The return of Donald Trump to the White House is regarded as both a risk and an opportunity in Ukraine. Much hinges on whether the Europeans, in particular Germany, manage to come up with a bold, unified approach of their own.
In the green resource race, the United States and the EU should look to the big island in the North Atlantic and forge a common approach, providing expertise and facilitating the needed investments.
Investing more in defense and security, tackling illegal migration, containing China, revitalizing the EU: Germany’s foreign policy must finally replace its customary caution with boldness.
The re-election of Donald Trump as US president may actually lead to some positive development in Central and Eastern Europe. The countries so far reluctant to spend big on defense may finally come round to doing so.
For decades, it has been easier for Berlin to invoke American power than to compromise with its continental neighbors. This has always been a risky bet. Trumpism will force Germany back into Europe—to its benefit.
Submarine critical infrastructure is vital for Europe’s data and energy needs and is vulnerable to attacks. European policymakers are faced with the triple challenge of attribution, deterrence, and resilience.
Elon Musk has been trolling Germany’s parliamentary election campaign during the holidays. His AI-supported interventions are unlikely to have much effect, but they remind the country that it needs new ideas—which so far are lacking.
Migration statistics have been low for decades, yet French politicians continue to fret about the country being taken over by foreigners. That is because rallying against migration is a way for the far-right to mobilize voters against France’s non-white and Muslim population.
Swedish battery maker Northvolt, championed as the domestic guarantor of Europe’s switch to EV mobility, has filed for bankruptcy. But it deserves a second chance.
The first Trump presidency caused views of the United States to deteriorate in Europe. It’s not a given that history will repeat itself, while Europeans are looking elsewhere, too.
A renewed anti-corruption drive has led to the dismissal of a remarkable number of defense ministers and Chinese top brass. This may dampen Xi Jinping’s appetite for conflict in the short term, but the Chinese president is pursuing the purge with his geopolitical goals in mind.
