Dealing with Russia: Towards a coherent Belgian policy
Belgo-Russia relations are mired in paradox. For several years, the relationship between the Russian Federation on the one hand and the EU and NATO on the other has been characterized […]
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
EU must stand up for jailed Iranian scholar Ahmadreza Djalali
A Swedish citizen faces capital punishment without a fair trial. The EU cannot afford to stay silent. In a faraway prison, an Iranian-Swedish scientist awaits execution. Ahmadreza Djalali, a specialist […]
External publications
The European Security and Defence College: a tool for strategy-making
In his contribution to the edited volume celebrating the 15th anniversary of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), Sven Biscop makes a warm plea to continue to invest in […]
Commentaries
Biden’s victory and Europe’s strategic autonomy
The president of the United States making a deal with the president of Russia behind Europe’s back: that is just one example of something that, thanks to Joe Biden’s victory, […]
Commentaries
When female peacekeepers’ “added value” becomes an “added burden”
Calls for the increased participation of uniformed United Nations female peacekeepers have multiplied in recent years, fueled in part by new scandals of peacekeepers’ sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA), tarnishing […]
Combat air systems for the 21st century: A shared stake for Europe
Air dominance was the strength of Western military powers from the early 1990s until the mid-2010s. The proliferation of air defence systems, notably Russian S300 and S400 missile systems, has […]