The Fire: The Offensive Meant to Decide the War
The Fire, the Ice, and the Fog: A Sublimation of the Russian Threat Now in its fourth year, Russia’s war on Ukraine has become more than a battlefield confrontation. It […]
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 Arctic: A Strategic Shift for Europe. A Unique Opportunity for Belgium
“The EU is in the Arctic. As a geopolitical power, the EU has strategic and day-to-day interests, both in the European Arctic and the broader Arctic region.” With this clear […]
Fit for the Future? A Review of the Belgian Defence’s 2025 Strategic Vision
The new Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Alexus G. Grynkewic, said in July 2025 that NATO should prepare for the threat of two simultaneous wars in Europe and the Pacific […]
Summits and Sanctions, War and Peace: Is the EU Still in the Game?
As I set out for Beijing in early July, to teach my annual summer course on grand strategy and great powers, I knew in advance what all my Chinese interlocutors […]
Commentaries
The European Ocean Pact: Laying the Groundwork for an “Ocean Union”?
The European Ocean Pact, adopted by the European Commission in June 2025 and presented at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, is the most comprehensive EU initiative on ocean […]
BRICS+: an Odd Family of (un)Likely Frenemies
On June 13, 2025, the government of Brazil, in its capacity as pro tempore BRICS(+) Chair, announced the formal admission of Vietnam as a partner country of the group. With […]