and Chinese influence in the region, and more.

Explore the Series

Experts

Fellow

Naz El-Khatib

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific

Fellow

Marek Magierowski

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Agon Maliqi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Albanian Bosnian

Fellow

Jeffrey Hovenier

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Croatian Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Richard Hurowitz

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Justina Budginaite-Froehly

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Industry European Union
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Content

New Atlanticist

Jun 17, 2020

The EU is a more powerful partner on China than the US might think

By Julia Friedlander

Across a wide range of disciplines, the EU’s technocratic institutions repeatedly serve a force-multiplier for US priorities and can help forge the common transatlantic policies necessary to protect US and EU economic and security interests in the face of a more assertive China.

China Economy & Business

Event Recap

Jun 16, 2020

European Leadership and the Corona Crisis: Geopolitical Effects on Northern Europe

On June 15, 2020, the Atlantic Council Northern Europe Office in cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Nordic Office, organized a seminar on the topic of ”European Leadership and the Corona Crisis: Geopolitical Effects on Northern Europe”. The public seminar was attended by experts from all around Europe, representing parliaments, governmental institutions, political parties, think-tanks and […]

Coronavirus Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Jun 9, 2020

In Central Europe, a nationalist bullet dodged

By Daniel Fried

Many in the region expected the 100th anniversary of Trianon to be a blow up. It could be yet. But around the actual anniversary, it was a dog that did not bark: the significance was in what wasn’t said, in nationalist pandering avoided and confrontation dodged, and positive gestures recognized.

Central Europe Hungary

New Atlanticist

Jun 3, 2020

Data flows across the Channel: The emerging UK-EU digital trade relationship

By Kenneth Propp

If the United Kingdom can navigate a way forward on data transfers with both its ex-masters in Brussels and its ally in Washington, its success might ultimately yield benefits beyond these two bilateral trade contexts.

Digital Policy European Union

New Atlanticist

May 29, 2020

Italian, Spanish diplomats stress EU solidarity in wake of COVID-19 economic response

By Larry Luxner

Top officials from Italy and Spain—the two European Union member states hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic—praised the EU’s May 27 announcement of a €750 billion ($826.5 billion) recovery program to rescue the bloc from its worst economic crisis in its history.

Coronavirus Eurozone

Event Recap

May 29, 2020

Evolving through crisis: European leadership in the light of COVID-19

By Elin Schiffer

The Atlantic Council's Northern Europe office convened a seminar on lessons learned from the early phases of the pandemic for European and transatlantic leadership.

Coronavirus Economy & Business

In the News

May 23, 2020

Wieslander quoted in the New York Times on European defense
Europe & Eurasia Security & Defense

In the News

May 22, 2020

Vajdich in Foreign Policy: Congress Has Been AWOL on U.S. Coronavirus Diplomacy
Coronavirus Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

May 19, 2020

Wieslander quoted in the New York Times on European leadership
Europe & Eurasia Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

May 13, 2020

Poland divided over elections and COVID restrictions

By Tomasz Zalewski

Poland has begun to ease its COVID lockdown, but Poles remain unsure if the benefits of reopening outwweigh the potential costs.

Coronavirus Elections
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Events

Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 2:45 am ET

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union