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ELN publications feature authoritative research, high-quality analysis, diverse viewpoints and practical recommendations to address current foreign, defence, and security policy challenges.

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582 items
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Podcast

The Women Leaders podcast: Talking about a revolution

In the face of global trade wars, geopolitical realignments, weakening democracies and strengthening autocracies, wars both hybrid and kinetic, and increasingly fragile multilateralism, the world as we know it is undergoing a profound transformation. Professor Janice Stein, founder of the Munk School of Global Affairs, joins ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El in a fast-paced discussion on our age of revolution, from the US to China and Europe, and from the past to the future.

31 October 2025 | Ilana Bet-El and Florence Ferrando
ChinaDemocracyEconomyEmerging technologiesEUPodcastsRussiaUnited NationsUnited States
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
Russia-West relationsAir spaceDeterrenceEuropeNATORussia
Policy brief

Widening the ceasefire toolkit: The promise of geophysical monitoring in Ukraine and beyond

Any monitoring mission deployed to observe an end to the hostilities in Ukraine is likely to incorporate a range of remote-sensing technologies to support its verification activities. Drawing on insights from the Norwegian research institute NORSAR’s real-time monitoring of the 2022 Ukraine conflict, this policy brief by Ben D.E. Dando, Kjølv Egeland, and Sebastian Schutte, finds that scientific advances and a growing availability of relevant data have made ‘seismo-acoustic’ analysis a cost-effective means of complementing, backing up, and in some cases replacing other ceasefire monitoring technologies.

17 October 2025 | Kjølv Egeland, Ben Dando and Sebastian Schutte
OSCERussia-WestOSCERussia-West relationsArms ControlEmerging technologiesNATOOSCERisk ReductionRussia-West RelationsUkraine
Commentary

The Russian New START initiative: How can Europeans respond to a poisonous offer?

Putin’s proposal to extend the nuclear weapons treaty for a year has been met with silence from most European leaders so far. ELN Senior Policy Fellow Julia Berghofer writes that there are legitimate concerns over the sincerity of Russia’s proposal, but the West should not let go of an opportunity to leverage Russian interests. While Europeans have only a limited role to play, they must still try their best to influence the process.

15 October 2025 | Julia Berghofer
Multilateral Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-ProliferationArms ControlEuropeNuclear Arms ControlNuclear SecurityNuclear WeaponsRussiaUnited States
Commentary

Europe and the end of New START

In light of Putin’s recent offer of a voluntary, time-limited extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) obligations to the US, ELN Policy and Research Director Oliver Meier writes that US allies in Europe should seize this opportunity to help shape the outcome of deliberations about how to respond to Putin’s initiative.

8 October 2025 | Oliver Meier
NPTMultilateral Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-ProliferationNPT ProjectArms ControlEuropeNuclear Arms ControlRisk ReductionRussia-West RelationsUnited States
Commentary

Not so quiet on the Western Front: Why Russia’s Zapad exercise highlights the need for military confidence-building measures

Russia’s strategic exercise Zapad, which begins later this week, is not only about combat preparation; it is also an instrument of strategic communication. The real challenge is reading it correctly. ELN Senior Policy Fellow Alexander Graef writes that this is where confidence-and security-building measures (CSBMs) may help. They can reinforce deterrence by demonstrating capabilities to observers and clarify the difference between sabre-rattling and genuine threats, but only if all sides share an interest in stability.

9 September 2025 | Alexander Graef
Russia-West relationsBelarusCSBMsRussiaRussia-West Relations
Commentary

Network reflections: U.S.-Russia Summit

Trump and Putin are due to meet on Friday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. In light of the EU leaders’ statement of 12 August that any deal must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and involve Kyiv, we asked ELN network members what can and what should European governments do to ensure that Washington and Russia act upon those principles? How can the EU influence the outcome of the bilateral talks, sustain transatlantic unity, and prepare for different possible outcomes?

14 August 2025 | Alexandra Dienes, Nicholas Dungan, Anatoliy Grytsenko, Imants Liegis, Yauheni Preiherman and Carsten Sondergaard
Network ReflectionsDefenceDiplomacyEUEuropeForeign policyRussiaRussia-West RelationsTransatlantic relationsUnited States
Commentary

Moving beyond condemnation: European nuclear diplomacy in Africa in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Many in Europe have felt frustrated by many African states’ equivocal posture on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Daniel Ajudeonu of the YGLN writes that African neutrality on the Ukraine war reflects economic realities, notably Russia’s growing role in African nuclear energy development. He argues Europe’s influence will remain limited unless it offers competitive, transparent, and development-oriented nuclear partnerships. Strategic cooperation in financing, technology transfer, and human capital could foster African alignment with European security priorities.

12 August 2025 | Daniel Ajudeonu
NPTMultilateral Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-ProliferationNPT ProjectChinaDiplomacyEconomyEnergyEuropeForeign policyNPTNPTProjectRussiaRussia-West Relations
Podcast

The Women Leaders podcast: The South Caucasus conundrum

As the eyes of the world look to the US, Ukraine, and the Middle East, attention is distracted from rapidly changing events in the Caucasus. Traditionally Russia’s “backyard”, its full-scale invasion of Ukraine has lessened its influence in the region. Meanwhile, Armenia is in disarray following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2023, and in Georgia, the Russia-backed government is cracking down on opposition leaders. To understand these fascinating dynamics, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El is joined by YGLN member Tinatin Japaridze, Eurasia analyst at the Eurasia Group.

11 July 2025 | Ilana Bet-El, Florence Ferrando and Tinatin Japaridze
Russia-WestRussia-West relationsArmeniaBlack SeaDemocracyDiplomacyEUEuropeForeign policyGeorgiaPodcastsRussiaRussia-West RelationsSecurityTurkeyUkraine