Europe

An HSC Senior Fellow, Dr Rowan Allport, has had a comment piece published by DefenseOne. In it, he provides an overview of the HSC's recently published report 'Fire and Ice: A New Maritime Strategy for NATO's Northern Flank'.

When it comes to the Western Balkan countries, the essentials from the point of view of the European Union seem to have become having a West-oriented government, and not declaring war against one of their neighbours. Every step forward is rewarded with a distant promise, and every step back is reacted to with a vague warning.

The Human Security Centre (HSC) has today published ‘Fire and Ice - A New Maritime Strategy for NATO's Northern Flank’. The paper discusses the current challenge posed by Russia, and the options NATO has for countering it in the Atlantic and northern realms.

Bosnia's October election cast a light on all of the country's weaknesses, dysfunctions and inefficiencies. The political system seems fixed in a form that only benefits its elite, and Bosnia-Herzegovina is moving sideways rather than with a look towards the future.

In the past two years in particular, Romanians have seen what their taking to the streets can achieve. It is time, however, that the mobilisation that has been so successful in bringing temporary changes about goes further, and aims for something more permanent.

Nobody disputes that security co-operation should continue between the UK and EU after Brexit. Instead, the questions revolve around just what form security co-operation takes – specifically, how it will deviate from current arrangements.

The House of Commons Defence Sub-committee has published ‘On Thin Ice: UK Defence in the Arctic’, which outlines the conclusions of its inquiry into defence in the Arctic.

President Trump's outspoken antipathy towards NATO over the last few weeks does not constitute a shift in his attitude towards the organisation. Consequently, his statements may be better interpreted as an attempt to distract from other issues, rather than as a warning signal.

Dr Rowan Allport, an HSC Senior Fellow, has had a commentary piece examining the future of the British Army in Europe published in the Defense Post.

With the immigration and Russia policies of the Conte government, it is clear Italy is now led by figures wanting to break from the conventional foreign, security and defence policies commonly agreed upon by Western leaders – with the exception of Trump – over the last few years.