Recent Posts

NATO’s Worst-of-Both-Worlds Approach to Ukraine

Why the German Model Won’t Solve a Problem of the Alliance’s Own Making As NATO states meet in Vilnius this week, they are confronting, yet again, the accession question: that is, whether to turn rhetoric about Ukrainian membership into reality. Ever since the coalition’s 2008 summit in Bucharest, where the …

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A Stronger NATO for a More Dangerous World

What the Alliance Must Do in Vilnius—and Beyond Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine is a turning point in history. War has returned to Europe and great-power rivalries are growing. Authoritarian regimes are coming together to challenge the global rules and institutions that underpin peace and stability. Russian President Vladimir Putin …

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Battle For Balkan Cybersecurity: Threats And Implications Of Biometrics And Digital Identity – Analysis

A surge in cyberattacks, particularly phishing and ransomware, has left Balkan countries to improve their defences against cybercrime, BIRN research shows. The Balkan region has witnessed a significant increase in internet penetration and the integration of Biometrics and Digital Identity BDI technologies into various sectors, BIRN research shows. Between 2020 …

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A French Spring amid a new Wagner Opera? Macron Pivots to BRICS as IMF Mission Creeps in Sri Lanka and India Provincializes Europe

Topped off by a curious ‘coup’ attempt in Russia, June was a fascinating month with new geopolitical economic developments, twists and turns on many fronts: As US President Biden wooed, wined and dined India’s Prime Minister Modi (who was once refused a visa to America), France’s Macron sought an invite …

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Why Azerbaijan May Find Itself a Victim of Its Own Success

Plentiful resources contribute to long-term success if channeled to the development of institutions, but Azerbaijan, like many other autocracies, is instead using them to burnish its image abroad and cement the status quo.Since the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, news out of Azerbaijan has been an unending series of announcements about achievements …

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The Death of Secret Intelligence? Think Again

While the Ukraine war has seen an explosion in the collection and distribution of open source intelligence, the work of secret intelligence agencies remains as important as ever. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the world of secret intelligence is no more. Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February …

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