All Articles

Ireland is regarded as having benefited enormously from its 50 years as an EU member state.  While Dublin is overwhelmingly supportive of enlargement, there could still be tensions ahead over issues related to the budget and changes to the EU institutions.

Before the question of how to enlarge the European Union comes the question: What kind of EU are we enlarging?

The enlargement and reform debate has started, and some progress should be possible before the European elections in June 2024, says Anna Lührmann, minister for Europe in the German Foreign Office.

Squeezed between the United States and China when it comes to innovation, the EU has been pointing to the “Brussels Effect.” Producing rules, though, does not compensate for not producing things. Europe needs more inclusive structures that reach beyond its borders rather than closing them down.

Seven years after the Brexit vote shocked Germany, it’s time for the two countries to rediscover common ground. Unfortunately, Berlin is sitting on its hands.

Beijing and Moscow are aligned when it comes to fighting the US-led world order. But beyond this common aim, there are many points of bilateral friction.

The West should give up its messianism, but not its norms and principles when interacting with the Global South.

While China has observed Western arms sanctions against Russia so far, it has rapidly developed into the leading provider of dual-use goods.

As South Korea positions itself as a “global pivotal state,” the country’s dual pursuit of a strong US alliance and greater strategic autonomy may well serve as a lesson for Europe.

Ukraine’s links with the transatlantic alliance reach back to the 1990s. However, Russia’s brutal war of aggression has led to NATO’s practical cooperation with Ukraine expanding further.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has failed to build on the Windsor Agreement; relations with the rest of Europe are stagnating. His presumptive successor, Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer, is unlikely to fundamentally change direction, either.

The Sino-Russian relationship has become a more intractable problem for the transatlantic alliance. The West should continue to concentrate its efforts on Beijing.