HSC Deputy Director Dr Rowan Allport is giving evidence to the UK House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee’s inquiry ‘The UK contribution to European Security’ on Tuesday 29 April 2025.

There is no doubt that Russian state security services are in a strong position — rebuilding quickly after a tricky few years of alleged intelligence failures at the start of the Ukraine War.

The label of an “Arms Race” is an exaggerated view on current events in the western Balkans. Croatia and Serbia both have legitimate cases to modernize and strengthen their armed forces in light of war in Europe and the desire for strengthened EU and NATO integration. It is the decision of politics to turn to historical animosity to justify the ongoing developments of both armed forces for domestic purposes.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania saw the signs that Russia was preparing its society for a large-scale war with the West, and they knew it could have occurred in their countries – but it was Ukraine who fell victim to Russia’s expansionist ambitions.

The highly militaristic nature of the North Korean-Russian alliance can escalate the tensions on the Korean peninsula, making it a global concern.

The escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah has caused a heightened and critical concern for regional stability. If Hamas is joined by Hezbollah in an all-out armed conflict with Israel, the lives lost, and damage done will multiply to unimaginable levels.

The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee has published the HSC's evidence on the implications of the war in Ukraine for UK defense. The inquiry comes as the conflict enters its third summer and Russia has intensified its offensive operations.

The House of Commons Defence Committee has published its ‘Ready for war?' report. The HSC provided evidence to the inquiry centred upon a breakdown of key capability shortfalls.

While the UN-mandated, NATO-backed, and EU-led Peace Mission EUFOR-Althea continues to maintain peace and stability, it is up to the political process to find a lasting solution to a clearly unresolved frozen conflict.

The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee has published ‘Our Friends in the North: UK Strategy Towards the Arctic’ report. The inquiry sought to identify defense and security challenges the UK faces in the Arctic region, as well as examine wider issues such as environmental changes and resource extraction, and the UK government’s response to them.