Read more about the article The NATO and EU Missions in Kosovo*: Drawing Lessons From the Past to Face Current
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The NATO and EU Missions in Kosovo*: Drawing Lessons From the Past to Face Current

In the aftermath of the war in Kosovo, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1244 (1999), whereby a NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) would be deployed to stabilise the region and prevent further violence. Though initially composed of around 50,000 personnel, NATO’s presence was progressively downsized as the security environment improved. The mission successfully prevented the resumption of hostilities in the Western Balkans and supported the transition towards peace and democracy in Kosovo. However, sporadic incidents of violence have often revived unresolved tensions in the country. The impossibility of reaching a consensus on Kosovo’s international status and its declaration of independence in 2008 led to an extension of KFOR’s presence in the region. As the declaration of independence threatened to trigger another wave of violence, the European Union also established the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), which focused on supporting Kosovo’s authorities in upholding the rule of law and reforming Kosovo’s police, judiciary and customs.

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12 January 2023
Read more about the article Montenegro and Serbia: A Clash Beyond Religion
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Montenegro and Serbia: A Clash Beyond Religion

The passive dispute between Serbia and Montenegro took shape on 5 September 2021 with a physical clash between protesters and riot police in Cetinje, the former royal capital of Montenegro. The conflict was provoked by the inauguration of Bishop Joanikje II as the new Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Protesters put up barricades and were allegedly throwing rocks and fireworks at police officers in an attempt to prevent the inauguration, compelling riot police to respond with tear gas and to dismantle the barricades. The conflict resulted in many arrests and left at least 60 people injured (Deutsche Welle, 2021).

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10 January 2023
Read more about the article Cybersecurity: Is NATO Doing Enough
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Cybersecurity: Is NATO Doing Enough

Cyberspace has become the fifth battle space in an increasingly complex security landscape, and cyber threats have been part of the international security arena. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has tackled cyber threats for over a decade. NATO’s awareness towards cyber threats started rising in the late 1990s, following cyber-attacks by Serbian hackers against NATO Supreme Command’s (SHAPE) website during the bombing campaign on Serbian positions as part of the response to the violence in Kosovo* in 1999. The cyber-attacks against Estonia in 2007 and in the context of the conflict in Georgia in 2008 urged the Alliance to take these new threats seriously. NATO is today the most advanced international organisation regarding cyber defence.

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5 January 2023
Read more about the article Sweden and Finland’s Accession to NATO
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Sweden and Finland’s Accession to NATO

The constant escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine led the Nordic countries to scale up their defence cooperation and preparedness, making Finland and Sweden take the decision to join NATO. On 18 May 2022, both countries handed their official letters of application to join the organization over to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and had their accession protocols signed on 5 July, after the completion of the pertinent accession talks (NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 2022). The protocols must now be ratified by all the Allies in accordance with their national procedures.

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23 December 2022
Read more about the article The Strategic Value of the Black Sea
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The Strategic Value of the Black Sea

The Black Sea is a strategic trade and transportation artery which connects Europe and Asia (NSC, 2022). The countries surrounding the coasts of the Black Sea are EU and NATO members (Romania and Bulgaria), former members of the Soviet Union (Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia) and Middle Eastern powers (Turkey). After the Cold War, the lack of agreement between Russia and the West on the power-sharing in the region and the disintegration of the Soviet Union caused a series of conflicts, which are still ongoing. Recently, Russia and Ukraine have built up their military power in the region, and NATO has stationed additional forces in Romania to enhance the Alliance's defence strategy (Miller, 2017). The Black Sea is, therefore more militarised and less stable than at any point since the end of the Cold War. Tensions and instability in this key region can seriously affect global commercial trade and maritime activities.

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2 December 2022