FRIEDRICH-EBERT-STIFTUNG AWAITING THE GERMAN EU PRESIDENCY: CHALLENGES AND OPTIONS FROM AN EASTERN EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE buttressed by trade and political partnerships, Eastern Europe has nothing to lose(we are keenly aware that small countries benefit from trade), so it will green-light such developments, since this expands options for economic recovery. If the restructuring of global value chains translates into more production capacities in Eastern Europe, all the better for the region. CONCLUSION: CEE WILL HELP A FLEXIBLE BERLIN CREATE TRACTION FOR THE EU TO EMERGE FROM THE CRISIS AS A UNIFIED FORCE The challenges facing the EU Presidency during the crisis of 2020, ranging from the need to manage great power competition to economic recovery and mitigation of a second COVID-19 wave, requires considerable acumen and consistent presence of German leaders and communicators on national media in CEE States to win the hearts and minds of populations there, or at least to keep them engaged and part of the dialogue. For the German EU Presidency to register major accomplishments, it needs to succeed in areas of substance – by fostering solidarity and compromise – and sharpening perceptions, by inspiring the Club as it pushes forward in the face of those prophesying its demise and doom. The multiannual financial framework, the Green Deal, post-pandemic economic recovery, cooperation in the area of healthcare, the European funds – the rule-of-law nexus, the situation of posted workers, and the strategic role of the Union itself –these are all complex issues and Germany will have to strike a balance between promoting its own initiatives and being an honest broker. This paper has sought to highlight that, as regards these topics, the new Member States have specific interests and expectations: some only require basic consultation and reassurance, while others are more in need of problem- and conflict-solving, requiring not only engagement, but also a better understanding of where the lines need to be drawn. For example, the situation surrounding EU funds for cohesion and agriculture and the strategic relationship with the US are two topics where Eastern Europe will offer a united front, stubborn, obstinate, and unwilling as it is to make any risky bets. In the end, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Economic and strategic uncertainty plays a greater role in Eastern Europe, and both the pandemic and great power competition are exacerbating these fears. Germany has traditionally been astute at reading the region's mood and will hopefully continue to be. The crisis may even present itself as an opportunity if Eastern Europe joins together with more prosperous Western Europe to find solutions to the crisis that translate into jobs, growth and a speedy recovery. Leaders in Berlin should recall that a German EU Presidency can do much to enhance the standing of the country, but it also carries huge responsibilities, and less well-meaning national political actors may offer an alternative narrative of Germany over-flexing its muscles across the continent under the cloak of the EU. The German Presidency thus also needs a pinch of finesse and a heaping spoonful of soft skills in its approach toward Eastern Europe: it should engage not only with leaders in the region, but also with the general public on a broader scale. Hence, the name of the game in the months to come will be sensitive and sensible communications. To paraphrase a former Polish foreign minister: we should fear less German action in the EU, and more inaction in CEE communication. Germany is a key founding EU state, is well­versed in addressing policies in their substance, at home and abroad, and has learnt from mistakes made in the previous Eurocrisis. But the current jamais-vu crisis demands even more preparation than before, by walking the talk with the varying interests of the EU's different States in mind, as well as communicating wisely with all European citizens while delivering on the economic front. Eastern Europe needs the safe and secure pair of hands that Germany has to offer: CEE will for its part lend a helping hand as long as its needs are also adequately taken into account. 8