Mainstream analysis of the Middle East has a recurring pattern of orbiting strictly around states with outsized  military or economic power. The likes of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Egypt, and more recently, the UAE and  Qatar. Meanwhile, the role of Kuwait and Jordan, two states that play crucial stabilising roles, rarely dominate international headlines, while they navigate a region rife with geopolitical fragmentation. Their quiet contributions are underscored by a soft-po

"The art of getting to the brink of war without precipitating one. It is associated with the American Secretary of State during much of the 1950s, John Foster Dulles (1888–1959). The most serious case of twentieth-century brinkmanship was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, in which the parties came eyeball-to-eyeball." Source: https://kamudiplomasisi.org/pdf/kitaplar/___adictionaryofdiplomacy.pdf

"Term derived from French word diriger (to direct) referring to the control of economic activity by the state. Intervention may take the form of legal requirements, financial incentives and penalties, nationalization, or comprehensive economic planning, though with an underlying commitment to private ownership." Source: https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199670840.001.0001/acref-9780199670840-e-361

In our last insight, we discussed the attempts made by the United States to reassert its role as the eminent military and imperialistic superpower. As one of the blocs poised to rise in the global hegemonic rankings, the European Union has all the necessary tools for success. However, its lack of progress is exemplified  by its indecision on two key issues: what to do with the approximately €210 billion in frozen Russian assets held in Brussels and the negotiations for the EU

Minilateralism has become the popular modus operandi of 21st-century international relations among states. As a concept, minilateralism is quite fluid. It indicates a grouping of a small number of like-minded states pursuing mutual goals. It is considered a nimble and more targeted approach than multilateralism where “the smallest possible number of countries needed to have the largest possible impact on solving a particular problem.” In contrast to the traditional multilater

Introduction: Digitalization is fundamentally reshaping interactions among state, market, and society along the corridor The Nigeria–Cameroon frontier, spanning diverse terrains from Bakassi’s marshlands to Borno’s plains and the forests of Taraba and Cameroon’s Far North, has historically exemplified governance through intermittent state presence. In particular, administrative continuity has been lacking, resulting in a reliance on crisis interventions and militarized respon

Co-financing requires that part of the funding for a project comes from sources other than the EU, such as national, regional or private funds. One of the reasons is that co-financing should leverage additional financial resources and thereby increase the total amount available for projects. Moreover, by requiring beneficiaries to contribute own funds, the co-financing principle aims to ensure greater ownership and to encourage efficient planning and cost management. Source:.

The 20 th  of June 2025 could be a pivotal date for the European Union (EU): for the first time, the European Investment Bank (EIB) – the principal EU tool for developmental projects in and out of the Union – approved a 450-million euro loan for the installation of a military campus in Rūdninkai, Lithuania. The involvement of the EIB in such a project, aimed at strengthening NATO’s Eastern flank, is a significant shift in EIB’s casual projects, and therefore a shift in EU pri

"A Protectorate, or protected state when referring to a territory subject to this arrangement, is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity. The protectorate retains formal sovereignty and remains a state under international law, but in exchange for this, they usually accept specified obligations that vary depending on the nature of their relationship." Source: https://diplomacy.state.gov/encyclo

Canada is entering a critical phase in the expansion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity. The inauguration of the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, marks a significant shift for a country whose energy exports have long been defined by near-exclusive reliance on the United States. By opening direct access to overseas markets, this project represents a structural departure from Canada’s traditional dependence on its southern neighbour. The launch

"The terms ‘extraterritoriality’ and ‘extraterritorial jurisdiction’ refer to the competence of a State to make, apply and enforce rules of conduct in respect of persons, property or events beyond its territory. Such competence may be exercised by way of prescription, adjudication or enforcement. Prescriptive jurisdiction refers to a State’s authority to lay down legal norms. Adjudicative jurisdiction refers to a State’s authority to decide competing claims. Enforcement juris

For decades, Turkey has dreamt of becoming a regional gas hub. It has sought to compensate for its lack of domestic hydrocarbon resources by taking advantage of its energy-rich neighbours and position itself as the leading energy partner in the region. To be sure, Turkey is already an important transit country for Russian, Middle Eastern and Central Asian gas. But in order to become a ‘gas marketplace’, several obstacles lay ahead for Ankara: namely the geopolitical tensions

With President Trump’s recent ultimatum pressing Nicolás Maduro to resign as Venezuela’s leader , it appears that the two states are on a collision course. While the Administration’s official reasoning behind the recent escalation has been an effort to end the flow of cocaine and fentanyl into the United States, we argue that this only partially explains the situation. On one hand, the prospect of invading a sovereign state reflects superpowers’ increasing propensity towards

Energy autarky (...) is   conceptualized as a situation in which the energy services used for sustaining local consumption, local production   and the export of goods and services are derived from locally renewable energy   resources. Technically, the implementation of higher degrees of energy autarky rests on increasing energy efficiency, realizing   the potential of renewable energy resources and relying on a decentralized energy system. Practically, a transition towards reg

“History is made,” declared Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão in October 2025 during the signing ceremony marking the small country’s entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). For Timor-Leste, ASEAN membership celebrates the nation’s resilience and determination, 23 years after gaining independence from Indonesia and 14 years of negotiations with the organization. For ASEAN, it represents the continuing realization of a united regional community

"Incoterms are a series of contractual provisions developed for the international trade in goods. They serve to standardize and expedite trade between companies in different countries. The Incoterms are recognized worldwide and are recommended by international organizations (UNCITRAL, UNECE, etc.), but do not have the status of a formal UN agreement. They are used to determine which party is responsible for the costs of transportation and insurance. Incoterms are components o

Moldova: a small landlocked state of less of 3 million people, squeezed between Romania and Ukraine, described as Europe’s poorest country. Despite its modest size, Moldova sits at the crossroads of some of the world’s most consequential power struggles. The country’s economy remains heavily burdened by debt, much of it linked to the import of Russian natural gas, while over half of its population experiences energy poverty. According to UNDP data, more than 60% of Moldovans

" Autarky is the term used to describe a country or economy that operates independently. Autarky, in its most basic sense, means “self-sufficient,” though it’s almost always used in correlation with a political or economic system, mean ing that the entity – whatever it is – can operate and exist free of outside influence, support, or trade." Source: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/autarky/

"The space economy encompasses all activities and resources that contribute to human progress through the exploration, research, understanding, management, and utilisation of space. The sector provides critical infrastructure on Earth, contributes fundamental scientific data for decision-making, and supports societal well-being. But challenges abound from the sustainability of the current use of space and the threat posed by space debris, to ethical implications of space expl

How can the EU foster long-term strategic autonomy of its food system? Europe often treats food security as a given. The EU discards over 58 million tonnes of food a year - about 130 kg per person - worth an estimated €132 billion. That abundance, however, can be misleading. The war in Ukraine, dependence on external inputs, and climate-driven harvest shocks have shown how quickly availability and prices can be weaponised. We need to rethink food security in terms of resilien