Read more about the article The Franco-Italian Quirinale Treaty and the post-Merkel power balance: what is new for the European security and defence environment.
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The Franco-Italian Quirinale Treaty and the post-Merkel power balance: what is new for the European security and defence environment.

The long negotiations between Italy and France, started in January 2018 with President Macron’s visit to Italy’s Paolo Gentiloni, have reached their final act. After troubled years, the rise and fall of a Populist government in Italy, the pandemic, and various tensions between Italy and France, the Quirinale Treaty – named after the Italian Presidential palace in Rome – has been signed, signalling a new phase of bilateral cooperation between the two countries (Roberts, Leali, 2021).

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2 December 2021
Read more about the article Enhancing the EU Partnership with Japan: A Fundamental Actor in the Indo-Pacific Region
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Enhancing the EU Partnership with Japan: A Fundamental Actor in the Indo-Pacific Region

The European Union (EU) has recently increased its focus on the Indo-Pacific region due to its commercial and military importance. The Joint Communication of the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, issued in September 2021, is significant proof of the EU’s interest in this part of the world and presents the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. This cooperation, as illustrated by the Communication, takes various forms, including completing trade agreements or resuming trade negotiations with several states in the area (including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines), reinforcing the EU’s support in fields such as the healthcare system and fisheries management, and enhancing naval deployment by EU Member States (MS) to protect sea lines of communication and freedom of navigation (European Commission & High Representative, 2021).

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25 November 2021
Read more about the article NATO Joint Military Exercises: A Strive for Military Interoperability
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NATO Joint Military Exercises: A Strive for Military Interoperability

Current geopolitical challenges are ever so complex because of their scope and scale. Therefore, they require highly developed technologies and a multilateral approach as single militaries cannot face a multi-layered strategy alone. Military experts within NATO agree that successful missions presuppose cooperation between member states in the form of efficient information exchange and coordinated activities as well as interoperability between the industrial and military sectors. Accordingly, the military exercises conducted by NATO to connect member states’ forces and improve the innovation of military capabilities.

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23 November 2021
Read more about the article Shining a light on Mali’s deal with the Wagner Group: a recipe for disaster
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Shining a light on Mali’s deal with the Wagner Group: a recipe for disaster

Worry has spread across the world as relations between Mali and France have been steadily breaking down. Last July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country would be putting an end to Operation Barkhane (aimed at fighting jihadism in the Sahel in collaboration with the Sahel G5) as soon as the beginning of 2022. The French government reckons that its operation is not well adapted enough to the region’s needs and requires a transformation to combat ever-evolving threats. As a result, more than 2,500 French soldiers out of 5,000 are currently being withdrawn from the Sahel. The goal is to reintegrate them, to serve as the backbone of the European Takuba Task Force.

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18 November 2021
Read more about the article How can the European Defence Fund help the development of European Defence Capabilities?
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How can the European Defence Fund help the development of European Defence Capabilities?

The geopolitical context of the European Union (EU) has changed significantly in recent years, leading Member States to face new threats. Confronted with this situation, European leaders have agreed to work more closely together in defence and security. EU Member States are not cooperating appropriately, which has led to inefficient use of funds, wasteful duplication, and inadequate deployability of defence troops. The military industry is characterised by rising defence equipment costs as well as expensive Research and Development (R&D) costs, which limit the launch of new military programmes and have a direct impact on the EU Defence Technological and Industrial Base’s (EDTIB) competitiveness and innovation (EU Parliament and Council, 2021). The level of defence spending varies significantly amongst Member States. Increased solidarity is required to deliver joint defence capabilities, particularly through the engagement of the EU budget. The cost of non-cooperation between Member States in the field of defence and security is estimated at between €25 billion and €100 billion every year (Maelcamp, I.; Ungaro, A.R.).

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16 November 2021