In April 2026, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ and The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies published an extensive joint analytical paper entitled Catching Up: Europe’s Path to Strategic Autonomy in the Defence Industry. It mostly deals with the European defense industry as the basis for achieving strategic autonomy in the defense area.

Why Are There No Significant Advantages, and What Has Ukraine to Do with This?

A report entitled Financing the EU budget: an assessment of five proposals for new resources, that examines the efficiency of new levies for the EU budget in 2028–2034, was posted on the website of the Bruegel Institute (Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory) on 20 April 2026.

A report prepared by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and entitled Why and How Europeans Must Prepare for US Retrenchment examines two scenarios for the implementation of the U.S. policy of restraint and their possible implications for Europe.

In a policy brief by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) Nikola Xaviereff, project manager for the Western Balkans in DGAP’s Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, expresses the opinion that Europe is now at quite an uneasy and telling stage of enlargement: everyone understands the geopolitical need to admit new members, but all show deep-seated hesitancy, institutional fatigue and fear of their own ambitions instead of taking decisive action.

In a joint report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and the Swedish Defense Research Agency, experts argue expressly that, despite all loud declarations about ‘civil defense 2.0’ and ‘total preparedness’, Europe is still a typical patchwork with chronic vulnerabilities and weak coordination.

In an article published by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Dan Marks, an expert in energy security, argues that China and the USA are already waging a new cold war for control over strategic mineral resources while Europe struggles to catch up once again – and risks staying on the sidelines of the global resource game.

On 13 to 17 April, the Atlantic Council held its regular meeting of finance ministers, heads of central banks, and IMF and World Bank representatives. Banque de France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau spoke and answered questions at the meeting.

On April 17, 2026, Foreign Policy Research Institute published at its web-site an article by Robert Beck. The author analyses the consequences of Orban’s defeat and victory of the Hungarian Tisza party in this month’s election in the country. He believes that it is not only the foreign policy of Budapest that is at stake.

An ECFR publication of 16 April 2026 authored by Jeremy Cliffe, the organization’s editorial director, deals with how Brussels should shape its relations with Budapest now that Viktor Orbán is on his way out.