EU, Washington, Moscow Closely Watching French Election

Posted: April 21st, 2017

By Charles Kupchan

Charles Kupchan is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and a professor of international affairs in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Government at Georgetown University. From 2014 to 2017, Kupchan served as special assistant to the president and senior director for European Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council (NSC) in the Obama administration. He was also director for European Affairs on the NSC during the first Clinton administration. Before joining the Clinton NSC, he worked in the U.S. Department of State on the Policy Planning Staff. Previously, he was assistant professor of politics at Princeton University. Kupchan received a BA from Harvard University and MPhil and DPhil degrees from Oxford University.

As the French presidential election gets underway, the candidates positions toward the EU, Washington, and Moscow vary significantly. Depending on who comes out on top, relations with these different power centers could change. The Cipher Brief’s Kaitlin Lavinder spoke with Charles Kupchan, former special assistant to the president and senior director for European Affairs on the NSC in the Obama administration, about the upcoming election and its impact on international relations and defense.

The Cipher Brief: Which candidate in the upcoming French presidential election is or should Washington be supporting?

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