North America Archives -

Latin America as a bridge between the United States and the European Union?

The geopolitical debate about the transatlantic relationship is increasingly shaped by narratives of decline. Shifting priorities in Washington, demographic aging in Europe, and a growing regional focus on both sides of the Atlantic fuel the assumption of a gradual decoupling. Yet this perspective falls short. It overlooks a region that could, in the medium term, help bring Brussels and Washington closer together again: Latin America. Historically, this Region has never been a geopolitical vacuum. Nevertheless, within transatlantic thinking it long

Tolerance Is Not Indifference – A Strategic Misinterpretation of the West

Tolerance is one of the central elements of the West’s self-understanding. It stands for openness, freedom, and the ability to deal with differences. Historically, however, tolerance was never intended as permissiveness. It did not mean abandoning one’s own positions, but rather enduring difference within clear rules, shared values, and recognizable boundaries. Early liberal thinkers such as John Locke and Alexis de Tocqueville already understood tolerance as a balance between individual freedom and social order. Modern democracies are likewise built on

Europe Between Defensive Reflex and Dependence

Anti-Americanism, Security Reality, and the Strategic Void in European Defense Policy For some time now, the European Union’s reactions toward the United States have appeared contradictory – at times even paradoxical. On the one hand, there is a growing political and rhetorical desire to distance Europe from Washington. On the other hand, even the announcement of possible troop reductions or structural reforms to the American military presence in Europe triggers visible unease. These two impulses sit uneasily together and point

Venezuela – How Far Will Trump Go?

Relations between Washington and Caracas have sharply deteriorated in 2025. What long appeared to be a localized state crisis has evolved into a significant geopolitical factor within the U.S. hemispheric sphere. The United States no longer views Venezuela primarily through humanitarian or diplomatic lenses, but increasingly as a security challenge with potential implications for regional stability. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the South American country holds the world’s largest confirmed oil reserves , roughly 303 billion barrels. Yet

The Influence of Aging Societies on NATO

Shifts in the global balance of power today are shaped not only by geopolitical decisions, technological progress, and economic competitiveness, but increasingly by demographic developments. While many regions of the world continue to experience rapid population growth, most states within the Western alliance are moving in the opposite direction. Europe and North America face an aging dynamic that has been building for decades and is now becoming visible in the form of structural challenges. Demographic change can first be observed

When Terrorists and Cartels Walk the Same Paths

In public debates, “terrorist groups” and “drug cartels” are often portrayed as two separate categories of threat: the former ideologically motivated, the latter profit-oriented. Various studies, however, indicate that today’s reality is significantly more complex. In several regions, from West Africa and the Sahel to Europe and Latin America, security analyses show that terrorist organizations and actors within organized crime are intertwined in key areas. Overlaps can be observed in routes, service networks, financial channels, and occasionally even tactical methods.