Category: Europe
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Though Not Yet Covered by Article 5, the United States Should Confirm Defense Commitment to Finland and Sweden
In mid-May, Finland and Sweden – two historically non-aligned countries – formally handed in their applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, as the Finnish and Swedish Ambassadors to NATO simultaneously handed in the official letters of application at the military alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Lauded as an “historical moment” by Secretary […]
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The Upcoming Election in France Could Have Profound Consequences for France and the Transatlantic Relationship
Politics in France never fail to entertain. This will certainly hold true this weekend as French voters head to the polls to cast their vote in the presidential election on Sunday. Five years ago, the incumbent, centrist Emmanuel Macron of La Republique En March, defeated Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Rassemblement National […]
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Poland: An Unlikely Ally
On March 26, as part of a broader trip to Europe to fortify Western unity, U.S. President Joe Biden traveled to Poland to meet with U.S. troops stationed in the Eastern European country and the Polish President, Andrzej Duda. During the visit, Mr. Biden referred to his Polish counterpart as a “brother” and applauded Mr. […]
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The United States and Its European Allies Have Never Been So United
Unity. That is the message U.S. President Joe Biden is sending to Russia and the world during his trip to Europe. His point: Western allies – the United States, the European Union, and NATO – are standing shoulder to shoulder in support of Ukraine as Russia continues to attack the war-torn nation. Biden’s quick visit […]
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An Introduction to NATO and Its Connection to Russia’s War in Ukraine
Last week, the White House announced that U.S. President Joe Biden would be making a 2-day trip to Europe to attend North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, and European Union summits to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Caught between its instincts of not antagonizing Russia and its support for Ukraine, the United State and […]
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Will Russian Aggression in Ukraine Convince Finland and Sweden to Finally Join NATO?
For decades, both Finland and Sweden, two historically neutral countries in northern Europe, have chosen not to seek membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. However, the recent buildup of Russian troops along the Ukraine border and subsequent invasion have renewed debate in both countries about joining the alliance, prompting an irritated response […]
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The United States and Europe Must Do More for Ukraine
Eight years after seizing Crimea and throwing its weight behind a separatist insurgency in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, Russia – one of the United States’ primary adversaries – has done the unthinkable. After months of U.S. warnings, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway provinces controlled by Russian-backed separatists and subsequently deployed Russian […]
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The U.S. and Germany Not on The Same Page on Nord Stream 2
On February 7, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden. During the visit, the United States and Germany presented a united front in the face of a Russian troop buildup along the border with Ukraine. That is, until the debate turned to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Nord […]
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The Biden Administration Focuses on Allies in Europe and Asia But Needs to Look to the Rest of the World Too
In the March-April 2020 issue of Foreign Affairs, then-candidate Joe Biden announced he would “take immediate steps to renew U.S. democracy and alliances.” Less than a year later, in his inaugural address, President Biden pledged that the United States “will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.” Just a few weeks after […]
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Who Will Be Europe’s Next Leader?
For the last several decades, ties between France and Germany have been the engine of European integration. After centuries of war on the European continent through which France and Germany were historic rivals and often bitter enemies, culminating in the devastation of World War II, European nations searched for a way to eliminate inter-continental fighting. […]
Allies and Adversaries 