Read more about the article Rethinking European Defence: The European Defence Mechanism Proposal
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Rethinking European Defence: The European Defence Mechanism Proposal

On 12 April 2025, the European Union (EU) finance ministers, joined by their counterparts from the UK, Norway, and Switzerland, expressed their support for a joint defence fund aimed at collectively purchasing and owning military equipment. The initiative would bring together EU and selected non-EU countries to streamline defence spending and enhance coordination (Strupczewski & Badohal, 2025). This proposal originates from a report by the Bruegel think tank, commissioned by the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Its premise is the urgent need for the EU to achieve strategic autonomy, reversing decades of economic dependencies and fragmented strategic planning. This is deemed essential to effectively respond to contemporary threats, chief among them, a potential attack from Russia (Bortoletto, 2025; Wolff et al., 2025), following the diminishing reliability of the United States as Europe's primary security guarantor.

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14 May 2025
Read more about the article Opportunistic or Humanitarian Military Interventions? The Case of French Involvement in Africa
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Opportunistic or Humanitarian Military Interventions? The Case of French Involvement in Africa

In light of frequent discussion surrounding the motives of military interventions in conflict-affected areas, this paper examines the interaction between national interests and humanitarian and conflict-resolution. An analysis of French-led military operations in Mali, Chad and Côte d'Ivoire illustrates how national interests are major drivers of military operations, amongst other reasons. This paper also seeks to find if such findings could be justified by historical colonial ties, recommending a potential research question for further engagement with the topic.

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13 May 2025
Read more about the article Above the Battlefield, Below Expectations? The Diminishing Role of Attack Helicopters in Conventional Warfare
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Above the Battlefield, Below Expectations? The Diminishing Role of Attack Helicopters in Conventional Warfare

This paper argues that attack helicopters are losing relevance in conventional continental warfare. While not yet obsolete, their traditional roles—close combat attack, deep strikes, and anti-tank operations—are increasingly threatened by advanced air defence systems, evolving doctrines, and cheaper or more versatile alternatives like loitering munitions and artillery. Most NATO and like-minded nations are adopting partial measures toward their attack helicopter fleets to reduce risks. The analysis traces the historical evolution of attack helicopters and assesses their competitivity in contemporary near-peer continental conflicts. The study concludes that their future viability hinges on integration within broader multi-domain operational frameworks rather than on stand-alone capabilities exposing them to competition from other weapon systems.

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12 May 2025
Read more about the article A Cor Cinniúnach? Ireland’s Defence Policy since 2022
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A Cor Cinniúnach? Ireland’s Defence Policy since 2022

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the strategic position of many European governments has undergone a dramatic reorganisation, encapsulated by then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Zeitenwende address to the Bundestag three days after the invasion. Although far less prominent in this sea of change, similar debates on the country’s defensive future in this new European security environment also occured in Ireland. This study will examine if the changes proposed or implemented in Ireland’s defence and security policies since Russia’s invasion represent a real shift in the Republic’s defence policy -an Irish Zeitenwende or Cor Cinniúnach- or if this is a case of rhetoric overshadowing action. The paper will analyse the shift in the Irish security landscape both domestically and in the country’s international relations, from the invasion to the present, taking into account the release of the new Programme for Government following the general election in 2024, as well as the potential impact of future changes in the country’s internal politics and relations with Northern Ireland.

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8 May 2025
Read more about the article Resilience and Rearmament: A Comparative Analysis of Russia’s Defence Industrial Base in 2025
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Resilience and Rearmament: A Comparative Analysis of Russia’s Defence Industrial Base in 2025

This paper provides a comparative analysis of Russian and European defence industrial capacities in the aftermath of the 2022 Ukraine invasion amid the ongoing retreat of U.S. global security commitments. While Russia has demonstrated short-term resilience through mass production of tanks, artillery, and drones, it remains vulnerable due to technological dependencies and supply chain constraints. In contrast, the European Union, despite structural fragmentation, is mobilising towards strategic autonomy through initiatives like ASAP and EDIS. The study argues that Russia’s high-volume model may face sustainability limits, whereas Europe’s innovation-oriented, collaborative framework could offer long-term strategic depth. The research evaluates production trends, budgetary shifts, and geopolitical implications to assess the trajectory of both blocs in the emerging post-American security order.

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7 May 2025