French perspectives on Russia’s war in Ukraine

The first weekend after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a turbulent one in Europe. Some 100,000 demonstrators gathered in Berlin, 80,000 in Prague; German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of a Zeitenwende, a historical watershed; a truck carrying altar bread rammed into the Russian embassy in Dublin. A long-held world view was shattered.

All over Europe? Well, not all over Europe. In France, the …

Sustainable security is found not in isolation, but in cooperation

As I prepare to return to Munich almost a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I know that much of what we will discuss at this year’s Security Conference will revolve around how the foundations of the rules-based European security order have been shaken by this awful war.

We will talk about how to bring an end to the …

How to tackle the security threats inherent to the climate crisis, and the climate threats inherent to security crises

With multiple crises requiring the attention of decision-makers, the climate crisis could soon spin out of control, with no adequate responses in sight. The security sector – from civilian crisis prevention to traditional defense – has an important role to play in addressing the double challenge of managing the security threats …

Underwater infrastructure is the West’s next great security risk

Europe is increasingly in danger of being caught between fronts. Russia and China are pursuing their confrontational power politics ever more aggressively, not only using Europe’s continued demands for energy, critical raw materials and rare earths as leverage, but also attempting to gain control over data flows and communication channels.

Access to data and the ability to protect its integrity are …

Israel is experiencing a seismic shift – or maybe just more of the same

Having assumed office at the end of 2022 for his sixth term, Benjamin Netanyahu is back as Israel’s prime minister. But this time he has the backing of a solid parliamentary majority and Israel’s most right-wing government. His Likud party’s coalition with Israel’s ultra-orthodox and extreme-right parties has triggered alarm bells in Israel and beyond, with …

As fears of nuclear war increase, it’s worth looking at the Cuban Missile Crisis for historical insight

In the contemporary discourse on Putin’s war in Ukraine, experts have drawn comparisons to what they consider comparable historical events. At the same time, however, a number of key historical incidents have been disregarded. For example, there is a passionate argument currently underway about whether the events of February 2022 are more like …

Moscow has practically abolished freedom of the press, but voices of opposition continue to broadcast from exile

So this is how it is, Russia today. A glimpse into Putin’s brave new world. Take, for example, the New Year’s Eve gala featured on Russian state TV. These kinds of events are always loud and colorful, a gaudy blend of patriotism and sentimentality. But this one had a particular quality to it. …

Afghan women have been forced to adapt to fluctuating, male-dictated dress codes for over 100 years

I’ve always been fascinated by the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky. One line, in particular, has stayed with me for years. In his novel Poor Folk, he says something to the effect of: “The degree of man’s freedom is directly related to his spiritual greatness.” I would like to slightly modify this weighty sentence and …

A call for a broader – and more grown-up – definition of corruption

Twenty-five years after the birth of the global anti-corruption movement, it’s time to grow up. While the community nourishing the movement may be mature, the underlying framework for understanding corruption is not, and its immaturity is fostering global security risks.

The modern movement arguably began with a historic speech in 1996, in which World Bank President James …

A chance for the international community to practice its preaching

The international community has a brief but historic opportunity to support a watershed change in Haiti that would restore democratic, rules-based governance. The opportunity stems from two recent failures: of Haiti’s corrupt, repressive government, which now lacks a single elected official, and of efforts by powerful international community actors to prop up the government through military intervention. The window of …