July 02, 2026

Good morning! Today is Thursday, July 2nd 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. Doug Bandow argues Europe's fury at Council President António Costa for opening a channel to Moscow reveals a continent unwilling to face the reality that after 52 months of war, only negotiations can produce a durable peace. Jack Hunter examines how the hard left and the America First right have arrived at strikingly similar conclusions about Israel, with recent primaries and polling showing a bipartisan revolt against Washington's posture. and now for the details. We begin in Brussels, where European Council President António Costa has come under fire from EU leaders after his chief of staff initiated informal contact with Moscow. Political outlets report that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are among those most aggrieved, with Lithuania's president insisting that now is not the right time to negotiate with Vladimir Putin. Estonia's prime minister went further, arguing that the EU cannot even play the role of mediator without compromising its ability to pressure Russia. As Doug Bandow writes for The American Conservative, this reaction is difficult to square with reality on the ground. The war in Ukraine has now raged for 52 months, longer than the First World War, with no end in sight. Bandow argues that fears of a Russian march to the Atlantic, or an assault on the Baltic states, are wildly overstated, and that Kiev lacks the manpower and resources to reclaim lost territory by force. Without negotiations, he warns, the conflict will either freeze into permanent hostility or escalate catastrophically. Bandow contends that a durable peace requires embedding both Ukraine and Russia within a broader continental security framework, and that European capitals must recognize Moscow's red lines rather than shout them down. He notes that back in 2001, Putin addressed the German Bundestag speaking of European integration with hope. Recovering that moment may be impossible, Bandow concedes, but after more than four years of war, Europe should be actively pushing for peace, not punishing the officials who try to open a channel. Turning to domestic politics, a striking realignment is taking shape around American policy toward Israel. In New York City's recent congressional primaries, three insurgent candidates with ties to the Democratic Socialists of America defeated establishment incumbents, and each made vocal criticism of Israel a centerpiece of their campaigns. A Democratic pollster told Responsible Statecraft there was very little daylight between Brad Lander and Dan Goldman ideologically except when it came to Israel, and Lander won by 30 points despite being outspent. National polling shows two-thirds of Democrats now believe the United States is too supportive of Israel. As Jack Hunter writes for The American Conservative, a parallel shift is underway on the right. A recent poll found that just over half of Republican voters believe Israel has too much influence over U.S. foreign policy, and favorability has dropped sharply among younger conservatives. Congressman Thomas Massie lost his primary in part over his opposition to aid for Israel, and former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene became the first House Republican to describe the situation in Gaza as genocide. Hunter argues that the hard left and the America First right have arrived at similar conclusions for similar reasons: opposition to American vassalage, skepticism of endless regional wars, and a conviction that resources are better spent at home. He acknowledges deep disagreements between the two camps on domestic policy, but suggests that on questions of national sovereignty and restraint abroad, a working alliance is not only possible but overdue. Those are today's highlights. For the full stories and more, visit theamericanconservative.com. Thank you for starting your morning with us.