International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS)

Last week, three members of ICDS received state decorations from President Alar Karis: 🔸 Madis Mikko – Order of the White Star, 3rd Class 🔸 Kristi Raik – Order of the White Star, 4th Class 🔸 Michael D. Weiss – Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 3rd Class A heartfelt congratulations to our director, Kristi Raik; the head of the Estonian National Defence Course, Madis Mikko; and our non-resident research fellow, Michael Weiss! 📸 Arno Mikkor/VPK

"The Manhattan bully feels more affinity to Piter’s thug than to European establishments or war-hardened Ukrainian leaders." The security relationship with #America is shifting towards bilateral transactionalism, writes Tomas Jermalavičius. Commentary ⇛ https://lnkd.in/gnBjgbgz

Russia's influence in the #SouthCaucasus is changing: #Georgia has experienced democratic backsliding under Ivanishvili's rule, increasing its energy and trade dependency. Watch the interview with Sanshiro Hosaka, author of "A Mountain to Climb: #Russia's Influence in the South Caucasus and #EU Policy Options" for more insights. 🎥 Full video: https://lnkd.in/gmv75w7v 📝 Read the report: https://lnkd.in/dEK7fwbJ

📽 Discussions of the European Union Enlargement Conference 2025: “Renewed Impetus?” are now available on our YouTube channel! Check out the full playlist here: https://lnkd.in/dA_XUwHV 📸 Photo highlights from the event, captured by Marko Mumm, can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/dNjgj3t8 We are grateful to all the participants for their valuable contributions! #EUECTallinn2025

By involving both the military and civil society in the defence of the nation, territorially small states can redesign defence in depth to deter an aggressor across the entire spectrum of conflict. As tensions rise, #Taiwan and the Nordic-Baltic region are drawing crucial lessons from #Ukraine's resilience against #Russian aggression. 📄 New report by Ivan U. Kłyszcz, Eric Chan, Tony Lawrence and Jyun-yi Lee about deterrence and hybrid warfare. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/d8W4yPjq

Europe has the resources and even staying power to step up and keep its own game rolling. Does it also have the leadership capacity, cohesion, and stamina to do so? The security relationship with America has changed. Tomas Jermalavičius writes 👇

Russia's influence in the South Caucasus is changing. #Armenia's been distancing itself from Moscow, seeking to diversify its foreign policy options, including strengthening partnerships with the #EU and the #US. #Azerbaijan has aligned more closely with Moscow in political-military spheres, although it doesn't necessarily translate into Moscow's greater leverage over Baku. #Georgia has experienced democratic backsliding under Ivanishvili's rule, increasing its energy and trade dependency. Is the Kremlin's presence still significant? How can #EU strenghten resilience against Russia's malicious influence in the region? An interview with the author of the report "A Mountain to Climb: Russia's Influence in the South Caucasus and EU Policy Options", Sanshiro Hosaka.

Whoever the next defence minister is, he or she will certainly not face fewer challenges than those currently facing Boris Pistorius. Germany's recent election brings new leadership, but significant challenges remain in defense policy, writes Felix Gasper. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dcw-AuQd

"The fact that #Ukraine today lacks the resources to liberate the territories lost to #Russia does not equal recognition of their loss." Ukraine's courage is unyielding, but its survival hinges on the strength of Western support, writes Mykola Nazarov: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dcxW-Rt4

Today marks the beginning of the year 4 of Russia’s full-scale invasion. We wish strength and resilience to #Ukraine in its fight for freedom. Stay strong! 📸 Kaitsevagi (pildid.mil.ee) | #StandWithUkraine International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) series on Russia’s War in Ukraine: 1️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine: Mobilisation in Wartime. Andriy Stavytskyy: https://lnkd.in/dprmAQD4 2️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine: The Evolution of Grand Strategy. Leonid Polyakov: https://lnkd.in/d-Q6Adkm 3️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine: War and Society. Mykola Nazarov: https://lnkd.in/dPfGSrQq 4️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine Series: War and Industry. Stanislav Zhelikhovskyi: https://lnkd.in/d2XTqFEt 5️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine: Russia’s Attempts to Undermine Mobilisation. Maryna Vorotyntseva: https://lnkd.in/dXZMdaxq 6️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine: Artificial Intelligence in Defence of Ukraine. Vitaliy Goncharuk: https://lnkd.in/dnh7_q_w 7️⃣ Russia’s War in Ukraine: Drone-Centric Warfare. Mykhailo Samus: https://lnkd.in/dccCY9QB