• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
Democracy
  • Donate
Podcast Episode
Carnegie Europe

Is Europe Ready to Be Geopolitical?

Sophia Besch, Dan Baer, and Rosa Balfour tackle the key questions about the future of Europe.

Link Copied
By Sophia Besch, Dan Baer, Rosa Balfour
Published on Nov 12, 2025

Subscribe on

Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon Music
Project mobile hero image

Project

Europe Head-to-Head

Moving beyond rhetoric that calls for Brussels to face its challenges, the Europe Head-to-Head project proposes a continent-wide debate on what the EU must do to meet the moment, navigating the increasingly difficult global landscape to deliver for its citizens.

Learn More

Between high-level reports, bold statements, and internal negotiation, Europe struggles to outline a cohesive geostrategic vision for its place in the world. 

Sophia Besch, Dan Baer, and Rosa Balfour explore why the EU often fails to establish long-term solutions to the challenges it faces, and explain how Europe can overcome its political and institutional paralysis. 

Carnegie Europe will be addressing these questions and more in its new project “Europe Head-to-Head.” Follow our work for insights and discussions shaping Europe’s future.

Read more:

Rosa Balfour, Stefan Lehne, and Elena Ventura, September 22, 2025, “The European Radical Right in the Age of Trump 2.0,” Carnegie Europe.

Sophia Besch, June 26, 2025, “The Price of Protection,” Emissary, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Dan Baer, May 13, 2025, “Trump’s Brain Drain Will Be Europe’s Gain,” Foreign Policy.

Rosa Balfour, April 30, 2025, “Europe Tried to Trump-Proof Itself. Now It’s Crafting a Plan B,” Emissary, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Rosa Balfour, March 25, 2025, “The Case for Europe,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.

Sophia Besch and Erik Brown, December 16, 2024, “Securing Europe’s Subsea Data Cables,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Dan Baer and Sophia Besch, December 12, 2024, “NATO’s Northeast Countries Have a Template for Europe’s New Security Reality,” Emissary, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Hosted by

Sophia Besch
Senior Fellow, Europe Program
Sophia Besch

Featuring

Dan Baer
Senior Vice President for Policy Research, Director, Europe Program
Dan Baer
Rosa Balfour
Director, Carnegie Europe
Rosa Balfour

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Europe Inside Out

  • Podcast Episode
    Is 2026 a Turning Point for Armenia and Azerbaijan?

    Thomas de Waal, Zaur Shiriyev, and Areg Kochinyan examine recent shifts in Armenia–Azerbaijan relations and explore future trajectories in the South Caucasus.

      • Areg Kochinyan

      Thomas de Waal, Zaur Shiriyev, Areg Kochinyan

  • Europe Head-to-Head Podcast
    Podcast Episode
    Europe Head-to-Head: Can Europe Ever Trust the United States Again?

    Rosa Balfour, Jan Techau, and Nathalie Tocci discuss how U.S. President Donald Trump’s  second term is reshaping the transatlantic relationship. 

      Rosa Balfour, Jan Techau, Nathalie Tocci

  • Podcast Episode
    Is Europe Ready for AI-Driven War?

    Thomas de Waal, Raluca Csernatoni, and Jessica Dorsey discuss how AI is transforming warfare and the ethical challenges it raises.

      Thomas de Waal, Raluca Csernatoni, Jessica Dorsey

  • Podcast Episode
    Is Britain Becoming More Like Europe?

    Thomas de Waal, Peter Kellner, and Anne McElvoy discuss the state of British politics and how it could impact EU-UK relations.

      • Anne McElvoy

      Thomas de Waal, Peter Kellner, Anne McElvoy

  • Podcast Episode
    The Elusive Road to Peace in Gaza

    Rym Momtaz, Pierre Vimont, and Maha Yahya discuss the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and how to build sustainable peace in the Middle East.

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz, Pierre Vimont, Maha Yahya

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600Fax: 202 483 1840
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.