President Trump’s constant grievance with NATO is that America’s European allies do not carry their fair share in terms of defense spending. This, however, has been a long-standing issue in the alliance and previous Presidents have also urged NATO members to up their defense spending, including President Obama and President Bush. […]
“The EU expresses its grave concern at the steps taken by China on 28 May, which are not in conformity with its international commitments,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday 29 May after chairing a video conference of EU foreign ministers. The EU top diplomat was referring to China’s decision to impose a strict new national security law on Hong Kong. […]
The pandemic we are currently experiencing has had a strong impact on numerous countries around the world. The twenty-seven EU Member States are no exception. The European Union is currently trying to respond to the internal crisis as a result of COVID-19, mainly by providing instruments to combat the economic recession that has followed in wake of the pandemic. […]
“The Western Balkans belong in the EU” – this statement was made by European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the recent EU-Western Balkans summit held on May 6th. The Zagreb Declaration reaffirms the EU’s “unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans”, highlighting increasing calls for strong solidarity with these nations in regard to the coronavirus pandemic. […]
A few weeks ago, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas made clear that the highly anticipated German Council Presidency will turn into a “Corona Presidency”. Meaning that, Germany’s carefully planned agenda will be dominated by ambitious new tasks to overcome the pandemic and tackle the socio-economic consequences of the crisis. […]
With more than 2 million infected and 15000 dead in the current pandemic, EU has focused its attention on hemming the spread while tackling the vast socio-economic impact caused by the current situation. It is however crucial not to lose sight of conflicts that continue to affect everyday lives of millions. One of the main security challenges that the von der Leyen Commission will have to address in the near future is the on-going war in Ukraine. […]
President Macron‘s visions for a new European nuclear strategy come at just the right moment. In the wake of Brexit and growing ruptures in the transatlantic alliance, EU members are more willing than ever to invest in a more integrated European defence architecture with a European-wide role for French nuclear deterrence. Yet, in order for the project to succeed, Macron needs to convince his European counterparts that his prime concern is European security rather than legitimising French nuclear power. […]
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made it clear that foreign affairs will play a central role for the new Commission. During her keynote speech last Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, she stressed that it is time to step up in some fields in order for Europe to be “more assertive in the world”. […]