Royal Higher Institute for Defence

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Royal Higher Institute for Defence

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The Think Tank of the Belgian MOD

The Royal Higher Institute for Defence (RHID) is the reference body or think tank of the Belgian Ministry of Defence in the field of security and defence. It is also responsible for managing the multiannual programme for scientific and technological research, including the security and defence studies, as well as the scientific research of the Royal Army and Military History Museum. In order to fully accomplish its mission, the RHID has set the objectives of focusing the attention – by identifying research and discussion topics, and themes of interest – as well as deepening and disseminating knowledge. Organising conferences, colloquia and seminars as well as publishing papers by researchers at the Belgian Ministry of Defence, and the Institute in particular, fully contribute to knowledge transfer. The High Studies for Security and Defence, in the form of a meeting place with seminars and visits, provides training in these fields for high-level staff, both from the ministry and the civil sector. Through national and international partnerships, the RHID has developed an extensive network to exchange ideas and experiences.

15/10/2026

🌍 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐮̈𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬

📅 27 October 2026 | 🕔 17:00 – 18:30 | 📍 Campus Renaissance, Brussels

Current geopolitical upheavals are reshaping the European and Euro-Atlantic security environment. Russia’s war against Ukraine, persistent instability in the Middle East and developments in the Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean regions have brought Türkiye back to the centre of strategic discussions.

As a NATO member, a major regional actor and an important partner of the European Union, Türkiye exerts a significant influence on the security dynamics of its wider neighbourhood. This raises important questions: 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐮̈𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐲𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲, 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨-𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲?

To discuss these issues, the Centre for Security and Defence Studies of the Royal Higher Institute of Defence welcomes two distinguished speakers:

🎙️ H.E. Ambassador Basat Öztürk, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to NATO,

🎙️ H.E. Ambassador Selim Yenel, former Permanent Delegate of Türkiye to the European Union.

👉 Mandatory registration (open until 20 October 2026). As places are limited, we encourage you to secure your seat as soon as possible: https://www.defence-institute.be/en/conference-2026-10-27-2/

13/10/2026

🌊 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐢𝐮𝐦’𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬

📅 22 October 2026 | 🕔 17:00 – 18:30 | 📍 Campus Renaissance, Brussels

International ports, a globally active merchant fleet, an innovative maritime industry, offshore energy... Belgium is one of Europe’s most maritime-oriented nations.

Yet the international environment is changing rapidly. 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞.

Against this backdrop, several key questions arise:

🔹 How can Belgium’s maritime sector strengthen its competitiveness and resilience?

🔹 What impact will global geopolitical developments have on Belgium’s maritime and economic interests?

🔹 How can security, innovation and sustainability be successfully combined?

🔹 What role can Belgium play in the maritime economy of the future?

To discuss these challenges, the Royal Higher Institute for Defence (RHID) will bring together three leading figures from Belgium’s maritime community:

⚓ Rear Admiral Tanguy Botman, Commander of the Belgian Navy

⚓ Capt. Marc Nuytemans, Chairman of the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association

⚓ Prof. Dr Chris Peeters, Chairman of the Policy Research Corporation and Professor of Maritime Economics at the University of Antwerp

🎙️ Moderated by Filip Reyniers, Associate Researcher at the Centre for Security and Defence Studies.

The conference will be held in French and Dutch, with simultaneous interpretation into English.

👉 Registration is open only until 15 October 2026. T𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐁𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞.

🔗 Registration: https://www.defence-institute.be/en/conference-2026-10-22-2/

08/10/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐩.

On Friday 26 September, auditors of the HSSD session 2026–2027 visited the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

The visit began in the impressive Havenhuis with an explanation of the port’s origins and growth, followed by presentations on the strategic importance of the port as critical infrastructure for the Belgian economy, industry and energy supply. The resulting security challenges, the legal framework and the role of innovation and technology in strengthening resilience were also discussed.

A boat trip on the Scheldt then offered a unique perspective on the scale and complexity of the port area.

The visit concluded at the Red Star Line Museum, with a focus on migration and the historical role of the Port of Antwerp.

A fascinating day’s visit that brought together critical infrastructure, the economy, security, innovation and social history.

Our thanks go to Port of Antwerp-Bruges for their hospitality and for facilitating this visit.

29/09/2026

The 21st session of the High Studies for Security and Defence began on Friday 18 September 2026. This course is also informally known as the ‘fourth cycle’.

From now on, in the light of the success of previous years, 35 men and women (known as ‘auditors’) will take part each month, from September to June, in a two-day residential seminar. Each of these ten sessions will focus on a different geopolitical and/or strategic theme.

In addition, the 12 military auditors and 23 representatives from industry, the banking and investment sectors, politics, the police, NGOs, the magistracy, the diplomatic service and various Belgian federal public services (FPSs) will make at least one visit each month to critical infrastructure sites, FPSs, the Belgian Defence, the defence industry and numerous other relevant institutions. The aim is to gain a clear insight into what Belgium has to offer and to understand how institutions – and, above all, people – across the various sectors can collaborate within the fields of security and defence.

The first seminar focused on the fundamental concepts required to establish the right framework for the course ahead. In addition to this first opportunity for auditors to get to know one another, the annual programme and various introductory topics were discussed, including strategy, geopolitics, international relations and the history of Belgium viewed from the perspective of our foreign policy.

In short, the tone has been set. The next seminar will focus on the major strategic visions and power dynamics in the world.

Registrations for the 2027-2028 academic year are now open. Registration can be completed online via our website : https://www.defence-institute.be/en/hssd-session-2027-2028/

28/09/2026

🌍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟕 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧

📅 13 October 2026 | 🕔 17:00 – 18:30 | 📍 Campus Renaissance, Brussels

On the eve of 7 October 2023, developments in the Middle East had largely faded from the international spotlight. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬.

🔹 How have recent conflicts reshaped the strategic balance in the Middle East?

🔹 What are the consequences of the weakening of major regional actors?

🔹 How do these upheavals reflect a transformation of the global balance of power?

🔹 What impact are these developments having on Western societies and international security?

To explore these issues, the Centre for Security and Defence Studies (CSDS) of the Royal Higher Institute for Defence (RHID) is pleased to welcome Prof. Dr Gilles Kepel (Sciences Po Paris), one of Europe’s foremost specialists on the Middle East and the relationship between the region and the West. He will share his analysis of recent conflicts and the profound geopolitical transformation they reveal.

The conference will be held in French.

👉 Registration is required by 6 October 2026: https://www.defence-institute.be/en/events/conference-2026-10-13/

14/09/2026

🌐 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐚: 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞?

📅 29 September 2026 | 🕔 17:00 – 18:30 | 📍 Campus Renaissance, Brussels

The return of great power competition, persistent instability along NATO’s borders and the rapid evolution of military technologies have reinforced the importance of collective defence and transatlantic unity. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝.

In this context, several key questions need to be addressed:

🔹 What major decisions were taken by Allied leaders in Ankara?

🔹 What will their implications be for European security?

🔹 What role can Belgium play in the evolving strategic objectives of NATO?

🔹 How can Belgium balance its commitments to the Alliance and its national security interests?

To explore these issues, the Centre for Security and Defence Studies (CSDS) of the Royal Higher Institute for Defence (RHID) is pleased to welcome two distinguished speakers:

🔹 Dr. Gerlinde Freia Niehus, an independent expert in NATO and international security affairs as well as a former NATO Deputy Director for Defence and Security Cooperation with NATO partner countries;

🔹 Lieutenant-General aviator Geert De Decker, the Belgian Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee.

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝟐𝟐 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

👉 Registration link and further information: https://www.defence-institute.be/conference-2026-09-29/

11/09/2026

🔎 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬: 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐅𝐂/𝐌𝟐𝟑 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨

Since its resurgence in 2021, the AFC/M23 alliance has profoundly reshaped the security landscape in eastern . Yet behind the ongoing fighting lie far more complex realities: the legacy of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, intercommunal tensions, the fragility of the Congolese state, regional rivalries and economic interests linked to strategic natural resources.

Joël Bacanamwo and Rodolphe van Hövell 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐅𝐂/𝐌𝟐𝟑 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥, 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭.

As we approach our evening conference ‘Eastern Congo at a crossroads: conflict dynamics, regional security and armed actors’, this e-Note is essential reading for anyone seeking to better understand the complexities of a conflict whose repercussions extend far beyond the Great Lakes region.

📥 Discover e-Note 103: https://www.defence-institute.be/en/publications-2/e-note/e-note-103-joel-bacanamwo-rodolphe-van-hovell/

01/09/2026

🎓 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐇𝐒𝐒𝐃)

📅 Session 2027–2028 | 📍 Brussels

The High Studies for Security and Defence (HSSD) are a high-level training programme addressing today’s key security and defence challenges in Belgium, Europe and across the world. Over a period of several months, the participants – or ‘auditors’ – have the opportunity to:

✨ deepen their understanding of strategic, geopolitical and security dynamics by participating in seminars led by expert speakers;

🤝 engage with a unique network of leaders from different domains (defence, public institutions, academia and industry);

🌍 take part in visits at the heart of institutions and sites of international security relevance.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫. Candidates are expected to demonstrate solid expertise in their field and to possess strong strategic thinking skills.

📌 Registration deadline: 15 December 2026

👉 Full application details available on our website:

https://www.defence-institute.be/en/hssd-session-2027-2028/

10/07/2026

🔎 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫

As the conflict in Ukraine enters its fourth year, Russia is seeking new sources of manpower for its armed forces and defence industry. Among the most concerning trends is the recruitment of African nationals, 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

In her latest publication, Giulia Prelz Oltramonti, researcher at the Centre for Security and Defence Studies, examines a phenomenon at the intersection of several major issues: 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Beyond the Russian case, this analysis invites us to reflect on how modern wars increasingly exploit economic vulnerabilities, migration aspirations and digital environments to meet their personnel needs.

📖 Read the full article on our website:

https://www.defence-institute.be/en/publications-2/e-note/e-note-100-giulia-prelz-oltramonti/

06/07/2026

👉 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚?

In this new Focus Paper from the Centre for Security and Defence Studies (CSDS), Laetitia Spetschinsky, a specialist in Russian affairs and Eurasian geopolitics, examines Moscow’s strategy of ‘Siberianisation’.

Going beyond the notion of a simple ‘pivot to the East’, the author demonstrates 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲, 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬 and even its military posture towards Siberia, the Far East and the Arctic.

Yet this ambitious project faces significant challenges: growing dependence on China, demographic decline, budgetary constraints and logistical bottlenecks. 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬?

📥 Discover the full analysis on our website: https://www.defence-institute.be/en/publications-2/focus-paper/fp-63-laetitia-spetschinsky-2/

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