Patrick Triglavcanin

Tuning into Australia’s AUKUS debate: A British necessity The Memorandum | No. 21.2025

‘🇬🇧 should invest greater time and effort in understanding the #AUKUS narrative in 🇦🇺,’ argue @willfreer.bsky.social, our Research Fellow, and @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social, our Associate Fellow

#BritainsWorld #Memorandum

AUKUS is a Trump-style deal He rebels against the language of a “rules-based order” but he is happy to talk business.

Wrote this a little while ago (February 2024) for the Lowy Institute and still think most of it stands.

Delays in or the scrapping of the transfer of Virginia's to Australia would be a major blow to AUKUS, but it still looks a Trump-style deal.

www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

The Strategic Defence Review 2025 - Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad A root-and-branch review of UK Defence.

UK Strategic Defence Review came out on Sunday.

'NATO-first' but commitment to AUKUS and GCAP.

Gives AUKUS and GCAP useful label of 'international capability partnerships.
www.gov.uk/government/p...

Come and join UWA DSI!

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The Liberal party has decided to distance themselves from the roughly 1.4 million Australians of Chinese background (again)

Trump campaign chief claims he visited Australia to advise Liberals at start of election campaign Exclusive: Chris LaCivita, Trump’s presidential campaign co-manager, tells undercover reporters he advised on ‘structural issues’ related to Peter Dutton; the Coalition denies LaCivita was involved in...

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'...Chris LaCivita told undercover reporters posing as prospective clients for political consulting work he was working as a private consultant on the visit to Australia, not in an official capacity or as an adviser to the US president.'

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

We are hiring a Project and Communications Coordinator! 📢💼

If you are interested in leading the digital marketing of DSI projects, coordinating events to enhance our reach, and more, you should apply below!

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external.jobs.uwa.edu.au/en/job/52009...

Foreign Secretary statement following the detention of two British MPs in Israel Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has released a statement following the detention of two British MPs in Israel

Two British MPs detained in Israel

www.gov.uk/government/n...

UK and Australia launch new partnership in weapons development The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group Australia have announced a ground-breaking partnership.

'The partnership will combine the UK’s Modular Weapons Testbed and Australia’s SHARKTOOTH programme...This integration...will help accelerate and de-risk industry’s development of guided weapon sub-systems.'

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Australia in Trump’s new tariff order The new US tariffs are so high and wide-ranging that they represent an economic experiment.

Good quick-fire analysis. This says it all:
'The world’s most powerful and advanced economy is adopting an import taxing/import-substitution policy more commonly associated with countries at the earliest stages of industrialisation.'
www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

Australian 'machine' seems a lot more on top of AUKUS given a) amount of initial work Pillar I required & b) lively public debate which at best informs govt or at worst keeps it accountable. AUKUS much less controversial & prevalent in UK. Inquiry not so much doubting as informing.

and 'Is there sufficient clarity about the scope, funding, objectives, and delivery of Pillar 2?'...among other things

Defence Committee launches inquiry into AUKUS - Committees - UK Parliament Today the Defence Committee launches an inquiry into AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia.

Defence Committee launches inquiry into AUKUS.

Wants to know:
'How far have changes in the geopolitical situation affected the assumptions which underpinned the partnership when it was announced in 2021? Do they present a threat to the success of AUKUS?'

committees.parliament.uk/committee/24...

Donald Trump’s incoherent policy responses must be a focus of election coverage When Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump meet for the September 10 debate, the public will hopefully gain some perspective into both candidates’ plans to depl...

'News outlets cannot continue falling into the trap of “sanewashing” Trump as they did in response to a rambling speech last Thursday'

www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump...

Something from me for @congeostrategy.bsky.social on the bind modern British foreign and defence policy finds itself in due to the fundamental change in relationship with two of its anchors - the US and the EU

Untying Britain’s foreign and defence policy knot The Memorandum | No. 13.2025

🌍 ‘Unconstrained by 🇪🇺, and already deeply engaged in the #IndoPacific as well as #EuroAtlantic there is space for 🇬🇧 to fill certain gaps 🇺🇸 is leaving,’ argues @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social, our Associate fellow, in a new #Memorandum

#BritainsWorld

Today, we are excited to announce the release of our latest Black Swan Strategy Paper entitled ‘Targeted Interoperability: A New Framework for Australia in South East Asia’ authored by @japarker29.bsky.social.

Interesting paper taking a deep dive into 'interoperability' and the many opportunities and challenges for Australia in SEAsia.

TL;DR it must be targeted and mission-specific given the lack of structured agreements as seen in Europe.

Trump regime demands universities declare China, transgender links Researchers who collaborate with US agencies have been asked to declare any links to China, communism and whether they comply with Trump transgender orders.

Pretty average stuff! Heavy-handed US weighs in on Australian university sector

www.afr.com/politics/fed...

i'm back baby!

What do the PLAN’s live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea say about Beijing’s geopolitical intent? The Big Ask | No. 10.2025

What do the PLAN's live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea say about Beijing’s geopolitical intent?

We asked 5 experts in today's #BigAsk

✍️ Euan Graham, @japarker29.bsky.social, Charles Parton OBE, @salisbot.bsky.social, @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social

#BritainsWorld

As article states, UK aid to South Pacific and SEAsia wasn't huge to begin with.
I would argue HMS Spey and Tamar have had a greater impact for UK standing in both those regions. Maybe time to upgrade them?

Great article and I-P perspective on UK intl aid cuts.

I don't suspect it will have too much impact. I-P 'tilt' was always more about hard security.
Maybe time for Aus and the UK to have more frank discussion on how to achieve their (v similar) I-P goals.

Australia weighs boosting foreign aid in event Trump slashes US funding Australia's foreign policy priorities include our strategic position in the Pacific, expanding economic ties with South-East Asia and broadening ties with regional powers like India and Japan.

'The federal government is weighing whether it should bolster foreign aid if the Trump administration moves to slash development funding across the Pacific and South-East Asia.'

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

India-EU deepen ties: Focus on defence, security, and FTA amid Ukraine crisis and trade negotiations Maritime cooperation, in particular, is a key area of focus, with the EU keen on deploying a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram. The Centre plays a crucial role...

Ursula von der Leyen is set to visit New Delhi this week. 'Maritime cooperation, in particular, is a key area of focus, with the EU keen on deploying a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram.'
www.financialexpress.com/business/ind...

Sweet

The UWA Defence and Security Institute is pleased to welcome Patrick Triglavcanin to the team as Research Assistant!
Patrick has a focus on Indo-Pacific geopolitics, specifically the UK's role in the region.

You can find him here @p-triglavcanin.bsky.social or on X at @p_triglavcanin.

Starmer’s cuts to UK aid budget are ‘cruel and shameful’, say experts Reduction to 0.3% of gross national income in order to fund defence spending has been decried as a ‘move to appease Trump’

I'd say less about Trump than genuine scepticism in the UK about where the international aid goes...and of course harsh fiscal constraints in attempting to get defence spending up

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Must-read piece. Europe cannot afford to be the chorus in a Greek tragedy, wringing its hands on the edge of the stage while horrors unfold elsewhere. Ukraine’s success is a vital interest for European countries, including the UK. They need to act, not wait for Trump to harm their interests.

And I wonder, if like Xi's 'wolf warriors', time will find the strategy unproductive and see it rowed back