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Commentary

The politics of nuclear disarmament verification: How to advance nuclear disarmament

Following the UN Committee on Disarmament and International Security’s call to ascertain the views of Member States on the establishment of a Group of Scientific and Technical Experts (GSTE) on Nuclear Disarmament Verification (NDV), ELN Senior Network member Michael Biontino argues that NDV, beyond its technical aspects, is an essential political element of nuclear disarmament since it builds the trust needed for disarmament agreements. In the commentary, he outlines the various ways that NDV can advance the political processes necessary for effective disarmament.

4 December 2024 | Michael Biontino
Multilateral arms control, disarmament and non-proliferationNPT Project
Report

Strengthening parliamentary oversight of the security sector in the Western Balkans

The Western Balkans stands at a critical juncture as several states grapple with increasingly authoritarian political environments that threaten their democratic institutions and legal frameworks. In this new report, Dr Leon Hartwell provides an in-depth analysis of parliamentary oversight in seven Western Balkan states – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia – and offers actionable recommendations for these states, the EU, and NATO to address these challenges.

27 November 2024 | Dr Leon Hartwell
Commentary

Deterrence without destruction: Rethinking responses to biological threats

Scientific advances have renewed a discussion around the possibility of potentially devastating biological attacks. Eva Siegmann writes that nuclear deterrence is inadequate to deter biological threats. Instead, the threat of biological weapons should be addressed via international efforts rooted in transparency and cooperation. Leveraging the mechanisms of the Biological Weapons Convention and implementing deterrence-by-denial strategies can effectively mitigate risks.

28 November 2024 | Eva Siegmann
Emerging Disruptive Technologies and risk reduction

Networks

Our networks are at the heart of our policy impact. Reaching right across Europe they bring together established figures with emerging leaders who are all committed to better security for Europe. 

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Group statements

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Commentaries

Podcast

The Women Leaders podcast: Germany all around

As Germany enters early elections following the erosion of Olaf Scholz’s coalition, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El is joined by Tanit Koch, journalist, co-host of the Focus Briefing and former editor-in-chief of the popular BILD, for a discussion of the problems facing Germany in terms of its economic ills, political divisions, and the rise of populist extremism. 

29 November 2024 | Ilana Bet-El and Florence Ferrando
Commentary

Bluff and bluster: Why Putin revised Russia’s nuclear doctrine

Last week, President Putin approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, formally lowering the threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons. ELN Senior Policy Fellow Rishi Paul writes that these changes have been prompted by Putin’s use of nuclear weapons as tools of coercion, aiming to manipulate shared nuclear risks for intimidation and political leverage and to induce Western caution. However, Putin’s nuclear threats have not fundamentally reshaped Western policies and may underscore the limitations of nuclear coercion as a tool for shaping adversaries’ behaviour.

25 November 2024 | Rishi Paul
Multilateral arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation
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Policy briefs & reports

Report

Workshop report: The OSCE and its role in strengthening European security architecture

In July 2024, the ELN convened a group of international experts to explore the historic, current, and future role of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and its toolbox in maintaining and strengthening European security architecture. This workshop report details the participants’ discussions on the OSCE’s history, its operations in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, the role of the OSCE in conflict management and post-conflict normalisation, organisational successes and failures, and its unique status as a platform for dialogue between the West and Russia.

15 August 2024 | Maria Branea
Russia-West relations
Report

Protecting the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in turbulent times: Commentary collection

This commentary collection compiles 15 articles by 18 ELN network members and external collaborators as part of the ELN’s Protecting the Non-Proliferation Treaty project. The collection was originally published for the 2024 NPT Preparatory Committee.

31 July 2024 | Oliver Meier, Michael Biontino, Sanaa Alvira, Shizuka Kuramitsu, Olamide Samuel, Dr Irmgard Niemeyer, Maren Vieluf, Ananya Agustin Malhotra, Ward Wilson, Paul Ingram, Adam Thomson, Julia Berghofer, Alexander Kmentt, Pavel Podvig, Maximilian Hoell, Tarja Cronberg, Rishi Paul and Daniel Ajudeonu
Multilateral arms control, disarmament and non-proliferationNPT Project
Report

Technological complexity and risk reduction: A Guardrails and Self-Assessment Framework for EDTs in NC3 and nuclear weapons decision-making

Emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) are changing our lives – including in the worlds of defence and security. The ELN has been working since 2020 to understand how future nuclear crises may be affected by the intersection of multiple rapidly evolving new technologies. Building on years of work, this report presents a new Framework to help guide the safe use of EDTs in nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) systems, aiming to reduce risks and manage escalation.

19 July 2024 | Belén Bianco and Rishi Paul
Emerging Disruptive Technologies and risk reduction
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