Transatlantic Insecurity? The EU-US Relationship in a Volatile World

Lugar: Espacio Bertelsmann (C/O’Donnell 10, Madrid)

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The EU-US relationship is facing one of its most uncertain moments in decades. With Washington initiating direct talks with Moscow and reviving tariffs on practically all goods, Brussels is increasingly wary of being sidelined and has seen the urgency to react. EU leaders are accelerating efforts to build independent defense capabilities and coordinate foreign policy, including a significant rise in military spending and a common approach against the tariffs being imposed by the Trump Administration.

This shift is part of a broader reordering of the global system. As the post-Cold War era of U.S. dominance fades, Europe is being forced to adapt to a world with multiple centers of power. China is expanding its influence, Russia remains unpredictable, and the global majority is demanding a greater voice. In this context, the transatlantic partnership—once the backbone of the liberal world order—now looks fragile.

• Are transatlantic ties a relic of the past, or still essential for global stability?
• What happens to the liberal world order if the EU and US continue to drift apart?
• How should the EU navigate its relationship with China while transatlantic ties weaken?

These and other questions will be discussed in the Bertelsmann Foundation Conference on Transatlantic Relations, organized jointly among the Bertelsmann Foundation North America, the Bertelsmann Stiftung in Germany and Fundación Bertelsmann in Spain; and the Spanish universities Carlos III of Madrid, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas and Universidad Complutense of Madrid.

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