Commentaries
Ukraine: Perception Shapes Victory and Defeat
In March 1918 Imperial Germany was preparing to accept the surrender of revolution-torn Russia. By November of that year, it was Germany that for a brief period, when the military […]
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
Uncovering uncomfortable truths: the geopolitics of EU gas imports in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine
With the conclusion of the winter season, it appears that the European Union (EU) has successfully avoided the anticipated gas shortages and blackouts. This outcome can be attributed to a […]
Commentaries
High Time for Sweden’s NATO Membership
In 2014, after the first Russian invasion of Ukraine, I called for Finland and Sweden to join the Alliance and explained why it was time for “Nordic NATO”. *****
Russia’s Hybrid Wars Come to Sudan
Russia, and Wagner, unlike Europe, have skin in the Sudan game. So do Turkey, Egypt, and the Gulf States. If this is not enough for Europe to take a much […]
Commentaries
De-risking de-cyphered
Disgruntled with the deteriorating Sino-Soviet relationship, Mao was never shy of humiliating his Soviet counterparts. In an audacious power move, Chairman Mao, himself an avid swimmer, organised a meeting with […]
Commentaries
New technologies, new threats, new budgets
Generative AI today, and Quantum Computing tomorrow, pose new geopolitical realities and threats, some of which are already known. Mass de-encryption of data will be one of the threats posed […]