On March 20th, the BMW Center for German and European Studies hosted a timely discussion on “The Future of the Transatlantic Partnership – a View from Europe” featuring Benjamin Bidder, an economics and business reporter for the German news magazine Der Spiegel. Mr. Bidder, currently a Fellow at Harvard University’s Nieman Foundation for Journalism, shared insights drawn from his extensive experience covering Russia, Ukraine, and German and global economic affairs.
Bidder opened by identifying a critical turning point in Putin’s governance. He noted that pre-2011 and post-2012 Putin exhibits markedly different approaches, with the current regime framing the West as an existential enemy of Russia. What distinguishes the present rhetoric from past periods of tension, Bidder emphasized, is that “this time Putin actually means it.”
Bidder characterized Putin’s regime as driven less by economic reforms and more by revenge against the West, noting that Putin positions himself as “the challenger of the western order” – a narrative that remains highly popular within Russia. He introduced a commonly held sentiment held by many Russians that”Putin is Russia. If Putin is destroyed there will be no more Russia,” and concluded that “a Putin-led Russia can never be a reliable partner for the US”, as such a partnership would contradict Russia’s core political identity.
Addressing the situation in Ukraine, Bidder provided context on the 2014 Maidan revolution in Kyiv, comparing it to the earlier Orange Revolution. He described the 2014 uprising as “chaotic and uncontrolled” initially, but emphasized how it evolved into a broader movement against not merely the sitting president but “the entire oligarchy.” This evolution, he argued, demonstrates that developments in Ukraine represent genuine internal democratic aspirations rather than a proxy war between the US and Russia. “Ukrainians want a new future as part of the EU,” he stated.
On the future of US-European relations, Bidder acknowledged the growing skepticism from parties like Germany’s AfD toward the United States, but maintained that “the case for a transatlantic partnership still remains pretty strong.” Bidder acknowledged that the challenges facing Europe and the United States won’t disappear, but predicted that the partnership would still be able to endure.
When asked about current Germany-US tensions, Bidder noted that “speeches from Mertz and Trump have sent shockwaves through Europe,” creating uncertainty. At a moment of tension, he expressed: “You are no longer able to calculate the interests of a US Administration.” Regarding Germany’s increased military spending, Bidder suggested that this represents more than simple burden-sharing and reflects a new strategic calculus under Mertz.
During the Q&A session, Bidder addressed concerns about youth disengagement from NATO and EU founding principles, suggesting that “the only way to counter this is actual one-on-one continuous relationships.” He emphasized the need to find a way to depolarize and maintain relationships across the aisle instead of seeing the other side as an enemy.
