Better firefighting: Readying Europe for an age between war and peace
Facing wars and crises, the EU can no longer rely on slow peacetime processes. It needs a plan for faster industrial and infrastructural adaptation
European Security Initiative
Featured
Defending Europe with less America
Shifting US priorities and a degrading security environment – not to mention the possibility of a second Trump presidency – mean Europeans finally have to take more responsibility for their own security
Moscow’s mind games: Ambiguity around Russia’s nukes aims to rattle Europe
Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric and missile strikes are part of a broader strategy of cognitive warfare, blending military power with psychological intimidation. His manipulative messaging aims to rattle NATO’s resolve and create uncertainty in Europe’s response
Big tech, Donald Trump, and “techno-imperialism”: How Europe can avoid becoming a digital colony
US tech giants are preparing to test the EU’s resolve, emboldened by support from the Trump administration. The EU will need to prepare itself for the inevitable clash to safeguard its democratic and technological future
Greenland with envy: How Europeans should respond to Trump’s obsession
Donald Trump is obsessed with buying Greenland. Europeans should not succumb to his bullying but demonstrate to the future US president that they can and will provide security in the Arctic
Breaking free: Why ending Russian gas transit via Ukraine strengthens EU energy security
Ukraine’s suspension of Russian gas transit through its territory is not a threat to EU energy security. However, the bloc’s member states should continue working towards their goal of becoming independent of fossil fuel supplies—including gas—from Russia by 2027
Drones in Ukraine: Four lessons for the West
From overreliance on China to the growing involvement of civilians, the extensive use of drones in the Ukraine war offers crucial lessons for future conflicts
What if Russia wins in Ukraine? We can already see the shadows of a dark 2025
Instability is growing, Putin’s hybrid war in Europe is heating up, and for fear of escalation we have encouraged global nuclear proliferation
From niche innovations to global powerhouse: An EU quantum strategy
Quantum technologies are transforming the global economic and security landscape, and the EU has much to gain. But without decisive action to address funding gaps and coordination challenges, its leadership potential may remain unrealised
Glitch in the matrix: How Europeans should respond to the Trump-Musk tech agenda
Elon Musk and Donald Trump are setting out America’s new approach to digital technology—including social media and AI. The EU must understand their motivations and work with willing partners to curb negative influence in the global digital sphere
27 Nov
The EU in the age of Digital Empires
The internet has upended the world order. The exercise of power and governance in the digital sphere has become a major source of geopolitical contestation
Between the lines: Monitoring Putin’s response to Ukraine’s long-range missiles
Ukraine has carried out its first strikes inside Russian territory with Western-made, long-range missiles; Vladimir Putin responded by launching a new type of weapon. NATO allies must now send a clear deterrence message without following Russia’s escalatory rhetoric
Publications
Better firefighting: Readying Europe for an age between war and peace
Facing wars and crises, the EU can no longer rely on slow peacetime processes. It needs a plan for faster industrial and infrastructural adaptation
Control-Alt-Deliver: A digital grand strategy for the European Union
The EU is falling behind the US and China in the digital realm. It urgently needs a new agenda combining innovation, security, and influence for an age of geopoliticised technology
Defending Europe with less America
Shifting US priorities and a degrading security environment – not to mention the possibility of a second Trump presidency – mean Europeans finally have to take more responsibility for their own security
The big engine that might: How France and Germany can build a geopolitical Europe
The EU Coalition Explorer survey reveals the importance of Germany and France within the EU, and the impact they can have when they cooperate with each other
Machine politics: Europe and the AI revolution
The EU appears to be largely uninterested in AI’s geopolitical importance, but its member states can only influence the global development of AI if they act tog
Divided at the centre: Germany, Poland, and the troubles of the Trump era
Introduction For most Europeans, it is now obvious that the foreign policy of US President Donald Trump threatens the global liberal order. Trump’s hostility towards…
Under the gun: Rearmament for arms control in Europe
Introduction During the cold war, arms control and disarmament agreements helped create a stable equilibrium between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, reducing the…
No middle ground: Moving on from the crypto wars
The ‘second crypto war’ is in full swing; European governments need to stop trying to defeat encryption and get more sophisticated themselves instead
Alone in the desert? How France can lead Europe in the Middle East
France sees the MENA region as a state for foreign policy and great power politics and an opportunity to shape global politics and punch above its weight
Keeping Europe safe after Brexit
The context Now is not the moment for either the European Union or the United Kingdom to risk allowing the political tensions around Brexit to…
Articles
Moscow’s mind games: Ambiguity around Russia’s nukes aims to rattle Europe
Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric and missile strikes are part of a broader strategy of cognitive warfare, blending military power with psychological intimidation. His manipulative messaging aims to rattle NATO’s resolve and create uncertainty in Europe’s response
Big tech, Donald Trump, and “techno-imperialism”: How Europe can avoid becoming a digital colony
US tech giants are preparing to test the EU’s resolve, emboldened by support from the Trump administration. The EU will need to prepare itself for the inevitable clash to safeguard its democratic and technological future
Greenland with envy: How Europeans should respond to Trump’s obsession
Donald Trump is obsessed with buying Greenland. Europeans should not succumb to his bullying but demonstrate to the future US president that they can and will provide security in the Arctic
Breaking free: Why ending Russian gas transit via Ukraine strengthens EU energy security
Ukraine’s suspension of Russian gas transit through its territory is not a threat to EU energy security. However, the bloc’s member states should continue working towards their goal of becoming independent of fossil fuel supplies—including gas—from Russia by 2027
Drones in Ukraine: Four lessons for the West
From overreliance on China to the growing involvement of civilians, the extensive use of drones in the Ukraine war offers crucial lessons for future conflicts
What if Russia wins in Ukraine? We can already see the shadows of a dark 2025
Instability is growing, Putin’s hybrid war in Europe is heating up, and for fear of escalation we have encouraged global nuclear proliferation
From niche innovations to global powerhouse: An EU quantum strategy
Quantum technologies are transforming the global economic and security landscape, and the EU has much to gain. But without decisive action to address funding gaps and coordination challenges, its leadership potential may remain unrealised
Glitch in the matrix: How Europeans should respond to the Trump-Musk tech agenda
Elon Musk and Donald Trump are setting out America’s new approach to digital technology—including social media and AI. The EU must understand their motivations and work with willing partners to curb negative influence in the global digital sphere
Between the lines: Monitoring Putin’s response to Ukraine’s long-range missiles
Ukraine has carried out its first strikes inside Russian territory with Western-made, long-range missiles; Vladimir Putin responded by launching a new type of weapon. NATO allies must now send a clear deterrence message without following Russia’s escalatory rhetoric
Der Untergang: As Trump returns, Putin will reap the rewards of Europe’s inaction on Ukraine
Reducing military assistance to Ukraine will put the country in such a precarious and unpredictable situation that Moscow will have even fewer incentives to come to the table
Specials
Eyes tight shut: European attitudes towards nuclear deterrence
Europeans remain unwilling to renew their thinking on nuclear deterrence, despite growing strategic instability. Their stated goal of “strategic autonomy” will remain an empty phrase until they engage seriously on this matter
The nightmare of the dark: The security fears that keep Europeans awake at night
Great power competition is increasingly shaping Europeans’ security environment, while other security threats are also on the rise, from terrorism and cyber attacks to climate change
Podcasts
Russia, Ukraine, and Europe’s war economy
Mark Leonard welcomes Jana Kobsova and Nicu Popescu to discuss Russia, Ukraine, and the EU’s changing response to the conflict
NATO at 75: The future of European defence
Vessela Tcherneva welcomes Camille Grand, Camille Lons, Marta Prochwicz Jazowska, and Jana Puglierin to discuss the 75th NATO summit, and how Europe can defend itself with less America
The Great Firewall: How China regulates big tech
Mark Leonard welcomes Angela Zhang to discuss China’s Big Tech regulation
Algorithmic agendas: The globalisation of political technology
Mark Leonard welcomes Andrew Wilson to discuss political technology and the globalisation of political manipulation
The role of international law and justice in a fragmented world
Mark Leonard welcomes Anthony Dworkin to discuss the role of international law and justice in an increasingly fragmented world
Under fire: Unpacking Germany’s defence policy drama
Mark Leonard welcomes Ulrike Franke and Jana Puglierin to discuss the recent turmoil surrounding Germany’s defence policy
How Europe can prepare for America’s withdrawal
At the Munich Security Conference, Mark Leonard welcomes Arancha González Laya, Camille Grand and Jana Puglierin to understand how Europeans can prepare for a second Trump presidency
A new defence strategy for Europe
Mark Leonard welcomes Camille Grand to discuss the future of European defence
NATO’s Vilnius summit: The highlights and the future challenges
Mark Leonard is joined by Alex Stubb, Lykke Friis, and Camille Grand, to discuss the outcomes of the NATO summit in Vilnius.
European defence reloaded
What are the biggest challenges in building greater European sovereignty in defence? And how will this effort be funded?
Events
27 Nov
The EU in the age of Digital Empires
The internet has upended the world order. The exercise of power and governance in the digital sphere has become a major source of geopolitical contestation
20 Nov
Navigating EU’s Technological Dilemmas: Embracing the case for a European Digital Grand Strategy
In an increasingly tech-driven world, Europe wants to impose its voice among the global leaders in the field. To secure a technological influence, much work…
9 Jul
Still standing together: A NATO summit on Ukraine’s fate
As leaders are about to take pivotal decisions for Ukraine’s fate at the NATO summit, join us for a discussion about pathways and policy options for…
8 Jul
The Morning After: Analysing the Results of the French Election
As France discovers the new making of its national assembly, this webinar will analyse the election results and reflect on their impact on a geopolitical…
27 Jun
75 anni di NATO e Italia: stato dell’arte e sfide future
In occasione del 75esimo anniversario della NATO, la conferenza farà il punto sia sulla NATO nel contesto attuale e futuro, sia soprattutto sul ruolo dell’Italia nell’alleanza atlantica e il rapporto tra quest’ultima e gli interessi nazionali
3 Jun
Disinformation storm. Managing the unmanageable?
The Russian large-scale invasion of Ukraine has opened many European pandora boxes. Among them, energy and economic dependence from Russia; EU’s reaction time to Putin’s aggression; European disunity; the military and defense question; Europe’s fragility in the technological competition. Last, but not least, Europe’s exposure to external actors’ influence, with consequences on the information space and the “Open Internet” era, undermined like never before by disinformation
13 May
Sicherheit im Baltikum: Welche Rolle spielt die Brigade Litauen?
Am 8. April 2024 brach das 21-köpfige Vorkommando der Brigade Litauen nach Vilnius auf. Die Bundeswehrangehörigen werden in den nächsten Wochen und Monaten die erste…
8 May
Rome Foreign Policy Club, Terza Edizione – Road to November 2024: prospettive e scenari globali delle elezioni americane
Nella sua edizione 2024, il Rome Foreign Policy Club riunisce giovani ricercatori italiani under 40 per costruire ipotesi di scenario che possano supportare la definizione di policy da parte del Ministero per gli Affari Esteri e la Cooperazione Internazionale. L’evento più significativo per l’anno in corso è indubbiamente rappresentato dalle elezioni americane di novembre il cui esito avrà enormi implicazioni su due aspetti cruciali del contesto internazionale: i rapporti con Cina e Sud Globale e le relazioni con Mosca alla luce del conflitto in Ucraina
10 Apr
Tech Summit, 3rd Edition – The rising technological influence in the next multipolar world
Following the success of the 2022 and 2023 editions, the 2024 Tech Summit will continue to foster dialogue on EU’s role in technological competition and the needed actions in a multilateral context in relation to technology, defence and security
12 Mar
BERLIN-MADRID-PARIS-ROME Quadrilateral Dialogue – Europe in the post-US elections scenario
Building on the success and results of the 2023 Project “France-Italy-Germany Trilateral Dialogue: in Pursuit of a common agenda”, the 2024 Quadrilateral Project will continue to promote intra-European dialogue between capitals, extending last year’s trilateral format to Spain
In the media
The most important thing for Europeans is to be able to display both unity and clarity–unity in the face of the US administration and Ukraine, and clarity in being crystal clear on what it stands for
Camille Grand on European defence after the European Council’s first ever informal gathering
The U.S. and Europeans are struggling to keep up
Rafael Loss on the rapid innovation cycles for both drones and counter-drone technologies in the Ukraine war
Vessela Tcherneva emphasizes the need to redefine European security and believes that 3% of GDP for defense is a realistic goal for NATO member states