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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The critical interplay between cybersecurity and outer-space security

Outer space has become a critical asset for the modern state. Satellites in outer space are crucial for life on earth: We are dependent on satellites to support everything from vital supply chains, emergency communications and military operations to weather forecasting, financial markets, navigation and electrical power …

The dispute between Kosovo and Serbia calls for more active European diplomacy

The tenth anniversary of the 2013 Brussels Agreement, one of the triumphs of European diplomacy, should have been celebrated with considerable fanfare. Instead, tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have chiseled away at many of the achievements of the past decade, diluting what hope …

The next round of cyberattacks might come from a discussion about knitting

If reading articles about cybersecurity has become a little tiresome, it’s because its curse has been deep and persistent. Our information technologies, particularly public-facing ones, are innately permeable and reprogrammable from afar. That’s what makes them so powerful, and also so vulnerable, whether …

Misguided external engagement in Somalia and South Sudan show it’s time to rethink political interventions

After repeated delays and massive wrangling among politicians and their supporters, Somalia finally held its parliamentary and presidential elections in May 2022. Elections in South Sudan, initially planned for 2015, have been repeatedly postponed, with the current date set for …

For us, Theo Sommer was always Ted.

The invitation to call him Ted was both a sign of familiarity and an expression of generosity, magnanimity and the absence of any kind of conceit on his part. People who had the pleasure of working with him never found themselves speaking to Herr Sommer, that towering figure …

NATO and the EU can rely on Germany

For more than a decade, the strategic focus of global politics has been shifting steadily toward Asia. And yet, today, at the Munich Security Conference, the emphasis is once again on Europe. After Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which was carried out in violation of international law, and …

The West V. Russia.

“The question of war and peace has returned to the European continent,” said then-Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in 2015. Less than one year earlier, Russia had invaded and annexed Crimea in a cloak-and-dagger operation. What followed was international condemnation and a period of intense shuttle …

There’s no question that the Munich Security Conference (MSC) is being held this year in a perilous international political environment. We hope that all participants can take full advantage of the opportunity for intensive discussion, debate and negotiation. This is what matters, now more than ever.

As delighted as I am to greet the large …

In an interview with The Security Times, Sigmar Gabriel discusses Germany’s complicated relationship to the US, to Russia and to the states of Eastern Europe.

The Security Times: What role does the German-American partnership still play in 2022? Is Berlin still a reliable ally of Washington? And vice versa?

 In light of the near-tectonic …

The blow-by-blow of Europeʼs ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

1. The current crisis in Russia-West relations is not primarily about Ukraine, but essentially about the architecture of European security. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s current goal is not to take over Ukraine or wrestle it back to the Russian sphere of influence. Rather, it is to replace …