For years, Viktor Orbán was seen as the symbol of Europe’s populist turn. Now, Hungary may become the first country to reverse it. @fromtga.bsky.social reflects on the atmosphere in Budapest following Magyar’s historic election victory and what it could mean for Europe. https://bit.ly/4fgg4uL

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured Israelis that if they endured weeks in bomb shelters and obeyed Home Front Command, they would be rewarded with “a new Middle East”. Instead, US president Donald Trump forced him to accept ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon. https://bit.ly/48PJ4FN

🚨 We’re hiring in Berlin! 📊 Interested in public opinion, polling, and European foreign policy? ECFR is looking for a Data & Polling Working Student to join its Berlin office from September 2026 to June 2027. 🗓️ Apply by 3 June 2026 https://bit.ly/440pyUN

Borders, airspace and the information sphere are not the only battlefields Europeans face. Those wanting to weaken Europe have another option: the public’s minds. Yet Europe’s defence architecture is built for a different era, write Jonathan Nelson and Alejandro Romero. https://bit.ly/4eEpDDF

Why are more people losing faith in liberal democratic institutions? This week, @markhleonard.bsky.social welcomes Curtis Yarvin to discuss the ideas reshaping figures in Silicon Valley and the American right, and what the future holds for liberalism. Listen to the episode: https://bit.ly/4nnOI80

Donald Trump is headed to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping. The summit, which is scheduled for May 14th and 15th, is expected to cover issues including the ongoing war in Iran and AI safety. But Europeans should not expect decisive guidance or a grand bargain with Xi Jinping. https://bit.ly/4wwpp84

Iran’s attacks on the Gulf have convinced Abu Dhabi that accommodation with Tehran has failed. Leaving OPEC reflects the UAE’s turn towards strategic autonomy, harder security alliances & a regional order less constrained by old consensuses. @cinziabianco.bsky.social ecfr.eu/article/the-...

We are back from Angola! Thanks to all speakers and guests for stimulating discussions at this year's @ecfr.eu Africa-Europe Forum. 🤝 👇️ 📢 In case you could not join us online, recordings are available on Youtube now!

Join us next week for a webinar on recent attacks in Mali and what that means for European policy adaptation. @ecfr.eu 📆 Tue, 19 May, 12:00 CEST 🗣️ @joaocravinho.bsky.social, Djiby Sow (ISS Africa), Nana Touré @oecd-ocde.bsky.social Sign up here 👇️

Donald Trump is headed to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping. The summit, which is scheduled for May 14th and 15th, is expected to cover issues including the ongoing war in Iran and AI safety. But Europeans should not expect decisive guidance or a grand bargain with Xi Jinping. https://bit.ly/4wwpp84

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured Israelis that if they endured weeks in bomb shelters and obeyed Home Front Command, they would be rewarded with “a new Middle East”. Instead, US president Donald Trump forced him to accept ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon. https://bit.ly/48PJ4FN

Germany is set to become Europe’s leading military power. But how can this transformation strengthen Europe rather than divide it? @fromtga.bsky.social argues that Germany’s military resurgence must remain firmly embedded within a broader European defence framework. https://bit.ly/4dw84o7

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured Israelis that if they endured weeks in bomb shelters and obeyed Home Front Command, they would be rewarded with “a new Middle East”. Instead, US president Donald Trump forced him to accept ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon. https://bit.ly/48PJ4FN

Borders, airspace and the information sphere are not the only battlefields Europeans face. Those wanting to weaken Europe have another option: the public’s minds. Yet Europe’s defence architecture is built for a different era, write Jonathan Nelson and Alejandro Romero. https://bit.ly/4eEpDDF

Donald Trump is headed to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping. The summit, which is scheduled for May 14th and 15th, is expected to cover issues including the ongoing war in Iran and AI safety. But Europeans should not expect decisive guidance or a grand bargain with Xi Jinping. https://bit.ly/4wwpp84

Are fragmentation, populism, and increasing right-wing sentiment the new normal in European politics? ECFR's Piotr Buras explains why this question will be at the heart of our agenda at this year's Annual Council Meeting in Vienna. #ACM26

Germany is set to become Europe’s leading military power. But how can this transformation strengthen Europe rather than divide it? @fromtga.bsky.social argues that Germany’s military resurgence must remain firmly embedded within a broader European defence framework. https://bit.ly/4dw84o7

For years, Viktor Orbán was seen as the symbol of Europe’s populist turn. Now, Hungary may become the first country to reverse it. @fromtga.bsky.social reflects on the atmosphere in Budapest following Magyar’s historic election victory and what it could mean for Europe. https://bit.ly/4fgg4uL

Can Europe avoid the next energy crisis? As the EU accelerates its green transition, this question becomes urgent. The EU is right to raise ambitions on electrification but the target is stretching. Only a more aggressive approach will suffice. - @noahjgordon.bsky.social https://bit.ly/4tQsein

Shipping is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. It contributes almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. A new brief by Sarah Logan explores how Europe and Africa can collaborate to drive global shipping to net zero and what’s at stake if they don’t. https://bit.ly/4w6P8nn

Romania’s government collapse is not only a domestic political crisis but also a warning sign for Europe. A new policy alert by Oana Popescu-Zamfir examines how the fall of Ilie Bolojan’s government exposes Romania’s fiscal vulnerabilities and political fragmentation. https://bit.ly/4dkUTW2

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured Israelis that if they endured weeks in bomb shelters and obeyed Home Front Command, they would be rewarded with “a new Middle East”. Instead, US president Donald Trump forced him to accept ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon. https://bit.ly/48PJ4FN

🚨 We’re hiring in London! ECFR is looking for a Defence & Security Policy Fellow to join its London office and help help shape the debate on Europe’s security architecture in a changing geopolitical landscape. 🗓️ Apply by 3 June 2026 https://bit.ly/440pyUN

Borders, airspace and the information sphere are not the only battlefields Europeans face. Those wanting to weaken Europe have another option: the public’s minds. Yet Europe’s defence architecture is built for a different era, write Jonathan Nelson and Alejandro Romero. https://bit.ly/4eEpDDF

🚨 We’re hiring in Berlin! 📊 Interested in public opinion, polling, and European foreign policy? ECFR is looking for a Data & Polling Working Student to join its Berlin office from September 2026 to June 2027. 🗓️ Apply by 3 June 2026 https://bit.ly/440pyUN

It was great to host Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani in Brussels today ahead of the EU-Syria dialogue. At a critical moment for Syria and Europe’s engagement with the region, exchanges like these are more important than ever. 📷: @jbdacey.bsky.social and Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani

This week, @markhleonard.bsky.social is joined by David Runciman to explore whether today’s sense of crisis really marks the end of democracy—or something more complex. Rather than predicting collapse, the discussion asks how democracies can evolve. 🎧 https://bit.ly/4tl07a0

Can Europe protect its digital model from platform power and geopolitical pressure? Join ECFR at the European Parliament tomorrow for a discussion on digital sovereignty, the DSA, DMA, AI Act, and platform accountability moderated by José Ignacio Torreblanca. Watch the event live: bit.ly/48VKX3H

Reducing reliance on Chinese critical minerals is the latest buzzword in America and Europe - in @ipq.bsky.social Daniel Gros and I argue that the US and the EU have a fast, cheap and effective option to tackle this challenge: setting up a critical minerals stockpile ip-quarterly.com/en/case-sett...

#Hungary’s political transition presents the #EU with a narrow but critical window for strategic influence. In this new #ECFR commentary from Piotr Buras and @pawelzerka.bsky.social,#Hungary#EU#ECFRey outline six insights from a post-election Hungary. Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4njbT3y

This week, @markhleonard.bsky.social is joined by David Runciman to explore whether today’s sense of crisis really marks the end of democracy—or something more complex. Rather than predicting collapse, the discussion asks how democracies can evolve. 🎧 https://bit.ly/4tl07a0

How is Europe these days? As Europe Day approaches, this question becomes more important than ever. It is as if the EU is going through a quarter-life crisis, writes @pawelzerka.bsky.social. Luckily, a quarter-life crisis can also be a period of transformation. https://bit.ly/3QVLGvC

Romania’s government collapse is not only a domestic political crisis but also a warning sign for Europe. A new policy alert by Oana Popescu-Zamfir examines how the fall of Ilie Bolojan’s government exposes Romania’s fiscal vulnerabilities and political fragmentation. https://bit.ly/4dkUTW2

Can Europe avoid the next energy crisis? As the EU accelerates its green transition, this question becomes urgent. The EU is right to raise ambitions on electrification but the target is stretching. Only a more aggressive approach will suffice. - @noahjgordon.bsky.social https://bit.ly/4tQsein

#Hungary’s political transition presents the #EU with a narrow but critical window for strategic influence. In this new #ECFR commentary from Piotr Buras and @pawelzerka.bsky.social,#Hungary#EU#ECFRey outline six insights from a post-election Hungary. Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4njbT3y

How is Europe these days? As Europe Day approaches, this question becomes more important than ever. It is as if the EU is going through a quarter-life crisis, writes @pawelzerka.bsky.social. Luckily, a quarter-life crisis can also be a period of transformation. https://bit.ly/3QVLGvC

Shipping is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. It contributes almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. A new brief by Sarah Logan explores how Europe and Africa can collaborate to drive global shipping to net zero and what’s at stake if they don’t. https://bit.ly/4w6P8nn

The Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany as punishment for Merz’s criticism of how Trump handles Iran. Europe should accelerate sovereign long-range strike capabilities and forge new defence partnerships, writes @rafaelloss.bsky.social. https://bit.ly/4n4NMoS

Caught between Putin’s Russia, Trump’s America, and Xi’s China, Europe is facing a profound moment of reckoning. Rising nationalism, climate breakdown, economic stagnation, and democratic fragility have fueled a growing sense of uncertainty about the continent’s future 🧵

Romania’s government collapse is not only a domestic political crisis but also a warning sign for Europe. A new policy alert by Oana Popescu-Zamfir examines how the fall of Ilie Bolojan’s government exposes Romania’s fiscal vulnerabilities and political fragmentation. https://bit.ly/4dkUTW2

Germany is set to become Europe’s leading military power. But how can this transformation strengthen Europe rather than divide it? @fromtga.bsky.social argues that Germany’s military resurgence must remain firmly embedded within a broader European defence framework. https://bit.ly/4dw84o7

This week, @markhleonard.bsky.social is joined by David Runciman to explore whether today’s sense of crisis really marks the end of democracy—or something more complex. Rather than predicting collapse, the discussion asks how democracies can evolve. 🎧 https://bit.ly/4tl07a0

In recent weeks the most used AI globally was one few westerners know of: China's open-source Kimi K2.6 - in @foreignpolicy.com I outline how Beijing is quietly building an ecosystem of cheap, good-enough models like Kimi or Qwen, and what this means for US AI firms foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/07/a...

As Russian aggression continues and Trump’s US threatens NATO, it is even more vital for a unified defence of the continent, writes @fromtga.bsky.social. #ViewsfromtheCouncil https://ecfr.eu/article/germanys-military-power-is-on-the-rise-this-time-it-must-be-firmly-embedded-in-europe/

Shipping is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. It contributes almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. A new brief by Sarah Logan explores how Europe and Africa can collaborate to drive global shipping to net zero and what’s at stake if they don’t. https://bit.ly/4w6P8nn

#Hungary’s political transition presents the #EU with a narrow but critical window for strategic influence. In this new #ECFR commentary from Piotr Buras and @pawelzerka.bsky.social,#Hungary#EU#ECFRey outline six insights from a post-election Hungary. Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4njbT3y

How is Europe these days? As Europe Day approaches, this question becomes more important than ever. It is as if the EU is going through a quarter-life crisis, writes @pawelzerka.bsky.social. Luckily, a quarter-life crisis can also be a period of transformation. https://bit.ly/3QVLGvC

Shipping is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. It contributes almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. A new brief by Sarah Logan explores how Europe and Africa can collaborate to drive global shipping to net zero and what’s at stake if they don’t. https://bit.ly/4w6P8nn

🚨 We’re hiring in Berlin! The European Council on Foreign Relations is looking for a Programme Operations & Coordination Intern to join our MENA programme. 📍 Based in Berlin 💼 Full-time 3-month 🗓️ Apply by 10 May 2026 (rolling applications – early submissions encouraged!) https://ecfr.eu/jobs/

Batteries are at the heart of Europe’s green transition and South Korea is a key partner. A new article by @alexlipke.bsky.social & Jihye Yoo explores how closer EU–Korea cooperation can boost resilience, reduce dependencies, and compete with China in critical supply chains. https://bit.ly/4tUCVk1