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Russia-West Relations

From its beginnings in 2011, the Network has been devoted to work towards a safer Europe. Our work addresses the acute security risks, especially nuclear, in the Russia-West confrontation. Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has transformed, accelerated and intensified these risks. Through dialogue and exchange and – where possible – joint analysis of the drivers and futures of conflict, we attempt to reduce risks of miscalculation, misunderstanding, misjudgement, and accidents in relations between Russia and the West. Reducing risks of nuclear war in Europe drives our Russia-West activities. ELN staff and members contribute ideas and analysis to a number of Track Two and Track 1.5 dialogues involving participants from across wider Europe, including Russia and Ukraine, alongside participants from the US and other parts of the world. Our research is also aimed at finding sustainable long-term security arrangements in wider Europe.

Latest Publications

Commentary

Understanding Russia’s wartime economy and why it matters for Euro-Atlantic security

Russia’s ability to sustain its war in Ukraine depends on its economic base. YGLN member Sinikka Parviainen argues wartime mobilisation has enabled defence production growth despite sanctions, but deep structural weaknesses are accumulating, signalling long-term fragility. Euro-Atlantic policy should intensify targeted economic pressure while preparing for a weakened yet enduring Russian military and political threat.

20 March 2026 | Sinikka Parviainen
Managing confrontationRussia-West relations
Commentary

Greenland, the United States and Arctic security: Towards a credible and principled Transatlantic response

Trump’s decision at Davos to temper earlier calls for US “ownership” of Greenland has lowered the immediate diplomatic temperature. Yet Greenland continues to occupy a central place in US defence planning and geoeconomic strategy, and the broader Arctic remains shaped by renewed Russian military activity and expanding Chinese economic interests. The underlying strategic drivers, therefore, persist, even if the rhetoric has softened. YGLN members write that this will have consequences for Europe and beyond, requiring increased cooperation and strengthening alliance cohesion.

9 March 2026 | Federica Dall’Arche, Alexandra Filippenko, Gabriella Gricius, Henrik Larsen and Nikita Gryazin
Russia-West relations
Commentary

The AI lens of cognitive warfare: Why LLMs language bias is a security risk

In a new study testing six leading AI models, YGLN member Ihor Samokhodskyi found that the language in which users ask AI chatbots questions about Russia’s war in Ukraine affects the likelihood that answers contain disinformation or propaganda. Samokhodskyi writes that this is a cognitive warfare problem that shapes how millions of users understand contested events. Europe needs to take three policy steps to address this.

10 February 2026 | Ihor Samokhodskyi
Russia-West relations
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Latest Events

Report

Scenario building workshop report: “Europe after the war”

This report comes off the back of a two-day scenario-building workshop convened in October by the European Leadership Network and the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Istanbul. A diverse group of experts from Ukraine, Russia, and wider Europe gathered to explore the implications of several different outcomes of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Europe. Read the full report to view the scenarios, participants’ comments, and policy recommendations for European leaders.

14 February 2024
Russia-West relations