Commentaries
Trump Divides the World
President Roosevelt was sincere in his altruism. Of course, the US is at the centre of the international order of which, in 1944-45, he laid the foundation, not least in […]
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
The (In)Auspicious Number Four: An Assessment of the Fourth Plenum of the Twentieth National Congress of the CCP
Amid ongoing rivalry between various factions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), severely depleted ranks caused by the ongoing anti-corruption crackdown, purges within the top ranks of the Chinese military, […]
Commentaries
Belgian Defense Going Tropical: A Return in Focus to Africa
Twenty-eight Belgian paratroopers are jumping in a static line down on a small Gabonese island just outside of the capital Libreville, while para commandos are jumping out of three zodiac […]
From the Donbas to Africa: How Returning Fighters Could Fuel a New Mercenary Wave
What will happen to the thousands of militaries involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine once the war is over? Hundreds of thousands of battle-hardened soldiers from Russia’s full-scale […]
Commentaries
Allies and Rivals
This is strategy. Trump’s National Security Strategy (NSS), released on 4 December 2025, is bold and concise. One reads it, and one knows what the US wants. One may not […]
Commentaries
The European Parliament Compels the EU to Address Arctic Security
The European Parliament, by an overwhelming majority, urges the European Union to adopt a robust and security-focused Arctic strategy. It stresses that the Arctic is no longer a remote periphery, […]