The European Council on Foreign Relations

Commentary: Nick Witney

Britain’s defence review: the real strategic questions

11 Feb 10 - Nick Witney

Britain’s defence review must take on board how much the world has changed since the late 1900s and focus on preserving Britain’s power and influence, both in and through Europe.

Tough snub

08 Feb 10 - Nick Witney

Obama’s snub of the May EU-US summit is tough, but fair. If it wants to be taken seriously on the world stage, the EU must stop complaining and learn from this and other recent disappointments

Too many cooks

01 Feb 10 - Nick Witney

After nearly a decade of effort, the Lisbon Treaty is finally in place – and Europeans finally have the chance to develop the unified voice and combined weight in the world that we all now understand to be necessary. Yet Europe’s national leaders seem unable to curb the sort of self-indulgent behaviour that will sabotage this historic opportunity.

Europe’s troublesome neighbours

15 Jan 10 - Nick Witney

Europe’s southern and eastern border give cause for significant concern. It needs to wake up to where its real security interests lie.

How Europe can be heard in Washington

Europeans must steel themselves to discuss, within the EU, the big issues on which Europe must engage the US.

Get a grip

05 Nov 09 - Nick Witney

To avoid creeping irrelevance, Europe must find a collective voice on the international stage.

Video blog: Witney on our transatlantic power audit

02 Nov 09 - Nick Witney

Nick Witney talks about our transatlantic report in this video blog.

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Europe is wasting its “Obama Moment”

National governments in the EU must shake off illusions about the transatlantic relationship if they want to avoid irrelevance on the global stage.

Nice location, shame about the neighbours

23 Oct 09 - Nick Witney

Europe’s biggest challenge in coming decades is how it will get along with the Islamic world.

Missile defences, bald men and combs

01 Oct 09 - Nick Witney

In spite of Czech and Polish objections, the Obama administration was right to drop plans for radars and rocket interceptors in central Europe.

Obama’s new world order

03 Jun 09 - Nick Witney

Obama’s flagship Middle East speech in Cairo tomorrow will prove indicative of just how far he is willing to go in replacing the hostile Bush years.

Blame the policy, not the army

05 Feb 09 - Nick Witney

As the British Army’s problems deepen, Nick Witney blames a defence policy too fixated on the US.

European Defence - now with added elan?

19 Dec 08 - Nick Witney

Nick Witney assesses the outcome of the French Presidency’s efforts on the ‘new impetus’ for European defence.

The death of NATO

20 Nov 08 - Nick Witney

Now in its 60th year, NATO no longer provides a healthy basis for the trans-Atlantic security relationship.

Georgian lessons for EU generals

04 Nov 08 - Nick Witney

As the dust of the August war in Georgia begins to settle, the EU is emerging as the nearest thing around to a winner. An article published in E-Sharp!.

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Latest Publications

China shapes its post-crisis economic agenda

The latest issue of China Analysis looks at Beijing’s willingness to strengthen international economic governance, and its authors argue that much thinking in China seems to focus on the short term

China and India: rivals always, partners sometimes

The authors of the latest issue of China Analysis argue that Western concerns over “Chindia” - the emergence of a Sino-Indian economic power bloc or strategic alliance - may be unwarranted. 

Towards a post-American Europe: A Power Audit of EU-US Relations by Nick Witney & Jeremy Shapiro

Europe has the US president it wished for, but does Barack Obama have the strong transatlantic partner he wants?

Can the EU rebuild failing states? A review of Europe’s civilian capacities.

Have broken promises and treating Afghanistan, DR Congo and Iraq like Bosnia left the EU without the capacity to prevent fragile states from becoming failing states?

What does Russia think?

ECFR publishes a collection of views from key Russian intellectuals.

The EU and human rights at the UN: 2009 annual review

The EU’s ongoing loss of influence at the UN is putting lives at risk, argues the author of ECFR’s latest paper.

China’s response to the G2

Fears in Europe that China works to lock the US into a “G2” embrace so as to dominate the global agenda do not reflect Chinese experts’ current strategic thinking.

European and Russian power in the troubled neighbourhood

Is a complacent strategy that focuses on gradual change rather than crises losing the EU its battle with Russia for influence in the eastern neighbourhood?

Beyond the “War on Terror”

The EU has an opportunity to influence President Obama’s efforts to reform US counterterrorism policy

A Power Audit of EU-China Relations

China is exploiting the EU’s divisions and treating the 27-state bloc with “diplomatic contempt” on issues ranging from trade to the Dalai Lama.

Shaping Europe's Afghan Surge

Will the military surge in Afghanistan fail without a civilian surge?

Re-wiring the US-EU relationship

With the pivotal change of leadership in Washington, the US and the EU may have an ideal moment to strengthen the US-EU institutional bond.

Beyond dependence: How to deal with Russian gas

Could building a single European market in natural gas be the most effective strategy for the European Union in countering Russia’s divisive energy diplomacy?

Promoting democracy abroad - the EU's record

In a joint research project with FRIDE, ECFR looks at the EU’s record in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Ukraine, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco.

Is the EU a global force for human rights?

The EU’s leverage to promote human rights through the UN has dramatically declined over the last decade, our exclusive report reveals.

Can the EU win the peace in Georgia?

This authors analyse the background and developments in the Russia-Georgia conflict and outline recommendations on how to prevent wider political fallout.

Re-energising Europe's Security and Defence Policy

European governments cannot afford to move at the speed of the slowest, argues Nick Witney, and should push for a ‘multi-speed’ Europe on ESDP

In the Press

The Kyiv Post - 11 Mar 10

A piece on the EU and Ukraine, quoting Wilson and Popescu’s recent report.

The Prague Post - 10 Mar 10

Korski: “The Anglo-American strategy in Afghanistan has hit an absolute low mark.”

Reuters - 08 Mar 10

Daniel Korski on what lies ahead for Baroness Ashton.

Read more press >

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