June 10, 2022

Evolving Dynamics Within The Bloc, with Pierre Morcos and Jeremy Shapiro

As the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on with little progress toward a resolution, fractures are beginning to appear in the European response. While the European Union successfully came together to take swift and decisive action during the early stages of the conflict, unity has been harder to come by in recent weeks, with differing perceptions and attitudes leading to more frequent disagreements among member states. There has been particularly harsh criticism directed against Germany and France, which some have accused of taking an overly conciliatory approach toward Russia, pointing to evidence such as German hesitation to deliver weapons to Ukraine and French statements calling for the West not to “humiliate” Russia. As Berlin and Paris receive increasing pushback from other member states who advocate for a bolder policy of unreserved support for Ukraine, the prospects for continued unity appear much less certain going forward. Pierre Morcos and Jeremy Shapiro join Jim Townsend and Nick Lokker to make sense of these differing European perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Pierre Morcos is a visiting fellow in the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as well as a career diplomat with the French Foreign Service.

Jeremy Shapiro is the research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, where he focuses on US foreign policy and transatlantic relations.

  • Commentary
    • Sharper
    • April 17, 2024
    Sharper: NATO 75

    From July 9–11, NATO leaders from across the Atlantic will gather in Washington, DC for the 2024 NATO Summit, which marks the 75th anniversary of the alliance. This meeting wi...

    By Anna Pederson, Anna Avanesyan & Charles Horn

  • Podcast
    • April 12, 2024
    Interpreting the Recent Turkish Elections with Asli Aydintaşbaş and Steven Cook

    Just under a year ago, Turkish President Erdogan won another five years in power in the Turkish presidential election. Last week, however, local election results in Turkey del...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş & Steven A. Cook

  • Podcast
    • April 5, 2024
    Macron’s Change in Tune and the War in Ukraine

    Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there has been a notable evolution in France’s approach toward Moscow. In the initial months following the invasion, Fr...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Tara Varma & Bruno Tertrais

  • Video
    • April 3, 2024
    NATO discusses plans for Europe without the U.S. or Putin

    "The concern, is can we strengthen ourselves so that should the Russians win in Ukraine and that is something that might happen, Ukraine is fighting hard, but should that happ...

    By Jim Townsend

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia