Conflict and Defense Archives

Shifting opinions: future Slovak support for Ukraine

Posted on 5 December 2023
by Viktoria Hodson

The potential impact of the Slovak elections on support for Ukraine. Following the September 2023 Slovak parliamentary elections, the European Union (EU) and Ukraine may have something to worry about. The recent Slovak parliamentary elections saw the return of Robert Fico to national office. The…

Het groeiende momentum voor verdere EU defensie-integratie - Shaping Europe

The growing momentum of EU defense integration

Posted on 30 November 2023
by Bram Breimer

Shedding light on the EU’s future path towards a self-sustaining defense capacity. Defense integration could be imperative for ensuring the internal stability of the European Union (EU) in the long term. The EU has been steadily advancing its ambitions in this area over the last…

The dissolution of Nagorno-Karabakh

Posted on 23 November 2023
by Esmee Slutter

The contextualisation of the conflict between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an attack on the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan claims it did this after four Azerbaijani soldiers and two civilians were killed in the enclave that same month.…

Europa’s aandeel in illegale nederzettingen in de Palestijnse Gebieden - Shaping Europe

Europe’s stake in illegal settlements in the Palestinian Territories

Posted on 16 November 2023
by Luna Verbaas

How European trade supports the illegal Israeli settlement economy. In the war between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories plays an important role. The construction and expansion of illegal settlements in these territories is condemned by the international community because it…

Herzie Europese handel met illegale, Israëlische nederzettingen - Shaping Europe

Rethink European trade with illegal Israeli settlements

Posted on 14 November 2023
by Luna Verbaas

How European investment in Israel's illegal settlement economy stands in the way of sustainable peace. On October 7, 2023, the world was shocked by an attack by the terror organization Hamas on Israel, resulting in the killing, wounding, and/or kidnapping of hundreds of Israelis. A…

One year of war

Posted on 24 February 2023
by Esmee Slutter
with 0 Comments

Some recent developments of the war in Ukraine highlighted. Exactly one year ago, on 24 February 2022, Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. At the time, this website covered the war several times from different perspectives. For instance, one could read articles about the European Union's…

The EU’s response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

Posted on 3 March 2022
by Marnix Vermeer and Daniel Niekel
with 0 Comments

On Thursday the 24th of February 2022, a shadow that many thought had been left in the dustbin of history descended once again over the European continent. In a sudden and unprovoked attack, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine from three sides, swiftly ending any hopes…

From Kyiv to Moscow: How the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started

Posted on 14 September 2021
by Esmee Slutter
with 0 Comments

A brief overview of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Let us take a trip back to the beginning of summer 2021: several news outlets were headlining an event that brought renewed attention to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, but the cause for its flare-up came from…

Long read: Brussels and the Caucasian Knot

Posted on 27 February 2021
by Justin Tomczyk
with 0 Comments

Why the EU should get involved in peace building between Armenia and Azerbijan. After 44 days of intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, silence fell over Nagorno-Karabakh. In accordance with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the Russian Federation roughly 70 percent of the territory…