EU Talks?! panel discussion on the EU/US relationship
On 13 February 2025, the student-led initiative EU Talks?! hosted the first panel discussion of the academic year 2024/2025 titled 'America First, Europe Alone? - The Union’s Future Under Trump’s Leadership'. With Trump’s second inauguration, the event focused on the EU’s security challenges and future in transatlantic relations.
The panel featured Dr Joris Larik, Assistant Professor of Comparative, International, and EU Law at Leiden University College The Hague; Professor Giles Scott-Smith, Dean of LUC and Professor of Transnational Relations and New Diplomatic History; and Mr David Stolwijk, Acting Coordinator of EU Security and Defence Policy at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Moderated by Anna Jensen and Sophia McCarthy, both members of EU Talks?! and LLM candidates in European Law at Leiden University, the discussion explored Trump’s NATO stance, EU defence mechanisms such as the European Defence Fund (EDF) and PESCO, and Europe’s prospects for strategic autonomy.
With an engaged audience of students and university staff from different programmes, the Q&A session sparked insightful debates. The discussion continued at a networking reception, allowing attendees to connect with the speakers and EU Talks?! team.
The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback, marking another success for EU Talks?! A special well-done to the other EU Talks?! members, Tessa ter Avest, Aimée Siegmann, and Shana van der Horst for setting up a fantastic event. This panel set a strong precedent for future discussions, and we look forward to what is to come.
‘EU Talks?!’ is a student-led initiative supported by the Leiden University Europe Hub and the Europe Institute. If you are interested in attending one of the next sessions, you can find more information on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram): ‘EU Talks?!’.