Of all the “official” nuclear powers, the UK arguably displays the most peculiar approach to nuclear deterrence
Of all the “official” nuclear powers (Russia, the US, France, the UK, China), the UK arguably displays the most peculiar approach to nuclear deterrence. Here, we will outline the most salient details, assess the prospects, and suggest possible confidence-building measures.
The Hardware
Let us start with the “hardware” before addressing various conceptual features. As of today, the UK’s...
... that it must defeat collectively. It is time to start planning for when the eventual victory comes
The coronavirus pandemic has overturned many assumptions about the current world order. As a matter of urgency, it is time to revisit the principles of international security.
In the pandemic, for the first time in living memory, humanity is confronting a common threat that it must defeat collectively. Most arguments currently revolve around the cost of that victory in terms of loss of life and economic ...
France’s vital interests now have a European dimension
At the end of the third year of his presidency, Emmanuel Macron delivered his long-awaited policy speech on the country’s defence and deterrence strategy. The long-awaited indeed: many have been expecting France to step up its nuclear role in recent years, including heading up the establishment of the EU Nuclear Forcete. Did the President deliver on these expectations? Yes and no.
From the get-go, Macron has been keen to play up the historical...
... universal system of strategic stability in the 21
st
century. This state of affairs will inevitably lead to a new round of the “Great Game” in which military security and other areas are under threat. Moreover, it will have a significant impact on international security and even the existing world order.
The arms control system will likely crumble, and we may very well see the beginnings of a new arms race. The INF Treaty was the cornerstone of the U.S.–Soviet arms control system. It allowed ...
Either humanity will find the strength and determination to move to a new level of governance by relinquishing a part of the national sovereignty of states, or new pandemics will force us to pay an increasingly higher price for the priority we give to national sovereignty and the loyalty we show to political particularism
In the four months that have passed since the coronavirus outbreak began, it seems that just about everyone has had something to say about the situation—experts, regular folk...
As the Western philosopher George Santayana said, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
The controversial “Thucydides trap” argument has sparked a heated debate since 2013, when President
Xi Jinping
of China told a cluster of western guests: “We must all work together to avoid Thucydides’ trap.” Later, this concept was elucidated by Professor Graham Allison in his articles, talks and famous book
Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’ Trap
. So, what...
The decision to recognize Abkhazia underlines growing competition between the West and Russia
Abkhazia is a partially recognized state — Russia (2008), Nicaragua (2008), Venezuela (2009), Nauru (2009), Syria (2018) — of 8,660km2 and 240,000 inhabitants located on the shores of the Black Sea. During the Soviet times, the region was one of the most prosperous area in the USSR due to its geographic position in addition to a recognized wine industry, tobacco, oranges, and a hub for Soviet tourism....
RIAC and Strategic Vision Institute Report #50 / 2020
RIAC and Strategic Vision Institute Report #50 / 2020
This report is the result of a collaborative study performed by the Russian
International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI).
The dynamics that both Russia and Pakistan face from the Middle East and the
Persian Gulf are of particular importance in identifying areas where the strategic
and diplomatic interests of both countries converge. This report includes two...
We need to tread thoughtfully and astutely in terms of our diplomacy while being careful not to become too dependent on anyone or take sides
While it may be a little early to talk about the emergence of a bipolar era in the tech world, the question of what policy Russia should follow against the backdrop of the confrontation between the two undisputed tech leaders (the United States and China) is more pressing than ever.
Vassily Kashin
of the Centre for Comprehensive European and International...
Disarmament Expert and former French diplomat Marc Finaud on Nuclear Terrorism and Arms Control
Marc Finaud is Senior Advisor and Head of 'Arms Proliferation' at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). He is a former French diplomat who has been seconded to the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) between 2004 and 2013 and now works for this international foundation, where he trains diplomats and military officers in international and human security, and conducts research in those fields...
