The United States and the Future of Europe
This book collects 41 national views from EU Member States and neighbouring countries regarding their respective relationship with the United States. It gives evidence of the importance and diversity of transatlantic relations, assesses the potentially disruptive impact of a second Trump presidency and offers policy recommendations. They range from more strategic autonomy and investments in Europe’s security architecture and industrial infrastructure to careful crafting of EU relations with China, deeper cooperation in tech and climate policies, as well as NATO enlargement. While the Trump administration will likely defend its interests and a preference for ‘divide and conquer’, the decades-old call for Europe to speak with one voice vis-à-vis the U.S. is louder than ever. Nonetheless, numerous countries still seem to favour ‘special’ bilateral ties to the U.S. The book explores the ebbs and flows of transatlantic relationships and carefully speculates about the next four years.
Michael Kaeding is Jean Monnet Professor for European Integration and European Union Politics at the Institute of Political Science, University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany). He is also Director of Studies at the Department of European Political and Governance Studies, part of the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium), Visiting Fellow of the European Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht (the Netherlands), and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). From 2016 to 2019 he was Chairman of the Trans European Policy Studies Association.
Johannes Pollak is Professor of International Relations and Rector of Webster Vienna Private University (Austria). Prior to holding this position, he headed the Department of Political Science at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna (on leave). In summer 2019, he was elected Chair of the Board at the Institute of European Politics in Berlin (Germany).
Paul Schmidt is Secretary General of the Austrian Society for European Politics, which promotes and supports analysis and communication on European affairs. He has previously worked at the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, both in Vienna and at their Representative Office in Brussels at the Permanent Representation of Austria to the European Union.