There have been many reasons for shutdown drama in Washington in recent decades. But the fight over a foreign aid package was a new one this year. It underlined President Joe Biden‘s lack of leadership in bringing this critical spending across the finish line. In Biden’s parlance, Congress‘ reluctance to pass the […]
U.S. Foreign Policy Needs a Realism Rebate Continue Reading >>
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stirred controversy over her proposal for a “Defense of Democracy package” — in fact, the package’s formal unveiling has just been indefinitely postponed. What’s the source of the pushback? The initiative’s core proposals entail reporting requirements on institutions that garner funding from third-country
The Case for the EU’s ‘Defense of Democracy’ Package Continue Reading >>
Nine days before Russian President Vladimir Putin began his war of conquest in Ukraine, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Moscow. He summed up his meetings by repeating a phrase made famous by Egon Bahr, West Germany’s emissary to Moscow in the 1970s: “Without Russia, a peace order in Europe is not possible.” This line
A Year after Germany’s “Sea Change,” Policy Change Remains Elusive Continue Reading >>
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz summarized his country’s approach to the war in Ukraine. “Despite all the pressure to take action,” he said, “caution must take priority over hasty decisions, unity over solo actions.” The line provided Scholz’s most explicit defense
Germany’s Unkept Promise Continue Reading >>
