From Stabilisation to Securitisation: The EU in Libya

Following the 2011 NATO intervention, Libya suffered increased instability with shifts in governance and a lack of central power. Following this, in 2013, the European Union (EU) launched missions in the country through its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), aimed at supporting border management. However, questions were raised regarding the EU’s intentions as stabilising Libya became a vital security issue due to the country becoming a departure point for irregular migration. This Info Flash examines how securitisation shaped the EU’s crisis management in Libya to offer broader lessons about the Union’s limitations in responding to crises. Within the Libya case study and using securitisation as a conceptual framework, the research finds that a change in rhetoric within the CSDP’s missions, a gap between objectives and implementation, and persistent divisions within the Union carry broader lessons for the Union. Indeed, these weaknesses have ultimately shown that the EU tends to focus on short-term priorities rather than long-term stabilisation, becomes stuck in political entrapment that perpetuates missions, and experiences fragmentation within its member states that weakens its credibility.

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Soft Borders, Hard Lessons: Moldova, Hybrid Warfare and the New Eastern Threat

Moldova is facing growing hybrid threats, аs the Russian Federation continues to deploy coordinated disinformation, cyber operations, political interference, energy coercion and the manipulation of unresolved territorial conflicts. All these actions are meant to destabilise the state, in addition to complicating its Euro-Atlantic integration (Wesslau, 2024; Maitland et al., 2025; Dhojnacki, 2025). NATO and the EU have responded with corresponding yet diverse strategies: with NATO concentrating on defence capacity-building and hybrid resilience, and the EU stressing on governance reforms and institutional strengthening (NATO, 2024a; European Council, 2025). This piece examines Russia’s hybrid toolkit, all the while evaluating the effectiveness of NATO and the EU’s responses and offering policy recommendations for strengthening Moldova’s security within the broader Black Sea strategy.

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The Role of Strategic Culture in Germany’s Zeitenwende

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 constituted a watershed moment for European security and triggered a fundamental transformation in Germany’s defence policy. Chancellor Scholz’s announcement of a “Zeitenwende” marked a sharp departure from decades of military restraint, initiating significant investments in the Bundeswehr and a commitment to NATO’s defence spending targets. This research examines how Germany’s strategic culture, traditionally characterised by moderation and ambivalence toward military power, both enabled and constrained this policy shift. Utilising the conceptual lens of strategic culture, the paper analyses the historical and ideational underpinnings that shaped Germany’s approach to crisis management and territorial defence, arguing that the swift pivot post-2022 reflects a return to deeply embedded national traditions rather than a revolutionary change. Ultimately, the study emphasises the enduring influence of strategic culture on Germany’s ability to adapt to shifting security demands in Europe.

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