What’s Up, USA? Or: Europe Left Home Alone?

What has been happening in the White House since January 2025 — and how are governments around the world reacting?
For more than 75 years, the United States played a central role in securing peace in Europe. Now, trust in this long-standing partner is wavering. In February, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned: “The free world needs a new leader.”

Volatile economic relations and the questioning of long-held NATO assumptions — once considered the bedrock of the most successful defense alliance in history — are shaking Europe’s security architecture to its core.

What Washington has decided, reversed, and reoriented in recent months — and what may still lie ahead — will be the focus of our discussion with political analyst Jochen Leyhe and Europe expert Siebo Janssen, who make up the commentary duo “Leyhe & Janssen.” We also look forward to your questions and contributions.

This event is supported by the Europa-Schecks initiative of the Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media, and Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia.

To register, please contact vhs-gesellschaft@stadt-koeln.de or sign up here: https://www.koelner-vhs.de/kurssuche/kurs/what’s-upusaeur-oder-europa-allein-zu-hauseur/252A114048