Dokument - Think Tank - Europaparlamentet

Briefing - Strengthening the Women, Peace and Security Agenda - 03-03-2025

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 23:00:00 GMT

This briefing was commissioned by the European �Ϸ��վ's Policy Department for Citizens, Equality, and Culture at the request of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality ahead of the Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on the occasion of the International Women's Day. The briefing gives an overview of the Women and Peace and Security Agenda and the current situation at global and European Union level. It examines women’s participation as active agents in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and post-conflict reconstruction. It also offers a brief outline of the role of international humanitarian and human rights law in the protection of women and their rights.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2025 - EP

Briefing - EU sanctions against Russia 2025: State of play, perspectives and challenges - 11-02-2025

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:07:17 GMT

In response to Russia's illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union swiftly adopted unprecedentedly tough sanctions, in close cooperation with partners including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan. The rapid succession of 15 packages of EU sanctions adopted since then have resulted in an unparalleled set of measures targeting Russian political elites and key sectors of the Russian economy. New sanctions have also been adopted against Belarus, Iran and North Korea in response to their involvement in Russia's war of aggression. Furthermore, in 2024 the EU adopted two new regimes of sanctions, addressing human rights violations and repression in Russia (May 2024), and responding to Russia's destabilising activities ('hybrid attacks') abroad (October 2024). The unprecedented nature of the sanctions imposed on Russia, in scale and scope, has created new implementation challenges. Member States and EU institutions have renewed efforts to improve the enforcement of sanctions and to close loopholes to prevent circumvention, including reinforcing cooperation with third countries. A specific anti-circumvention tool was included in the 11th package of sanctions (June 2023), followed by additional measures in the successive packages, including those to counter Russia's 'shadow fleet'. Furthermore, a newly adopted EU directive (April 2024) obliges the EU Member States to introduce minimum criminal offences and penalties for violating and circumventing EU sanctions. It also aims to improve cross-border cooperation on investigations, prosecutions and sentencing of EU sanctions violations. Since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol in 2014, the European �Ϸ��վ has been a vocal advocate of severe sanctions. It has unequivocally condemned Russia's unjustified aggression against Ukraine, demanded broader and better-enforced sanctions and called for the confiscation of Russian assets frozen by the EU to pay for Ukraine's reconstruction. �Ϸ��վ has demanded a full review of more centralised EU-level oversight of sanctions implementation and a full ban on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, among other measures. This briefing updates and complements a previous briefing published in September 2023.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2025 - EP

Briefing - Reinforcing Europe's defence industry - 08-11-2024

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 07:50:06 GMT

Russia's war on Ukraine has laid bare the challenges facing the European defence industry as it tries to meet increased demand and ramp up production in the wake of a fundamentally changed security environment in Europe. Europe's defence industry comprises a number of large multinational companies, mid-caps and over 2 000 small and medium-sized enterprises. It faces a multitude of challenges, such as decades of under-investment, fragmentation, insufficient critical raw material and semiconductor supplies, and a lack of manufacturing capability. The EU and its Member States have taken several steps to reinforce the European defence industry, especially since the start of Russia's war on Ukraine. Member States have boosted their defence budgets, with their combined total expected to reach €350 billion a year in 2024. The European Defence Fund is investing in research and capability development projects and has achieved very positive results so far. Permanent structured cooperation also provides the legal framework and binding commitments for progress in collaborative defence. The EU has also broken taboos, by agreeing a joint defence procurement instrument (the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act) and an initiative to build up ammunition production (Act in Support of Ammunition Production). These form part of a three-track proposal to support Ukraine's needs for ammunition (deliver ammunition from existing stocks, jointly procure from industry, and support the ramping up of production). In March 2024, the European Commission proposed the first-ever European defence industrial strategy and a defence industry programme to implement it. Additionally, the European Peace Facility, best known for facilitating lethal weapon supply to Ukraine, is being used to procure defence materiel from Europe's defence industry, further boosting its capacity. The European Chips Act and Critical Raw Materials Act are also expected to benefit the European defence industry by ensuring it has the necessary supplies to tackle the substantially increased demand for its products. These signals have led the industry to take the first steps to increase production capacity. This updates a previous edition, published in 2023.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - Plenary round-up – October I 2024 - 11-10-2024

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 22:00:00 GMT

The first plenary session of October 2024 saw Members mark one year since the 7 October Hamas terrorist attack, as well as holding a debate on a statement by the High Representative/Vice President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, on the escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon. Members also held a debate with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, current holder of the Council Presidency. �Ϸ��վ adopted resolutions on Georgia's increasingly authoritarian trajectory and its effect on the country's EU membership prospects, as well as one condemning Russian interference in Moldova. Members also debated the situation in Sudan and the outcome of the Summit of the Future. And they discussed the preparation of the European Council meeting set for 17 18 October 2024 with the Council and Commission. Debates took place following Commission statements on wildfires in southern Europe, in the Balkans, and in the Amazon. Members also debated Commission statements on: fighting systemic gender-based violence; combating fake news, populism and disinformation; strengthening external border security; preventing drug-related crime; the 2024 annual rule of law report; and protecting the EU budget and ensuring that EU funds do not benefit terrorist entities or individuals. In addition to marking World Mental Health Day, Members debated the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - Ukraine, the European Peace Facility and additional financing - 02-09-2024

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Two and a half years after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, EU military aid under the European Peace Facility (EPF) is still falling behind, with fresh money needed despite the increased EPF budget reserved for Ukraine. The new plan set in place by the EU and its G7 partners to use windfall profits from frozen Russian assets only began to provide military and reconstruction support for Ukraine with the first payment on 26 July 2024. The EU will use the EPF to channel its military aid under this recent EU-G7 plan, amid persisting legal and (geo)political uncertainties.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Briefing - European defence industry programme (EDIP) - 31-05-2024

Thu, 30 May 2024 22:00:00 GMT

On 24 February 2022, Russia's unjustified aggression against Ukraine signalled the return of high-intensity warfare to Europe. In response, and to ensure the EU's long-term goal of achieving defence industrial readiness, the European Commission adopted the first-ever European defence industrial strategy (EDIS) on 5 March 2024. As an immediate and central step to deliver the strategy, the Commission put forward a proposal for a European defence industry programme (EDIP) regulation, also on 5 March 2024. EDIP – with a proposed budget of €1.5 billion – seeks to achieve defence industrial readiness by bridging the gap between short-term emergency measures that have been implemented since 2023 and will end in 2025 and a more structural, long-term approach. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Briefing - When EU temporary protection for displaced people from Ukraine ends: Possible scenarios - 16-05-2024

Wed, 15 May 2024 22:00:00 GMT

With no end in sight to the war in Ukraine, the EU has started preparing for the post March 2025 period, when temporary protection for displaced people from Ukraine ends. The Temporary Protection Directive – triggered for the first time ever in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine – has enabled EU Member States to offer assistance and rights to people in need of immediate protection. In principle, once the temporary protection period ends, the general laws on protection and on non-EU nationals in Member States will apply, including on return. Yet, there is a general fear that when large numbers of beneficiaries of temporary protection suddenly start seeking international protection, asylum systems risk being overwhelmed. Moreover, uncertainty about temporary protection beneficiaries' legal status might place them in a legal limbo, with potential periods of irregular residence owing to slow processing of applications for international protection. Moreover, even if eligible for refugee or subsidiary protection status, beneficiaries will not enjoy the same rights as under the Temporary Protection Directive. Academics and organisations dealing with migration management therefore agree on the urgency of finding a solution that would ensure a smooth transition out of the temporary protection regime and encourage eventual return to Ukraine. However, with the European elections taking place in June, the timing may not be ideal to amend existing EU legislation or craft new EU laws, as the legislative work in the European institutions will temporarily be put on hold. Moreover, a newly composed European �Ϸ��վ and European Commission, as well as a new rotating presidency of the Council of the EU as from July, might also complicate decision-making. This briefing provides an overview of the potential exit strategies discussed by experts in the field, including the pros and cons of the most widely discussed options.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - Establishing the Ukraine Facility - 22-02-2024

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 10:53:26 GMT

The Ukraine Facility will support Ukraine, its recovery and its path to EU accession, with up to €50 billion in grants and loans provided in the years 2024 to 2027. On 6 February 2024, the European �Ϸ��վ and the Council came to a political agreement on the establishment of the Ukraine Facility, following up on the agreement in the European Council on the revision of the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF). The MFF should finance the grants and guarantee the loans of the Facility. Additional financing is expected to come from frozen Russian assets. �Ϸ��վ managed to secure an enhanced role for the European and Ukrainian �Ϸ��վs as well as Ukrainian civil society in scrutinising the use of the Facility.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - European Peace Facility: Continued EU military assistance to Ukraine - 20-02-2024

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Almost two years since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, EU military assistance under the European Peace Facility (EPF) is lagging. The special European Council meeting of 1 February 2024 invited the Council to agree by early March 2024 to amend the regulation establishing the EPF, in order to increase its financial ceiling.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Russia's war on Ukraine: Implications for the Arctic - 11-01-2024

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine may not be taking place geographically in the Arctic, but it has already had a plethora of impacts on the circumpolar north, the repercussions of which are likely to spread well beyond the region. First, the war has negatively affected cooperation, as activities with Russia in the framework of regional forums such as the Arctic Council (AC), the Barents Euro-Atlantic Council (BEAC), the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the Northern Dimension have either been significantly scaled down or suspended. The repercussions of curtailed scientific cooperation, which has been a hallmark of Arctic exceptionalism for decades, are feared to be especially serious, in a context where unprecedented climate change necessitates urgent joint circumpolar action. In parallel, Russia's war on Ukraine has had a negative impact on the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, with those living in Russia most affected. With the return of full-blown war to European soil, as well as the implications of climate change, heated geopolitics has also returned to the 'high north'. Russia's aggression has been a catalyst for two Nordic countries – Finland and Sweden – to apply for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), reinforcing the Arctic dimension of the alliance. This development is set to strengthen NATO in the region; however, the intensifying hybrid threats and a non-conventional military build-up by Russia are likely to further increase tensions in the Arctic. Russia's isolation and the effects of economic sanctions imposed owing to its military aggression also create room for possible new dynamics and alliances in the region in the context of the changing power balance and China's rising ambitions there. These developments are of great concern for the EU, which – in line with its Arctic policy outlined in successive Commission communications and Council conclusions – has been actively involved in matters relevant to the Arctic. The consequences of scaled-down cooperation on climate change, the environment and livelihoods, and the changes in the security environment and China's ambitions, all touch upon core interests of the EU. Through its resolutions, the European �Ϸ��վ has been advocating for enhanced protection for the Arctic region, for 'peaceful cooperation while taking into account the new security realities', and for a stronger EU policy in the Arctic that is better adapted to the current geopolitical situation.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2024 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - Armed conflict: A glossary of terms - 13-12-2023

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Drawing on authoritative sources, this glossary offers an overview of common terms used in discussing situations of armed conflict.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - International humanitarian law in CSDP missions and operations - 12-12-2023

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 23:00:00 GMT

International humanitarian law (IHL) aims to lessen the horrible effects of armed conflict by outlining states' and non-state armed groups' responsibilities during an armed conflict. The EU and its Member States are bound by these rules. As IHL only applies in wartime, compliance of common security and defence policy (CSDP) missions and operations with IHL has not yet been put to the test. Despite the possibility, according to the Treaties, for the EU to deploy peace enforcement missions, Member States have preferred to conduct such missions under the auspices of NATO and the UN.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Latest on Russia’s war on Ukraine [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 13-11-2023

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Ukraine’s military has focused in recent weeks on repelling Russian assaults across several, geographically distinct, sectors of the front, while trying to make some gains in the eastern and southern occupied territories, and on rebuffing the sentiment that its counter-offensive has stalled. More than 20 months after its eastern neighbour launched the full-scale invasion, the possibility of a battlefield stalemate is highly sensitive in Kyiv. Ukraine has repeatedly voiced opposition against any negotiations with Russia, whose troops, it says, must first withdraw from Ukrainian territory. The attack by Hamas on Israel in early October and the subsequent Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip have diverted significant media and diplomatic attention away from Ukraine. Kyiv is also worried about the sustainability of financial and military aid from the United States amid squabbles over the issue in the US Congress. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Earlier analyses on the war can be found in a previous edition of the ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking' series.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Studie - Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan and the Kyiv Security Compact – An assessment - 30-10-2023

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 23:00:00 GMT

With the aim of bringing Russia’s war of aggression to an end and developing a sustainable post-war peace, Ukraine has advanced its vision of peace (as encompassed in President Zelenskyy’s ‘peace formula’) and the paths that lead to this (as outlined in Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan). Other actors, including China, Indonesia and the collective African Peace Initiative Mission, have advanced their own peace proposals. This in-depth analysis (IDA) scrutinises the different proposals that have been put forward and their visions for the post-war future of Ukraine and the European security order. It concentrates on the following questions: what are the varying assumptions about the preconditions for peace versus ceasefire? Do the ‘peace’ proposals in question draw a distinction between ceasefire and peace? There is an important difference between war termination, conflict resolution and peacebuilding – how is this dealt with by the various proposals? Finally, the IDA seeks to assess how feasible the peace proposals are in light of two baseline scenarios for the war’s future course – a stalemate (long war of attrition) and Ukraine’s victory. It concludes that the question of how to sustain Ukraine’s independence and security is central to any discussion of finding an end to the war and a long-term peace, underscoring the centrality of an unambiguous political settlement supported by acceptable, effective guarantors.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Terrorist attacks bring war to Israel and Gaza [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 26-10-2023

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Early on 7 October 2023, Hamas – the Palestinian terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip – launched an unprecedented and brutal assault on Israel, killing more than 1 400, mostly civilians, and taking more than 222 Israelis and dual-nationals hostage. Israel has responded by shelling and conducting airstrikes on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, a narrow coastal strip of 2.3 million people, leading to a significant number of casualties, including civilians. Israel has also amassed troops along the border with Gaza, in anticipation of a ground invasion of the Hamas-controlled enclave. Israel’s goal is to destroy Hamas infrastructure and eliminate the group’s military capabilities. Many countries, and the international community, are calling for a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas, to allow sufficient aid into Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis is developing due to lack of water, food and electricity. The EU has condemned Hamas's brutal and indiscriminate attacks, and reiterated Israel's right to self-defence, in full respect of international humanitarian law. �Ϸ��վ's President, Roberta Metsola, condemned the attacks as 'terrorism in its worst form', and an 'elimination of life in the most brutal and atrocious manner’. The conflict, which many fear could escalate into a regional war, has added to global insecurity fostered by Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine. This note offers links to recent commentaries and reports from international think tanks on the Israel-Hamas conflict and its international repercussions.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Studie - EU-Ukraine 2035: Strategic foresight analysis on the future of the EU and Ukraine - 20-09-2023

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:00:00 GMT

This analysis looks at the future of the EU and Ukraine, using a time horizon of 2035. It was launched in June 2022 as a Strategic Foresight Conversation, a few months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The ensuing war has drastically changed all aspects of life in Ukraine, affects the EU in many significant ways and shifted pre-war geopolitical and geo-economic paradigms. The European Council decision of 24 June 2022 to give candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova added to the need for a long-term perspective on EU-Ukraine relations. The analysis is based on foresight methodologies, including a multi-stage stakeholder consultation and scenario building. Four scenarios examine future developments along two main axes: the Ukraine-Russia relationship, addressing the development and possible outcome of the war, characterised by the level of hazard; and the EU-Ukraine relationship, characterised by the level of integration. The resulting policy considerations address four areas of future EU action: firstly, the transition from military support towards a new European security architecture; secondly, the process of EU enlargement, reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine; thirdly, the development of an effective, green and sovereign European Union; and fourthly, continuity and review of EU relations with five countries which are key to the conflict: Russia, Belarus, Türkiye, China and the US.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Revision of the EU's long-term budget for 2021 to 2027: Securing sufficient resources for the EU - 19-09-2023

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 22:00:00 GMT

The EU's long-term budget for 2021 to 2027 was set at €1.1 trillion, together with a specific instrument to support the EU's recovery from the pandemic, Next Generation EU (NGEU), providing €750 billion (2018 prices). Since 2021, the EU budget has already mobilised significant additional resources to cope with the pandemic and its impact, providing direct support totalling €70 billion to help EU citizens and enterprises, and countries outside the EU, cope with the COVID 19 crisis. In 2022, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine generated more unexpected financing needs. The EU budget alone has contributed €50 billion to support Ukraine and its people, and help Member States cope with the multiple effects. As a result, the EU's funds and instruments for addressing unexpected situations are severely depleted. The EU budget needs meaningful reinforcement to be able to respond to the challenges that still lie ahead. On 20 June 2023, the Commission presented a revision of the EU's long-term budget, including a package of budgetary and legislative proposals. It proposed an overall reinforcement of the EU budget by €65.8 billion, covering an increase in the budget headings, the special instruments and €17 billion in grants for Ukraine. For the Ukraine Facility, a further €33 billion in loans is proposed, bringing overall support to Ukraine to €50 billion. The Commission is also proposing a 'Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform' (STEP), to be financed through redeployments and with €10 billion of additional funds. Additional budgetary means are set aside for responses to migration challenges, and a specific instrument to cover the increasing borrowing cost of NGEU. According to the European �Ϸ��վ's Committee on Budgets, the proposed revision is a positive step towards equipping the EU budget with the necessary financing means. However, the rapporteurs' draft report argues that an additional €10 billion is required to address future challenges effectively. This is a follow up to an earlier briefing on the EU's long-term budget, published in June 2023.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Latest on Russia’s war on Ukraine [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 08-09-2023

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Ukraine has made progress in recapturing its territory seized by Russia, 18 months after Moscow started its unprovoked war against its neighbour, as part of the counter-offensive launched in June. Ukrainian analysts say the drive to capture a succession of villages is paying off. Russia has dismissed the offensive as a failure, while admitting that things are not easy in parts of south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region. Russia has unleashed a barrage of drone strikes on various targets, including the port city of Odessa. Some have reached the border of NATO member Romania, according to Ukrainian officials, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has said that strikes were less than a kilometre from Romania's border. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv on 6 and 7 September to discuss how the counter-offensive is going and to assess battlefield needs, as well as any steps required to shore up Ukraine's energy security ahead of winter. Meanwhile, Turkey has said that, together with the UN, it has prepared new initiatives to revive the grain deal, recently blocked by Russia, which had allowed Ukraine to transport the commodity safely through the Black Sea. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Earlier analyses on the war can be found in a previous edition of the ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking’ series. Publications on NATO ahead of its July summit can be found in another item in the series.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act (EDIRPA) - 06-09-2023

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 17:16:53 GMT

During the September 2023 plenary session, �Ϸ��վ is scheduled to vote on the provisional agreement on EDIRPA reached with the Council in June 2023. EDIRPA is a €300 million fund to incentivise the joint procurement of urgent and critical defence products needed in the context of the response to Russia's war on Ukraine.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Studie - EU trade and investment following Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine - 20-07-2023

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 22:00:00 GMT

The briefings offer an overview of EU’s trade and investment relations before the start of the full-scale Russian invasion and a data-supported analysis of recent trade developments. They address the trade patterns of Ukraine and Russia, the economic structure of the two countries, and the EU’s dependencies on Russia as well as the EU's alternatives for Russian imports, focusing on the energy sector and critical raw materials. The final briefing provides an overview of the sanctions imposed by the EU and other nations (Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, the UK and the USA). It analyses the sanction effects accumulated so far and their impact, including the EU’s decoupling process from Russian energy and explanations for the less-than-initially expected contraction of the Russian economy in 2022. The paper analyses the short, medium and long-term effects of the sanctions on the economies of the EU, Russia and Ukraine.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Studie - Future Shocks 2023: Anticipating and weathering the next storms - 20-07-2023

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 22:00:00 GMT

�Ϸ��վ started monitoring future shocks during the coronavirus crisis, and has continued to do so during Russia's unprecedented war on Ukraine. The annual 'Future Shocks' series reviews global risks, with a focus on specific risks and the capabilities and resilience of the EU system in the face of multiple challenges. It seeks to provide up-to-date, objective and authoritative information on these risks, based on risk literature from a broad range of sources. 'Future Shocks' includes, but is not limited to, areas where the EU has primary competence, and identifies the benefits of concerted action by the EU as well as the ability of its institutions and Member States to find new and effective solutions to deal with major shocks. The 2023 edition, the second in this annual series, highlights 15 risks related to geopolitics, climate change, health, economics and democracy that could occur in the coming decade, and 10 policy responses to address existing governance capacity and possible ways to enhance capabilities within the EU. Among the options set out are those previously included in European �Ϸ��վ resolutions, positions from other EU institutions, and policy papers from think tanks and stakeholders.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Kort sammanfattning - Russia's war on Ukraine: High environmental toll - 19-07-2023

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 22:00:00 GMT

The environmental impact of Russia's war on Ukraine has been rapidly growing with every month of full-fledged invasion. The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam further increased the harm inflicted on nature, while bringing international attention to the environmental dimension of the war. Together with its international partners, Ukraine is now looking into the legal options to hold Russia accountable for the environmental damage it has caused, which many refer to as 'ecocide'. However, the potential legal pathways are all but straightforward.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Latest on Russia’s war on Ukraine [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 14-07-2023

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 22:00:00 GMT

As Ukraine continues its counter-offensive against the Russian invaders, the NATO summit in Vilnius vowed unwavering support for the country, and took decisions to simplify its path towards membership of the Western military alliance. NATO leaders said they would be able to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance once the country meets certain conditions. They declared continued support for Ukraine’s deterrence and defence in the short, medium, and long term, as well as for turning the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) into a multi-year programme for Ukraine. This assistance will help rebuild the Ukrainian security and defence sector and move Ukraine towards full interoperability with NATO. The NATO summit declarations fell short of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s expectations for receiving a clearer path to enter the Alliance. However, he praised NATO’s decision to scrap the need for Kyiv to complete a preparatory Membership Action Plan to join NATO. The Alliance and Ukraine also held the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council to manage the relationship, which reaffirmed that 'Ukraine's future is in NATO'. On the summit's side-lines, Group of Seven (G7) developed countries unveiled an international framework to boost Ukraine's long-term security against Russia. A number of other military packages were announced at bilateral meetings between Zelenskyy and individual NATO leaders. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Earlier analyses on the war can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking’. Publications on NATO released ahead of its July summit can be found in another item in the series.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Djupanalys - Peace and security in 2023: The EU's relations with Iraq – State of play - 13-07-2023

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:45:15 GMT

This paper presents a regional evaluation in parallel to the EPRS 2023 Peace and Security Outlook. It has been drafted as a contribution to the Normandy World Peace Forum taking place in September 2023. The paper provides the background to EU relations with Iraq. After providing a brief overview of the country's current political, economic and social situation, the analysis provides an inventory of the tools and mechanisms and funding put in place by the EU, looks at recent developments and corresponding EU external policy. It also provides an overview of European �Ϸ��վ resolutions, and Council conclusions since the 2012 EU-Iraq Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, as well as a selection of the opinions found in recent research on EU-Iraq relations.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP

Briefing - NATO’s July summit in Vilnius [What Think Tanks are thinking] - 28-06-2023

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will meet in Vilnius on 11-12 July against the backdrop of a complex and volatile security environment. Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the latter country’s future membership of the military alliance will dominate the annual summit, according to many public statements. The meeting will aim to send a strong signal of support for Ukraine, reiterating NATO’s open door policy towards the country's membership, increasing military aid, pledging to make the Ukrainian military more interoperable with NATO forces and, possibly, outlining future security guarantees for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking a commitment that his country will join NATO as soon as the war is over, but only some Allies support that request, while others are more cautious. NATO leaders will discuss creating a new NATO-Ukraine Council, which would boost relations between the two, compared with the current NATO-Ukraine commission. NATO will also address strengthening its eastern flank, updating the Alliance’s current plans to defend the region from possible Russian aggression. NATO will also re-examine its Strategic Concept adopted last year in Madrid, discuss security challenges posed by China, and the required increases in the member states’ defence spending. Allies are expected to press Türkiye to drop its opposition to Sweden’s membership of NATO. NATO countries hope to find a replacement for, or prolong the term of, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who is formally due to step down in September. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on the NATO summit and related issues. Earlier analyses of Russia’s war on Ukraine can be found in a previous edition of the ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking’ series.

Källa : © Europeiska unionen, 2023 - EP