Dear Reader,

Summer has finally arrived in earnest in Berlin – and summertime is summit time. This week, the G7 has already gathered in Canada, and Europe is gearing up for four full days of leaders’ meetings at the end of this month. On 24 and 25 June, they will meet at the NATO summit in The Hague, followed on 26 and 27 June by the European Council in Brussels.

All eyes are now on the question of how much NATO countries will agree to spend on defence in the future. The combination of 3.5 percent of their respective GDP for military spending plus 1.5 percent on civilian defence seems all but certain. But while much has been said about the military side, we sense that the non-military side needs a lot more attention. That is why my colleagues Helena Quis and Torben Schütz have taken a deep dive into what both NATO and EU should do to advance Europe’s preparedness agenda. Find their policy brief below.

Another crucial question for Europe’s security will be how different groups of countries can work together within and outside the EU and NATO frameworks. And while “coalition of the willing” still has an early-2000s, Europe-divided taste to it, we need to discuss seriously how flexible formats can work in practice if needed. This was the topic of a public discussion last week at our Berlin house. Find the link to a summary below.

With EU member states looking for new cooperation models, the UK is an obvious like-minded partner. We were all the more pleased to welcome Nick Thomas-Symonds, Minister for the Constitution and for Relations with the EU, for a closed roundtable with political stakeholders in Berlin. The Minister discussed in detail the outcome of the inaugural EU-UK Summit, which resulted in a new Strategic Partnership. Please find Jake Benford‘s post-Summit analysis further below.

Finally, some exciting team news. This week, Claudia-Dominique Geiser has joined our Europe team as Senior Expert for EU Economic Policy. She comes to us from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development where she was the expert on all things related to EU due-diligence rules. We are very happy to have her on board to shed more light on how to find the right balance between cutting red tape while avoiding weakened consumer and labor protection standards that are at the heart of EU values.

Best regards from Berlin,


Lucas Guttenberg
Director
Europe’s Future Program

 
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Policy Brief: Making NATO’s 1.5% Spending Goal Work for European Resilience

NATO’s proposed 1.5 percent GDP target for civilian resilience is bold – but vague. Will it boost Europe's preparedness or breed confusion? Only clear plans, EU-led coordination, and German leadership can turn this 1.5 percent into real strategic strength argue Helena Quis and Torben Schütz in this important policy brief ahead of the upcoming NATO summit.
Read more

Event in Berlin "Can Coalitions of the Willing Save Europe?", 11.06.2025

Event: Can Coalitions of the Willing Save Europe?

The EU is trying to find its way under massive pressure to ramp up its capacity to (re)act. In this context, ideas of building coalitions of the willing have resurfaced to break deadlocks and to make progress in a number of key areas – also to make sure partners like the UK or Norway are on board. But can such coalitions really deliver better results? Experts tackled this question in a recent event.
Read more

 
Illustration of a long shadow EU flag with a tuna fish

A Step in the Right Direction

The first EU-UK summit since Brexit signalled a thaw in cold ties – new cooperation on energy, youth mobility, and defence cautiously navigates London's red lines drawn on EU proximity. While major breakthroughs remain elusive, public support in the UK for cooperation with the EU is growing. Could this be the start of a lasting, improved partnership? Jake Benford takes a look.
Read more

German flag

The End of German Complacency

The era of German strategic hesitation is ending. Chancellor Merz is pivoting to European autonomy, recalibrating the approach toward Israel, and launching the biggest defence push since WWII. Here is Daniela Schwarzer's analysis on Project Syndicate, asking whether Merz's legacy could be the true "Zeitenwende"?
Read more

 
The White House in Washington DC

Podcast: Merz Meets Trump

Friedrich Merz’s visit to Donald Trump was fairly smooth – and revealing. From Ukraine to NATO, trade deals, and common values, this podcast discussion unpacks what Germany and the EU must expect (and demand) in a Trump-dominated transatlantic future. Realism, resilience, and tough choices lie ahead. Listen to the whole discussion (in German) via the podcast "Wortwechsel" with our very own Brandon Bohrn.
Listen here

Teaserpicture of Podcast with Daniel Schraad-Tischler and Lucas Guttenberg, both Directors of the Bertelsmann Stiftung

Podcast: What Strengthens Germany’s Economic Future?

In the new episode of the Bertelsmann Stiftung podcast “Zukunft gestalten” our Director Lucas Guttenberg and his colleague Daniel Schraad-Tischler from the Stiftung’s program “Sustainable Social Market Economies” discuss how Germany can boost its economic resilience. They explore Europe's role and why reliable bureaucracy can suddenly become an advantage (in German).
Listen here

 

Stay tuned

 

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