Internationale Politik Quarterly

How the EU Is Contesting Russia’s Sphere of Influence in the South Caucasus The European Union doesn’t think of itself as a geopolitical power in the South Caucasus. But its policies there are constraining Russia in ways that matter strategically—regardless of Brussels’ inten...

NEW: The European Union doesn’t think of itself as a geopolitical power in the South Caucasus. But its policies there are constraining Russia in ways that matter strategically—regardless of Brussels’ intentions.

ip-quarterly.com/en/how-eu-co...

A Nightmare for the Gulf States—and Europe? The brunt of Iran’s response to the Israeli-American attacks has been directed at the Arab Gulf states. As a result, their business model is in danger. The Europeans may also feel the consequences.

NEW: The brunt of Iran’s response to the Israeli-American attacks has been directed at the Arab Gulf states, threatening the “Gulf Brand”—which will likely have knock-on effects for Europe.

ip-quarterly.com/en/nightmare...

Franco-German Cooperation on Nuclear Deterrence Needs to Start Now The nuclear question is the key one for European defense integration. The good news is that the Europeans seem ready to tackle it.

Yesterday, Macron announced a revolution in French nuclear deterrence, paving the way for its Europeanization. @josephdeweck.bsky.social and his co-authors predicted as much last week and explained why it’s a key piece in European defense

ip-quarterly.com/en/franco-ge...

A Nightmare for the Gulf States—and Europe? The brunt of Iran’s response to the Israeli-American attacks has been directed at the Arab Gulf states. As a result, their business model is in danger. The Europeans may also feel the consequences.

NEW: The brunt of Iran’s response to the Israeli-American attacks has been directed at the Arab Gulf states, threatening the “Gulf Brand”—which will likely have knock-on effects for Europe.

ip-quarterly.com/en/nightmare...

Franco-German Cooperation on Nuclear Deterrence Needs to Start Now The nuclear question is the key one for European defense integration. The good news is that the Europeans seem ready to tackle it.

And for a bilateral Franco-German angle, see @shahinvallee.bsky.social, @josephdeweck.bsky.social, Elias Ricken, and Jacob Ross for @ipq.bsky.social:

Franco-German Cooperation on Nuclear Deterrence Needs to Start Now ip-quarterly.com/en/franco-ge...

Japan, Germany, and Europe’s Economic Security Agenda Japan, Germany, and the EU should work more closely together on economic security to reduce vulnerabilities, thus supporting the rules-based international economic order that underpins their prosperit...

If Japan, Germany, and the EU work more closely together on economic security, it will reduce vulnerabilities and support the rules-based international economic order that underpins their shared prosperity.

New from Takahiro Tsuchiya: ip-quarterly.com/en/japan-ger...

Franco-German Cooperation on Nuclear Deterrence Needs to Start Now The nuclear question is the key one for European defense integration. The good news is that the Europeans seem ready to tackle it.

Franco-German cooperation on nuclear deterrence needs to start now. The good news? Merz and Macron have indicated that they are ready.

New from @shahinvallee.bsky.social, @josephdeweck.bsky.social, Elias Ricken, and Jacob Ross: ip-quarterly.com/en/franco-ge...

Germany’s China Shock For a long time, Germany’s political and business elites have chosen to ignore the economic threat emanating from Xi Jinping’s China. It’s now time to confront it.

As Merz travels to Beijing today, @tbenner.bsky.social, @jhensing.bsky.social & Florian Klumpp argue that Germany’s political and business elites need to finally confront the economic threat emanating from Xi Jinping’s China.

ip-quarterly.com/en/germanys-...

Germany’s China Shock For a long time, Germany’s political and business elites have chosen to ignore the economic threat emanating from Xi Jinping’s China. It’s now time to confront it.

As Merz travels to Beijing today, @tbenner.bsky.social, @jhensing.bsky.social & Florian Klumpp argue that Germany’s political and business elites need to finally confront the economic threat emanating from Xi Jinping’s China.

ip-quarterly.com/en/germanys-...

Read @tbenner.bsky.social's latest: ip-quarterly.com/en/germanys-...

Strategically, this really should be the British-German hour.

Why Countries in the Indo-Pacific Are Looking to Europe South Korea, the Philippines, and Japan are grappling with the fear that the US may reduce its military commitment to the region. They have started to forge closer security ties with European countrie...

From our winter issue, The Trump Doctrine: As South Korea, the Philippines, and Japan grapple with the fear that the US may reduce its military commitment to the region, they’ve started to forge closer security ties with European countries.

ip-quarterly.com/en/why-count...

Trump, Like Putin, Is Miscalculating on Europe Vladimir Putin’s ill-judged war against Ukraine has weakened Russia—turning it into a junior partner of China and triggering Europe’s rearmament. Trump’s frontal assault on European democracy will reb...

Putin’s war against Ukraine has weakened Russia—turning it into a junior partner of China and triggering Europe’s rearmament, @josephdeweck.bsky.social writes. And Trump’s assault on European democracy will similarly rebound against the United States.

ip-quarterly.com/en/trump-lik...

A European Strategy for the Global South If they want global problem solving to succeed without US leadership, the Europeans need to fully acknowledge partner countries’ potential.

“Agency on the part of the Global South is mostly welcomed if it is in line with Western-centric notions of ‘responsible behavior’ but meets resistance if it clashes with European policy preferences.”

Sophie Eisentraut on Europe's need for a Global South strategy: ip-quarterly.com/en/european-...

Does the Decline of US Soft Power Matter? While European publics have a very unfavorable view of Trump’s America, the same is not necessarily true of the rest of the world.

In our @munsecconf.bsky.social special issue, Anne-Marie Slaughter asks if the decline of US soft power really matters.

ip-quarterly.com/en/does-decl...

Special Issue | MSC 2026 In a (second) special issue published on the occasion of the Munich Security Conference 2026 we focus on European security in the era of the "Trump Doctrine."

At the @munsecconf.bsky.social? Pick up a copy of our special issue at Bayerischer Hof or the press center.

ip-quarterly.com/en/special-i...

In a few hours, @munsecconf.bsky.social chairman Wolfgang Ischinger will open MSC 2026.

When we interviewed him for the @ipq.bsky.social Special Issue, his emphasis on the importance of upholding international law and of differentiating between democratic and autocratic states stuck in my mind. ../

Special Issue | MSC 2026 In a (second) special issue published on the occasion of the Munich Security Conference 2026 we focus on European security in the era of the "Trump Doctrine."

At the @munsecconf.bsky.social? Pick up a copy of our special issue at Bayerischer Hof or the press center.

ip-quarterly.com/en/special-i...

The EU as NATO’s Enabler Brussels has started contributing considerably to the overall strengthening of what has long been an elusive concept: NATO’s European pillar.

From our special @munsecconf.bsky.social issue: Patrick Keller on how Europe is building significant military capability within the framework of NATO defense planning—thanks to the EU.

ip-quarterly.com/en/eu-natos-...

Europe’s Strategic Indispensability and How to Leverage It European strategists keep thinking about vulnerabilities and dependencies. Adopting a “middle power mindset” instead would help them to focus on the continent’s strong points—and on how to use them.

My latest in @ipq.bsky.social: Europe talks a lot about its vulnerabilities, but does not see (or use) its own strategic indispensability. Time to learn from middle powers.

ip-quarterly.com/en/europes-s...

Germans Need to Overcome Their Pessimism Amid tumultuous world events, Germany has become fearful of the future. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is right to try and address this.

In our winter issue, @henninghoff.bsky.social's Berlin Cable addresses a crucial problem: Germans have become fearful of the future. Can Merz fix this?

ip-quarterly.com/en/germans-n...

IPQ Special Issue MSC 2026: "The Trump Doctrine" This issue of Internationale Politik Quarterly (IPQ) reflects on the state of the transatlantic relationship in the era of the "Trump Doctrine.“

Recommended reading: @ipq.bsky.social reflects on the state of the transatlantic relationship in the era of the “Trump Doctrine” and offers views and thoughts on Europe's way forward.
@munsecconf.bsky.social
securityconference.org/en/marketpla...

for all of you heading to #MSC2026, here's a little primer on how (not) to talk about European security
@ipq.bsky.social

Geostrategic Refresh: Europe in a New World Britain and Germany should forge a military partnership to shape the arc from Greenland to the Black Sea.

In our special @munsecconf.bsky.social issue, @james-rogers.bsky.social argues that, in order to counter the relative decline of European power, Britain and Germany should forge a military partnership to shape the arc from Greenland to the Black Sea.

ip-quarterly.com/en/geostrate...

Special Issue | MSC 2026 In a (second) special issue published on the occasion of the Munich Security Conference 2026 we focus on European security in the era of the "Trump Doctrine."

Our special issue for the @munsecconf.bsky.social is now live.

Read it online here: ip-quarterly.com/en/special-i...

And pick up a physical copy if you're in Munich this week.

Germany’s New European Policy Puts Effectiveness before Unity German policy on Europe is changing fundamentally. The worse the global crises become, the more Chancellor Friedrich Merz is pushing for quick decisions—if necessary, even against Germany's closest pa...

The worse the global crises become, the more Friedrich Merz is pushing for quick decisions—if necessary, even against Germany's closest partner, France, @andreasrinke.bsky.social writes in a new piece.

ip-quarterly.com/en/germanys-...

Many interesting points in our interview w/ Wolfgang Ischinger @munsecconf.bsky.social

- transatlantic relationship/NATO far from dead, but Trump administration’s actions in January have raised doubts about Washington’s reliability

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“We Have to Go Back to the Idea of a Core Europe” Washington’s behavior on the global stage at the beginning of 2026 has increased doubts about the Trump administration’s reliability, MSC chairman Wolfgang Ischinger warns.

Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the @munsecconf.bsky.social, on increased doubts about the Trump administration’s reliability.

This interview is part of our upcoming special issue for the Munich Security Conference: ip-quarterly.com/en/we-have-g...

A Tale of Two Visits to India The trips to New Delhi by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speak of the success of forging closer ties between Europea and India. But further eff...

New from @barnabyjdye.bsky.social: The recent trips to New Delhi by Friedrich Merz and Ursula von der Leyen speak of the success of forging closer ties between Europe and India. But further efforts are needed.

ip-quarterly.com/en/tale-two-...

The Carney Doctrine Needs a Dose of Realism–and Honesty Mark Carney’s Davos speech was outstanding. However, as inspiring as the Canadian prime minister’s new middle powers doctrine is, it needs more honesty and realism.

New from @tbenner.bsky.social: As inspiring as Mark Carney’s new middle powers doctrine is, it needs more honesty and realism.

ip-quarterly.com/en/carney-do...