In an earlier essay in this series, Ronald Asmus argued that the consensus and strategic paradigm that has guided the enlargement of NATO and the EU to Central and Eastern Europe since the mid 1990s has crumbled and no longer fits today’s strategic circumstances. He says that absent a new narrative for further enlargement and a revised strategy for accomplishing it, the historic window for extending core Western institutions to new democracies as part of building a Europe that is unified, free, and at peace is likely to close. Iris Kempe takes issue with that view and argues that it is too pessimistic. She contends that key elements of that narrative already exist, that important institutional building blocks for further enlargement led by the European Union are being put into place and that a new narrative can and should be framed around the theme of “Completing Europe”. download pdf (1.27 MB) Dr. Iris Kempe

Germany’s Eastern Policy on the Eve of the 2009 National Elections

- September 1, 2009 - Germany’s historical background, its many linkages with Central and Eastern Europe, and its geographic proximity make it Europe’s most important actor in Eastern Policy. This prominence also makes Germany vital for a solid transatlantic framework to support both the Obama administration’s efforts to redesign relations with Russia and overall Euro-American engagement in the EU’s neighborhood. The Bundestag elections in September will bring changes mostly at the margins of German foreign policy, as key aspects are examples of cross-party consensus.

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Dr. Iris Kempe

The EU and its Neighbors: In Search of New Forms of Partnership

- September 1, 2009 - Learning from its experience with the eastern enlargement, the European Union developed a neighborhood policy aware of the need to avoid the creation of a new dividing line in Europe that might put a strain on the relations between the new member states and other countries of the Central and Eastern Europe that would border the new EU. In the light of changes that occurred over time, especially Russia’s resurgence as not only a regional, but a global power, the author points out the obvious shortcomings of the EU’s policy and why it failed to meet the expectations of both the countries encompassed by the policy, and the EU. In addition, the author gives an overview of the changes to the neighborhood policy proposed by the EU member states and, finally, points out the importance of devising a coherent strategy towards the region that would yield long-term results.

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Dr. Iris Kempe