Always a pleasure to cooperate with @rgwhitman.bsky.social... and intellectually productive:

Iran and Ukraine are changing the EU and testing its unity The two wars are forcing the EU to take a more assertive role in defence and security affairs, leading to arguments between senior officials.

Iran and Ukraine are changing the EU and testing its unity - analysis with @stefwolff.bsky.social on the end of the EU's age of innocence - theconversation.com/iran-and-ukr...

UK-EU reset lacks “direction, definition and drive” - Committees - UK Parliament Report: From a Common Understanding to Common Ground: Building a UK-EU Strategic Partnership fit for the future

Great to have had the chance to have provided evidence to the UK Foreign Affairs Committee inquiry into the EU-UK reset. The FAC report out today pulls no punches in its assessment of the relationship.
committees.parliament.uk/committee/78...

The Clara Marina O'Donnell fellowship Applications are now open for the 13th Clara Marina O’Donnell fellowship. Start date: October 2026 for six months. Pay: currently £14.80 per hour plus 8 per cent pension contribution. Applications in…

Applications are now open for the 13th Clara Marina O’Donnell fellowship, full details below.
Start date: October 2026 for six months
Pay: London Living Wage
Applications in by: 09/04/26
@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social @brookings.edu @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social

buff.ly/3vV64SZ

Should Britain act more like a major or middle power? The Big Ask | No. 05.2026

‘The best way for 🇬🇧 to support middle powers is not to join them, but to lead in a way that makes their cooperation possible,’ argues @rgwhitman.bsky.social, @kent.ac.uk

#BigAsk #BritainsWorld

EU agrees €90 billion loan to Ukraine, but squabbles over frozen Russian assets expose the bloc’s deep divisions To placate pro-Moscow governments in Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia, the EU had to include an ‘opt-out’ clause for its support for Ukraine.

EU agrees €90 billion loan to Ukraine, but squabbles over frozen Russian assets expose the bloc’s deep divisions - my analysis with @stefwolff.bsky.social theconversation.com/eu-agrees-90...

How should Britain cultivate the Coalition of the Willing? The Big Ask | No. 44.2025

‘🇬🇧 should also help to normalise 🇺🇦 strategic integration with #EuroAtlantic allies and partners, using the coalition as a mechanism for ensuring that the country becomes a “shadow” member of #NATO,’ writes @rgwhitman.bsky.social, @kent.ac.uk

#BigAsk #BritainsWorld

How should Britain cultivate the Coalition of the Willing? The Big Ask | No. 44.2025

Thanks @congeostrategy.bsky.social for the #BigAsk invitation: My answer - Move beyond its ‘start-up’ phase with less focus on preparing to enforce a notional peace and more on securing Ukraine for the long term. www.britainsworld.org.uk/p/the-big-as...

Despite another week of diplomatic whiplash, an end to the fighting in Ukraine is not in sight By Richard Whitman & Stefan Wolff

As Trump flip-flops and the coalition of the willing is unlikely to go beyond securing Ukraine’s immediate survival, a credible pathway to ending the war with a just and stable peace is still lacking -- my latest analysis with @rgwhitman.bsky.social for @navvortex.bsky.social : bit.ly/43IOKP9

Ukraine: another week of diplomatic wrangling leaves Kyiv short of defensive options Despite exhaustive discussions, neither the EU or the US has come up with any really substantial measures to boost Ukraine’s defence.

The Trump administration flip-flops and the track record of Kyiv’s European partners to slow-walk the necessary goods for Ukraine’s defence continues. - shared analysis with @stefwolff.bsky.social
theconversation.com/ukraine-anot...

Time is running out for Europe to prevent Russia from broadening its war against Ukraine into a full-blown military confrontation with the west: my latest analysis with @rgwhitman.bsky.social: bit.ly/42e0qZB

Great to be back in The Conversation and especially for a shared analysis with @stefwolff.bsky.social

In memoriam: Professor A J R (‘John’) Groom

It is with sadness that we bring the news that former BISA Chair Professor A J R Groom has passed away. Here @rgwhitman.bsky.social outlines some of Professor Groom's main contributions and achievements.

Read here - buff.ly/8Kl7Cc5

@kent.ac.uk

REF2029: Update on Politics and International Relations Matthew Flinders and Ailsa Henderson provide an update on the timeline and panel remembers.

🚨 #REF2029 update - Matthew Flinders and @ailsahenderson.bsky.social
provide an update on REF2029 sub-panel 19 - Politics and IR:

🎉 Pause button pressed & Sub-panel members appointed:
@usempire.bsky.social @rgwhitman.bsky.social @jamespattison.bsky.social @whitproject.bsky.social

Read here 👉

How should Britain and France cooperate to realise the Northwood Declaration? The Big Ask | No. 29.2025

‘In an era of growing uncertainty in American politics…closer British-French nuclear cooperation is a prudent strategic hedge,’ argues @rgwhitman.bsky.social @kent.ac.uk

#BigAsk #BritainsWorld

The EU is split on UK joining its weapons fund - and France is saying non Some countries are sceptical about full British involvement in the EU's defence investment fund - with senior officials saying it will undermine the bloc's supply chain

Macron: when France and the UK "come together around one table, everything is possible". Well not everything…inews.co.uk/news/world/eu-split-uk-j...

The Art of the Pledge: Trump, NATO, and the price of unity - UK in a changing Europe Richard Whitman takes stock of the NATO summit at the Hague in June 2025. He argues that the brief summit aimed to appease Donald Trump with its commitment to his 5% defence spending target and…

"The summit captured a moment of uneasy consensus — forged not through shared strategy, but through collective accommodation of a US president whose commitment to the Alliance remains conditional."

✍️ @rgwhitman.bsky.social on the NATO summit and Trump's influence

@edrusi.bsky.social has the must-read take on The Hague NATO summit.

The Art of the Pledge: Trump, NATO, and the price of unity - UK in a changing Europe Richard Whitman takes stock of the NATO summit at the Hague in June 2025. He argues that the brief summit aimed to appease Donald Trump with its commitment to his 5% defence spending target and failed...

What to make of the NATO summit? @rgwhitman.bsky.social explains all ukandeu.ac.uk/the-art-of-t...

Episode 103: How Should the UK Approach European Security? How is the UK’s Labour government approaching European security, and how does this compare to the Conservatives?

In conversation with Neil Melvin on the ever insightful Global Security Briefing podcast from @rusi.bsky.social . A great opportunity to reflect on the record of the UK Labour government after its first year in office and how UK security and defence is evolving.
www.rusi.org/podcasts/glo...

A modest beginning: the new EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership - UK in a changing Europe Professor Richard Whitman analyses the Security and Defence Partnership announced at the UK-EU summit in London on Monday 19 May. He argues that the agreement does not exceed any strategic…

"As the United States re-evaluates its security commitments to Europe, the UK and EU are under increasing pressure to assume greater responsibility for their own defence."

@rgwhitman.bsky.social‬ analyses the UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership & the role of the US

Fantastic occasion - and very many thanks to @mybisa.bsky.social for bringing us all together to reflect on the first fifty years of the Association.

Thanks to @congeostrategy.bsky.social for giving me the chance to answer the #BigAsk this week.

Pentagon launches review of Aukus nuclear submarine deal ​Ending the pact would be a blow to the security alliance with Australia and UK

AUKward - on.ft.com/4jPXsQN

Public event - BISA chair roundtable: 50 years and counting: reflecting on the discipline and profession of International Studies A roundtable with past BISA chairs. Part of the #BISA2025 conference.

🌟BISA chair roundtable: 50 years and counting: reflecting on the discipline and profession of International Studies🌟

Online or in person 🎉

‪Ft/ @rgwhitman.bsky.social‬, Barry Buzan, Chris Brown, Christopher Hill, Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, Ruth Blakeley & Mark Webber

Sign up now! 👉

Resetting (modestly): The UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership The Memorandum | No. 19.2025

Modesty (doesn't quite) forbid me for drawing attention to this piece for @congeostrategy.bsky.social - Resetting (modestly): The UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership www.britainsworld.org.uk/p/the-memora...

A modest beginning: the new EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership - UK in a changing Europe Professor Richard Whitman analyses the Security and Defence Partnership announced at the UK-EU summit in London on Monday 19 May. He argues that the agreement does not exceed any strategic partnership...

"It does not represent a transformative moment or strategic shift; rather, it formalises a more normalised, codified dialogue between the two parties."

🖊️ @rgwhitman.bsky.social analyses the Security and Defence Partnership announced at the UK-EU summit in London

ukandeu.ac.uk/the-new-eu-u...

Sharp and on point from @edrusi.bsky.social

My take on the EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership agreed at the summit today.

Thanks to the @congeostrategy.bsky.social for getting the opportunity to answer their #BigAsk this week - on whether Britain should have a foreign policy doctrine.