America’s Choice, Europe’s Predicament: the EU and U.S. in the world after the Obama era

ECFR Warsaw held a public debate:

America’s Choice, Europe’s Predicament: the EU and U.S. in the world after the Obama era

on the 16th of September from 11:30am to 1:00pm

on the premises of the Stefan Batory Foundation, 10a Sapieżyńska Street in Warsaw

For all of the constant complaints on both sides of the Atlantic, the Transatlantic alliance has functioned fairly well in recent years. For the United States, the European allies individually and through the forums of NATO and the EU have remained the partners of first choice. For Europe, the alliance has served to keep the Americans at least somewhat interested and involved in European issues even as the Middle East bursts into flames and Asia grows in geopolitical weight and danger. But now for the first time in generations, the very concept of alliance is being called into question by a major U.S. presidential candidate. Donald Trump, has been clear that he views the alliance in short-term instrumentalist terms. Hillary Clinton, presents a much less fundamental challenge but the growing American demand for Europeans to take greater responsibility for their own security will nevertheless require a European response. How should Europeans respond to the potential and in one case existential challenge that these candidates will each present?  The panel discussed what Trump or Clinton presidency would mean for the alliance and for Europe and gave recommendations on how Europe should prepare for the American election and how it should adapt to both potential Presidents.

A summary of the debate can be found here.