I won‘t post all reviews of my new book on the multi-polarisation of the world. But here is an early and very substantive one, in German (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 23 Feb 2026):

„Der Essay schärft den Blick, ohne Heilsversprechen zu machen – und genau darin liegt sein Wert.“ Die Süddeutsche über das Buch von @perthes.bsky.social @suhrkamp.de www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/geop...

Review in English on the Multipolarisation of the World: “Rather than forecasting catastrophe, he [Perthes] focuses on how multipolarity actually works … shifts incentives, reshapes alliances, and makes outcomes messier but not necessarily more random.” www.new-books-in-german.com/recommendati...

„Live“ in Berlin: 26 February 2026 www.urania.de/event/die-mu...

To bring Sudan’s warring parties to the negotiating table, foreign powers must apply enough pressure to “change the militaries’ calculations,” writes @perthes.bsky.social.

Unfortunately, the likelihood of the war in Sudan ending soon is low. But there could be an opening for a temporary ceasefire. www.foreignaffairs.com/sudan/how-wa...

Always fun to unpack the first copies of a new book …

Longer interview in Internationale Politik (in German). We speak about Greenland (the interview was recorded before the latest tariff threats from President Trump), about Sudan, Iran, the EU, and international law. internationalepolitik.de/de/europa-mu...

Iraqi-Kurdisch outlet GulanMedia interviewed me on global and regional order. Among my (certainly debatable) points: Kurdistan Regional Government could play a more constructive role in Iraq. Institutionalised decentralisation could strenghten Syria, not weaken it. www.gulanmedia.com/en/story/353...

Om this day last year, 8 Dec 2024, the house of Asad fell like a house of cards. Congratulations to the Syrian people! Today, challenges abound, but so do opportunities. My argument, in this @foreignaffairs.com article, is still valid: www.foreignaffairs.com/syria/dont-l...

This is an almost correct account of a rather deep discussion in Athens, 4 Dec 2025, organized by Delphi Economic Forum, ToVima, and The Council on Greece in Global Affairs. Some details of what I and others said were apparently lost or misunderstood in translation. www.tovima.com/politics/ath...

Um den Krieg im Sudan zu beenden, müssen die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate und Ägypten ihre Unterstützung einstellen, sagt @perthes.bsky.social im Dlf-Interview. Er glaubt nicht an ein schnelles Ende des Krieges. www.deutschlandfunk.de/interview-mi...

We have a new #InIIS_InSIGHTS episode out, this time with Volker Perthes (@perthes.bsky.social) on recent #military developments in the civil #war in #Sudan, the rebel occupation of and massacres in Al-Fasher, the role of #diplomacy & his own #UN experiences. www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3f9...

Longer article on the “ignored war” in Sudan in Süddeutsche Zeitung (22.11.2025): the meaning of RSF conquering al-Fashir; the “military component”, their war, and their backers; the RSF narrative and its historical background; and what it needs to end the war. www.sueddeutsche.de/leben/geschi...

»Bislang und in absoluten Zahlen hat er die größte humanitäre Katastrophe des 21. Jahrhunderts ausgelöst.« Ein Gastbeitrag von @perthes.bsky.social über den Krieg im Sudan (Paywall): www.sueddeutsche.de/leben/geschi...

Radio interview on Sudan this morning n Germany‘s „Deutschlandfunk“. Fighting will not stop as long as the RSF (as well as the Army) receive enough material support from outside to continue their war. www.deutschlandfunk.de/gibt-es-ausw...

Today‘s interview on Sudan in Germany‘s Süddeutsche Zeitung. One side is a murderous militia. The other expels the head of the World Food Program in Sudan when aid is more needed than anytime. This, and why the international community is not there, and who helps, and what needs to be done …

We need to see the challenges of the Gaza ceasefire and ”peace plan”, but make it work nonetheless. Don’t expect everybody just being compliant and cooperative after two years of war. My interview in Aargauer Zeitung and some other Swiss papers:

Thanks to stars - for Leaders of the Next Generation for inviting me to a quick half hour on international challenges and uncertainties. www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_bp...

Syria holds indirect parliamentary elections this week. Despite a lot of domestic and external challenges, the country has a real chance to stabilize and take off again. Longer interview in Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau: www.fr.de/politik/expe...

Radio Interview (in German) on the political and geopolitical nature of Israel’s cabinet decision to build the “E1” settlement in the West Bank: www.ardaudiothek.de/episode/urn:...

Rather unusual article in Germany’s main tabloid on hunger in Sudan. And some quotes from me on the human-made nature of the hunger catastrophe, hunger as a weapon, and the rather symbolic nature of airdrops (in Sudan as well as Gaza). www.bild.de/politik/ausl...

Here is a rather long interview (print and video) I gave to Al Majalla on Sudan as well as on developments in the Middle East. It was recorded before the so-called “12 days war” between Israel and Iran, but only published on 12 July. en.majalla.com/node/326421/...

Was macht gute wissenschaftliche Beratung für die Außenpolitik aus? Talkshowauftritte sicher nicht, Unabhängigkeit und Relevanz schon. Und dass Politik den Rat erhält, den sie braucht, nicht den, den sie sich wünscht. Mein Essay in internationalepolitik.de internationalepolitik.de/de/wegweiser...

Virtual, imagined reality now shaping real politics more than physical reality. It’s no longer important whether Iran’s nuclear program was “totally obliterated” or just “set back” for a few months. We don’t know. But as long as all agree it is “severely damaged”, all can maintain the ceasefire.

Some thoughts on Iran, the forgetfulness of policy-makers who phantasize about regime change, and the advantages of diplomacy. In a German-language interview with IPG Journal: www.ipg-journal.de/interviews/a...

It seems we find ourselves in a spiral of insanity. Of course further escalation between Iran, Israel and the US can still be stopped. This would need a heroic decision from Iran not to seek retaliation, and from Washington to call it a victory and move to diplomacy again.

Some thoughts on the current war between Israel and Iran. And why there would be a good opportunity to end it today. On my ⁦‪@LinkedIn‬⁩ account:

Interview with DLF-Kultur (in German, from minute 4.50) on Israel’s attack on Iran and Iran’s reaction. Israel attacked because it could: because Iran is weak & to prevent a US-Iran deal. Not a “pre-emptive” strike. No need for any side to escalate. www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/nach-angriff...

When Germany's Chancellor criticizes Israel publicly and its Commissioner for fighting antisemitism (rightly) says: "starving the Palestinians ... has nothing to do with safeguarding Israel’s right to exist", Israel's government has definitely driven its country into isolation. EU more aligned now.

Good that the EU eventually decided to lift economic sanctions on #Syria. Could have been done months earlier. It is a shame that the EU only followed the Trump administration rather than going ahead. This is about the EU’s neighborhood, and its strategic autonomy.

Pleasure to participate in Delphi Slemani (Sulaymaniyah) Forum and speak on Iraq in a changing geopolitical environment. The meeting certainly helped to bring Iraqi Kurdistan on the map of (mainly) Greek and European businesspeople. Also brought thinkers and doers across regions together.

“Teach them love”: Mural from Sulaimani, Kurdistan Iraq.

Concern that Germany's new government is weakened because Merz needed a second round of voting were clearly overblown. It’s a democratic parliament; it was an election, not a rubber stamp vote. New government will be as strong as it wants to be: they have an agenda, they need to pursue it together.

Glückwunsch an Katherina Reiche, die gerade als Wirtschaftsministerin nominiert worden ist. Hier ist ein Artikel, den wir vor 15 Jahren zu einer effizienz- und nachhaltigkeitsorientierten Rohstoffstrategie veröffentlicht haben (FAZ, 20.20.2010). Er ließe sich - fast - so wieder veröffentlichen.

European Strategic Autonomy: mission impossible? No, but we need to define it realistically. And we need to plan and act European. Very useful discussion at the Delphi Forum, including myself, @kajsaollongren.bsky.social, Nik Gowing as moderator. Video now online. www.youtube.com/watch?v=arZQ...

Video recording of our discussion on #Syria and the #MidEast at the Delphi Forum, 11 April 2025. With Anja Wehler-Schoeck as moderator, Greece’s national security advisor Thonos Dokos, Lina Khatib from Chatham House and myself. youtu.be/fEhFRhM1_vI?fe…

In #Darfur, the Rapid Support Forces have overrun & occupied ZamZam IDP camp after laying siege on it for months, causing malnutrition and famine. In this article, we analyse the causes of hunger in #Sudan, and lay out what needs to be done to end the war. www.welthungerhilfe.org/global-food-...

Huger and malnutrition in Sudan are not a natural disaster. They are man-made, the result of two years of war. In this article, Wibke Hansen and I lay out the political background to the catastrophe, and what needs to happen to end the war. www.welthungerhilfe.org/global-food-...

The “indirect meeting“ in Oman that has been announced between an Iranian and a US delegation under the lead of foreign minister Abbas @araghchi and US envoy @SteveWitkoff may be a misnomer, but it could be productive. Both are known for getting things done. Both administrations need a success.

Here is an interview on BBC (minutes 3.30 to 8.30) on the military and political significance of the Army retaking the presidential palace in Khartoum. Also discussing the background to this military success, and the policies of SAF’s and RSF’s regional backers. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

2 clips from an interview to German TV in a piece on the Sudanese Army recapturing the presidential palace. It means the war will end soon in the East and center of Sudan. Which is good, gives relief to the people. Unfortunately the war isn’t over in the country’s west. www.zdf.de/nachrichten/...

Looking forward to discuss peacemaking and its challenges with a group of excellent colleagues at the 10th Raisina Dialogue (New Delhi) tomorrow

Short interview on Syria and its rekations with interested geopolitical players (Swiss Radio, in German) www.srf.ch/audio/echo-d...

My main take-aways from this year’s Munich Security Conference: the speech of US Vice President JD Vance was hopefully the shock Europe needs … ( see more on my LinkedIn account: linkedin.com/in/volker-pe... )

Finnish President Alexander Stubb @MunSecConf : the choice today is between Yalta 1945 (“zones of influence”) and Helsinki 1975(re-establishing core UN principles of int’l order: independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity of all states). He is right.