Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship

The evolving strategic dynamics in the Indo-Pacific are of paramount importance for the future of the rules-based international order. While the United States is redirecting strategic focus to the region as part of its Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, Europe is also stepping up its role—leveraging a strong economic profile, long-standing bilateral ties, and active engagement in various regional multilateral forums. The European Union (EU) and its member states can make distinct contributions to an open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based regional order, though not necessarily always in lockstep with Washington.

This TED-Talk is part of a series of six talks looking into "Varieties of Atlanticism" at the Aspen Berlin Transatlantic Forum 2019. In this TED-Talk, Cathryn Clüver-Ashbrook discusses "How City and State Diplomacy are Changing the Alliance - A Neo-Hanseatic Perspective". 

Staaten stehen als Schlüsselakteure des internationalen Systems im Zentrum der Charta der Vereinten Nationen. Die Kooperation von drei Staaten in einem gemeinsamen Interessenfeld wird dabei als multilaterales Handeln definiert. Zunehmend sind Staaten heute jedoch durch interne politische Spaltungen und die Rivalitäten zwischen Großmächten blockiert und handlungsunfähig. Folglich versagen sie bei der gemeinsamen Lösung von Problemen. Dieses Vakuum besetzen mittlerweile verstärkt Akteure unterhalb der nationalstaatlichen Ebene. Sie erfüllen nun die in der UN Charta definierten Kernfunktionen und definieren dabei effiziente Zusammenarbeit auf transnationaler Ebene neu, in einem Rahmen, den wir Mikro-Multilateralismus nennen möchten.

During a testy joint press conference at the NATO summit in London yesterday, President Donald Trump and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, argued openly over how the 70-year-old alliance should handle Russia, the Islamic State, and Turkey. When interacting with allied leaders, Trump’s predecessors have generally followed a golden rule: Disagreements with friends are okay—but only behind the scenes, not in public.

Ambassador Nicholas Burns giving a speech on "Restoring the Transatlantic Relationship" to the Senat Der Wirtschaft in Munich, Germany on November 30, 2019.

Most important was Trump’s foreign policy of “America First” that rejected the multilateralism and cooperative philosophy, which had not only formed the basis of Europe’s relations with the US but of the post-war order established under American leadership.

China’s complex relationship with the European Union is symbolised through the events of November 2019. Chinese President Xi Jinping flew to Greece almost as soon as French President Emmanuel Macron concluded his 3-day state visit to China on 6 November. China boasts a successful investment here — the Piraeus harbour of Athens.

Thorsten Benner and Torrey Taussig spoke with the Berlin Pulse about the EU's role in US-China competition. 

Europe has embarked on a generationally significant increase in its defense ambition. New European Union defense policy, funding, and capability development initiatives, as well as closer EU-NATO cooperation, carry opportunities for the United States. Where EU defense efforts historically fell short, the United States can now focus on the overarching shared interest in a stronger Europe that is less dependent on the United States for its security and defense.

The Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship (PETR) is looking for a new research assistant to support programming and research focused on increasing the teaching of American-European relations at HKS.