Commentaries
The EU and Ukraine: Strategy and Morality
The EU has surprised everybody, not least itself, with its strong response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet as the war grinds on, and Russia acts ever more brutally, moral […]
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
External publications
Europe and America don’t see eye to eye on economic security: How to avoid fragmentation
Boosting economic security in face of war, geopolitical upheaval, and other global crises has become a paramount priority for both the EU and the US. But a divide over how […]
Xi Jinping Seeks Stability: The 20th National Congress of the CCP
The 2,340 odd teacups have been rearranged in their cupboards, and sobriety has returned to the Great Hall of the People. What is the national and international impact of the […]
External publications
Rebuilding Ukraine: How the EU Should Support Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Recovery
Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine has disastrous consequences for the country. Although an end to the war is currently not in sight, it is already clear that a huge international […]
Commentaries
Plan for rebuilding Belgian Defence needs to be more ambitious
After almost eight months of war between Russia and Ukraine, it is clear that the quantity of equipment and personnel is crucial for long-term and large-scale warfare. Belgian politics must […]
China between lockdowns and the 20th Party Congress: What can we expect for the EU and globally?
Whether it is aggressive industrial subsidies, the militarization of the South China Sea, human rights violations in Xinjiang or political suppression in Hong Kong, there is a whole litany of […]