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Estonia Shows Europe How to Prepare for War
In a world roiled by uncertainty and the threat of great-power competition, there are few clearer illustrations of strategic foresight than Estonia’s latest step to bolster its eastern frontier. This week the Baltic republic began erecting the first of what…
What the FCAS Dispute Means for NATO and Transatlantic Ties
The renewed effort by Germany, France and Spain to salvage the troubled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) carries consequences that stretch far beyond industrial politics. At stake is Europe’s long-term defence posture, its ability to field high-end capabilities without relying…
Ukraine, Russia and the Future of NATO: Europe Wakes Up to a Long War
Europe’s security debate is shifting from the language of “hybrid harassment” to that of a low-intensity war. A recent Financial Times analysis argues that Russia is conducting a systematic campaign of sabotage across the continent, using parcel bombs, arson, cyber…
UK steps up ‘Atlantic Bastion’ drive to shield seabed infrastructure from Russia
The United Kingdom is accelerating work on a new undersea defence network, codenamed ‘Atlantic Bastion’, in response to increased Russian activity around critical subsea infrastructure, including the recent presence of the Russian intelligence-gathering vessel Yantar near British waters. The programme…
Île Longue: Europe’s Nuclear Deterrent Shaken as Drones Breach Top-Secret French Sub Base — and Brussels Stares On
As if we needed to be reminded of the vulnerabilities that now haunt Europe’s strategic military infrastructure, five unidentified drones flew over the Île Longue submarine base on the night of 4–5th December, prompting French marines to open fire. The…
What the President of Finland keeps silent about and what Ukraine must shout about
Western faith in multilateralism and “value-based realism” conceals a deeper strategic crisis, Hanna Hopko argues, as Ukraine and other “in-between” states become the decisive battleground in an emerging global confrontation. Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote an article for Foreign Affairs…
School Strikes Sweep Germany in Response to New Military Service Law
Germany’s Bundestag has approved a far-reaching reform of military service designed to expand the Bundeswehr over the next decade, while leaving open the option of a return to conscription if voluntary recruitment fails to meet targets. The decision has triggered…
Pentagon Sets 2027 Deadline for Europe to Lead NATO’s Conventional Defence
The United States has privately told European NATO allies that it expects them to assume the bulk of the Alliance’s conventional defence in Europe by 2027 and is prepared to step back from key planning roles if that does not…
Slovak arms deal sets €58bn framework for EU ammunition supplies
Slovak ammunition manufacturer ZVS Holding has signed a seven-year framework agreement with the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic to supply large- and medium-calibre ammunition to EU member states, with a potential value of up to €58 billion. The…
From Zelenskyy’s Flight Path to Nuclear Bases: Europe’s Failure to Stop Rogue Drones
Four unidentified drones breaching a declared no-fly zone along President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s flight path into Dublin should have been a sobering demonstration of European readiness. Instead, it exposed how little protection exists against a threat that Russia has already normalised…