France is becoming an increasingly important security partner for Ireland, helping Dublin strengthen its defence capabilities while respecting its policy of military neutrality. Yet this growing cooperation also serves French strategic and industrial interests, raising the question of whether it will enhance Ireland’s strategic autonomy or create a new dependence on Paris.

Algeria’s August 2026 deployment of fighter jets to Niger after a coup attempt marks a break with its non‑intervention doctrine, signaling a conditional, interest‑driven interventionism to protect its southern flank. Framed as a limited, political deterrent, the move boosts Algiers’ Sahel influence without committing to sustained expeditionary operations.

This week’s episode covers the mutiny in Niger, a Mexican drug cartel in the Czech Republic, and maritime rights in the Middle East.

France wants to limit the exemptions that allow Ukraine to buy weapons outside the EU under the €90 billion European loan, arguing that this money should primarily strengthen Europe’s defence industry. The move risks pitting Paris’ industrial and strategic ambitions against Kyiv’s immediate battlefield needs and its freedom to choose the most effective suppliers.

On 13 July 2026, the French, British and German leader hosted the 16th meeting of the coalition of the Willing in Paris, before an unprecedented demonstration of Force of the French military, sending a clear message to Russia: Europe will continue supporting Ukraine.

Australia needs to reassert itself as a regional power in the Pacific. Will it be able to do so while China is advancing so quickly?

Since the beginning of 2026, Nigeria’s security environment has deteriorated, driven by an intensification of operations by radical Islamist groups in its northern regions. What factors have made Nigeria such a prominent target, and how are external actors exploiting the resulting instability?

Europe's greatest security risk may not be American withdrawal, but uncertainty over American commitment. As strategic priorities shift, can Europe maintain credible deterrence and strengthen its own defence capabilities?

AUKUS has been revised to deliver three second-hand submarines to Australia, accelerating timelines but increasing costs and domestic scepticism. The shift reflects US industrial limits and aims to counter China, while risking further Indo-Pacific escalation.

In Colombia’s upcoming election there is at play a geopolitical choice between traditional alignment with Washington and a more autonomous regional path. As security deteriorates and regional tensions grow, the outcome could reshape Colombia’s role in Latin America and its strategic relationship with the United States.

Intro: Geopolitical instability and an uncertain security landscape have forced Europe to reevaluate its defence policy, with conscription returning to the political agenda. From renewed debates in Germany to concrete policy developments in Croatia, states that once abolished mandatory military service are now reconsidering its viability in today’s society. The increasing number of states exploring the possibility of conscription reflects the growing European concern regardin

The private and public sectors are increasingly intertwined when it comes to national security. Corporations need to guard themselves against external threats as governments are integrating private technology into their supply chain. This is not a new phenomenon but it is becoming increasingly complex after global market liberalisation and the reduction of trade barriers leading to economic integration. If the last six years have taught us anything, it is that geopolitical st

For citizens of western states, it is difficult to imagine what it feels like to live in a failed state. There are almost zero public services, the feeling of insecurity is rampant, and the people in charge can be anyone from proclaimed elected officials or a local drug lord. Failed states run the gamut of how far along statehood has spiralled into chaos. For Haitians, they are on life support as an anaemic failed state. Jean-Germain Gros provides a detailed description of a

Introduction: Somaliland constitutes one of the most durable and paradoxical cases of de facto state in the contemporary international system. Former British protectorate that became independent in 1960, before unifying a few days later with former Italian Somalia, the territory in the northern region in the Horn of Africa declared its independence in 1991. Taking advantage of the civil war during this period, Somaliland has since been able to administer its territory, reinfo

The 2021 Coup led by Myanmar’s military junta is a turning point for the country’s relations with China. The junta had ousted the democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi that promised a better life for the citizens of Myanmar. Many South East Asian countries were benefitting from better relations with Western countries through trade and tourism, but all of that has been quashed by the junta. Without Western support to challenge the junta, the country is stuck in a stat

While major powers like the United States and China are shifting their attention elsewhere, the UAE is filling the void in Africa. There is so much potential when it comes to Africa and the United Arab Emirates is investing heavily with new infrastructure projects and new technology. The UAE has grown more ambitious in recent years when it comes to vested interests of economic stability and security on the continent. There are some who believe that they are the only country

After World War II, the major powers decided on peace by working together to create a system that will foster cooperation. The United Nations grew out of this idea so that states would work together to maintain security. The United Nations General Assembly is the main policy-making body of the organisation that includes 193 member states. Providing a space for conflict resolution is the main goal of the United Nations but many have seen the institution as powerless and ineffe

On 28 December 2025, the Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the U.S. dollar and economic uncertainty was further inflamed when the inflation rate was reportedly 42.2 percent. Against the backdrop of deteriorating security, nationwide protests emerged across the country, which generated new threats to the oppressive regime. The tensions have been building for quite some time as p rices have “risen by 35% in the past year” and there are some estimates of 18 percen

Introduction In the past decade, new security actors arose around the globe, and particularly in Africa, where companies like the Wagner Group or Africa Corps raised concerns. These groups, operating all over the continent are French, British, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Turkish or American, and participate in multiple security activities, ranging from enhancing national military, to conducting reconnaissance and intelligence operations, and some of them directly take part i

In early December 2025, one of Southeast Asia’s most persistent territorial disputes surged into intense armed conflict, as Thailand and Cambodia exchanged artillery fire, airstrikes and rocket attacks along their shared border. This renewed violence has killed dozens of soldiers and civilians, as well as displacing thousands of people, and drawn urgent calls from regional and global powers for a ceasefire. Despite ongoing talks meant to halt the hostilities, and a peace deal