In a world that is largely driven by competition and rivalry (and partnership, yet) between great powers, understanding the Grand Strategy of each of these powers is crucial. So is developing a Grand Strategy for the EU itself. An EU that acts as one, as one pole of the multipolar world on a par with the other powers, is the only way to safeguard the way of life that the Member States of the EU have chosen, based on democracy, the free market, and equality.
Power cannot be divided: a global player must have political, economic, as well as military power. To that end, the Europe in the World Programme analyses the diplomacy and defence of the US, China, and Russia, and of the EU, NATO, and their members. We also focus on geoeconomics, researching Open Strategic Autonomy and the Global Gateway as key EU instruments, as well as the geoeconomic approaches of the other powers.
Defence policy is our third main axis of research, with a particular focus on European defence and its interaction with NATO, but also on nuclear deterrence and the deterrence of hybrid threats. Throughout all three research axis, we devote special attention to the role of Belgium, including notably the development of its own National Security Strategy and diplomatic and military capabilities.
For the past several years, European debate about China in the Arctic has been caught between strategic concern and incomplete evidence. China calls itself a ‘Near-Arctic State’, operates polar research […]
Commentaries
Earlier this year, several European countries announced a deployment to Greenland. Belgium and the Netherlands were among them. The public debate surrounding the transatlantic saga became heated, with questions about […]
When the European Commission adopted in June 2026 the Chips Act 2.0, it proposed a shift in the rules of the game for all actors. Nowhere is this more evident […]
Despite persistent weaknesses in leadership, logistics and force quality, the Russian Armed Forces of 2026 are no longer the force that crossed into Ukraine in February 2022. Russia has adapted […]
The Middle East and the Gulf have long been a priority area for European strategy. The geopolitical imperative is evident: not only does the region itself contain key resources; it […]
Belarus has shifted from a balancing state between East and West to a highly dependent ally of Russia under Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s authoritarian rule. Following the 2020–21 protests and subsequent repression, […]