Although Europe may be relatively quiescent, President George W. Bush enters office with a full European agenda facing him. In the months ahead, the new administration will have to decide whether to support Europe’s budding defense policy, how to engage Russia, when and with whom to enlarge NATO, whether to stay in the Balkans, and when to proceed with missile defenses. Rather than deciding these issues in a piecemeal fashion, the Bush administration should address them as part of an overall
strategy toward Europe. Although it may be tempted to place NATO considerations on the top of the agenda, a successful American policy toward the continent will require putting Europe—and not NATO or Russia—first.
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Commentary
Putting Europe First
Ivo H. Daalder and
Ivo H. Daalder
Former Brookings Expert,
President
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs,
Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO
@IvoHDaalder
James Goldgeier
James Goldgeier
Visiting Fellow
- Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe
@JimGoldgeier
February 1, 2001