Western Europe

FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

New Atlanticist Oct 2, 2024

A man in a hurry: Keir Starmer’s early approach is making waves at home and abroad

By Ed Owen

The new UK prime minister’s much-anticipated speech at the Labour Party’s recent gathering in Liverpool is a window into where the country may be headed.

Economy & Business Elections

New Atlanticist Oct 2, 2024

Three state elections have backed Germany into a corner

By Jurek Wille and Friedrich Conradi

The recent successes of populist parties in Germany’s state elections could signal an imminent shift in Berlin’s policies on climate, immigration, and aid for Ukraine.

Elections Germany

New Atlanticist Sep 26, 2024

France’s new government aims to calm the political storm. What will it mean for foreign policy?

By Léonie Allard, Jean-Loup Samaan

Prime Minister Michel Barnier is likely to follow the path of President Emmanuel Macron, but the big question is whether the delicate political context in Paris will allow ministers to focus on crises in Ukraine and Lebanon.

Europe & Eurasia France

EVENTS

Public Event Tue, May 27, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson on Britain in an enduring transatlantic relationship

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

Public Event Tue, May 6, 2025 • 12:30 pm ET

Belgium’s defense minister on Europe’s evolving security landscape

Europe & Eurasia NATO Security & Defense Western Europe

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

What to expect from Germany’s next government

Elections Europe & Eurasia European Union Germany

Program

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

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Content

EconoGraphics

Sep 22, 2015

Migrant Flows and the Future of Europe

By Global Business and Economics

As Europe confronts the migrant crisis, much of the current coverage remains fixed on short run trends, but in order to have a comprehensive perspective it is necessary to project these trends into the future. In spite of commonly held concerns of migrants' effect on European identity, many of these nations' birthrates and outflows of migrants will actually be higher than their intake of migrants. Negative flows of migrants could further weaken pension plans, as aging European populations struggle to balance social welfare models with demographic realities.

Afghanistan Economy & Business

Middle East Strategy Task Force

Sep 19, 2015

David Miliband: Europe’s Feeble Response to Migrant Crisis Threatens EU

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Former British Foreign Secretary says United States, too, must ‘up its game’ and take in more refugees Europe’s “feeble” response to the migrant crisis—the largest displacement of people since World War II—is threatening the European Union, and European countries as well as the United States need to step up to do more to help these […]

European Union Germany

Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), Sept. 15, 2012

NATOSource

Sep 18, 2015

Lockheed, MBDA See NATO Future for MEADS

By Jen Judson, Defense News

Lockheed Martin and MBDA Deutschland are expecting to sign a contract with Germany next year to produce the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) and with that stamp of approval the pair is setting their sights higher.

Germany Missile Defense

New Atlanticist

Sep 17, 2015

Wanted: All—Transatlantic—Hands on Deck for Implementation of Iran Deal

By Peter Wittig

Two factors made it possible to reach the nuclear agreement with Iran. First, unity was key. The agreement is also a transatlantic success. During the negotiations, the P5+1—that is, the United States, France, Great Britain, Germany, Russia, and China—and the European Union remained united in the goal of preventing the nuclear armament of Iran. Second, […]

Germany Iran

New Atlanticist

Sep 16, 2015

Snapback: An Innovative Feature of the Iran Nuclear Deal

By Gérard Araud

Over the past two months, much has been said and written about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed with Iran on July 14. We are now drawing to the end of this phase, with the review of the agreement by the US Congress expected to come to its conclusion by September 17. During […]

France Iran

British fighter jet intercepts Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bomber, Sept. 10, 2015

NATOSource

Sep 11, 2015

RAF Typhoons Intercept Russian Bombers Near UK Airspace

By Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom

RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighter aircraft scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland yesterday to meet two Russian aircraft.

NATO Nuclear Nonproliferation

Dutch Panzerhaubitz in Afghanistan, Feb. 28. 2009

NATOSource

Sep 8, 2015

NATO’s 5 Most Lethal Weapons of War

By Kyle Mizokami, National Interest

Here are some of the alliance’s most lethal combat systems, each operated by two or more member states.

Germany NATO

In the News

Sep 8, 2015

Kramer, Lightfoot, and Nordenman: Step Up to Support France

By Franklin Kramer, Jeff Lightfoot, and Magnus Nordenman

Brent Scowcroft Center Distinguished Fellow Franklin D. Kramer, Nonresident Senior Fellow Jeff Lightfoot, and Deputy Director Magnus Nordenman write for Defense News regarding France’s need for NATO support:

France NATO

New Atlanticist

Sep 4, 2015

Europe’s Migrant Crisis: Going After Traffickers, Not Taking in More Refugees, is the Answer, Says British Official

By Alejandro Alvarez

The best way to deal with the migrant crisis facing Europe is to shut down illegal human trafficking networks, not take in more refugees, Penny Mordaunt, the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for the Armed Forces, said at the Atlantic Council September 3. “The notion that if we just increase the number of people we’re […]

United Kingdom

Webcasts

Sep 3, 2015

Rethinking Defense: Readying the US and UK for Future Military Challenges

By Transatlantic Relations Program and Brent Scowcroft Center

Please join the Atlantic Council on September 3, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for a discussion with UK Minister of State for Armed Forces, Penny Mordaunt, on the priorities of the UK military for the short and long term.

United Kingdom