United States

As the EU develops the White Paper on the future of European defence, it will need to address the new reality of transatlantic relations. The 'ReArm Europe' plan makes several proposals to ramp up European defence spending. However, this funding must translate into tangible...

If the EU does not engage proactively with Washington, the new Trump 2.0 administration may proceed without taking the bloc’s interests into account. Intent on countering Chinese technological and industrial dominance, Trump 2.0 may push Europeans towards a degree of decoupling...

The US’s three main adversaries– Russia, China and Iran – actively sought to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. This Brief examines the various tactics that they employed, arguing that the EU can learn from innovative strategies put in place by the US...

The EU has a chance to exert influence over the incoming Trump 2 administration if it moves swiftly to make a ‘China pitch’ focused on ‘three Ts’: trade, tech and Taiwan.

Shifts in US foreign policy under Trump 2.0 will inevitably affect EU-Africa relations. In light of the anticipated changes under the incoming White House administration, the EU and its African counterparts should strive to develop more coordinated common policies.

Given Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy, in the Indo-Pacific the EU may find itself compelled to act with greater independence in an economically and geopolitically critical region.

With the new US administration focused on the mounting competition with China, the Western Balkans risks being sidelined in the broader geopolitical landscape. The EU needs to anticipate the potential challenges posed by upcoming policy shifts for the region.

EU leaders would be wise to work with Trump 2.0 on reindustrialisation, whatever differences they may have on Ukraine and bilateral trade. The concentration of fighting capability and industrial capacity in the anti-Western axis is the major threat to Europe’s security.

Under Trump, the US commitment to European defence and NATO is under question. The EU should work to ensure the American presence endures while also taking up a greater burden of the continent's defence in cooperation with the alliance. We suggest where to start.