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New HCSS Report | Two Agendas, One Sea: Security and Nature in the North Sea Can Reinforce One Another

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New HCSS study: How can security and nature in the North Sea reinforce one another? In “Two Agendas, One Sea”, Frank Bekkers and Pieter-Jan Vandoren show that closer alignment between maritime security and ecological objectives can deliver tangible benefits. From dual-use sensors to shared monitoring and enforcement, the study identifies practical opportunities for cooperation and outlines how targeted pilot projects can help turn these opportunities into reality.

New HCSS Report warns: Europe must break Russia’s strategic trap

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Russia’s sabotage operations, drone incursions and other sub-threshold attacks across Europe are often treated as isolated incidents. A new HCSS report argues they are a deliberate coercive strategy, designed to reduce European support for Ukraine. Drawing on case studies from Belgium and Poland, the report shows how Russia targets vulnerabilities in European decision-making while exploiting the difficulties of responding below the threshold of major war. To counter this challenge, the authors propose a 4D strategy of Deny, Disrupt, Degrade and Deter. Their central argument: every Russian sub-threshold attack should result in more support for Ukraine and greater costs for Russia.

HCSS is hiring: Data Scientist & Software Developer (Junior)

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Join HCSS as a Junior Data Scientist & Software Developer and help tackle today’s most pressing geopolitical and security challenges through data-driven analysis. Working within our Datalab, you will develop innovative tools, apply AI and machine learning techniques, and transform complex data into strategic insights for governments, international organisations, NGOs, and the private sector. If you combine strong quantitative skills with programming expertise and an interest in international security, we would like to hear from you.

Expert Commentary | From Aid to Advantage: The G7’s Critical Minerals Shift Needs Delivery

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2025 marked the sharpest decline in Official Development Assistance on record, yet the G7’s latest commitments suggest a different way forward. By linking development cooperation with critical raw materials security, the Summit recognised that resilient supply chains depend on stronger partnerships, local value creation, and shared economic gains. The direction is promising, but ambition alone will not deliver results, write Fiona De Cuyper and Irina Patrahau. Without binding commitments, meaningful partner-country participation, and sustained financing, the G7 risks falling short of its own strategic objectives.

Tweede World Trade Day | Verschuivende machtsblokken zorgt voor nieuwe realiteit voor Europa

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Tijdens de tweede World Trade Day in Eindhoven schetsten Rob de Wijk en Jesse Kommandeur een wereld waarin geopolitieke spanningen steeds grotere gevolgen hebben voor Europa, internationale handel en het bedrijfsleven. De Wijk analyseerde de verschuivende machtsverhoudingen tussen de VS, China, Rusland en Europa en benadrukte de noodzaak van meer Europese strategische autonomie. Kommandeur presenteerde de Geopolitical Annual Trade Risk Index (GATRI), die laat zien hoe diplomatieke, militaire en economische ontwikkelingen handelsrisico’s beïnvloeden. De centrale boodschap: Europa moet sneller handelen, investeren en zich aanpassen aan een fundamenteel veranderende wereldorde.

Hoe bereid je je voor op de dreigingen van morgen? | Nieuw: Leergang Strategie en Weerbare Rechtsorde

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Geopolitieke spanningen, cyberaanvallen, desinformatie en statelijke beïnvloeding staan zelden op zichzelf. Juist de samenhang tussen deze ontwikkelingen maakt het steeds lastiger om risico’s tijdig te herkennen en onder onzekerheid strategische keuzes te maken. In de nieuwe leergang Strategie en Weerbare Rechtsorde leren professionals hoe zij verder kunnen kijken dan de crisis van vandaag en zich kunnen voorbereiden op de dreigingen van morgen, onder begeleiding van onderzoekers van de Universiteit Leiden en experts van HCSS, waaronder Rob de Wijk en Gerben Bakker.

Expert Analysis | Germany’s Industrial Future hangs in the balance at this week’s EU Summit

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As EU leaders gather in Brussels to discuss trade policy, Germany finds itself caught between dependence on China and the growing costs of economic engagement. While German industries remain deeply tied to the Chinese market, China’s push for domestic alternatives and growing competitiveness in high-tech manufacturing are eroding the benefits of this relationship. With Germany’s key industrial sectors now running trade deficits and political pressures mounting at home, Berlin’s choices will shape not only its own future but also the direction of EU trade policy.

Water, Peace and Security (WPS) internship | Open for applications

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The Water, Peace and Security (WPS) internship at HCSS offers a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge research linking water scarcity and security dynamics in the Middle East and North Africa. Interns contribute to tools that help anticipate and reduce water-related risks, support stakeholder dialogue, and develop training and workshops on the water-security nexus. Working from The Hague, successful candidates will join a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team and gain hands-on experience in policy-relevant research. Strong analytical skills, creativity, and excellent English are required. Arabic is a strong advantage.

Nieuwe HCSS-studie: Oekraïne toont hoe Europese landmachten zich moeten aanpassen

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De oorlog in Oekraïne laat zien dat moderne oorlogvoering fundamenteel verandert. Drones maken het steeds moeilijker om troepen en materieel te verbergen, kunstmatige intelligentie versnelt militaire besluitvorming en goedkope precisiewapens maken het slagveld dodelijker dan ooit. Maar welke lessen uit Oekraïne zijn ook relevant voor een toekomstig conflict tussen Rusland en de NAVO? In een nieuwe HCSS-studie onderzoeken Tim Sweijs, Jan Feldhusen, Markus Iven en Björn de Heer welke ontwikkelingen Europese landstrijdkrachten serieus moeten nemen in de komende drie tot vijf jaar.

How do you prepare for the threats of tomorrow? | New executive programme: Strategy and a Resilient Rule of Law

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As geopolitical tensions rise and the international landscape becomes increasingly volatile, the Netherlands faces a growing range of threats, from cyber attacks and disinformation to foreign interference and social unrest. In the new executive programme Strategy and a Resilient Rule of Law, researchers from Leiden University and experts from The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) combine their expertise in strategic thinking, security and societal resilience.

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