European Geostrategy (Blog)

Following the 2016 'State of the Union' speech, Sandy Johnston argues that President Juncker has not heeded any of the lessons from Brexit, especially as they relate to the migration crisis and defence policy.

The post Juncker’s Blinckers appeared first on European Geostrategy.

The NATO Summit in Warsaw was a watershed moment for the Alliance. Yet, deeds, not words, are what really count. Dominik Jankowski argues that on its road from the Summit in Warsaw to the Summit in Brussels in 2017 NATO should embrace five strategic issues.

The post The Alliance on its road from Warsaw to Brussels appeared first on European Geostrategy.

The recent NATO commitment to position troops in the Baltic states follows several years of Russian aggression, with NATO previously reluctant to make such a commitment. The move is seen as a symbolic gesture of support for the region; however, the commitment is not seen as a significant challenge to Russia’s military strength and question marks remain about whether it will act as a significant act of deterrence.

The post NATO decides to ‘troop the colours’ as symbol of deterrence in the Baltics appeared first on European Geostrategy.

The West’s response to the democratic backsliding occurring in Turkey under Erdogan (which is accelerating post-coup) should be the steadfast support of bottom-up democratisation efforts in Turkey. However, if the West decides that strategic interests in Turkey trump liberal principles, its weakening liberal international order will be hit further and hasten the arrival of a post-Western order.

The post The West, the liberal order and (post-coup) Turkey appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this ‘Standpoint’, James Rogers and Luis Simón analyse the potential consequences of the United Kingdom’s referendum to leave the European Union, arguing that the consequences might not be so dramatic as often alleged, particularly if carefully-considered political and strategic thinking is adopted in London and Brussels.

The post Brexit: Europe at a strategic crossroads? appeared first on European Geostrategy.

Against the backdrop of the recent commemorations of the Battle of the Somme, Sandy Johnston reflects on the UK's decision to leave the European Union and on the need for Britain's leaders to bring an historical perspective to bear on the plan moving forward.

The post The Somme: reflections on Europe at war and at peace appeared first on European Geostrategy.

The decentralised and democratic nature of the Western alliance has provided Russia with an opportunity to claim the informational advantage with regard to its information wars in Crimea and Syria, highlighting the urgency with which institutional transformations must be embraced.

The post Russia’s information wars in Syria and Ukraine appeared first on European Geostrategy.

As the EU prepares to launch its Global Strategy, it remains beset with internal problems. But it is the perception and attitudes of external actors which will, to a large extent, determine the success of the strategy. What do non-Europeans think of the EU’s current and future role in the world?

The post Eurocentrism and the Global Strategy: how do others perceive the EU’s role in the world? appeared first on European Geostrategy.

Against the background of Moscow’s historical ties with Syria, Joris Couvreur critically assesses Russia’s recent surprise military intervention in the conflict in Syria, especially with respect to achieving a durable peaceful settlement.

The post Disentangling the Syrian conflict: the Russian card, a game changer? appeared first on European Geostrategy.

Anti-EU rhetoric in the run-up to the UK referendum ignores the achievements and relevance of CSDP, as well as the risks of losing influence over its future direction. Sandy Johnston provides an objective UK perspective on the Policy.

The post The EU’s CSDP: an (objective) UK perspective appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks on Brussels, Sven Biscop argues that now is not the time for grand words but greater European solidarity and cooperation.

The post Staying Belgian, investing in Europe appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this final Long Post in a five-part series on defence and the EU Global Strategy, Luis Simón argues that any European strategy must not neglect the geopolitically relevant spaces in between Europe and Asia.

The post Securing the ‘middle spaces’: geography, strategy and the future of European power appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this fourth Long Post of a five-part series on defence and the EU Global Strategy, Alexander Mattelaer looks at transatlantic burden-sharing and European defence.

The post Three plus one: a military level of ambition for Europeans appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this third Long Post in a five-part series on defence and the EU Global Strategy, Daniel Keohane argues that now is as good a time as any for deeper European military cooperation.

The post The paradox of EU defence policy appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this second Long Post in a five-part series on defence and the EU Global Strategy, Bastian Giegerich looks at European military capability development and future conflict.

The post European military capabilities and future conflict appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this first Long Post of a five-part series on defence and the EU Global Strategy, Jolyon Howorth makes the case for a more realistic strategic review based on clarity and simplicity.

The post For a big picture strategic review: simplicity and realism appeared first on European Geostrategy.

As the introduction to a five-part series on what the EU Global Strategy should say on defence, this article outlines the major issues and sets the context for the EU's level of ambition.

The post European strategy, European defence and the CSDP: food for thought appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this Long Post, Ragnar Weilandt argues that it is in the West’s interest to provide far more substantial support to Tunisia in order to consolidate its democracy and make it an example for other states in the region.

The post The West and Arab democracy: time for a Marshall Plan for Tunisia? appeared first on European Geostrategy.

The ongoing migration crisis asks some interesting questions of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy, especially in light of the proposal for a 'European Border and Coast Guard'. Is the Policy set to become a 'glorified border force' or will it play a role in EU 'state-building'? Daniel Fiott takes a look at some of the issues.

The post Europe’s Richelieu moment? EU border security and the CSDP appeared first on European Geostrategy.

In this Long Post, James Rogers asks whether pro-Europeans in the United Kingdom are able to review and update their narrative, enabling them to effectively challenge the Eurosceptics’ hegemony.

The post Can the British pro-European cause be salvaged? appeared first on European Geostrategy.