Cepa

The Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) aims to strengthen and maintain a robust transatlantic alliance based on shared democratic values and principles, while also focusing on strategic foresight and impactful policies. We deliver innovative research, analysis, and programs that offer new perspectives on energy, security, and defense to government officials and agencies. Additionally, we assist transatlantic businesses in adapting to evolving strategic environments and foster connections among the next generation of Atlanticist leaders. CEPA operates as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to public policy.

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Europe Battles to Win Favor in Central Asia

1 week ago | cepa.org | Emil Avdaliani |Aura Sabadus |William Echikson |Alexander Kolyandr

April’s inaugural Central Asia-EU Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, was the first of its kind for the two sides and was seen as a means to elevate the bloc’s influence in the region. Amid growing great power competition over Eurasian connectivity, Brussels was looking to secure a more solid footing.
How an Energy Ceasefire Might Help Ukraine

1 week ago | cepa.org | Andrian Prokip |Aura Sabadus |Maciej Bukowski |Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti

There is a lull, of sorts, in Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, though not the full ceasefire promised in March (and broken in April) by Vladimir Putin. Even so, the lessening of such strikes represents an important opportunity for Ukraine to prepare for the near and long-term future. The lower tempo of attacks mean Ukraine can quickly repair damaged facilities and prepare for new rounds of strikes should negotiations fail.
Russia Uses Terror as Ukraine Strikes Back

1 week ago | cepa.org | Nico Lange |Elena Davlikanova |Edward Lucas |Aura Sabadus

For weeks now, Russia’s main axis of attack in southern Donbas has been faltering. Ukraine is conducting local counterattacks near Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Chasiv Yar and is unexpectedly pushing back against Russia. That progress has been aided by technical evolution; Ukraine has extended the range of its fiber optic drones by several kilometers, and these cannot be disrupted by Russian electronic warfare. This allows Ukraine to disable Russian artillery pieces and logistical facilities.
Seas of Opportunity: Integrating Gas Markets from the Baltic to the Balkans

1 week ago | cepa.org | Aura Sabadus |Maciej Bukowski |Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti

The myth of “cheap Russian gas” persists due to expectations that Russian gas giant Gazprom will eventually resume exports to the EU, weakening interest in alternative solutions. In reality, Russian gas is more expensive when security costs are factored in, with Russia-dependent countries subject to blackmail, corruption, and attacks on gas infrastructure.
The Future of US Bases in Europe: General (Ret.) Stephen Twitty

1 week ago | cepa.org | Stephen Twitty |Mila Tanghe

“All of them are pretty doggone essential with what we have to do as a nation,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Stephen Twitty, a distinguished fellow at CEPA and former Deputy Commander of US European Command, when asked about the most critical US bases in Europe. “Our military bases in Europe provide a strategic depth,” he added — in terms of influence, deterrence, logistics, and because the US doesn’t fight wars on its homeland, but away from it.
Encryption Backdoors: From Child Safety To Houthis

1 week ago | cepa.org | Joshua Stein

The Signal messaging app touts itself as a “state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption” that “keeps your conversations secure.” It adds, “we can’t read your messages or listen to your calls, and no one else can either.”That’s true – to a point. The recent addition of a journalist to a private group chat about military strikes on Yemen, that messaging is vulnerable to sharing contacts.
Weapons or Welfare: Spain’s Security Dilemma

2 weeks ago | cepa.org | Natalia Martinez |Michael Peck |Federico Borsari |Alina Polyakova

Spain has been NATO’s spending laggard for many years and is now under heavy pressure from the Trump administration and European allies to get serious. But to do that, the socialist leader must convince his left-wing coalition partners and fellow Spaniards to accept welfare cuts. The European Union (EU) is being forced to reckon on a future without the US as the ultimate guarantor of continental security and needs major powers, like Spain, to contribute to a new defense structure.
A Fintech Turning Point: How Much Data Should Banks Share?

2 weeks ago | cepa.org | Padraig Nolan |Ronan Murphy |Bill Rosenblatt |Kayvan Hazemi-Jebelli

Fintech startups depend on access to data in order to offer digital banking, mobile payments, peer-to-peer lending, investment platforms, and other new services. Banks often resist giving their account information to potential competitors. Both European and American regulators are considering new rules to resolve this standoff about data access that are diverging in style, scope, and ambition—and the outcome could redefine global fintech leadership.
The New Energy Frontline: Nuclear

2 weeks ago | cepa.org | Maciej Bukowski |Ronan Murphy |Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti |Elena Davlikanova

Nuclear power is making a geopolitical comeback, fueled not least by the ever-growing demand from booming AI. Once sidelined by cost, safety, and proliferation concerns, nuclear is now being revived not just for decarbonization — but also as a strategic lever in a new era of great power rivalry. One telling indicator is Washington’s push to overturn the World Bank’s 1959 ban on nuclear lending — a move meant to allow US firms to compete with China as well as Russia.
The F-35 Should Have Been NATO’s Fighter — What’s Gone Wrong?

2 weeks ago | cepa.org | Michael Peck

For an alliance built on cooperation, NATO airpower often seems like a competition. With a dozen types of combat jets, from cutting-edge stealth fighters to old Soviet designs, the alliance has lacked a standard combat aircraft. If any weapon had a chance to be called “NATO’s jet,” it was the F-35. Following Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the stream of orders became a torrent.