FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Leon Panetta: You Have To Deal with the Russians from Strength

New Atlanticist
May 6, 2025

Is Merz’s double-take chancellor vote a sign of things to come in Germany?

By
Jörn Fleck and Jurek Wille

It took two rounds of voting in the Bundestag to elect Friedrich Merz chancellor, a sign of division unprecedented in modern German history.

Defense Policy
Elections

Leon Panetta: You Have To Deal with the Russians from Strength

New Atlanticist
Feb 19, 2025

Germany’s economy has gone from engine to anchor. Here’s what the next chancellor faces.

By
Piotr Arak

Revitalizing growth in Germany’s economy, which appears increasingly mired in stagnation, will demand urgent action from the next chancellor.

Economy & Business
Elections

Leon Panetta: You Have To Deal with the Russians from Strength

New Atlanticist
Feb 4, 2025

The next German chancellor must lead from the front, not the middle, on European security

By
Rachel Rizzo, James Batchik

From support for Ukraine to defense spending, German leaders would be wise to take the phrase Führung aus der Mitte permanently out of their vocabulary.

Elections
Germany

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Germany’s digital minister on Europe’s digital competitiveness

Digital Policy
Economy & Business
Germany

Online Event
Tue, May 6, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

What to expect from Germany’s next government

Elections
Europe & Eurasia
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Content

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Feb. 22, 2013

NATOSource

Feb 20, 2015

Leon Panetta: You Have To Deal with the Russians from Strength

By Spiegel

Excerpts from interview of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta by Markus Feldenkirchen and Holger Stark of Spiegel, February 14, 2015.

Germany Intelligence
German soldiers training for mission in Kosovo, Jan. 28, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 19, 2015

German Soldiers Used Broomsticks Instead of Guns During NATO Exercise

By Telegraph, Washington Post, and the Local (Germany)

From Justin Huggler, Telegraph:  German soldiers used broomsticks painted black instead of guns during a joint Nato exercise last year due to severe equipment shortages, it has emerged.

Germany NATO
Ukrainian armored unit, Jan, 3, 2015

NATOSource

Feb 12, 2015

Mearsheimer: Don’t Arm Ukraine

By John J. Mearsheimer, New York Times

Sending weapons to Ukraine will not rescue its army and will instead lead to an escalation in the fighting. Such a step is especially dangerous because Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons and is seeking to defend a vital strategic interest.

Germany NATO
AC US-NextGenHdrImage

Next Generation Project

Feb 12, 2015

Next Generation Project – Fact Sheet

By Atlantic Council

Fact Sheet   GOAL: A strategy that identifies practical ways to strengthen the US-German relationship from a “next generation” perspective.   PRODUCT: “Through a New Prism: A Next Generation Strategy for the US-German Relationship,” a thirteen-page, illustrated report published on June 9th, 2015 in Washington, DC and Berlin. The Atlantic Council published a German version of […]

Europe & Eurasia Germany

UkraineAlert

Feb 10, 2015

Obama-Merkel Accord Delays Talk of Arms for Ukraine’s Defense Against Russia

By John E. Herbst

Europe Signals New Negotiation With Kremlin Will Not Include New Pressures on Kyiv The Obama-Merkel summit was critical for maintaining Transatlantic unity in the face of Moscow’s escalating aggression in Ukraine. While skeptical of the Kremlin’s intentions, German Chancellor Angela Merkel would like to try another round of diplomacy to stop the fighting. That is why […]

Europe & Eurasia Germany

New Atlanticist

Feb 9, 2015

US, Germany Seek a United Front on Ukraine

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Differences over arming Ukrainian security forces could vanish if Minsk talks fail, says Atlantic Council’s Burwell The question of providing defensive weapons to Ukraine’s security forces will dominate the meeting between US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on February 9. The Obama administration is reportedly considering providing the […]

Germany Russia
AC US-NextGenHdrImage

Next Generation Project

Feb 9, 2015

US-German Next Generation Project

By Brent Scowcroft Center

New Voices for a Stronger US-German Relationship Background: Twenty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall (and as the twenty-fifth anniversary of German reunification approaches), the US-German relationship faces new challenges. While official cooperation and interaction between Berlin and Washington continue to be robust on a wide range of issues, the German and American […]

Europe & Eurasia Germany
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Jan. 14, 2015

NATOSource

Jan 15, 2015

NATO Chief Urges Germany to Invest More in Defense

By NATO and AFP

From Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, NATO:  I also would like to underline that we have to invest more in defence. We agreed to do so at our Summit in Wales.

Germany NATO
USAF KC-135Es at RAF Mildenhall, March 20, 2003

NATOSource

Jan 8, 2015

US Announces it Will Close 15 Military Bases in Europe

By Department of Defense

The Department of Defense announced today the consolidation of some U.S. infrastructure in Europe, including the return of 15 sites to their host nations.

Europe & Eurasia Germany
Geographic Reminder for Russia

NATOSource

Dec 17, 2014

German Scholars and Journalists Argue that Russian Expansionism Should Not Be Rewarded

By Paul Roderick Gregory, Forbes

[The] open letter, entitled “Secure Peace, Do Not Reward Expansionism” argues that Putin’s Russia is the clear aggressor against Ukraine, that Russia has violated past agreements in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, that Russia’s media has defamed the Ukrainian people

Germany Russia
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Nik Foster

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Global China Hub

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Samuel Denney

Nonresident Fellow

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English Europe & Eurasia

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Tyson Barker

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James Batchik

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Noel Coenraad

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Hanna Dohmen

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