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
Thu, May 1, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET

Underwater mayhem: Countering NATO energy & critical infrastructure threats

Energy & Environment
Energy Markets & Governance
Europe & Eurasia
European Union

Online Event
Wed, April 30, 2025 • 4:00 am ET

Microsoft’s Brad Smith on digital resilience during geopolitical volatility

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, shares insights on maintaining trust and promoting competitiveness in a time of trade and geopolitical volatility.

Artificial Intelligence
Central Europe
Cybersecurity
Eastern Europe

Online Event
Tue, February 25, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

Debriefing Germany’s federal elections

Elections
European Union
Germany
Politics & Diplomacy

Program

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

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Content

New Atlanticist

Nov 5, 2008

Sarkozy’s Gamble?

By Nikolas Gvosdev

French president Nicolas Sarkozy was the first foreign leader to offer congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama. In a statement released by the Elysee palace, Sarkozy declared, “At a time when we must face huge challenges together, your election has raised enormous hope in France, in Europe and beyond … France and Europe… will find a […]

France

New Atlanticist

Nov 4, 2008

Britain Must Lead from the Front in Europe

By Neil Leslie

The European Union has already come too far with the project of closer integration to stop now. At least that was the view of former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, speaking at a conference in London last month. He went on to suggest that further European integration should not be constrained by politically reticent member […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2008

American Elections and UK Relations

By James Joyner

Sir Christopher Meyer, British ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003, takes to the pages of the Telegraph to answer the question “Which President would be best for Britain?”

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Oct 28, 2008

Restoring the German Army’s Auftragstaktik

By Florian Broschk

The German parliament has extended the Bundeswehr’s mission in Afghanistan for another fourteen months. A discussion is now needed on what goals the German army can realistically be expected to achieve and which strategy will offer the best hope for success.

Afghanistan Germany

New Atlanticist

Oct 22, 2008

Afghanistan: View from the UK

By Neil Leslie

British Foreign Secretary David Milliband responded to increasingly gloomy predictions concerning the fate of Afghanistan by declaring the NATO campaign there a “mission possible.”

Afghanistan United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Oct 14, 2008

Financial Crisis: The (Evolving) View from Europe

By Peter Cassata

European views on the financial crisis are changing rapidly, but governments finally seem to have settled on a rescue package. Only four weeks ago, my colleague James Joyner noted a conspicuous lack of concern in the European press over growing U.S. financial woes.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Oct 8, 2008

NATO Expansion: Time for a Deep Breath

By Nikolas Gvosdev

Let’s get a few things off our chests. The Germans are still goose-steppers who would warm up the panzers in an instant to engage in a fifth partition of Poland with their Red Army counterparts. The French are cheese-eating surrender monkeys who want to appease the big bad bear of the East. The Italians (or […]

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Oct 8, 2008

Why Britain Wants Talks with the Taliban

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

A split has emerged between London and Washington over the best way forward in Afghanistan. Over the last week, British diplomats and military commanders have expressed growing doubts about the success of the current NATO strategy. Faced with an imminent change in leadership in the White House and an increasingly deadly stalemate in Afghanistan, London […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Oct 2, 2008

Europe Can Only Survive With Germany

By James Joyner

Alex Motyl has written a provocative piece, “Can Europe Survive Germany?” which takes Europe’s largest state — in terms of both population and economy — to task for being insufficiently committed to the West’s shared principles and asserts that, “If Europe ever dies, Germany will have killed it.”

Germany

New Atlanticist

Oct 2, 2008

Can Europe Survive Germany?

By Alexander Motyl

If Europe ever dies, Germany will have killed it.

European Union Germany