Archive: News & Articles

The European Union’s ‘Drone Wall’ initiative aims to protect the continent’s Eastern Flank against Russian drone attacks. Its implementation is following an aggressive schedule. On 9 September 2025, NATO combat aircraft took their first ever kinetic action against a Russian military threat. Between 22.30 Zulu/Z on 9 September 2025 and 05.65Z the following morning, NATO […]

If you came here looking for a simple explanation of how the current war in the Middle East began and how it is likely to end, we are sorry to disappoint you! There is never a simple explanation for a war in the Middle East and the roots of this current conflict could, if you […]

Special Edition ESD – European Security & Defence: Munich Security Conference 2026 – Analyses, Insights & Perspectives In cooperation with the MSC, Mittler Report Verlag is publishing a special edition of European Security & Defence (ESD) for this year’s conference. This special issue will make an important contribution to the debates at MSC 2026, the […]

In his second term in office, Donald J. Trump has presented himself as a global peacemaker: A slogan “Stop the wars” has become a new mantra since his inauguration in January 2025. In October 2025, President Trump claimed that he had “ended eight wars.” This article analyses the Trump administration’s approach in attempting to resolve […]

In 2025, the Western Balkans has become a key indicator of Europe’s changing security order, shaped by increased militarisation, new partnerships and increasing external influence. The impact of the war in Ukraine continues to felt across the region, exposing vulnerabilities and forcing defence modernisation. Simultaneously, rival external actors – from Türkiye to Russia and China […]

Today around 41% of US weapons and defence infrastructure is reliant on Chinese semiconductors, while 91% of Navy weapons incorporate critical minerals whose supply is reliant on Chinese industry. As America pivots to the Pacific, it faces the stark reality that its military superiority increasingly depends on China – the very country it is preparing […]

Following the 15 August 2025 Alaska meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, and the 18 August meeting in Washington between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, along with several European leaders, the prospect of a diplomatically negotiated end to the Russo-Ukrainian War is back on the agenda. Over the course of three and a half […]

As Europe marks 30 years since the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina ended, Ukraine’s ongoing conflict has brought about urgent discussions on peace, security, and integration on the continent. Ties between Ukraine and the Western Balkans have deepened rapidly, shaped by shared histories, common vulnerabilities, and a mutual goal of EU membership. High-level summits have […]

The EU’s security policy has helped maintain peace in the Western Balkans since the early 2000s, but institutional reforms remain incomplete and external actors are gaining ground. This piece examines where the EU’s efforts have succeeded, and where they have fallen short. For decades, the region of South-Eastern Europe, now more commonly referred to in […]

International law – does it matter anymore? The more cynical among us might well question the extent to which it ever truly mattered to the most powerful actors on the world stage. They may be mostly right, yet it is also true that in prior decades, the leaders of even very powerful countries often tended […]

Having been barred from showing their systems at both France’s Eurosatory defence exhibition in June 2024 and Euronaval show in October 2024 in light of Israeli military operations against Hamas in Gaza, most Israeli defence companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems, Rafael, Aeronautics and UVision, have now been frozen out of the 2025 […]

On 18 March 2025, Ministers of Defence from Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo gathered in Tirana, Albania, to sign a trilateral security and defence agreement, an initiative that, while unsurprising to seasoned regional observers, introduced a new layer to an already complex strategic environment. This agreement marked a new twist in the already complex security environment […]

While US President Donald Trump often appears to thrive in sowing discord, the current chaos at the US Department of Defense (DoD) cannot serve any decent purpose – and comes with significant strategic risk. With US President Donald Trump having announced in early April 2025 that he planned to set the 2026 US defence budget […]

The Western Balkans are at risk of becoming increasingly forgotten amidst a resurgent US policy towards Russia. As the EU frantically races to fill the growing vacuum left by an increasingly uncompromising US foreign policy on Ukraine, some in the region may choose to find their own way and return to the darker side of […]

The Middle East enters 2025 burdened with multiple conflicts and tensions, all of which are contributing to significant geopolitical shifts. It is difficult to optimistically anticipate a peaceful year ahead. Certain dates in international politics hold both symbolic and transformative significance. For instance, 1989 marked the end of the Cold War, bringing fundamental changes to […]

Emerging threats observed in the ongoing Russo–Ukrainian conflict and a series of conflicts in the Middle East from 2022 to 2024 have sparked renewed interest in armoured vehicles and their protection. Contemporary solutions include various layers of protection designed to increase the survivability of armoured vehicles against multiple threats on the battlefield. Among other measures, […]

With the re-election of US President Donald Trump, questions regarding the transatlantic relationship between the US and Europe have once again come to the forefront, including the extent to which the US needs Europe. A sober reading shows that the US has good reason to remain engaged in Europe; most notably, US security depends on […]

Marking 20 years of NATO Life Cycle Management (LCM), the 20th edition of the NATO LCM Conference will be held on 21 and 22 January 2025 in Brussels. Gathering numerous government and industry representatives, and chaired by Thomas Espelund Pedersen (Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation) and J. Bo Leimand (LEIMAND Freelance Consultancy), the conference […]

Almost three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, the rules-based order that once governed security on the European continent lies entirely in shreds. Yet, one European security organisation, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was created during the Cold War to deal with precisely the threats that the European continent is faced with […]

In late 2024, the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine or at least suspending hostilities remained unclear; however, officials from both Ukraine and its partners in the West are increasingly discussing the possibility of such a scenario. The inauguration of US president-elect Trump on 20 January 2025 is considered the starting point for the […]

Pakistan’s journey to defence-industrial self-reliance has been marked by geopolitical challenges and shifting alliances. This article traces the evolution of Pakistan’s indigenous defence industry, highlighting key milestones along its journey from reliance on foreign arms to developing indigenous nuclear and conventional weapon systems. Upon independence in August 1947, Pakistan faced a significant problem as it […]