FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

France and Poland: Helicopters, forks, and reconnections

Report Nov 10, 2025

France’s policy on China: Strategic autonomy and less naïveté

By Zoltán Fehér

Over the last decade, France’s long-standing engagement with China has transformed into a more nuanced and cautious dynamic, reflecting a growing emphasis on balancing. This shift is guided by France’s pursuit of strategic autonomy, its effort to “de-risk” economic and security ties, and the broader geopolitical realities unfolding in the Indo-Pacific.
China Economy & Business
France and Poland: Helicopters, forks, and reconnections

New Atlanticist Sep 8, 2025

Experts react: The French government has collapsed again. What does this mean for France, the EU, and Macron?

By Atlantic Council experts

On Monday, Prime Minister François Bayrou lost a confidence vote in the National Assembly, removing him from office and leaving France in a state of political uncertainty.
France NATO
France and Poland: Helicopters, forks, and reconnections

New Atlanticist Jul 16, 2025

Reading between the lines of the new France-UK nuclear entente

By Léonie Allard

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer released a “truly historic” declaration on nuclear planning on July 10.
France Nuclear Deterrence

Program

The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Content

New Atlanticist

Feb 14, 2020

France and Poland: Helicopters, forks, and reconnections

By Olivier-Rémy Bel

Macron's Poland visit makes political sense, but there is another pressing reason: as we enter an era of great power competition, the unity of Europe—and the unity of the transatlantic alliance—is a critical asset, which will be tested. Mending relations between East and West is part of the groundwork to bolster the political resilience of Europe.

France
Poland

In the News

Jan 12, 2020

Yade joins Jury du Dimanche to discuss politics in France, Senegal, and the Sahel

By Atlantic Council

Africa
Elections

In the News

Dec 11, 2019

Haddad in Foreign Policy: Emmanuel Macron’s New Strategy Is Disruption

By Atlantic Council

Europe & Eurasia
France

New Atlanticist

Dec 10, 2019

What the United States can learn from Europe on fighting cyberattacks and disinformation

By John Burton

If you want to deal effectively with cyber challenges then you need to address not just the computer part…but the political part as well, the human being behind the attack,” said Jonatan Vseviov, the Estonian ambassador to the United States.

Disinformation
European Union

UkraineAlert

Dec 3, 2019

Ukraine faces a decisive December in a rapidly deteriorating geopolitical climate

By Stephen Blank

With a NATO summit in London and long awaited peace talks in Paris, December is shaping up to be a decisive month for Ukraine, but the geopolitical climate is far from favorable and could deteriorate further.

Conflict
France

New Atlanticist

Nov 12, 2019

“Brain-dead” or not “brain-dead”? That is not the question.

By Olivier-Rémy Bel

Macron's interview is not about NATO or the United States, but rather about Europe. His interview reflects deep worries that Europe is gradually being on the menu of global power politics and about the means to ensure that it is at the table instead.

Defense Policy
France

In the News

Nov 1, 2019

Wieslander quoted in The New York Times on Macron’s leadership

By Atlantic Council

European Union
France

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2019

By blocking enlargement decision, Macron undercuts France’s Balkan goals

By Loic Tregoures

By strongly supporting the government of North Macedonia from the start and granting it the opening of negotiations, it would have been possible to create a virtuous circle in the region and kill four birds with one stone. President Macron chose to do exactly the opposite.

European Union
France

Past events

Oct 18, 2019

A Conversation about the Transatlantic Relationship and Foreign Policy Tools with French MP Roland Lescure

By Global Business & Economics Program

On October 18, 2019, the Atlantic Council’s Global Business & Economics Program and Future Europe Initiative hosted a roundtable conversation with Roland Lescure, Chair of the Economic Affairs Committee in the French parliament and representative for the French living in North America. The discussion focused on the transatlantic economic relationship and future growth prospects for […]

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Sep 2, 2019

Haddad quoted in The Economist on Macron reclaiming France’s international leadership

By Atlantic Council

Europe & Eurasia
France
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Experts

Fellow

Jérémie Gallon

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business English

Fellow

Marie Jourdain

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Africa English

Fellow

Erwan Lagadec

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Jeffrey Lightfoot

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Leo Michel

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Staff

Emma Nix

Assistant Director

Europe Center

Central Europe Eastern Europe
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