Read more about the article Chad Ends Defence Pact with France, Signalling a Shift in Regional Alliances
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Chad Ends Defence Pact with France, Signalling a Shift in Regional Alliances

Chad has announced the termination of its defence agreement with France, signaling a major shift in its post-colonial ties. The move, emphasizing sovereignty, comes amid regional reevaluations of French influence and growing partnerships with Russia. While French troops will withdraw in a "harmonious transition," this decision aligns Chad with a broader trend of African nations asserting their independence and diversifying alliances. France faces diminishing influence as nations like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso also turn away.

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6 December 2024
Read more about the article A Crumbling Anchor? The Collapse of the German Government and European Security
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A Crumbling Anchor? The Collapse of the German Government and European Security

The collapse of Germany’s ‘Traffic Light’ coalition marks the end of a government marred by in-fighting and continuous crises. This News Flash addresses the implications it has on the future of both German and European Security.

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20 November 2024
Read more about the article The Return of President Trump: Potential Repercussions on European Security 
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The Return of President Trump: Potential Repercussions on European Security 

On November 5th, 2024, former President Donald J. Trump was elected as the 47th President of the United States of America for a second mandate after the four-year interval of President Joe Biden’s Democratic Administration (Miller et al., 2024). Alongside Trump’s return to the White House, the Republican Party secured control over the Senate and is currently leading the race for the House of Representatives. Such an outcome will likely impact the current geopolitical landscape across the European continent and may drive EU Member States to reconsider the European security environment entirely.

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8 November 2024
Read more about the article Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan 
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has unveiled a bold five-part victory plan to end the war with Russia in 2024, focusing on fast-tracking NATO membership, increasing military aid, and leveraging Ukraine's economic resources. He views NATO membership as vital for Ukraine’s security and a symbolic defeat of Putin’s ambitions. While the plan has garnered some support, it faces sharp opposition from Russia, which warns of escalating conflict, and Hungary's Prime Minister Orbán, who calls for peace talks over more aid. Zelenskyy’s refusal to give away territory underscores his commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, but his success depends on continued international support amid shifting global priorities.

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8 November 2024
Read more about the article France Claims World’s First Ground to Space High-Speed Optical-Laser Link
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France Claims World’s First Ground to Space High-Speed Optical-Laser Link

In late 2023, the French Defence Innovation Agency (AID), through the French Armament Directorate, launched a new satellite named Keraunos with the aid of two novel French Space companies, Cailabs and Unseenlabs (AID, 2O24). The project, along with others like Toutatis and Yoda (Bosquillon, 2024), contribute to the French 2024-2030 Military Programming Law (AID, 2024). The mission is meant to test the potential of space Optical-Laser Infrared (OLI) communications between space and ground segments of communications networks. During the summer of 2024, these three entities performed a successful test (Ruitenberg, 2024). The test was followed by a joint announcement on September 10th, 2024, claiming the world’s first stable OLI high-speed communications “end-to-end” downlink between a low orbit nanosatellite and an optical ground station, which lasted for several minutes (AID, 2024). Despite the possibility of classified initiatives and recent breakthroughs by NASA (Powers, 2024), China (Xinhua, 2024), and others (Depond, 2024), this was the first commercial test of its sort (Bosquillon, 2024), marking a new age for space to ground optical-laser infrared (OLI) communications.

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21 October 2024