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Obama, Russia and Europe

Policy brief by Tomas Valasek
01 June 2009

On the first glance, Barack Obama has subordinated US foreign policy to the interests of Moscow. He has slowed down NATO enlargement, stopped urging Russia to democratise and hinted that the US might not build missile defence sites in Europe.
Issue 66 June/July 2009

29 May 2009
Winners and losers in the new geopolitics
By Charles Grant
Protectionism and the economic crisis: So far, so good?
By Philip Whyte
The EU should do more to support UN peacekeeping in Africa
External author(s): Richard Gowan
Why the European elections matter

Insight by Hugo Brady
29 May 2009

Between June 4th and June 7th, Europeans will cast their votes to elect a new European Parliament (EP). Recent opinion polls indicate that they will do so without much enthusiasm.
Making a success of the EAS

Insight by Charles Grant
21 May 2009

If the Irish people vote yes to the Lisbon treaty at the second attempt, and the Czechs, Germans and Poles also ratify, the EU will set up an ‘external action service’ or EAS. This new institution promises to make the Union’s common foreign and security policy more effective.
Are the British the new French?

Insight by Simon Tilford
05 May 2009

The British tend to deride France as a hopelessly statist, anti-entrepreneurial country full of bolshie workers intent on extracting disproportionate rewards for their labour and a state too weak to resist them. This characterisation is not wholly inaccurate.
Will Spain remain a small country?

Briefing note by Charles Grant
01 May 2009

Spain punches below its weight in EU policy-making. Since Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero became prime minister, five years ago, Spanish influence in the EU has diminished.
Choices for Europe

Essay by Nathaniel Copsey, Carolyn Moore, Clara Marina O'Donnell
01 May 2009

Sluggish economic growth, high unemployment, ageing populations, climate change and security challenges on the borders of Europe have been some of the top priorities on the European agenda since the early 1990s. The EU has tried to tackle these issues, notably through its commitments to reduce greenhouse gases and its Lisbon strategy for economic growth.
Narrowing the Atlantic: The way forward for EU-US trade and investment

Report by Philip Whyte
29 April 2009

The financial crisis has provoked a dramatic contraction in world trade. With economic activity declining and job losses rising, protectionist pressures are mounting.