“We Risk Eroding Our Own Value System” We spoke to Marieluise Beck, Member of the German Bundestag, about the public mood in war-torn Ukraine, Germany’s hesitant stance towards Putin, and the track record of the transatlantic partnership in responding to the crisis.
Germany’s New Foreign Policy in the Making: Initial Reactions to the Iraq Crisis in Review The Middle East is burning and, as usual, all eyes rest on Washington. The US bears a considerable share of responsibility for the current crisis. But neither Schadenfreude nor a “we told you so” approach are a viable foreign policy strategy, especially in the wake of the breathtaking costs in human lives. What, then, is Germany willing and capable to contribute to the crisis management in Iraq? The diffuse reactions by German politicians across the political spectrum serve as a case in point for a tentative process of political reorientation currently under way. By Charlotte Beck
On the way toward greater responsibility? - Opening of the 15th Annual Foreign Policy Conference At the opening event of our 15th Annual Foreign Policy Conference in Berlin, international guests discussed whether German foreign policy is ready to respond appropriately to current challenges.
The Perils of Responsibility: Germany’s New Foreign Policy and the Ukraine Crisis On May 23, HBF co-organized a panel discussion with Brookings and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung to assess Germany's new foreign policy and the challenges presented to it by the crisis in Ukraine. By Charlotte Beck
The Constitutional Process in Ukraine The Ukrainian government should promote an inclusive, participatory and transparent constitutional process. Such a process could help de-escalate the current conflict and build confidence in the central government and its willingness to integrate all constituencies into Ukraine’s political system. By Dominik Tolksdorf
The EU Parliamentary Elections: A Transatlantic Perspective US Americans may not care much about the upcoming European elections. Inferring from that a general indifference towards the European Union or its Parliament, however, is a short-sighted fallacy. By Charlotte Beck
Germany and Russia: as much cooperation as possible; as much conflict as necessary The German public's empathy or antipathy for the Ukrainian revolt against the Yanukovych regime is blanketed by a deeper difference: their view of Russia.
Energy Security for Europe No, the Crimea crisis does not mean Germany needs a national gas reserve. A resource revolution is the most intelligent response to Russian gas and the Crimea crisis.
Russia, Ukraine, and Europe We would all love to have a democratic Russia as a partner in the European Union. However, the country’s current political leadership is moving away from Europe.
