Pierre Vimont and Amr Hamzawy take stock of Europe’s response to the Israel-Hamas war and provide insights into how Brussels should navigate evolving geopolitical challenges in the Middle East.

In 2023, Germany’s foreign policy evolved considerably. The country adopted its first national security strategy and took decisive action to align its positions more closely with those of its allies.

Sidelined in the region, Europe is unlikely to have its voice heard amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas confrontation. Yet the EU’s economic leverage could prove useful in getting Israel and a new Palestinian leadership to negotiate in the longer term.

In Bratislava, President Macron presented a vision for a militarily capable EU that enlarges eastward. But making this a reality means revising the bloc’s governance.

In a recent interview returning from a state visit to China, French President Emmanuel Macron argued that Europe should reduce its dependency on the United States and avoid getting dragged into Washington’s confrontation with Beijing over Taiwan.

Recent tensions between Paris and Berlin have led some to question the partnership’s purpose and relevance. But a track record of overcoming differences suggests relations can be revived.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has driven European states to reimagine the continent's security architecture. Several have taken concrete steps to reorient their foreign policies, including Germany, which notably chose to increase its defense spending and send weapons to Ukraine in March.

Geopolitical realities have changed considerably since 2017, when Macron was first elected. In his second term as president, the Russo-Ukrainian war will inform French—and European—thinking.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have profound consequences for the stability of the region and for the future of European security, not to mention the immense human suffering. We asked Carnegie Europe’s scholars to give their assessment about how the military attack will fundamentally change the post-Cold War era.

Carnegie scholars assess U.S.-European cooperation on China, technology, climate, and more.