Sven Biscop

Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop directs the Europe in the World programme at the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, and lectures at Ghent University. His new book, "Grand Strategy in 10 Words – A Guide to Great Power Politics in the 21st Century", came out in June.

Biden and Europe, values and interests

Before his trip to Europe, President Biden spoke of its purpose as “rallying the democracies”. But international politics is not just a clash between the democrats and the dictators. Indeed, Americans and Europeans count quite a few…

Biden, NATO and the EU: Who Deals With China, and Who With Russia?

NATO is a unique alliance - not only because of its longevity (it turns 72 this year) and its bloodless victory in the Cold War (since its opponent crumbled from the inside). It is unique also in that it is an institutionalized alliance: In…

A Political Diagnosis of the Coronavirus

The speed and massive scale of China’s response to the coronavirus “showed China’s efficiency and the advantages of China’s system”, said Tedros Adhanom, director-general of the World Health Organization, during a visit to Chinese president…

A geopolitical Commission needs power: not to confront, but to engage

President-elect Ursula von der Leyen announced that hers will be a “geopolitical commission”. In other words, the EU has to adapt to a world of great powers. This is a key assumption – it must now be embedded in the EU's overall external…

Strategic Autonomy: Minimal Intervention, Maximum Diplomacy

The 2016 European Global Strategy (EUGS) introduced the objective of strategic autonomy. But to do what exactly? To protect ourselves, or to protect others, outside Europe, as well? To protect ourselves by defeating the enemy on his own…

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