Commentaries
An Alliance of Democracies: with the US or for the US?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for an “a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies” against China. The US has raised this idea before: […]
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
In the desert or at sea? Securing Europe’s Southern flank
Europe’s strategy for its southern flank is patchy, its military presence is limited, and its American ally appears to be leaving. Europeans need an overall security strategy for the region, […]
Commentaries
Regrets, apologies and repair for Belgium’s colonial harms
Former colonial countries appear increasingly willing to engage in processes akin to transitional justice in order to confront the legacies of their colonial past. In this blog post, Valerie Arnould […]
On the repatriation of Belgian children and fighters in Syria
There are still around 40-60 Belgian children detained in Kurdish camps in Northern Syria. These children are widely recognized as victims. Yet, why are they not being repatriated? This speech […]
(Nuclear) sharing is caring. European views on NATO nuclear deterrence and the German nuclear sharing debate
We highlight the chapter of Alexander Mattelaer. He answers the following questions: How does your government view the importance of nuclear deterrence and NATO’s nuclear sharing agreement for its own […]
Remolding China’s ‘empty’ Belt and Road Initiative – An opportunity for the EU
China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been subject to ample scrutiny since its inception in 2013. Practical results could be said to be severely lacking in contrast to […]