In The News

Telegraph: Montenegro and US Blow to Key NATO Principle

July 19, 2018
With his series of meetings in Europe, Donald Trump was a diplomatic bulldozer. His attempts to defend disparaging comments about close allies and NATO, after displaying bizarre deference with Russia’s president during a press conference, fuel alarm about Trump’s understanding of the alliance. During a post-summit interview, Trump criticized Montenegro and appeared to agree with a question that...

The Guardian: Merkel Says EU Cannot Completely Rely on US and Britain Anymore

Jon Henley May 30, 2017
The United States as reliable partner is a campaign issue for other countries. “We Europeans truly have to take its fate into its own hands,” said Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel at campaign rally. The Guardian reported on Merkel’s comments: “Speaking after bruising meetings of Nato and the G7 group of wealthy nations last week, the German chancellor suggested the postwar western alliance had...

The Washington Post: Trump Chastises Fellow NATO Members

Philip Rucker, Karen DeYoung and Michael Birnbaum May 26, 2017
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed in 1949 as collective defense against potential aggression by the Soviet Union. NATO now has 28 members. US President Donald Trump, attending meetings and ceremonies in Brussels, urged fellow members to pay a fair share of NATO expenses, at least 2 percent of GDP by 2024. Other NATO members may be wary of Trump, whose presidential campaign is under...

France-Amérique: NATO and the Trump Enigma

Guy Sorman April 3, 2017
French diplomats and pundits admit to confusion over US President Donald Trump's goals and opinions about NATO. An essay goes on to pose multiple questions and suggests that longstanding US allies such as France do not expect clear answers, with analysts wondering whether Trump deliberately presents two stances, one specifically for his followers and another for the world at large. “No...

Erdogan: “No Doubt” Russian Envoy's Killer Linked to Gulen

December 21, 2016
Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was assassinated in Ankara by a Turkish police officer who referred to retaliation for Russia airstrikes in Aleppo, according to witnesses. Turkey and Russia have taken opposite sides on the civil war in Syria, but relations between the two countries warmed in recent months. Turkey’s president quickly insisted there is “no doubt” the killing was inspired by Muslim...

Is A Trump Presidency Really a Big Win for Putin?

Reid Standish November 24, 2016
Among Donald Trump’s consistent positions during the US presidential campaign was a respect for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a desire to restore US ties with a Cold War adversary. Reid Standish writes in Foreign Policy that Putin celebrated Trump’s win because it represents a chance for him to “restore Russia’s global status and reopen ties with the West.” Trump has not laid out clear...

Brexit Vote Revives Dream of EU Army

Jonathan Marcus September 9, 2016
The United Kingdom spends more on defense than any other country in Europe, including Russia, reports Global Firepower. As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union, the regional bloc considers defense development. “The UK – by far the most capable European military player, along with France – has always been a brake on such an idea, fearing unnecessary duplication with Nato,”...