Man Plans, and God Laughs
Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the 14th Lennart Meri Conference planned for 15 May 2020 was postponed until September 2021. However, we did not give in to the pandemic and provided the friends of LMC some food for thought, spirit of the LMC, with a special online edition of ICDS Diplomaatia magazine.
Arcticles
Analyses, commentaries and interviews that decode foreign, security and defence policy trends and published in the Lennart Meri Conference special edition of ICDS Diplomaatia magazine.
Nordic-Baltic Security without the United States?
When the Nordic and Baltic states joined NATO, whether in 1949, 2004, 2023, or 2024, the decision was primarily grounded in a desire to have the United States as an Ally. It was the transatlantic security ties to the global superpower and its extended conventional…
How to Resist Russia’s Covert War Against the West
In parallel with the continuation of the military intervention in Ukraine, Russia has intensified its non-military aggression in western countries, using the entire spectrum of covert actions: from supporting political proxies and propaganda, to the formation of paramilitary organisations and conducting sabotage actions against critical…
Seizing the Opportunity to Enhance Intelligence-Policy Relations
The unusual geopolitical moment created by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and, now, by the shift in official US policy and tone present enormous challenges for Europe’s political leaders, national security officials, and intelligence professionals. But the troubling times also offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to…
Trump, Silicon Valley, and Europe’s Far-right
A new transatlantic alliance is forming. The old partnership was based on advancing liberal democracy, upholding the rules-based international order, and a security contract between the US and Europe. It is being replaced by one based on ultra-conservative values, autocratic tendencies, and nativism.
Learning from Ukraine: Failing to Manage Risk Guarantees Failure
If I have learned anything from the war in Ukraine, it is that national security professionals love the word “risk.” They talk about managing risk, escalation risk, and the risk of miscalculation. But if you poll them, you might hear dozens of different definitions of…
European Energy Policy in a Time of Crisis
The focus of European energy policy, for at least the last decade, has been the energy transition, with renewables playing a central role. Given the threats posed by climate change, this focus was understandable. However, such a policy is inadequate in an extreme crisis, when…