Europe Inside Out

The U.S. decision to restrict access to some of Anthropic's latest AI models over national security concerns directly affects EU-U.S. cooperation in cyberspace.  Rym Momtaz, Raluca Csernatoni, and Louise Marie Hurel discuss what this means for Europe's strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:01] The Securitization of Frontier AI, [00:18:12] Different Access Level...

Europe is stuck between the United States’ market-driven dynamism and China’s state-led industrial strategy. Rosa Balfour, Noah Barkin, and Anu Bradford debate whether Europe can leverage its rulemaking power and emerging industrial agenda into genuine competitiveness. Anu Bradford, Noah Barkin, May 27, 2026, “ Can Europe Compete with the United States and China?, ” Carnegie Europe. Noah Barkin, J...

Since U.S. President Donald Trump has returned to the White House, several crises have affected the transatlantic relationship. Rym Momtaz, Rosa Balfour, and Stefan Lehne reflect on whether Europeans should stop considering the United States as the partner it once was. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:00:57] Was it Worth it for Europe to Appease Trump?, [00:13:22] EU Dependence on the U.S. in Different Domai...

Emmanuel Macron's updated French nuclear doctrine represents an unprecedented effort by Paris to coordinate with European partners as U.S. security commitments decline. Rym Momtaz, Sophia Besch, and Ulrich Kühn discuss France's evolving role in European nuclear deterrence and the political and material credibility gaps that persist. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:26] Macron’s Update to France’s Nuclear...

With key elections approaching across Europe, radical-right parties are poised to maintain and even expand their political influence. Rosa Balfour, Catherine Fieschi, and Cas Mudde explore whether a more right-leaning EU constitutes an existential threat, or if such concerns are overstated. Catherine Fieschi, Cas Mudde, March 19, 2026, " Is the Radical-Right Threat Existential or Overstated? ," Ca...

The Iranian nuclear deal was the last issue where Europe could realistically claim to have diplomatic influence. Rym Momtaz, Pierre Vimont, and Maha Yahya debate whether the war in Iran has left Europe irrelevant on the global stage. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:00:51] The Current Situation in Lebanon and the Region, [00:09:16] Is Europe Now Irrelevant in the Region?, [00:25:54] The Role of the Gulf and...

The EU and its member states are weighing the costs and benefits of offering Ukraine a fast-track accession process, while also considering how to manage relations with other candidate countries. Rosa Balfour, Sylvie Goulard, and Gerald Knaus examine how further enlargement could shape the EU’s cohesion, decisionmaking capacity, and ability to act effectively on the global stage. [00:00:00] Intro,...

The peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, initialed in August 2025, represents a major turning point for the South Caucasus. Thomas de Waal, Zaur Shiriyev, and Areg Kochinyan discuss the role Europe can play in supporting normalization and advancing infrastructure development across the region. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:37] The Armenia-Azerbaijan Normalization, [00:11:23] New Connectivity Proj...

The Trump administration has repeatedly signaled its rejection of the values that have long underpinned EU-U.S. relations. Rosa Balfour, Jan Techau, and Nathalie Tocci ask whether Brussels must now chart its own course. Carnegie Europe will be addressing the toughest questions facing the EU in its new project “ Europe Head-to-Head .” Follow our work for insights and discussions shaping the contine...

AI-powered technologies are transforming the nature of warfare, with profound implications for European security and the EU’s regulatory framework. Thomas de Waal, Raluca Csernatoni, and Jessica Dorsey examine how these dual-use systems blur civilian and military lines, and their implications for strategic, legal, and ethical accountability. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:40] The Evolution of AI on the...

Despite Labour’s landslide victory in last year’s general election, support for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now sharply eroding. Thomas de Waal, Peter Kellner, and Anne McElvoy unpack the rise of Reform UK and whether a pragmatic reengagement with the EU could revive growth in Britain. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:28] Europe’s Challenges, [00:06:40] The EU’s Need to Reform, [00:17:55] The F...

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.  [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:28]...

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to be holding, but much work will need to be done before it can transform into a lasting peace. Rym Momtaz, Pierre Vimont, and Maha Yahya break down reactions from European and Arab leaders to Trump’s Gaza peace plan and discuss if Europe has a role to play. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:02:24] The Ceasefire in Gaza, [00:17:53] Does Europe Have a Role to Play?...

The EU-U.S. trade deal concluded in July and the EU-China summit held the same month highlighted Europe’s weakening position on the global chessboard.  Rym Momtaz, Rosa Balfour, and Erik Jones unpack why European leaders struggle to play power politics and explore what it will take for the EU to regain strategic agency.  [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:54] Europe's Summer of Delusion, [00:14:18] Prospect...

U.S. President Donald Trump perceives climate change not as an environmental crisis but as a geostrategic opportunity.  Rym Momtaz sat down with Olivia Lazard and Milo McBride to explore whether Europe can still cooperate with the United States on the clean energy transition. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:48] The Trump Administration’s Approach to Climate Change, [00:10:32] EU-U.S. Cooperation on Clima...

Relations between Turkey and Armenia remain frozen, largely because of Azerbaijan’s influence over Ankara and a lack of sustained Western diplomatic engagement.  Rym Momtaz sat down with Thomas de Waal and Garo Paylan to discuss the main obstacles to a rapprochement and why reopening the Turkey-Armenia border matters for both regional and Western interests. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:35] The State o...

As transatlantic tensions over technology and AI regulation intensify, emerging powers like China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are seeking to assert their dominance in the tech domain.  Rym Momtaz sat down with Sinan Ülgen and Sam Winter-Levy to discuss the dual-use nature of generative AI and large language models and how they might be misused by malign actors.  [00:00:00] Intro, [...

One of the Trump administration’s first moves has been the dismantling of USAID, an agency that has been critical for international development and democracy promotion. Rym Momtaz sat down with Thomas Carothers and Richard Youngs to discuss the implications of U.S. cuts to foreign aid and Europe’s role in keeping the global democracy agenda alive. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:11] Trump’s Cuts to USAID...

After three years of war on its soil, Ukraine is grappling with manpower shortages and increasingly uncertain Western military support in the face of Russia’s continued aggression. Rym Momtaz sat down with Yuliya Bidenko and Eric Ciaramella to unpack the situation on the ground and the war’s broader implications for European security and the transatlantic alliance. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:02:01] The...

Russia’s belligerence and political interference in some of the Black Sea littoral states threaten the EU’s influence in the region.  Rym Momtaz sat down with Dimitar Bechev and Thomas de Waal to discuss how the union can respond to Moscow’s destabilizing actions and keep the enlargement process on track.  [00:00:00] Intro, [00:02:13] The Political Situation in Georgia and Moldova, [00:10:04] The...

Trade wars, the contestation of neoliberalism, and the weaponization of interdependence have prompted the EU to adjust its political economic model.  Rym Momtaz sat down with Rosa Balfour and Erik Jones to discuss how the EU is changing its economic strategies and what challenges lie ahead for the new European Commission.  [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:29] The EU’s Political Economic Model, [00:15:37]...

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, the future of the transatlantic alliance hangs in the balance.  Europe Inside Out's new host Rym Momtaz is joined by Sophia Besch and Christopher Shell to unpack the reasons behind his victory and its implications for EU-U.S. relations. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:52] Interviews with Voters in the United States [00:10:52] The Reasons Behind Trump’s Vict...

As Georgia approaches a critical election after the introduction of a controversial foreign agents law, the country’s future remains uncertain. Thomas de Waal, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, and Natalie Sabanadze, senior research fellow at Chatham House, discuss how the election outcome could influence Georgia’s political landscape and international standing. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:43] Georgi...

Following his party’s election victory, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hoping for a fundamental reset of Britain’s relations with the rest of Europe. Peter Kellner, nonresident scholar at Carnegie Europe, and Kim Darroch, member of the British House of Lords, assess the prospects of revitalizing EU-UK ties on trade, security, and international cooperation. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:24] EU-UK Rel...

After twelve years at the helm of the “Strategic Europe”  blog, Judy Dempsey is stepping down as its editor in chief. Rosa Balfour, director of Carnegie Europe, sat down with Judy and Jan Techau, a former Carnegie Europe director, to analyze how Europe’s global role has evolved since 2012. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:30] How Did the Blog Begin?, [00:08:50] Has Europe Become More Strategic?