‘🇬🇧 should invest greater time and effort in understanding the #AUKUS narrative in 🇦🇺,’ argue @willfreer.bsky.social, our Research Fellow, and @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social#AUKUS our Associate Fellow #BritainsWorld #Memorandum

Wrote this a little while ago (February 2024) for the Lowy Institute and still think most of it stands. Delays in or the scrapping of the transfer of Virginia's to Australia would be a major blow to AUKUS, but it still looks a Trump-style deal. www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

UK Strategic Defence Review came out on Sunday. 'NATO-first' but commitment to AUKUS and GCAP. Gives AUKUS and GCAP useful label of 'international capability partnerships. www.gov.uk/government/p...

Come and join UWA DSI! We are hiring a Project and Communications Coordinator to help organise our events, distribute our research, and more! 📢📳 Apply here 👇https://external.jobs.uwa.edu.au/en/job/520091/project-and-communications-coordinator

The Liberal party has decided to distance themselves from the roughly 1.4 million Australians of Chinese background (again)

Send help '...Chris LaCivita told undercover reporters posing as prospective clients for political consulting work he was working as a private consultant on the visit to Australia, not in an official capacity or as an adviser to the US president.' www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

We are hiring a Project and Communications Coordinator! 📢💼 If you are interested in leading the digital marketing of DSI projects, coordinating events to enhance our reach, and more, you should apply below! 👇 external.jobs.uwa.edu.au/en/job/52009...

Two British MPs detained in Israel www.gov.uk/government/n...

'The partnership will combine the UK’s Modular Weapons Testbed and Australia’s SHARKTOOTH programme...This integration...will help accelerate and de-risk industry’s development of guided weapon sub-systems.' www.gov.uk/government/n...

Good quick-fire analysis. This says it all: 'The world’s most powerful and advanced economy is adopting an import taxing/import-substitution policy more commonly associated with countries at the earliest stages of industrialisation.' www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

Australian 'machine' seems a lot more on top of AUKUS given a) amount of initial work Pillar I required & b) lively public debate which at best informs govt or at worst keeps it accountable. AUKUS much less controversial & prevalent in UK. Inquiry not so much doubting as informing.

Defence Committee launches inquiry into AUKUS. Wants to know: 'How far have changes in the geopolitical situation affected the assumptions which underpinned the partnership when it was announced in 2021? Do they present a threat to the success of AUKUS?' committees.parliament.uk/committee/24...

'News outlets cannot continue falling into the trap of “sanewashing” Trump as they did in response to a rambling speech last Thursday' www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump...

Something from me for @congeostrategy.bsky.social on the bind modern British foreign and defence policy finds itself in due to the fundamental change in relationship with two of its anchors - the US and the EU

🌍 ‘Unconstrained by 🇪🇺, and already deeply engaged in the #IndoPacific as well as #EuroAtlantic there is space for 🇬🇧 to fill certain gaps 🇺🇸 is leaving,’ argues @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social#IndoPacific#EuroAtlanticour Associate fellow, in a new #Memorandum #BritainsWorld

Today, we are excited to announce the release of our latest Black Swan Strategy Paper entitled ‘Targeted Interoperability: A New Framework for Australia in South East Asia’ authored by @japarker29.bsky.social.

Interesting paper taking a deep dive into 'interoperability' and the many opportunities and challenges for Australia in SEAsia. TL;DR it must be targeted and mission-specific given the lack of structured agreements as seen in Europe.

Pretty average stuff! Heavy-handed US weighs in on Australian university sector www.afr.com/politics/fed...

i'm back baby!

What do the PLAN's live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea say about Beijing’s geopolitical intent? We asked 5 experts in today's #BigAsk ✍️ Euan Graham, @japarker29.bsky.social, Charles Parton OBE, @salisbot.bsky.social, @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social#BigAsk #BritainsWorld

Great article and I-P perspective on UK intl aid cuts. I don't suspect it will have too much impact. I-P 'tilt' was always more about hard security. Maybe time for Aus and the UK to have more frank discussion on how to achieve their (v similar) I-P goals.

'The federal government is weighing whether it should bolster foreign aid if the Trump administration moves to slash development funding across the Pacific and South-East Asia.' www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

Ursula von der Leyen is set to visit New Delhi this week. 'Maritime cooperation, in particular, is a key area of focus, with the EU keen on deploying a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram.' www.financialexpress.com/business/ind...

Sweet

The UWA Defence and Security Institute is pleased to welcome Patrick Triglavcanin to the team as Research Assistant! Patrick has a focus on Indo-Pacific geopolitics, specifically the UK's role in the region. You can find him here @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social or on X at @p_triglavcanin.

I'd say less about Trump than genuine scepticism in the UK about where the international aid goes...and of course harsh fiscal constraints in attempting to get defence spending up www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Must-read piece. Europe cannot afford to be the chorus in a Greek tragedy, wringing its hands on the edge of the stage while horrors unfold elsewhere. Ukraine’s success is a vital interest for European countries, including the UK. They need to act, not wait for Trump to harm their interests.

And I wonder, if like Xi's 'wolf warriors', time will find the strategy unproductive and see it rowed back

'The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has reportedly placed a temporary hold on issuing export licenses as of February 2025.' Think AUKUS! www.ecag.com.au/post/u-s-bur...

'[The Cook Islands] received a one-off NZ$4 million (US$2.2 million) gift from China for signing the agreement, which was not linked to any particular project.' thediplomat.com/2025/02/cook...

It seems the China 'audit' results were to act like there was never a promised 'audit' (and that Lammy never wanted to call Xinjiang a genocide) and keep muddling on! www.politico.eu/article/uk-c...

China has floated a proposal to hold a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump to help end the Ukraine war, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. www.reuters.com/world/china-...

Hmm. If brackets are possible, why can't we also have the "West Philippines" and "East Sea", Google?

Re-upping this fantastic Black Swan by @corbentom.bsky.social. The Japan-Australia defence relationship will likely become more pivotal in 2025 and beyond. Get the lowdown on how to take it to the next level here... You can download all Black Swan papers from: defenceuwa.com.au/publications...

Norway on board How much EU involvement can be hoped for? Feeds into Starmer's desired 'reset'...should be looking for support, even if just rhetorical. www.britainsworld.org.uk/p/the-memora...

Trump's USAID slash has made it easier for China to pursue climate leadership whilst remaining a 'developing' country when it comes to mitigation targets. Likely means more pressure on countries such as Australia and the UK www.observingchina.org.uk/p/will-ameri...

Mismatch approaches at the state/territory level to many policy areas may be the achilles heel of Australian policy making in general www.aspistrategist.org.au/delivering-a...

'Britain’s military and intelligence capabilities...are hefty by EU standards & respected in the Pentagon...That gives the authors of Labour policy a glimmer of hope that London could revive its old function as the mediating voice between Washington and Brussels.' www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Welcome aboard @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social great to have you joining the team for what will no doubt be a big year coming up.

Stoked to start a casual position as Research Officer down at the UWA Defence and Security Institute alongside @drtlee-brown.bsky.social and Fiona Considine. Anticipate more research into AUKUS and Indo-Pac security, making new links, and re-connecting with everyone from my time in the UK!

'Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is travelling to China with a delegation on Friday and is expected to sign the agreement in Beijing.' www.1news.co.nz/2025/02/05/c...

Trump might be in no rush, but the millions of Temu consumers might make him hurry

'...after three iterations, it is high time for the ACF to evolve into a more formal and institutionalised body under the ASEAN umbrella.' www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

Thai prime minister to visit China February 5 to 8 news.cgtn.com/news/2025-02...

One of the more outstanding elements of this current policy...the ritzy planes everyone is deported in

US sends first batch of Indian migrants back to India. Using a monumentally expensive military C-17. www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/u...

Great read, UK/UA/POL potential still undervalued. 'E3' default wont do enough; approach to RU was and arguably still is too different. Easy to forget how far ahead UK was in Feb 2022... UK/UA/POL trilateral announced on the 17th, NLAWs in Ukraine in Jan. www.britainsworld.org.uk/p/the-memora...

How can 🇬🇧 work with Trump’s 🇺🇸 to secure strategic advantage? We asked 8 experts in today’s #BigAsk ✍️ John Foreman CBE, @joshuachuminski.bsky.social, Dr Rob Johnson, David Kelly, Dan Marks, Danielle Reeder, @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social, @lindayueh.bsky.social #BritainsWorld #Trump