Commentaries
Trump’s Europe Policy: No longer Different from Russia and China?
The US and Europe are allies, or that is what the Europeans still wish to believe. That does not mean that they are not economic competitors at the same time, […]
Europe in the World
In a world that is largely driven by competition and rivalry (and partnership, yet) between great powers, understanding the Grand Strategy of each of these powers is crucial. So is developing a Grand Strategy for the EU itself. An EU that acts as one, as one pole of the multipolar world on a par with the other powers, is the only way to safeguard the way of life that the Member States of the EU have chosen, based on democracy, the free market, and equality.
Power cannot be divided: a global player must have political, economic, as well as military power. To that end, the Europe in the World Programme analyses the diplomacy and defence of the US, China, and Russia, and of the EU, NATO, and their members. We also focus on geoeconomics, researching Open Strategic Autonomy and the Global Gateway as key EU instruments, as well as the geoeconomic approaches of the other powers.
Defence policy is our third main axis of research, with a particular focus on European defence and its interaction with NATO, but also on nuclear deterrence and the deterrence of hybrid threats. Throughout all three research axis, we devote special attention to the role of Belgium, including notably the development of its own National Security Strategy and diplomatic and military capabilities.
Publications
Commentaries
Ukraine Now Needs a European Security Guarantee – Not a Peace Operation
At the meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group on 12 February 2025, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth made the American negotiating position on the Russo-Ukrainian War crystal clear. Europe […]
External publications
D. Trump or the Emperor Strikes Back
The accession of Donald Trump to the American presidency on January 20 is likely to upset the grand strategy put in place by the Biden administration. Despite a certain degree […]
Commentaries
The Manned-Unmanned Warfare of Tomorrow
The deployment of unmanned systems in recent years has changed the nature of warfare in multiple ways. Subsequently, considering Belgium’s budgetary context, the personnel constraints that the armed forces face, […]
Commentaries
2025: Is Europe Ready for the Old Normal?
A newly-elected President of the United States who lays claim to Canada, Greenland, and Panama, is far from normal. For Europeans, it is the last thing they expected from their […]
Commentaries
The Road Ahead: Rethinking the Transatlantic Partnership
Recent elections in the EU and the US are poised to reshape political dynamics and redefine key areas of cooperation. For the EU, the US election outcome is a stark […]