Read more about the article NATO’s Renewed Arctic Commitment: Strategic Adaptation to Climate Change, Russian Ambitions and Chinese Expansion
Research Report

NATO’s Renewed Arctic Commitment: Strategic Adaptation to Climate Change, Russian Ambitions and Chinese Expansion

The Arctic is emerging as a region of critical geopolitical importance, mainly due to the wide effects of climate change, which are opening the Russian Arctic to economic and military expansion, and attracting Chinese investments. NATO has been engaged in the region since its creation; however, in recent times, it began to recalibrate its strategic posture to address the new growing challenges. This paper investigates the Alliance’s renewed commitment to the High North, putting it into context with the emergence of new, pressing security challenges in the region. First, after discussing NATO’s historical security stance in the Arctic, the focus is shifted to the threat-multiplying effect climate change has on regional security. Next, the paper emphasizes the expanding influence of Russia and the rising role of China as key actors in the Arctic. These security challenges lay the ground for the analysis of the Alliance’s expanding commitment and reinforced focus on its northern flank.

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26 September 2025
Read more about the article From Stabilisation to Securitisation: The EU in Libya
Research Report

From Stabilisation to Securitisation: The EU in Libya

Following the 2011 NATO intervention, Libya suffered increased instability with shifts in governance and a lack of central power. Following this, in 2013, the European Union (EU) launched missions in the country through its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), aimed at supporting border management. However, questions were raised regarding the EU’s intentions as stabilising Libya became a vital security issue due to the country becoming a departure point for irregular migration. This Info Flash examines how securitisation shaped the EU’s crisis management in Libya to offer broader lessons about the Union’s limitations in responding to crises. Within the Libya case study and using securitisation as a conceptual framework, the research finds that a change in rhetoric within the CSDP’s missions, a gap between objectives and implementation, and persistent divisions within the Union carry broader lessons for the Union. Indeed, these weaknesses have ultimately shown that the EU tends to focus on short-term priorities rather than long-term stabilisation, becomes stuck in political entrapment that perpetuates missions, and experiences fragmentation within its member states that weakens its credibility.

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24 September 2025
Read more about the article Soft Borders, Hard Lessons: Moldova, Hybrid Warfare and the New Eastern Threat
Research Report

Soft Borders, Hard Lessons: Moldova, Hybrid Warfare and the New Eastern Threat

Moldova is facing growing hybrid threats, аs the Russian Federation continues to deploy coordinated disinformation, cyber operations, political interference, energy coercion and the manipulation of unresolved territorial conflicts. All these actions are meant to destabilise the state, in addition to complicating its Euro-Atlantic integration (Wesslau, 2024; Maitland et al., 2025; Dhojnacki, 2025). NATO and the EU have responded with corresponding yet diverse strategies: with NATO concentrating on defence capacity-building and hybrid resilience, and the EU stressing on governance reforms and institutional strengthening (NATO, 2024a; European Council, 2025). This piece examines Russia’s hybrid toolkit, all the while evaluating the effectiveness of NATO and the EU’s responses and offering policy recommendations for strengthening Moldova’s security within the broader Black Sea strategy.

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8 September 2025
Read more about the article The Role of Strategic Culture in Germany’s Zeitenwende
Research Report

The Role of Strategic Culture in Germany’s Zeitenwende

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 constituted a watershed moment for European security and triggered a fundamental transformation in Germany’s defence policy. Chancellor Scholz’s announcement of a “Zeitenwende” marked a sharp departure from decades of military restraint, initiating significant investments in the Bundeswehr and a commitment to NATO’s defence spending targets. This research examines how Germany’s strategic culture, traditionally characterised by moderation and ambivalence toward military power, both enabled and constrained this policy shift. Utilising the conceptual lens of strategic culture, the paper analyses the historical and ideational underpinnings that shaped Germany’s approach to crisis management and territorial defence, arguing that the swift pivot post-2022 reflects a return to deeply embedded national traditions rather than a revolutionary change. Ultimately, the study emphasises the enduring influence of strategic culture on Germany’s ability to adapt to shifting security demands in Europe.

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4 September 2025
Read more about the article European Sky Shield Initiative: Evolution and Challenges in Multi-Layer Air-Defence Against Drone Saturation and Hypersonic Missiles
Info Flash

European Sky Shield Initiative: Evolution and Challenges in Multi-Layer Air-Defence Against Drone Saturation and Hypersonic Missiles

This InfoFlash assesses how the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) can adapt while advancing EU strategic autonomy and retaining full interoperability with NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). Europe must stay ready to face saturation drone attacks, massed cruise and ballistic missiles, and emergent hypersonic threats that compress decision cycles and invert defender cost calculus. It frames a triad of space-based missile early warning, a common BM/C2 layer, and missile interceptors as the decisive lever to cut decision time and raise deterrence. It maps current layers (Skyranger 30, IRIS-T, Patriot, Arrow 3) and gaps in stockpiles, costs, cross-border command and data-sharing. It argues for anchoring ESSI to NATINAMDS, accelerating ODIN’S EYE II, TWISTER, HYDIS and HYDEF projects, and adopting any-sensor/any-shooter standards. Recommendations include bundled procurement, EU-level financing, passive/multistatic feeds, and a common operating system to close C2 gaps.

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1 September 2025