Croatia to Acquire $390M HIMARS from The US Amid Growing Tensions in the Balkans

The US State Department has approved the sale of eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 24 M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) to Croatia following the Croatian government’s request, totalling a sale of around $390M (Defense Security Cooperation Agency, 2024). The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) stated that the HIMARS acquisition will help Croatia to increase its deterrence capacity against future threats (Saballa, 2024). Considering its long-range capacity and proven success on the battlefield in Ukraine, HIMARS carry a strategic importance for both Croatia and NATO to securitise the Southern European region, especially after the rising geopolitical tensions between Serbia and the local Kosovar government (International Crisis Group, 2024).

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Slovak Air Defence: Critical Point and Modernisation Efforts

The past decade’s conflicts, including those in Europe and the Middle East, have fundamentally underscored the necessity of capable air and ground-based air defence. The outbreak of Russian aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 shook the European security architecture. As a result, several European countries have decided to strengthen their capabilities and overall deterrence significantly. One of the main areas of effective deterrence is a functioning air defence force, which serves as a vital pillar for the defence of states. Additionally, beyond security reasons, air defence plays a crucial role in each country’s expression of sovereignty and independence, providing a form of ontological security for its citizens. However, like most post-Soviet countries, the legacy of flawed and ineffective defence planning remains at the heart of some Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries (Young, 2023). A prime example is Slovakia’s current air defence capabilities, which are nearing a critical low point. Temporarily bolstered by the assistance of the Allies, Slovakia is slowly progressing towards a new era of modern air defence capabilities. However, without concrete and immediate action, Slovakia’s airspace will remain dependent on NATO’s support (Dangwal, 2024) and the collective defence clause under Article 5. Considering the “crisis” in Slovakian air defence, this article provides options for modernisation efforts, reflecting on the industry's current situation and the Slovakian Army's needs. It also outlines why air defence is necessary even for small countries like the Slovak Republic as part of a broader effort to maintain effective conventional capabilities.

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Negotiating Freedom: The Legal Complexities of International Prisoner Exchanges

The prisoner exchange between Russia and the West that occurred at the start of this month on August 1st surprised the international community (The Washington Post, 2024). On top of that, it garnered significant attention for being the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War due to its multinational nature and the high profile of the prisoners involved (The Washington Post, 2024). As Russia released twice as many prisoners as the West did, including notable activists and journalists, media outlets have framed the exchange as a diplomatic victory for the West (BBC, 2024). Academia, however, must examine this exchange more critically and address the legal complexities that arise from ‘hostage diplomacy’ and prisoner exchanges, as well as the diplomatic and political implications of such agreements. The lack of international treaties explicitly regulating the exchange of prisoners has led to the topic largely regarded as a political exercise rather than a legal one. Nonetheless, this article proposes several international frameworks that can be applied in such situations. This article briefly analyses the different categories of prisoners involved and which international framework applies accordingly . Finally, the article examines the political implications of these exchanges, particularly their potential to set precedents for future scenarios.

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Finabel’s Space Handbook

With the publication of this Food For Thought (FFT), Finabel explores various strands of the strategic domain of space in the European context, involving analyses ranging from explorations of the sector’s legal dimensions to a further dive into the lessons learned from the Russo-Ukrainian War in the realm of space. The first paper tackles the issue of fragmentation in the EU’s space landscape, highlighting the limitations of governing the domain across numerous different organisations. The second evaluates the establishment of the EU’s Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²), while the third and fourth delve into European endeavours to bolster future capabilities in space and the upper atmosphere and the European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 Rocket, respectively. Moreover, it is here, in the fifth paper, where the space lessons of the Russo-Ukrainian War are considered. Finally, as previously touched upon, this FFT’s second section explores the legal dimensions of space in the realm of defence and security, including an examination of international space law, an exploration of anti-satellite weapons, and the future creation of EU space regulation.

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Black Sea Security: A New Partnership Between Bulgaria and Romania Constitutes Regional Special Operations Command of NATO

The security of the Black Sea region remains unstable as the war in Ukraine lingers into its third year. In recognition of the increasing need to bolster defence security in the area, NATO and its member states have intensified their cooperative efforts to strengthen deterrence and protect their interests. As a gateway between Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the region serves as a critical security and defence frontier.  On the sidelines of the recent NATO summit in Washington, D.C., Bulgaria and Romania signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Regional Special Operations Command for the Black Sea (HQ R-SOCC). The new command will integrateRomanian and Bulgarian special forces through a new Command and Control (C2) structure, which will conduct the Alliance’s special missions in the region. This newly created body’s main task is to protect merchant ships and conduct inspections, ultimately supporting the safeguarding of NATO's strategic interests in the area (Ministry of National Defense, 2024). 

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