“We are crazy! Literally”. Fo-shure. youtu.be/CA3NFk705Jo?...

“If Europe rises to this moment, if it truly embraces primary responsibility for its own defense, then the Alliance will emerge stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the challenges ahead” great speech by USWP Colby www.war.gov/News/Speeche...

We are hiring! Join us!

In 2025, CSDS emerged as a key location within the Euro-Atlantic’s analytical ecosystem, generating policy-relevant analysis and deepening strategic thought in academia and policy. Thanks to our sponsors and partners for making this possible! Read our 2025 Annual Report csds.vub.be/csds-annual-...

I’m thinking about the symbolism behind the choice of venue for tomorrow’s summit on competitiveness at Alden Biesen castle… especially the German, French and Flemish dimensions of the castle’s history 😊 www.alden-biesen.be/en/geschiede...

A big thank you to @hcss.bsky.social for bringing us together to discuss resilience and preparedness in the area of military mobility! A great discussion and pleasure to join Read our report: hcss.nl/wp-content/u...

Good to see! The @consilium.europa.eu Think Tank Review for Feb 2026 is out and 10 @rielcano.bsky.social papers are listed. Well done to all my colleagues that are listed!   The list: www.consilium.europa.eu/en/documents...

I will be speaking at this event on Thursday on “Ukraine, Europe and the EU’s Response to Russian Aggression” at the VUB. 🇪🇺🇺🇦 Looking forward to the keynote speech by Ambassador Chentsov Vsevolod. More info here: www.vub.be/en/event/ukr...

“the United States will prioritize arms sales and transfers to partners that have invested in their own self-defense and capabilities, have a critical role or geography in United States plans and operations, or contribute to our economic security” www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Whenever anyone uses the terms, “they are Machiavellian” or an “éminence grise”, the person in question usually wouldn’t be worthy of tying the shoe laces of Machiavelli or Richelieu. As we are finding out…

Today, I moderated a panel on AI, resilience and critical infrastructure. We need to do more in Europe to handle data better and to share it securely across public and private actors. Firms leading the way, but regulation on tech can help. Reducing data fragmentation also key!

I’m at the AI in Defence Summit 2026… a quote from the panel… “France too proud to buy from Germany, Germany too proud to buy from France, Europeans too proud to buy from each other and everyone is too proud to buy from Ukraine. It’s ridiculous!” #NoComment

Before I sign off for the weekend, I wanted to share with you my idea for a new EDF project not in any way inspired by the French President’s recent eyewear. 😎 #FoShure

🇪🇺 European Defence Projects of Common Interest: from concept to practice By @stevenblockmans.bsky.social and @danielfiott.bsky.social – @ep-eprs.bsky.social www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en...

Planning. Money. Courage. Cooperation. Ambition. Glad to be at the European Defence Agency Annual Conference! #EUdefence #EDAConf

I must say, really well done to EU diplomacy. A big thumbs up on the tone, symbolism and results. And India were wonderful hosts, a really important partner. A very successful trip! #EUIndia

To those that fund, organise and prepare the digitalisation of archives, especially those hidden in Europe’s parishes, communes, national administrations, I salute you. That is God’s work indeed.

📣 2nd Issue Call! We are accepting papers for the second edition of the European Defence & Security Law & Policy Quarterly (EDSeQ). Through the Journal, we aim to analyse profound structural changes in European defence. Send us your research now! www.lexxion.eu/wp-content/u...

Please see this new commentary by Sandra Mezzadri for @aresgroup-eu.bsky.social on “Building a European Geospatial Intelligence Capability” 📡 🇪🇺 It’s a really excellent and timely read. Read here: www.iris-france.org/en/building-...

Join me in Brussels on 2 February for the “AI in Defence Summit 2026”, where I’ll be moderating a panel on “AI for Critical Infrastructure Resilience & Security”. It’s going to be a blast! Full details for registration 👇🏻 aidefencesummit.eu #AI #Defence

❗Get prepared for a more hostile world❗ Sign up today for our executive course, #Brussels360! From 3-5 June 2026, you will be immersed in discussions and learning opportunities on Europe, geopolitics, defence, technology and trade with leading thinkers. More details csds.vub.be/executive-co...

❗New Analysis❗ "European Defence Projects of Common Interest: From Concept to Practice" By Steven Blockmans and Daniel Fiott, for the European Parliament Read csds.vub.be/publication/... @stevenblockmans.bsky.social @danielfiott.bsky.social @europarl.europa.eu #EDPCIs

❗New Podcast❗ Join Lea Pavlovic and Daniel Fiott for reflections on the 2025 European Defence & Security Conference, as well as Europe’s role as a defence actor! Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6BdY... Amazon Music: music.amazon.es/podcasts/866... Deezer: www.deezer.com/en/show/1000...

So happy to have joined Lea Pavlovic for this wide-ranging debate on European defence! It is always great cooperating with the European Defence and Security Conference. Thanks for having me and do give it a listen! open.spotify.com/episode/6BdY...

Really pleased to share my latest analysis, with the excellent Steven Blockmans, on EDPCIs for the @europarl.europa.eu. We look at the what, how and why of EU common defence projects. Timely, we think. Read here: www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etud... @stevenblockmans.bsky.social

Collaborative European defence cooperation, anyone?

Back in October, I was extremely pleased to participate in an @aresgroup-eu.bsky.social seminar on “Funding European Defence: What Role and Instruments for the EU?”. Now our brilliant colleagues have released a report with the main findings - great! See here: www.iris-france.org/en/funding-e...

Now Pope Pius XIII wants Greenland back… youtube.com/shorts/LOyY8...

Three great @rielcano.bsky.social papers have made it into the January edition of the @consilium.europa.eu Think Tank Review! Well done to all of my colleagues! Read the list www.consilium.europa.eu/en/documents...

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Ooofffa! PM Mark Carney gets it… www.youtube.com/live/uStuQ-T...

Imagine Kissinger was still among us… I wonder what he would have made of the Greenland affair.

“Board of Peace” “Bored of Peace”

“This is the hour of Europe, because of America?”

There is nothing shocking about these new tariffs. Many of us said they would be used again after Turnberry. We were told it made good economic sense to accept them.

Europe can do anything it wants. If it wants to. That is the truth.

Our first policy brief of 2026! A great read on Venezuela, China and America’s alliances.

“Europe has never been so _____, so ______, nor so ______”. Another paper… www.euractiv.com/news/von-der...

I am a humble man. I was thinking today about the past and the exchanges I’ve had with EU officials where I (and I suspect other analysts) were laughed at: Me… 1) Russia will invade Ukraine 😆 2) Heavily beef up Arctic military 😆 3) Plan seriously for Art 42.7 TEU 😆 🤷🏻‍♂️

Please, dear followers. Do not direct message me on BlueSky, as I never read messages here. If it is urgent, do send me an email. Thanks.

If the United States under President Trump does manage to seize Greenland, would a future democrat president hand it back to Denmark?

Make Europe Great Again!

Pleased to have provided comments for this piece for The Arsenal Europe. “Solving Europe’s air superiority deficiencies” www.arsenal.eu/p/eur-solvin...

Europe might be suffering from Stockholm syndrome.

I’ve heard the idea floated that the EU could cut US tech out of Europe if America seizes Greenland. Has anyone really thought that through? Do they mean closing X/Meta or is it about stripping out US tech from military systems, autos, etc. Good luck! Dependency means just that!

In the framing of Robert Cooper, the “modern world” is trying (successfully, so far) to destroy the “post-modern world”.

Are we so certain the seizure of Greenland would be the “end of NATO”? It would be very ugly, yes, but I can also see Europeans adjusting. The US knows that Europe has a dependence on / addiction to American power. A painful reality but one born of Europe’s military weakness.

The truth of the matter is that it was never NATO that was “brain dead”. It was Europe. We have been in a coma for decades.

E.H. Carr on international law in the Twenty Years’ Crisis.