Commentaries
Ukraine: The Price of China’s Neutrality
The whole world closely followed the diplomatic show of Xi Jinping’s visit to Vladimir Putin on 20-22 March 2023. Much more than a good show Putin did not get out […]
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
Between Taiwanese Elections: The KMT’s Quest for True Blue
After achieving a resounding victory in the local elections of November 2022 over the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of incumbent Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) started […]
Captivated by war: The Russian People in the face of the Ukraine War, Mobilization, and Tactical Defeat
Despite the illegality, absurdity, and criminal nature of his endeavour, Putin has shown not to accept defeat in Ukraine. On the contrary, since the winter of 2022, he has been […]
From Buffer to Frontier: Ukraine and the EU
In June 2022, the European Union granted candidate status to Ukraine. A strong political statement, which was welcomed as such in Kyiv. But for a country at war, symbols do […]
Commentaries
Hybrid Warfare: Attribution is Key to Deterrence
As Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine grinds on, it is likely that the intensity and frequency of hybrid attacks against western democracies will increase, targeting a host of vital functions, […]
Commentaries
Visit Taiwan!
I will be honest: if my husband weren’t Taiwanese, I would not go on holiday to Taiwan every year. Yet after more than ten years of marriage and almost as […]