Europe & Eurasia

Dempsey Backs Strong US Military Presence in Europe

By Kent Harris, Stars and Stripes

The U.S. military’s senior leader said Wednesday that he’s a strong supporter of maintaining a sizeable presence overseas, including in Europe, despite budget constraints, because of the proximity to potential hotspots.

Is France Replacing the US as the World’s Policeman?

By Emily Cadei, OZY

With French troops on the ground in Mali and now the Central African Republic, French President Francois Hollande’s enthusiastic support for the aborted U.S. strikes in Syria and French diplomats’ tough line on negotiations with Iran

Factsheet: Unrest in Ukraine

By Samantha Lasley

Ukraine, a nation of 46 million people, bordering four European Union countries—Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania—stands at a pivotal moment in history as it chooses between the East and the West.  AT the Vilnius Summit Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych announced that he was not going to sign an Association Agreement for far-reaching political and trade […]

Hagel Warns Ukrainian Defense Minister Not to Use Military Forces Against Civilians

By Department of State

Today US Defense Secretary Hagel spoke by phone with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Pavlo Lebedyev.

EU-NATO: Playing at Defense

By Julian Lindley-French

 The European Union (EU) and NATO are in deep crisis. The EU is in trouble for at least three major reasons. First, EU is organized around Germany, which for understandable historical reasons trades down military power as it trades up economic and political influence. Second, Britain, one of the EU’s two serious military powers, is now […]

Ukraine Crisis in Tweets

Atlantic Council Vice President Damon Wilson shares his insightful comments and insider knowledge on the developing situation in Ukraine via Twitter. Below is a live feed of some of his tweets, mentions, and retweets.

Legislation Will Soon Expand Cyber Power of French Government

By Wall Street Journal

The pending French measures would require Internet providers, telecom operators and content companies to give up “communications, information or documents processed or preserved by their networks or electronic communications services” when demanded by law enforcement.

Cancelled: Dec. 12 Event with Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt

Due to ongoing developments in Ukraine, Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt has postponed his DC travel and will remain in Kyiv. Accordingly, tomorrow’s public event “US Response to Ukraine’s S.O.S.” has been cancelled.

Ukraine on the Edge

By Sabine Freizer

Need for Dialogue on Institutional Reform Too many of the statements being made by foreign officials on the political crisis growing in Ukraine over the past three weeks have described it as a clash between pro-Western values and Russian imperialism. But talking about values will not provide a solution to the dispute. Instead all parties […]

The Eastern Partnership Summit: What’s Next?

To discuss the challenges that remain for European leaders in continuing to develop the relationship with the eastern partners after Vilnius, and to articulate a vision for transatlantic cooperation on the Eastern Partnership going forward, the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Relations Program hosted a members’ conference call with H.E. Linas Linkevičius, minister of foreign affairs of […]