The politics of dialogue: How the EU can change the conversation in Kosovo and Serbia
A new agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is a welcome step – but the EU can transform the situation by setting out clearer accession prospects for both countries
Wider Europe
The Wider Europe programme aims to help the EU become a stronger geopolitical actor in its eastern neighbourhood. To achieve this goal, the programme supports EU decision-makers’ work on a unified and coherent policy vis-à-vis Russia, and develops consistent strategies to defend the EU’s interests and values in the Wider Europe region. The programme focuses on post-Soviet states, the Western Balkans, and Turkey.
Featured
United West, divided from the rest: Global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
New polling for ECFR reveals the West is consolidating – while facing an increasingly post-Western world, in which powers such as India and Turkiye are readier than ever to act independently
Broken Dream: The oligarch, Russia, and Georgia’s drift from Europe
Georgian government actions are hindering the country’s journey to the EU, yet the Georgian people are strongly pro-European. The EU should more tightly condition the support it provides
29 Mar
Georgia’s fight for its future: Understanding recent protests in Tbilisi and the rift between the government and the wider population
Join the discussion on Georgia’s future in light of the recent protests, EU accession process and Russia’s influence in Tbilisi
Population-centric: Lessons from Russia’s hybrid war in Moldova
Russian political proxies are weaponising protests in Moldova, escalating Russia’s hybrid war in the country. Despite optimistic appearances, Moldovan authorities are ill-prepared to face this crisis.
The politics of dialogue: How the EU can change the conversation in Kosovo and Serbia
A new agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is a welcome step – but the EU can transform the situation by setting out clearer accession prospects for both countries
Resist and reform: Ukraine’s democracy after a year of war
Ukraine’s EU candidacy means the country not only has to preserve its democratic institutions in the face of all-out war – but also reform and strengthen them
Alligator arms: A proactive strategy for Ukraine’s military support
Western military support helped sustain Ukraine through the first year of the war. But if Western allies want a Ukrainian victory, they need to adopt a more proactive strategy
Brothers (not yet) in arms: China-Russia relations a year into the war in Ukraine
China’s ‘peace plan’ for the war in Ukraine merely underlines its Russia-friendly perspective and desire to protect its own interests
To tell the Truth: The Republican party’s Ukraine divide
Mitch McConnell uttered comforting words in Munich, but European policymakers would serve the cause of European defence better by planning for a Trump or DeSantis presidency
United West, divided from the rest: Global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
Mark Leonard, Timothy Garton Ash, and Ivan Krastev discuss the main findings of ECFR’s latest opinion poll
A tribunal like no other: Prosecuting Russia’s crime of aggression in Ukraine
A special tribunal for the crime of aggression could help secure justice for Ukrainians harmed by Russia’s invasion. Such a court would have three major implications
Publications
The politics of dialogue: How the EU can change the conversation in Kosovo and Serbia
A new agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is a welcome step – but the EU can transform the situation by setting out clearer accession prospects for both countries
United West, divided from the rest: Global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
New polling for ECFR reveals the West is consolidating – while facing an increasingly post-Western world, in which powers such as India and Turkiye are readier than ever to act independently
Broken Dream: The oligarch, Russia, and Georgia’s drift from Europe
Georgian government actions are hindering the country’s journey to the EU, yet the Georgian people are strongly pro-European. The EU should more tightly condition the support it provides
The old is dying and the new cannot be born: A power audit of EU-Russia relations
ECFR’s new EU-Russia power audit reveals a picture of success in decoupling from Moscow – and suggests the bloc could emerge stronger from the crisis
Cold winter: How the EU can help Moldova survive Russian pressure and protect its democracy
If Moldova can resist Russia’s weaponisation of gas and get through this winter, it should be able to make strong progress on its programme of reforms
Defend. Resist. Repeat: Ukraine’s lessons for European defence
Ukraine has mounted an innovative response to Russian aggression in 2022. The rest of Europe can learn from this – but should continue to provide weapons and training in return
In Europe’s defence: Why the EU needs a security compact with Ukraine
The EU should conclude a security compact with Ukraine. Such an agreement would help the country defend itself against Russia and maximise the effectiveness of European military support.
The past and the furious: How Russia’s revisionism threatens Bosnia
Russia is working to keep Bosnia divided. But many of the country’s problems are homegrown or exacerbated by neighbouring states.
Survive and thrive: A European plan to support Ukraine in the long war against Russia
To signal their commitment to Ukraine, Europeans should agree a ‘long-war plan’ of assistance against Russian aggression. This would include a ‘security compact,’ security assurances, and economic and energy support.
The next war: How Russian hybrid aggression could threaten Moldova
Russia could target Moldova by embarking on a limited-scope but overt military invasion – or by pursuing more covert hybrid aggression scenarios. Moldova and the EU need to embrace “active resilience” to address this.
Articles
Population-centric: Lessons from Russia’s hybrid war in Moldova
Russian political proxies are weaponising protests in Moldova, escalating Russia’s hybrid war in the country. Despite optimistic appearances, Moldovan authorities are ill-prepared to face this crisis.
Resist and reform: Ukraine’s democracy after a year of war
Ukraine’s EU candidacy means the country not only has to preserve its democratic institutions in the face of all-out war – but also reform and strengthen them
Alligator arms: A proactive strategy for Ukraine’s military support
Western military support helped sustain Ukraine through the first year of the war. But if Western allies want a Ukrainian victory, they need to adopt a more proactive strategy
Brothers (not yet) in arms: China-Russia relations a year into the war in Ukraine
China’s ‘peace plan’ for the war in Ukraine merely underlines its Russia-friendly perspective and desire to protect its own interests
To tell the Truth: The Republican party’s Ukraine divide
Mitch McConnell uttered comforting words in Munich, but European policymakers would serve the cause of European defence better by planning for a Trump or DeSantis presidency
A tribunal like no other: Prosecuting Russia’s crime of aggression in Ukraine
A special tribunal for the crime of aggression could help secure justice for Ukrainians harmed by Russia’s invasion. Such a court would have three major implications
Closing ranks: Ukraine’s role in future European defence
European leaders should integrate Ukraine into common defence projects, where the country’s experience and knowledge of war-fighting will be invaluable
Repair, replace, reimburse: Sustaining a European tank coalition for Ukraine
Military help for Ukraine is moving towards serious questions of logistics – but more countries still need to step forward. Here is how the next-stage coalition could look.
Conscious uncoupling: Europeans’ Russian gas challenge in 2023
Europeans made remarkable progress in removing Russian gas from their energy mix in 2022. But 2023 brings with it a whole host of new challenges
Humanitarian first: Delivering aid to Syria in the aftermath of the earthquake
In the aftermath of the earthquake, minimal aid is reaching north-west Syria, the most affected region in the country. European governments need to put humanitarian imperatives first, even if this means temporarily abandoning longstanding political positions
Specials
Mapping China’s rise in the Western Balkans
China is building up its influence in the Western Balkans through projects focused on everything from energy and infrastructure to culture, education, and media. If the European Union is to achieve its geopolitical goals in the region, it will need to understand the nature of competition with Beijing in all these areas.
Russia in the grey zones
What role does Russia play in the breakaway regions of Eastern Europe?
Life in the grey zones: Reports from Europe’s breakaway regions
Locked in a shadowy life between war and peace, “grey zones” now litter the map of Eastern Europe
Minsk Monitor
Following high level ministerial meetings on Ukraine, ECFR's Wider Europe team report on the implementation the Minsk agreement
Podcasts
United West, divided from the rest: Global public opinion one year into Russia’s war on Ukraine
Mark Leonard, Timothy Garton Ash, and Ivan Krastev discuss the main findings of ECFR’s latest opinion poll
Live from the Munich Security Conference: Where is world politics turning?
Mark Leonard reports live from the Munich Security Conference
How Putin created the most threatening regime in the world – with Michael Thumann
Mark Leonard invited Michael Thumann to talk about his new book “Revenge: How Putin created the most threatening regime in the world”
Agathe Demarais on sanctions as a foreign policy tool
Mark Leonard talks with Agathe Demarais about how sanctions work and how they can be truly effective
Davos world: Alexander Stubb and Mark Leonard live from the WEF
Mark Leonard and Alexander Stubb give us their take on this year’s World Economic Forum
The Clash of Orders with Fyodor Lukyanov on Russia
Mark Leonard is joined by Fyodor Lukyanov to learn more about the Russian perspective on global order
The Clash of Orders with Aslı Aydıntaşbaş on Turkey
Mark Leonard is joined by Aslı Aydıntaşbaş to talk about Turkey’s understanding of order
Survive and thrive: A European plan to support Ukraine in the long war against Russia
Mark Leonard is joined by ECFR’s Piotr Buras, Gustav Gressel, Kadri Liik, and Jeremy Shapiro to describe and debate the potential military, security, and economic aspects of the long-war plan
Rogue NATO: The new face of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
In this week’s episode, Jeremy Shapiro joins an all-star ECFR panel of experts to discuss the SCO summit’s geopolitical implications
Events
29 Mar
Georgia’s fight for its future: Understanding recent protests in Tbilisi and the rift between the government and the wider population
Join the discussion on Georgia’s future in light of the recent protests, EU accession process and Russia’s influence in Tbilisi
28 Feb
Russia’s war against Ukraine one year on: Views from Central Europe
Russia’s devastating war against Ukraine on European soil has been raging for one year now. With tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives lost, the country is fighting…
31 Jan
Power audit of EU-Russia relations: How Europeans are learning to handle a new reality
Concluding that Russia poses a threat and that the EU let its dependencies grow too deep, the bloc so far attempted to decouple from Moscow. How should Europeans navigate the adversarial relationship in the future?
14 Dec
From surviving to thriving: How Europe should support Ukraine in the long war against Russia
To brace for a “Long War”, Europe needs to be ready to take its lessons learned from more than half a year of the war to heart and deliver enduring support to Ukraine
8 Nov
The role of Germany in Europe in times of war: Potential for German-Bulgarian cooperation
We will discuss Germany’s role in Europe and will reflect on how the new European order is viewed in Berlin
7 Sep
A world safe for autocracy? Gideon Rachman in conversation with Jana Puglierin
In conversation with Jana Puglierin, Gideon Rachman will present his book “The Age of the Strongmen”
8 Jul
New paperback released – The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict
Mark Leonard will launch his newly released paperback edition of his book – The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict (Penguin) with a brand-new essay on the war in Ukraine and its implications for geopolitics
23 Jun
Il Circolo dell’ECFR: Pandemia e guerra in Ucraina. La visione dei cittadini europei
Lo European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) e Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo organizzano a Torino una nuova edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR sulla visione dei cittadini europei su pandemia e guerra in Ucraina
22 Jun
The impact of the war in Ukraine on the international system
Conference on the war in Ukraine and its consequences on the international system
7 Jun
Belarus after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: The challenge of dual political identity
How to effectively separate the Belarusian society from the regime when taking sanctions measures? Will the independence of Belarus survive international isolation left alone with an expansionist Russia?
In the media
Ukraine will receive the export variant of the Abrams, like those in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iraq
Normalization is going to be very hard, and maybe even impossible, with this kind of attitude
Engjellushe Morina, expert on the Western Balkans, comments on Russia’s “hybrid occupation” of Serbia, which threatens to derail its peace plan with Kosovo
This is a challenge with FCAS, not to provide open gateways for attacks due to the many integrated systems. One consequence could be not to create the “combat cloud” too large.
Security expert Ulrike Franke explains in the interview, why the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is “next generation”, and which obstacles it faces for exactly this reason
People want to see a quick end to the war in Ukraine, even if it means Ukraine giving up western-supported aspirations to victory and accepting the temporary loss of some territory
A recent ECFR survey reveals a significant shift in public opinion in several key countries
One of the messages they regularly intend to send is that NATO is able to do things that Russia is not
