Read more about the article The Legal Concept of Neutrality: The Case of the Ukrainian – Russian War 
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The Legal Concept of Neutrality: The Case of the Ukrainian – Russian War 

As countries like Finland and Sweden shift away from neutrality to join NATO, the war has prompted a reevaluation of neutrality's relevance within European security. Mostly known as a political concept, this article explores the legal principle of neutrality in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian war, where military aid from numerous states has sparked debate on the boundaries of neutrality in modern conflicts. The narrow legal framework of neutrality highlights the ambivalence of the legal obligations of neutral states where abstention from supporting belligerents and help to a state defending against aggression coexist. Therefore, the rigidity of traditional neutrality law appears to be challenged by the ongoing war shifting towards more flexible interpretations in the face of collective security threats. Consequently, the need to adpat the legal doctrine in the rapidly changing landscape of international law and warfare underlines the obsolescence of the concept.

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9 October 2024
Read more about the article The Development of AI-Enabled Military Equipment in Ukraine and the Implications for Military Interoperability
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The Development of AI-Enabled Military Equipment in Ukraine and the Implications for Military Interoperability

In the past two and a half years, the Russo-Ukrainian War has uncovered how war on the modern battlefield is no longer exclusively waged on the physical domain, and new capabilities can be leveraged instead of conventional approaches to defence. Armed conflict has expanded to encompass new battlefronts that increasingly depend on the virtual domain (Furlong et al, 2022). Cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping armed conflict, impacting every aspect of warfare from automated frontline systems to logistics, and enhancing multi-domain situational awareness. According to the Land4Developers platform, a marketplace and network of industrial engineering experts from Ukraine, over a dozen Ukrainian companies offer products and services in predictive analytics (Land 4 Developers, 2022). The partnership between tech firms and the Ukrainian military, which allegedly includes having a software engineer within each battalion, is sparking a new wave of development and testing with military AI (Bergengruen, 2024). In resisting Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian defence proved to be better equipped than anticipated (Furlong et al., 2022). Ukraine’s military performance has offered valuable lessons for both emerging and already established military powers on the benefits of partnering with tech companies to gain quicker access to the latest innovative technologies. Although the Russo-Ukrainian conflict’s outcome is still uncertain, it has highlighted the critical role of public-private partnerships in rapidly advancing military technology. The integration of AI-enabled tools in Ukraine’s defence demonstrates that collaboration between governmental bodies and private tech firms is essential for the swift development and deployment of cutting-edge military technologies. This paper explores how the partnership between the public and private sectors has shaped Ukraine’s defence strategies and examines the implications for enhancing military interoperability across Europe.

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9 August 2024
Read more about the article The Future of European Deterrence: a Three-Pillar Approach for Advancing Capability Development and Interoperability
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The Future of European Deterrence: a Three-Pillar Approach for Advancing Capability Development and Interoperability

On 24 February 2022, when Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe experienced an apparent fog-clearing moment. (Besch & Quencez, 2022). For several years, the European Security debate followed a caricatured binary opposition between the US-led transatlantic security and the need for EU autonomy as a geopolitical power, partly motivated by the notion of an imminent US retreat from Europe (Tocci, 2021). Now, while the war (temporarily) restored general confidence in American commitment to European security, it also revealed how dependent European states are on the US for their defence (Puglierin, 2024). As a result, after more than two years of conflict, the subjects of the binary intellectual confrontation have emerged with more defined roles: NATO has reaffirmed its prerogative in conventional deterrence, while the EU has given proof of its crisis management abilities, primarily through financial tools (Weber, 2023). Accepting the transatlantic partnership as the sole and definitive European deterrence strategy is imprudent and short-sighted. The US’ shifting priorities and waning leadership require Europe to decide on a path forward to more strategic responsibility. Among the priorities, an increased commitment to NATO is imperative – especially with a Republican in the White House. At the same time, efforts must be made to reconsider the US national commitment and investments in European deterrence, as well as the role of the EU and its initiatives.

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24 July 2024
Read more about the article Episode 3: Is Conscription Returning to Europe?
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Episode 3: Is Conscription Returning to Europe?

Since the end of the Cold War, most European countries have suspended compulsory military service, reducing their militaries to a relatively small force of volunteers. The consequences of the cuts…

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9 July 2024
Read more about the article In the West but Unlike the Rest: The Bulgarian Defence’s Difficult Path Toward Interoperability
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In the West but Unlike the Rest: The Bulgarian Defence’s Difficult Path Toward Interoperability

As part of NATO's Eastern flank, Bulgaria’s defence capabilities are crucial to European security. While Sofia has embarked on crucial reforms since the fall of the Communist bloc in 1991, its Armed Forces are still far from being at the same level as its NATO allies. Nevertheless, Bulgaria is boldly enhancing its military power. Initiatives such as its accession to FINABEL show the political commitment to share defence and interoperability.

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24 May 2024