Icelanders Say “Nei” to EU Talks: Why the Push to Resume Accession Failed
Iceland voted 52.8% to 47.2% against resuming EU accession talks, as rural “no” strongholds outweighed pro-EU Reykjavik despite rising Arctic tensions. The verdict comes down to fisheries, the króna, and contentment with EEA membership, and it challenges the idea that EEA integration is just a waystation to joining the EU.
Europe in a Post-Transatlantic Security Order (S&D Series 1)
Eleven analysts map how Europe is recalibrating its security and defence policy as Washington’s commitments grow more conditional: from hybrid threats and procurement to space, military AI, and the nuclear umbrella.
The EU in the Indo-Pacific: A Geopolitical Actor in Trade, a Bystander in Security
The European Union’s strong economic and regulatory influence in the Indo-Pacific is undermined by its lack of credible military power, leaving its geopolitical ambitions half-fulfilled.
Burden-Sharing or Burden-Shaping? Europe Rewrites the Rules of Rearmament
A United States committed to burden-sharing cannot simultaneously insist on burden-shaping.
Inside NATO 3.0: Where Europe Leads, and Where It Still Can’t
NATO’s own leadership calls it a new era of partnership, a stronger Europe within a stronger alliance. Europe is taking on more of NATO’s responsibilities and is assuming more authority within the alliance, however, it still depends on America for nearly everything that leadership runs on.
The AfD Won Two State Elections. What’s Next?
Despite polling success and victories in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD will find it difficult to participate in future state – and federal – governments.
Beyond Cheap Talk? The EU’s Fragmented Turn to Indo-Pacific Security
In 2025 the EU committed to more in Indo-Pacific security than ever before. It is not clear it has the means to follow through.
The EU’s Military AI Gap: Why AGILE Will Not Be Enough
With just a 90-minute notice, the US cut off its allies from the use of its most powerful AI system. Will this be a wake up call for Brussels?
Can UK-French Nuclear Cooperation Substitute for US Extended Deterrence?
Washington’s 2026 National Defence Strategy rests conspicuously silent on the future of its nuclear umbrella over Europe. Growing Anglo-French cooperation is being framed as the continent’s most plausible fallback, though its doctrinal limits mean it still falls short of a genuine substitute.
Has Christmas Arrived Early? The Commission’s Busy To-Do List
This Wednesday, the President of the European Commission took the stage to launch a new and considerably ambitious path forward for the EU.
The Procurement Mentality Undermining European Defence
Europe’s defence spending surge has a clear winner: American suppliers. National procurement decisions are undermining strategic autonomy before Brussels has finished debating it.
Europe’s Improvised Autonomy on Ransomware, Without Washington
In July 2026, the EU and Britain sanctioned Russian hackers without waiting for Washington to act first, proving that the Union can already impose costs on its adversaries. The next step is turning that proven capability into a lasting, repeatable policy.
