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Matus Halas

Senior researcher and Head of the Centre for European Politics at the Institute of International Relations in Prague

Matus Halas is a senior researcher and Head of the Centre for European Politics at the Institute of International Relations in Prague. Previously, he taught strategy at the Baltic Defence College in Estonia and conducted research at the National War College in Washington and École de guerre in Paris. His work focuses on strategy, deterrence theory, and NATO. His book Strategy Dynamics: Changing Course in Open Societies has been recently published by the Oxford University Press.

Content by Matus Halas

Commentary

Violations of NATO airspace: How to restore deterrence

The recent violations of Allied airspace represent an unprecedented escalation of tensions between NATO and Russia. Matus Halas writes that NATO must try to protect its airspace against unauthorised activities, but the inconsistency of approach within NATO makes deterrence harder. While different incursions must be treated differently, there needs to be consistency both over time and across member states.

22 October 2025 | Matus Halas