De Balie | Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb?
After the short peaceful years that followed the Cold War, the world is rearming itself with nuclear weapons again. On the 8th of May, HCSS Director of Research Tim Sweijs will speak at De Balie in Amsterdam about what this renewed nuclear arms race means for global security. Is a second, European, nuclear shield our best guarantee of peace? And what does the rise of AI mean for the way nuclear weapons are controlled and deployed?
Irina Patrahau and Benedetta Girardi author chapter on Critical Raw Materials for Defense
Strategic Analysts Irina Patrahau and Benedetta Girardi authored a chapter in the edited volume 'Industrial Open Strategic Autonomy in the Indo-Pacific'. Their chapter examines the critical role of secure access to raw materials in defence preparedness. They argue that modern defence systems—ranging from missiles to AI and space technologies—depend heavily on a limited set of critical raw materials (CRMs). These materials are often geographically concentrated and exposed to geopolitical risks, creating vulnerabilities for resource-dependent countries like the Netherlands and South Korea.
Frontiers of Influence: Counter Measures to Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference in the Grey Zone
The report Frontiers of Influence analyses Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) across Europe’s Eastern borders. The study highlights a shift toward "whole-of-society" models, noting that high-capacity states like Estonia treat information defense as a "continuous governmental task."Recommendation: To move beyond reactive measures, states must implement a proactive, layered defense integrating strategic communication, regulatory enforcement, and deep societal resilience. Safeguarding democracy requires "not only technical tools but also sustained political will and societal cohesion."
