EU Institute for Security Studies

EVENT | Strengthening EU-Korea cooperation We partnered with the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy to host a closed-door dialogue in Paris. Top minds from EU and Korean think tanks, industry and government discussed solutions to shared security challenges, and strategies for economic resilience.   Participants explored:   🔹 Shared 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬: in particular the interconnected military threats posed by revisionist powers like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Discussions also focused on assessing current efforts and exploring future avenues for cooperation to strengthen EU and Korean #defence industrial bases.   🔹 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: analysing the resilience of the EU and Korean economies, and proposing strategies to reinforce partner countries while ensuring fair competition. Dependence on Chinese raw materials and manufacturing was also a key concern.   📌 Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eqq4A-wN Joris Teer (刘亚伯）Ramon Pacheco Pardo

Foreign interference: how China tries to intimidate European politicians In our latest Chaillot Paper Ivana Karásková uncovers China's offline pressure tactics and online disinformation campaigns targeting European politicians. She exposes how Presidents of the Czech Parliament’s Jaroslav Kubera and Miloš Vystrčil faced different intimidation methods after planning to visit Taiwan. On top of threatening repercussions against Czech companies, China also launched an online #disinformation campaign accusing Vystrčil of corruption. This hybrid approach is a hallmark of #China’s foreign policy. It’s crucial for the EU and its Member States to recognise these tactics and develop a ‘counter-coercion toolbox’. ➡️ Discover more examples of #ForeignInterference across various sectors in our paper "𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 - 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐫𝐚": https://lnkd.in/eHdVRsgM By Nad'a Kovalcikova, PhD. Rumena Filipova, Ph.D., Bart Hogeveen, Ivana Karásková, Patryk Pawlak and Andrea Salvi, Ph.D. #FIMI

Taking the EU-India partnership to the next level   We were honoured to organise the 2024 EU-India Strategic Dialogue in Delhi this week. In collaboration with Ananta Aspen Centre and Institut Montaigne, we brought together leading European and Indian policymakers, experts and thought leaders for two days of frank discussions on the evolving global landscape, economic partnerships and geopolitical challenges. Key topics discussed: 🤝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: exploring pathways to a more strategic EU-#India relationship, including advancing the EU-India FTA and Trade and Technology Council on shared priorities. 🌐 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭: differing perspectives on security, especially around Russia’s actions in Ukraine and China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, underscored the need for deeper understanding. 📊 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: both sides emphasised the importance of supply chain diversification and the potential complements to resilience strategies, though regulatory challenges were acknowledged. 🛡️ 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 & 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: discussions covered potential collaboration on areas such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and maritime security with an eye toward strengthening bilateral coordination on regional security issues. Thanks to all participants for their contributions! #EUIndia

EU-African Union: 4 recommendations to break free from cognitive biases. Stereotyping, egocentrism & overemphasis on specific issues are contributing to misunderstandings between the partners. Rossella Marangio, Ph.D. and Frank Mattheis argue that to revitalise EU-AU relations, the focus should be on changing the partnership rather than trying to change one another. They propose 4 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 to overcome those biases and strengthen the partnership: 📌 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬: recognise cultural differences and create space for constructive disagreement, including on contentious issues such as Ukraine and Gaza. 📌 𝐃𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞: understand each other's institutional practices and procedures to avoid misunderstandings. 📌 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲: do not pick and choose where to show solidarity. Support each other's priorities, whether it is the EU seeking support for Ukraine or the AU looking to address the issue of vaccine inequality. 📌 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬: adapt to each other's decision-making processes to bridge the gap between political and technical needs. Read the analysis ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ePtH5SmX

The rise of drones From $10K tactical models to $150M high-tech systems, #drones have become essential tools in conflicts worldwide. In Ukraine, both sides are deploying thousands of drones daily, creating a widening gap between #Ukraine, Russia, and the rest of the world. This isn't just about the quantity or quality of drones, it’s about the battle for dominance between drones and the countermeasures designed to stop them. Europe needs to quickly adapt to the evolving drone landscape, both defensively and offensively, warn Jan Joel Andersson and Sascha Simon. To fully embrace the drone evolution, the EU must leverage Ukraine’s expertise and support its drone warfare efforts, while building its own drone-specific defence production capacity. 👉 Read the full analysis: https://lnkd.in/eAEMdEwU #EUdefence

Kremlin: cold mastermind or clever improviser? New Brief by Ondrej Ditrych busts the myth, revealing the Kremlin as a resourceful "bricoleur", a tinkerer devising makeshift but sometimes highly effective stratagems. Russia's military innovation or the #WagnerGroup are perfect illustrations of the regime's "bricolage" tactics, showcasing its capacity for innovation and adaptation but also shedding light on the its weaknesses. Seeing #Russia in this new light can help the EU develop more effective strategies to counter Russia’s hybrid tactics. Read more 👇

#10IdeasEU | How can the EU help #Ukraine secure victory? In a recent discussion, Giuseppe Spatafora stressed: “What Ukrainians need is massive, large-scale training to mount successful operations against Russian occupiers. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞.” At a critical time for Europe’s security, bold action is required. The insights from our latest report are not just ambitious—they’re essential. The cost of inaction is too high. Our call to action: The EU must undergo a strategic shift to effectively respond to today’s geopolitical challenges. We reject passive fatalism and present 🔟 bold ideas that will empower the EU in a world shaped by power politics. 📑 Explore the full report 👇 https://lnkd.in/eNZEiUDq

EVENT | This week, we held a closed-door seminar in #Sarajevo on 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐬. The discussions, moderated by Bojana Zorić, featured insights from key speakers such as Aurelie Valtat (EU Delegation to BiH), Constantinos Alexandris (EEAS), and Valery Perry (DPC), among others. We explored the deep-rooted challenges of radicalisation, which transcend religion and touch on ethno-nationalist and political divisions. The role of faith leaders and religious literacy in education was highlighted as pivotal to fostering tolerance and reducing societal polarisation. The need for systemic and institutional approaches to interfaith dialogue was also emphasised. Building bridges between faith-based and secular actors is essential for promoting social cohesion and addressing the complex socio-political challenges in the region. 📌 Find out more ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eRh7zDrw

🤝 The future of AU-EU cooperation lies in shared learning. In the evolving partnership between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU), there’s a crucial perspective we often overlook: Africa’s journey with regional integration—both its challenges and successes—offers valuable insights that Europe can learn from. While the EU is often seen as a provider of solutions, this relationship goes both ways. It’s about mutual growth. As Rossella Marangio, Ph.D., and Frank Mattheis explain, the AU’s experiences provide important lessons for the EU as it navigates its own complex integration process. 🔎 Interested in how this dynamic can reshape AU-EU relations? Check out our latest analysis to explore the full story ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/ehcXKQgH

Are drones the new "King of Battle"? Once primarily a counter-insurgency tool, 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫. Jan Joel Andersson & Sascha Simon explore their impact on modern warfare and how the EU should respond to their growing prominence on the battlefield. Key points to consider: ➤ Drones' impact on military operations varies greatly depending on their type and the effectiveness of countermeasures. ➤ Clear definitions and strategies are essential. ➤ European militaries lack the arsenals of armed drones and electronic countermeasures possessed by Russia and #Ukraine. ➤ The EU has a unique opportunity to bolster Ukraine's drone warfare capabilities and develop its own, by leveraging its strong industrial base, close collaboration with Ukraine, and burgeoning #EUdefence industry policy. 📌 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAEMdEwU