Outpaced at Sea? What AUKUS Reveals About Europe’s Strategic Drift

The AUKUS pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States has swiftly shifted the international dialogue on naval power (Hellyer & Stevens, 2022). For the first time, a non-nuclear weapon state is being armed with nuclear-powered submarines, thus changing not only the Indo-Pacific security environment but, additionally, opening a new chapter in strategic defence cooperation (Cheng, 2022). Whilst London and Washington were putting importance on the strategic need of countering China, Europe wаs left watching from afar: particularly France, whose billion-euro submarine deal with Australia had quickly collаpsed overnight (Tertrais, 2021). This аrticle explores how AUKUS redefines traditional defence norms and remodels the global nuclear submarine balance (Hellyer & Stevens, 2022). Likewise, it examines the implications for the European Union, which has long aimed for larger strategic autonomy, yet still struggles to coordinate effectively at sea (Fiott et al., 2021). Geographically speaking, AUKUS may be a distant pact, however, its message to Europe is as clear as day: naval power matters, and partnerships formed on trust, swiftness, as well as strategic clarity, are already setting the pace (Fiott, 2018).

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Lines of Sustainment: Evaluating Ukrainian Military Logistics in the Russo-Ukrainian War

This paper aims to examine the critical role of logistics in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, focusing on the evolving challenges and innovations in Ukraine's military logistics infrastructure. Logistical disruptions, especially from Russian missile strikes and precision bombing, threaten Ukraine's operational momentum and the sustainability of its military operations. This piece explores Ukraine's efforts to modernise its logistics systems, drawing from both doctrinal shifts and technological advancements, such as the integration of drones for last-mile delivery and the launch of the DOT Chain digital logistics platform. Despite these innovations, systemic challenges such as bureaucratic delays and limited air defence coverage persist, undermining the effectiveness of Ukraine's logistics network. The paper offers recommendations for enhancing resilience at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

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Episode 9: Innovation Meets Operations: AI, Unmanned Systems, and European Defence Readiness 

In this episode of StrategicALLY, hosts Livia Perrulli and Simon Perrin de Brichambaut are joined by Yves Augustus, former Belgian Army officer and Director of Business Development at STARK. With a background spanning engineering, defence, and business development, Mr. Augustus brings a unique perspective on how Europe can bridge capability gaps through innovation. We explore how the private sector can better respond to the operational needs of armed forces, the potential of AI-powered unmanned systems, and what capabilities are still lacking across European defence. Mr. Augustus also shares his views on transatlantic innovation gaps, lessons from U.S. initiatives like the Replicator program, and how EU defence investments could reshape industrial readiness. Tune in as we discuss how responsible innovation and military insight can drive strategic resilience and strengthen Europe’s position in a competitive global landscape. Podcast edited by Livia Perrulli. For more information about STARK and its work, visit their website and follow Yves Augustus on LinkedIn.

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Weaknesses in Civil Defence: How Prepared is the European Union?

This paper explores shortcomings of European civil defence by examining both infrastructure vulnerabilities and the widespread unpreparedness of civilians in the face of modern threats. While military spending across the European Union has increased in recent years, civil defence has lagged, with critical needs outdated or insufficient. The increasing complexity of global threats highlights the urgency of updating these systems. The civilian population remains largely unaware and unprepared to handle prolonged disruptions. This paper outlines these gaps, their risks, and the need for a culture of preparedness. It also presents Finland as a model of integrated civil and military defence, offering lessons for the broader European context. A transformation of mindset and investment in smarter civil defence are essential for the EU to confront future crises with confidence.

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Defence – Climate Change Nexus: the long road for environmental considerations in the defence sector

With defence remaining an exclusive competence of Member States (MS) (Article 4§2 TEU), it is automatically excluded from the scope of European Union (EU)’s regulation. This exclusion equally applies to EU environmental regulation tackling climate change and targeting carbon neutrality by 2050. Despite not being covered by the EU's environmental regulations, the defence sector remains responsible for a large part of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and should not be exempt from the EU’s climate agenda due to treaty-based principles. Establishing this responsibility is possible through alignment with existing EU green legislation. The EU can offer relevant instruments to enable the defence sector to better incorporate environmental considerations in alignment with the EU green agenda, for example through procurement regulations. However, further effort should be undertaken to reach a consistent and coherent alignment of MS to that end.

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