Europe Center 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.

All timely commentary & analysis

New Atlanticist

Jan 23, 2019

The new treaty of Aachen: More than just a symbol?

By Nicholas Dungan

The treaty sends a signal that France and Germany are serious about the preservation of the European ideal, pooling of sovereignty, and the postwar international order.

France Germany

New Atlanticist

Jan 17, 2019

Two years of the Trump foreign policy: The good, the bad, and the worst

By Daniel Fried

Policy making is messy and hard. But competence in execution and at least attempts at substantive policy consistency are not optional. On this level alone, the administration needs to up its game. 

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Jan 4, 2019

Angela Merkel’s data leaked

By David A. Wemer

The targeted leaks “[look] like a clear attempt to disrupt German politics,” said Ben Nimmo, an information defense fellow in the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab).

Cybersecurity Germany

New Atlanticist

Dec 10, 2018

Why the Irish border matters

By Dan Haverty and Brendan Reaney

It remains unclear if the withdrawal agreement May has reached with Brussels will impact the life of her government, but it is clear that the Irish border has impacted the Brexit debate and will force the prime minister to turn to her party’s rivals to push the deal through Parliament.

Democratic Transitions Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Dec 6, 2018

Right-Wing party gains ground in Spain

By Alex Baker

The December 2 regional election in Andalusia ended the Spanish anomaly. As the results poured in, heads turned in Europe as Vox, a populist right-wing party, won 11 percent of the vote and twelve seats in the Andalusian parliament.

Elections Populism

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2018

Kosovo’s president pushes for peace deal with Serbia

By David A. Wemer

Both Kosovo and Serbia now have their sights set on EU and NATO membership, but must first come to a formal peace agreement and normalize relations.

Eastern Europe NATO

New Atlanticist

Nov 29, 2018

Trump cancels meeting with Putin

By Ashish Kumar Sen

“I have strong doubts that the Ukraine crisis was the real reason given the timing of the president's announcement, which came only hours after news broke about his business dealings with the Kremlin during the 2016 presidential campaign," said Michael Carpenter, Atlantic Council nonresident senior fellow at the Eurasia Center.

NATO Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Nov 28, 2018

Is another Trump-Putin meeting a good idea?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Daniel Fried, a distinguished fellow in the Atlantic Council’s Future Europe Initiative and the Eurasia Center, said: “A meeting would make sense if, but only if, Trump is willing to send the right message to Putin, and the president’s track record doesn’t lead to confidence.”

Politics & Diplomacy Russia

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2018

Beware the lure of sanctions for Russia’s latest aggression

By Brian O’Toole

While sanctions may be useful to threaten Russia to rectify this situation, any imposition of them needs to be more strategically deployed—ideally with the EU—and lifted only for more strategic gains, vice resolution of this specific incident.

Conflict Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

New Atlanticist

Nov 21, 2018

The odds on Brexit not happening are shortening

By Peter Westmacott

Brexiteers don’t think it marks enough of a clean break with the European Union (EU) while Remainers think it leaves Britain with the worst of all worlds.

European Union International Organizations