On February 3, 2025, the AmerikaHaus NRW e.V. together with the American Academy in Berlin and the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung welcomed Gideon Rose, Professor of Political Science at Columbia University and former Managing Editor of Foreign Affairs, and PD Dr. habil. Markus Kaim, Head of the “Geoeconomics and Security Policy” Division at the Federal Ministry of Finance, in Cologne.

Under the title “European Security at a Crossroads: Preparing for Emerging Risks,” Gideon Rose outlined the key challenges confronting Europe today, including military weakness, energy and economic dependence, economic stagnation, and long-term relative decline. While acknowledging the remarkable achievement of decades-long peace in Europe and professing belief in the benefits of the liberal international order, he argued that the continent had fallen short in recent years, due to institutional obstacles hindering swift adaptation to pressing issues. He further linked these obstacles to a broader crisis of political leadership that had weakened Europe’s ability to respond effectively to global challenges.

Rose reflected on the sustainability of pacific social democracy in a globalized world, arguing that while regional models of governance can thrive, they remain vulnerable to external economic and political pressures. Finally, he raised the question whether the liberal order represented a “fundamental and durable shift in history or […] a temporary epiphenomenon of the postwar era and US hegemony which is now evaporating.” In response to this plethora of challenges, Rose stressed the continued importance of supporting Ukraine and recommended possible policy responses for governments in Europe, including increasing military capacity, reviving the defense industrial base, diversifying energy sources away from Russia, and restoring economic dynamism. In conversation with Dr. Markus Kaim, he gave the audience a sense for how Europe is being viewed in the US and addressed the differences between Russia and China with respect to the challenges they pose.

We would like to thank our speakers, Gideon Rose and Markus Kaim, for leading such an insightful discussion on a topic of great significance. Thank you to everyone who joined us in Cologne and to our cooperation partners, Fritz Thyssen Stiftung and American Academy in Berlin.