European Union

Sarkozy to propose new ties between Russia, EU, NATO, OSCE

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  France intends to make specific proposals on Russia’s relations with the European Union, NATO and OSCE in September to secure stability in the Euro-Atlantic zone. French President Nicolas Sarkozy made the announcement on Tuesday during the opening of the 18th Ambassadors’ Conference held at the Elysee Palace in Paris. "Our common interests […]

EU Gets Tough on Iran

By Emanuele Ottolenghi

The European Union sometimes earns well-deserved criticism for its foreign policy. But praise should be given where praise is deserved – and the EU’s latest effort to target Iran with tough autonomous sanctions is one such case. Clearly, the measures the EU adopted on July 26 can be further expanded. More can be done. But […]

Transatlantic Relations from German Perspective

By Sarwar Kashmeri

In a recent installment of the New Atlanticist Podcast Series Atlantic Council senior fellow Sarwar Kashmeri interviews Irmtraud Richardson, Brussels-based correspondent for German public radio and television service ARD. Richardson discusses Germany’s outlook on the EU, as well as the state of U.S.-German and U.S.-EU relations.

Obama to Attend EU and NATO Summits

By Laura Meckler, WSJ

From Laura Meckler, WSJ: The White House said Tuesday that President Barack Obama will attend a summit with leaders of the European Union and a NATO summit, both in Portugal this November. During the NATO meeting on Nov. 19-20, allies will focus on the war in Afghanistan and “ways to revitalize the Alliance to meet […]

Poland and America Drift Apart

By David Frum, CNN

From David Frum, CNN:  America’s place on the Polish mental map seems to shrink every year. When Poles dream of leaving the country, they think not of Chicago but of London. A Pole can work legally in any large EU country, and an estimated 1 million do, sending home more money than Poland earns from […]

Europe Gets it Right

By Kurt Volker and Juan Zarate

The view of a failing Europe is en vogue, and for understandable reasons. The contours of crisis are glaring: bloated budgets, aging populations, declining military capabilities, and the fracturing of political solidarity over a range of issues from Russia and energy to enlargement and Turkey. Such is the conventional wisdom about a once too-comfortable Europe, […]

US informs Europe: “We don’t feel the need to profess love”

By Daniel Dombey, the Financial Times

EU envoy to US flaunts new powers

By Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver:  The EU’s new ambassador to the US, Joao Vale de Almeida, has underlined the new powers conferred on EU envoys by the Lisbon Treaty while taking up his post in Washington. In a series of interviews to US-based press on Tuesday (10 August), the ambassador noted that he is empowered […]

When Sanctions Work

By David Kramer and Damon Wilson

Almost as soon as the United Nations Security Council voted in June for a new sanctions resolution against Iran, doubters questioned whether it would have any real impact on Iran’s behavior. Indeed, some analysts have argued, sanctions never really work against their intended targets; they only harm average citizens, sometimes inadvertently help the targeted regime […]

Should Turkey Join the EU? The View from Europe

By Scott Bleiweis

During his recent visit to Ankara, British Prime Minister David Cameron made his stance on Turkish accession to the European Union plain and clear. “I will remain your strongest possible advocate for EU membership,” he said. “Together I want us to pave the road from Ankara to Brussels.” The Belgian government also supports such a […]