Rather than propping up the status quo, farmers should focus on the transition to more sustainable methods of food production. EU institutions and governments must support them in this endeavor.

Turkey continues its balancing act, siding with the West on Ukraine but relying on Russia to pursue its ambitions of becoming a regional energy center. While progress toward bringing Turkey closer to the West will have its limits, there is scope for more cooperation between Brussels and Ankara.

Turkey’s dependence on energy imports has an impact on the country’s economic and geopolitical orientation. Turkish leaders should devise energy policies that respond to domestic priorities, regional ambitions, and the challenges posed by climate change.

An intense politicization of climate change debates is becoming one of Europe’s defining political crises. But counterintuitively, this trend could offer a healthy democratic corrective that ultimately serves a more just and inclusive climate transition.

Past German governments have relied on Russian gas and the U.S. security umbrella. With Putin’s war in Ukraine and the prospects of a Trump presidency, Berlin needs a strategic mindset to lead Europe.

Reluctant to change the status quo, the EU has failed to adapt to today’s unstable world. In the new year, it must answer tough questions about its security and global role.*