CEPS Foreign Policy

JOIN US in BERLIN on 7 OCTOBER for our joint conference on EUROPEAN SECURITY ARCHITECTURE with @guntramwolff.bsky.social @stevenblockmans.bsky.social @corneliawoll.bsky.social @general-ben.bsky.social @schularick.bsky.social & more. Program and registration at www.zbw.eu/en/about-us/...

📌 HIGH-LEVEL LECTURE | “Enlargement at the Turn of the Global Order” Eka TkeshelashvilI, former Deputy PM of Georgia, explored how a changing global order is reshaping #EUEnlargement and the choices facing the #EU and candidate countries. 🟡 Read here - l1nq.com/fiq3v4x #REUNIR @ec.europa.eu

It’s the timing that stings most. With Arctic shipping lanes opening & great powers circling Greenland’s minerals, the EU has lost its chance to firmly anchor a like-minded democracy and partner in its Arctic strategy at the moment it matters most. My 2 cents in WSJ. Via @icds-tallinn.bsky.social

Iceland’s voters chose the devil they know: EEA membership without a seat at the table, market access without a vote on the rules. It’s a very Icelandic compromise-close enough to the EU to benefit, far enough to avoid answering to it. The EU will have to make peace with that arrangement, once again

A new commentary by @stevenblockmans.bsky.social 📌Although the Icelandic vote does not concern EU membership itself, its implications extend well beyond the mid-Atlantic island Read here: reunir-horizon.eu/icelands-sma... @icds-tallinn.bsky.social @ceps.eu @horizoneu.bsky.social

The EU and Japan experience similar challenges and share similar values. So – why not share solutions? 🇪🇺🇯🇵 In a new Substack post, Malte Wolski argues that Brussels and Tokyo should strengthen their ties and build more joint projects. Read it here: cepseu.substack.com/p/the-eu-jap...

euobserver.com/228791/eus-g...

🇪🇺 Is "associate membership" a stepping stone or a stumbling block for 🇺🇦's EU future? A new analysis by @stevenblockmans.bsky.social & Michael Emerson cuts through a debate sparked by Chancellor Merz's recent letter to EU leadership Read here: tinyurl.com/mryucy6a @horizoneu.bsky.social @ceps.eu

The EaP is an increasingly outdated framework to structure the EU’s relations with 6 states whose paths have diverged sharply since 2022. With a view to the allocation of budget in the next MFF, it should be retired and replaced by a more flexible policy fabric. @dgap.org @icds-tallinn.bsky.social

One of the biggest concerns about EU accession of Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans is a potential increase of the EU’s budget and the redirection of cohesion and agricultural funds towards new members, disadvantaging current beneficiaries. 🔎 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞? bit.ly/4dWkt56

On 26 May, REUNIR & CRoLEV, UCLan Cyprus co-hosted a policy panel at the EU House in Nicosia: "Towards an Enlarged EU: How to Uphold Democracy and the Rule of Law?" — on the occasion of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. 🇪🇺 @horizoneu.bsky.social @stevenblockmans.bsky.social @ceps.eu

Missed the launch of the new Niinistö report? Watch it on youtu.be/oBfM1vOf0JQ @ceps.eu @rusi.bsky.social @clingendael.bsky.social

🚨 Event Announcement! 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐔: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐰? 📅 Tuesday, 26 May 🕠 Doors open: 17:30 | Event: 18:00 – 19:30 📍 EU House, Nicosia, Cyprus Registration: tinyurl.com/nhbyufx3 Details: tinyurl.com/894scbnj @horizoneu.bsky.social @ceps.eu

New podcast episode! Madalina Dobrescu speaks with Jelena Pejic Nikic, senior researcher at the @bezbednost.bsky.social, about external threats to socioeconomic stability in the Western Balkans 🎙️ Spotify channel: tinyurl.com/4ds6htdu 🌐 REUNIR Website: tinyurl.com/4dhthbwn @horizoneu.bsky.social

Insightful overview of the future developments of European defence by President Sauli Niinistö & @ceps.eu. All the possible options: more European NATO, new European intergovernmental treaty on defence, European Defence Union & European Security Council, etc. 1/2🧵 www.ceps.eu/ceps-publica...

#Blog If America Wants KFOR Out, the EU Must Be Ready to Step In Tony Lawrence @icds-tallinn.bsky.social Ending #KFOR would deepen doubts about U.S. reliability & the EU would have to take over to maintain regional stability & prove its own security commitments Read here tinyurl.com/4rpbwc2c

#REUNIR Panel at the @ceps.eu Ideas Lab! On March 2, 50+ policymakers, diplomats and experts gathered for a high-level debate on Europe’s security architecture and the future of #EUenlargement 🌐 Read the news on our website tinyurl.com/4wkfwykp @horizoneu.bsky.social @stevenblockmans.bsky.social

Great discussion on European Security Council and future of European defence at #CEPSLab2026 w President Sauli Niinistö, who leads special @ceps.eu Task Force on the European pillar for NATO. Glad to see we have similar views on most of the ideas!

In recent years, security and defence have become key EU policy priorities. At #CEPSLab2026, our second plenary will explore the future of EU security. Our speakers will discuss a European pillar within #NATO and policy options for long-term stability. Learn more: ideaslab.ceps.eu/plenary-2-wh...

Securing access to #CRMs is crucial for Europe's green transition and competitiveness. At #CEPSLab2026, one of our sessions will examine how the Global Gateway can help secure Europe's access to CRMs. Learn more: ideaslab.ceps.eu/global-gatew...

The EU's engagement in Gaza is passive at best. Little progress has been made at promoting peace or providing humanitarian aid, with huge costs to its reputation. At #CEPSLab2026, we will ask how the EU can meaningfully support peace efforts in Gaza. Learn more: ideaslab.ceps.eu/the-eu-in-ga...

At their first meeting, Trump's Board of Peace recently pledged $7 billion for relief in Gaza. It remains unclear what this will mean for Palestinians. In a #CEPSLab2026 Substack post, James Moran calls on Europe to do more to support the region. Read more ➡️ cepseu.substack.com/p/words-aren...

The European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs) marks a decisive step for the EU in strengthening its crisis response and strategic autonomy. A new study offers a framework to ensure EDPCIs' ability to deliver on its promises. Read it here: www.ceps.eu/ceps-publica...

🚨Happening Now Future-Proofing EU Enlargement Against Foreign Malign Influence in the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Georgia&Moldova This panel examines different approaches to hybrid threats & malign influences among candidate countries @gppi.bsky.social @bressansar.bsky.social @horizoneu.bsky.social

All eyes are on #Greenland right now – including here at CEPS. Check out our commentaries below: 👉 Grabbing Greenland – and how it would impact NATO and the EU: www.ceps.eu/grabbing-gre... 👉 The EU's on thin ice in Greenland. It really needs to get its messages across: www.ceps.eu/the-eus-on-t...

Last call for our exciting panel event with the Orbis Project happening TOMORROW! Join us to hear from expert speakers on… 🧑‍💻 The challenges and opportunities of tech in democracies 🇺🇦 Ukrainian refugees' experiences in Europe Sign up NOW: www.ceps.eu/ceps-events/...

For years, Viktor Orbán's grip on the Hungarian political system seemed unshakeable. However, as the country prepares for elections on April 12, this status quo is being challenged. Take a closer look in @juliapocze.bsky.social's new Substack post on the topic: cepseu.substack.com/p/in-hungary...

We are kicking off 2026 with a new #REUNIRPublication! 💡 D3.3 Policy Brief - Investing in Security: A Policy Agenda to Strengthen the EU's Future Members Full publication available here: reunir-horizon.eu/3877-2/ Check our policy recommendations below ⬇️ @horizoneu.bsky.social

✨ 2025, WHAT A YEAR! ✨ The past 12 months have been big for CEPS. From climate and AI to digital policy, migration, and finance, our work continued to inform policymakers on Europe’s most pressing challenges. Check out our 2025 in numbers below ⬇️

#REUNIR: 2025 UNWRAPPED! 🎄 As 2025 draws to a close, we invite you to explore the latest analyses and research from REUNIR 🌐 Read the full newsletter on our website: reunir-horizon.eu/reunir-2025-... Happy Holidays! Warmest Wishes for a Bright 2026! @horizoneu.bsky.social

🚨 REPORT | "Actorness in Different Shades? Comparing EU External Action Across Global Governance Institutions" Drawing on 15 ENSURED case studies, @franziskapetri.bsky.social, @stevenblockmans.bsky.social, Edith Drieskens & @cerenjilan.bsky.social analyse how the EU performs across 5 policy areas.

#REUNIRPodcast ❓How do External Actors Interfere in the Political Affairs of the Western Balkans EU Candidate Countries? 🌐Listen to the podcast on our website: reunir-horizon.eu/how-do-exter... 💾 and save it on your Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7r2D... @horizoneu.bsky.social

#REUNIRPublication 📌 ENGAGEMENT, ENLARGEMENT & ESTRANGEMENT – EU Democracy Promotion & Protection in its Eastern Neighbourhood in-between Three Relational Paradigms ✍ Author: Andriy Tyushka Full publication available on our website: reunir-horizon.eu/engagement-e... @horizoneu.bsky.social

Turkey has become one of the most active middle powers navigating a fragmenting global order. 🇹🇷 In their new policy brief, guest authors Jeffery Mankoff and @muhdansaglam.bsky.social outline how the US and Europe can strengthen cooperation with Turkey. Read it here: www.ceps.eu/ceps-publica...

At yesterday's event on Ukraine 🇺🇦 and Moldova's 🇲🇩 EU integration, our speakers discussed the 2025 Enlargement Package and both countries' EU accession targets 🇪🇺 Thank you to our speakers Cristina Gherasimov, Taras Kachka, & Gert Jan Koopman as well as to moderator @tinatinakhvlediani.bsky.social! 🎙️

We are live (streaming): www.ceps.eu/ceps-events/... with DG Koopman 🇪🇺 and Ambassadors of Albania 🇦🇱, Kosovo 🇽🇰, Moldova 🇲🇩, Montenegro 🇲🇪, Ukraine 🇺🇦

One more of our trusted partners falls victim to the Georgian Dream’s increasing repression. As an independent policy research institution sharing GIP’s democratic values, @ceps.eu stands with its Georgian colleagues civil.ge/archives/703...

🔎 With 4 EU states recognising the State of Palestine and new Commission measures against Israel, Europe’s stance is shifting. It may not change realities on the ground, but it signals hope to the Palestinian people and and warns Netanyahu that impunity has limits. 👉 bit.ly/4mJNv9m

VDL has promised to widen the ‘simplification’ agenda to other policy areas. With various forms of ‘gradual integration’, her Commission has gone the opposite way, adding administrative burden to an already long and cumbersome process. Here’s a proposal to radically simplify EU enlargement 👇

#REUNIRBlog 🇲🇩 In a new op-ed, Iulian Groza (IPRE - Institutul pentru Politici și Reforme Europene) highlights how civil society, independent media, and state institutions are working together to safeguard democratic integrity. 👉 Read more: reunir-horizon.eu/op-ed-moldov... @horizoneu.bsky.social

Can international organisations be both effective and robust — or must one always come at the expense of the other? Read about the trade-offs IOs must navigate to deliver results while remaining resilient to existential challenges: www.ensuredeurope.eu/publications

📢 We are launching a new Task Force on a European Pillar within NATO with @rusi.bsky.social, Clingendael and the Institute for European Policymaking of Bocconi University. It will bring together experts to define practical steps for strengthening Europe’s defence readiness. 👉 bit.ly/4mGWJnr

#Alaska and #Washington meetings: Commenting on what’s at stake for #Ukraine, #EU and #US. Watch on BloombergTV & Reuters @ceps.eu

Save the date! Join us on Sept 9 at 18:00 in Berlin for an event on “Crafting Global Narratives – Strategic Communications for Multilateralism.” REGISTER NOW: ensuredinberlin.eventbrite.com @maastrichtu.bsky.social @gppi.bsky.social @claraweinhardt.bsky.social @ensured.bsky.social

Thanks to a generous Centre for Applied Turkish Studies (CATS) grant on the impact of Turkey's Asia pivot on the EU, we had the opportunity to explore how the EU's Neighborhood policy and China strategy are inherently linked together.

More powerful than the previous open letter, these fmr EUDs are not mincing their words: Silence and neutrality in the face of genocide constitute complicity. Inaction emboldens perpetrators and betrays every principle the Union and its member states claim to uphold. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

@CEPS.eu Associate Senior Fellows and ex-EU envoys sign an open letter to top Commission and Council leaders demanding effective EU action against the Israeli government crimes in Gaza. They float measures that can be adopted without unanimity: www.politico.eu/wp-content/u...

🌍🇪🇺 To strengthen its global competitiveness, the EU plans to shift from a development-focused role to ‘open strategic autonomy’. 📌 Our new commentary by @cerenjilan.bsky.social provides a comprehensive assessment of the Global Gateway and its highly debated future trajectory. READ 👉 bit.ly/3TracTl

🇪🇺🤝 EU member states aim to harmonise standards in the dual-use sphere, stimulate joint production, and facilitate joint procurement. @stevenblockmans.bsky.social's new report examines the conditions necessary for raising European strategic autonomy. READ HERE 👉 bit.ly/3IeelHW