EU-Mauritania Pact: Strategic Partnership to Tackle Illegal Migration and Geopolitical Challenges

By Frederik Steinhauser Introduction Mauritania’s strategic location has positioned it as a key hub for migration, with a growing number of migrants in recent years. This trend reflects the well-known instability in the Sahel region, contributing to heightened insecurity and migration flows. Currently, Mauritania hosts a significant number of refugees, many of whom are attemptingContinue reading “EU-Mauritania Pact: Strategic Partnership to Tackle Illegal Migration and Geopolitical Challenges”

EU Gets Ready for a “Protracted Conflict”: Unpacking the First-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS)

By Aemi Desideri Introduction On 5 March 2024, the European Commission and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) presented the first-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS), a landmark initiative aimed at bolstering defence capabilities at the EU level. This strategy, designed to be “responsive” and “resilient” to the current challengesContinue reading “EU Gets Ready for a “Protracted Conflict”: Unpacking the First-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS)”

Red Sea Crisis: A Geopolitical EU?

By Francesco Foti Introduction The Iran-backed Houthi attack on non-Chinese and non-Russian Suez Canal-bound ship vessels has exposed the breach between the EU and the US over the approach to security in the Middle East. The Houthi disruption to ship carriers and commercial, oil, and LNG shipments, which has forced the US and UK toContinue reading “Red Sea Crisis: A Geopolitical EU?”

North Macedonia’s EU Integration and the Russo-Chinese Strategy

By Francesco Foti Introduction To counter the Euroatlantic integration process in the Western Balkans —a multiethnic and multireligious mélange— Moscow, and, albeit less evidently, China have alternatively exploited intercommunal historical grievances, irredentism, subtle infiltration through illegality, the stalemate in the EU integration process and the halted EU enlargement process. The strategies can be linked toContinue reading “North Macedonia’s EU Integration and the Russo-Chinese Strategy”

Azerbaijan, the Iranian Threat and the West Response: Realism vs Procrastination

By Francesco Foti INTRODUCTION  Strained Azerbaijani-Iranian relations to the point of mutual expulsion of diplomatic personnel and the suspension of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran following the 2023 terrorist attack are the latest regionally destabilising manoeuvres which are paired with Russian regional designs that could further frustrate the quest for strategic security and stability of bothContinue reading “Azerbaijan, the Iranian Threat and the West Response: Realism vs Procrastination”

What is behind Türkiye-Israel restored relations?

By Liz Moran In August 2022, breaking news informed of Türkiye and Israel’s fully restored diplomatic relations. The countries had first broken up their diplomatic relations in 2010, when Turkish activists tried to breach Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza strip, causing a deadly confrontation between the activists and Israeli commandos. After a year ofContinue reading What is behind Türkiye-Israel restored relations?