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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A Legal Analysis of Space Debris I: The Kessler Syndrome and the Regulation of Space in International Law

The evolution of industrial models applied to space technologies has opened the door to space exploration and activities for smaller states and private actors. This proliferation of actors and the access to launching objects into Earth’s orbit has multiplied the amount of functional and non-functional objects in space, increasing the amount of space debris and the risk of triggering the Kessler Syndrome. This paper is the first of a series of articles analysing this challenge from a legal perspective. In this first part, the purpose is to frame the space debris threat and analyse the regulation of space in International Law.

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The Crescent and The Star: A Turkish Option for the European Defence

This paper examines the evolving role of Türkiye’s military-industrial complex within the European security framework in light of shifting global power dynamics and the growing strategic autonomy debates within the European Union. As the United States retreats into isolationist policies, echoed by the Trump administration's stance on Ukraine, Europe increasingly seeks alternative and critical partnerships to bolster its defense capabilities. Türkiye, with its rapidly expanding indigenous defense industry and proven operational successes in previous conflicts such as Karabakh and Syria, emerges as a pivotal albeit complex partner for Europe. The study analyses Türkiye’s key defense platforms, including UAVs, naval assets like TCG Anadolu and PİRİREİS, and its collaboration with European companies such as Leonardo. It also evaluates the strategic opportunities and political risks involved in deepening military cooperation between Türkiye and the EU. The paper concludes by offering policy recommendations to balance pragmatic defense collaboration with broader geopolitical considerations.

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 Kursk Operation: Legal Perspectives of a Counter Offensive

The ‘Kursk Operation’ marks a pivotal moment in the War in Ukraine, shifting the dynamics of this conflict and raising some legal questions regarding the Ukrainian incursion into Russian Territory. This paper will examine the context that prompts what might be the third phase of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, examining the legal arguments that make this act lawful and compliant with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which grants States the right to self-defence. By analysing the right to self-defence, alongside the principles of proportionality and necessity, this paper argues that the Kursk Operation can be lawfully considered an act of self-defence. Lastly, it examines the definition of "occupation" to clarify the legal distinctions relevant to this operation.

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The Evolution of Ukraine’s Defence Industry and Lessons for the European Union 

The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine is entering its third year, and the debate around aiding the war-torn country is increasingly shifting towards empowering Ukraine’s domestic defence industry, to make it more autonomous against a larger and more resourceful opponent. At the same time, in 2023 the former Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin suggested that the EU could also benefit from this process by learning from the evolution of Ukraine’s defence industry (EDA, 2023). This paper will thus give a brief overview of the condition of the country’s industry before and after the war with Russia and summarise the main lessons that the EU can incorporate from the Ukrainian experience.

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