The End of the INF-Treaty: Context and Consequences
On 2 August both the US and the Russian Federation will no longer be restrained by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty (1987). Early this century it gradually became clear […]
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
The puzzle of the EU’s China strategy is falling into place
Can Europe do more about China’s rise than watch it happen and hope for the best? Some are so alarmed by China’s growing influence that they start preparing for World […]
External publications
EEAS Academic Roundtable on Women Peace and Security. Intervention by Nina Wilen
The EEAS Academic Roundtable on Women Peace and Security was organised in collaboration with the Swedish Defence University on 25 June 2019 and brought together academic scholars from across the […]
Radicalization: the origins and limits of a contested concept
‘Radicalization’ has a twisted history. At every turn, it gained a new meaning without shedding the existing one. In the beginning, ‘radicalization’ meant Muslims espousing an anti-Western, fundamentalist stance, with […]
Commentaries
Two elephants in one room: Sino-American competition and the EU at the Shangri-La Dialogue
“When elephants fight, the grass suffers, but when they make love, the grass suffers also”: this quote from Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew became the running theme at […]
Commentaries
A defence strategy alone is not enough
Belgium is not in the habit of putting down major strategies for its defense policy. In the past, capacity plans were always drawn up, which in fact usually amounted to […]