The current conflict in Ukraine has caused growing concerns about the potential use of unconventional weapons. Dr Angela Kane, Dr Jaime M. Yassif, and Christopher Colletta from NTI highlight the urgency of establishing a “Joint Assessment Mechanism” within the UN system to investigate cases where there is ambiguity about the source of a biological event.
Following Russia’s military action, the United States will sooner or later turn back to its “Pivot to Asia” due to China’s challenge to its global primacy, leaving the EU to deal with Russia relatively alone. The EU finds itself at a turning point in its history where it needs to take decisive steps towards building a comprehensive security and defence strategy, writes Iren Marinova.
As nuclear weapons make headlines once more, the images and narratives that pervade focus on fear and panic leading to paralysing doom and political stasis. For sustained engagement and real-world change, Elizabeth Talerman and Shazeeda Bhola from The Nucleus Group write that a fundamental shift is required in how the nuclear conversation is framed — invoking hope instead of fear and identifying solutions and shared ambitions.
In the midst of the current crisis, ELN resources from our Network of security policy leaders from 40 European countries can help explain what is happening now and provide context and principles for future efforts to re-establish peace and security.
Rapid technological change and a return to nuclear great-power competition suggest that the contours and central dynamics of our nuclear world are in flux. Andrew Futter writes that this shift requires a frank debate about the role of UK nuclear weapons and where they fit in the future of UK security policy.
Over the past weeks, the ELN has convened network members from across wider Europe in a series of private conversations to gain a better understanding of the factors driving the current crisis and the options for its resolution. This is a summary of some considerations offered by Ukrainian participants during these conversations.