RUSI

Guns, Goods and Governance: Illicit Economies and the Foundations of Insurgent Rule Research across different geographies has increasingly reshaped how the relationship between militancy, criminality and legitimacy is understood, with important implications for conflict prevention and peace-making.

Research across different geographies has increasingly reshaped how the relationship between militancy, criminality and legitimacy is understood, with important implications for conflict prevention and peace-making.

Read the latest #RUSICommentary.

Episode 3: Economic Statecraft and Economic Security in Global Affairs Kimberley Donovan joins Kinga Redlowska to discuss the evolving role of economic security and economic statecraft in global affairs.

🎙In our latest episode of #STRPodcast, host Kinga Redlowska and Kimberly Donovan (@atlanticcouncil.bsky.social) discuss the evolving role of economic security and economic statecraft in global affairs.
🎧: https://bit.ly/4pJNtRk

UK Leader of Opposition Speaks on International Law at RUSI On 6 June The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party, gave a speech in RUSI’s Library.

On 6 June, Kemi Badenoch MP launched her ‘Lawfare Commission’ at RUSI, arguing the UK “will likely need to leave” the ECHR, while urging caution: “We must look before we leap.” See more:

UK Attorney General Highlights Importance of International Law in RUSI Annual Security Lecture On 29 May The Rt Hon Lord Hermer, the UK Attorney General, gave the Annual Security Lecture at RUSI.

At RUSI’s Annual Security Lecture on May 29, Lord Hermer KC warned: “The rules-based order breaks down when states breach law in their national interest.” See more:

The UK’s ongoing membership of the ECHR is expected to be central to this year’s Conservative Party Conference. RUSI has played a critical role in this debate, hosting Lord Hermer KC and Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP to share their views on international law and the UK’s obligations.

Beware Russia Bearing Arms Control Gifts Washington should maintain a critical eye when measuring Putin’s latest arms control offer.

'US officials should consider whether another year of New START limits, without verification of Russian strategic forces, is satisfactory' writes @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social, Senior Nuclear Fellow at the Center for Nuclear Security Policy, MIT, in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Egypt, Israel and Palestinian Displacement While the current peace proposal for Gaza, authored by Israel and the US, no longer includes displacement of Palestinians to Egypt's Sinai peninsula, Cairo is right to be concerned such an idea is a live consideration.

'Cairo is acutely aware that displaced populations would likely remain targets of Israeli military action, given Israel’s established record of cross-border strikes in Lebanon, Syria, and elsewhere' writes H A Hellyer in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Former PM of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk took to the stage at RUSI today to warn that Putin seeks to divide the US and Europe and weaken NATO and the EU, to ultimately pave the way for a China-led global order.

RUSI Members can watch the event in full: bit.ly/42ZTqjc

Are environmental, social and governance standards really the barrier to defence companies' ability to raise capital and invest as they are often made out to be? Dr Linus Terhorst examines the veracity of such claims in his latest report on the real factors that stall defence growth.📖 bit.ly/4gP93zM

Edited Collection on Cyber Effects: Call for Abstracts The UK Cyber Effects Network is now accepting abstract submissions for original papers that address conceptual, doctrinal, legal, policy, capability and technological aspects of offensive cyber operations.

🚨The deadline to submit your abstract on offensive cyber operations for the UK Cyber Effects Network has been extended to 6 October. Share your insights and submit your abstract as soon as possible - details below.

Not Business as Usual: Why Trump’s War Department Rhetoric Matters Much of the language coming out of the gathering of US military leaders this week could be dismissed as political spectacle. But international partners of the US should take seriously the US Administr...

'Partners will need to be prepared for the use of US military power in a way that is deeply uncomfortable' writes @mtsavill.bsky.social in the latest RUSI Commentary.

🎙In the latest #GlobalSecurityBriefing episode, RUSI's Neil Melvin and former Ukrainian Defence Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk assess where the war in Ukraine now stands.

🎧: https://bit.ly/46wqSAd

Two Years On: The October 7 Hamas Attacks, Gaza, and the Shifting Middle East Landscape An exclusive briefing with a panel of RUSI experts, discussing the implications of the war between Israel and Hamas, two years on.

📅On the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks, join us as we assess how the subsequent war in Gaza and Israel’s regional operations have fundamentally challenged the political and security balance of power in the Middle East.

US Naval Build-Up Highlights Sea Power Projection in Latin America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru are preparing their fleets to secure resources and expand influence in the event of rivalries spilling into their maritime domains.

'Washington’s freedom of navigation patrols near Venezuelan waters, combined with Caracas’ militarisation of its exclusive economic zone and tensions with Guyana, highlight how contested maritime spaces can escalate into flashpoints involving global powers' writes Dr Carlos Solar.

Snapback: Iran's Nuclear Programme and Crisis of Legitimacy The return of UNSC sanctions on Iran and Tehran's reaction will define the future of Iran's nuclear programme. But more than that, the lead-up and reactions to ‘snapback' highlight and contribute to a broader crisis of legitimacy of international instit...

'The decision by Russia and China – two permanent members of the Council – to argue against the legality of UNSC sanctions is a new low for the legitimacy of the UNSC sanctions mechanism and the work of the Council more broadly' writes Darya Dolzikova​ in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Edited Collection on Cyber Effects: Call for Abstracts The UK Cyber Effects Network is now accepting abstract submissions for original papers that address conceptual, doctrinal, legal, policy, capability and technological aspects of offensive cyber operations.

🚨The deadline to submit your abstract on offensive cyber operations for the UK Cyber Effects Network has been extended to 6 October. Share your insights and submit your abstract as soon as possible - details below.

A Big, Beautiful US Investment Boost for the UK Tech Sector? The Tech Prosperity Deal between the US and UK involves major investments into the UK tech ecosystem by US big tech. While a win for Labour’s AI ambitions, courting US Big Tech may risk jeopardising B...

'The government needs to address inconvenient yet critical questions about the terms and conditions of these investments: who benefits most and what are the potential trade-offs regarding AI safety, taxes and national resilience?' ask Dr Pia Hüsch and Sophie Williams-Dunning.

How Russia is Helping China Prepare to Seize Taiwan Russia has agreed to equip and train the PLA to air-drop armoured vehicles and special reconnaissance capabilities.

Based on leaked documents, Russia has agreed to equip and train the PLA to air-drop armoured vehicles and special reconnaissance capabilities, write Oleksandr V Danylyuk and Dr Jack Watling in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Edited Collection on Cyber Effects: Call for Abstracts The UK Cyber Effects Network is now accepting abstract submissions for original papers that address conceptual, doctrinal, legal, policy, capability and technological aspects of offensive cyber operations.

🚨Attention cyber experts: The UK Cyber Effects Network invites papers on offensive cyber operations. Whether you're exploring legal frameworks or technological advancements, we want to hear from you. Don't miss this opportunity - submit your abstract now!

The Polycrisis Demands a Renewed Humanism In the third decade of the twenty-first century, we are facing a confluence of escalating ecological, political, economic, technological, and existential crises, each of which is reinforcing the others. The situation requires a fundamentally different s...

The world currently faces a confluence of interconnected and reinforcing crises—ecological, political, economic, technological, and existential. Edgar Morin and Claudio Pedretti argue that technocratic fixes are insufficient.

Our paper recommends policymakers provide clearer guidance on opportunities to invest in defence within existing ESG frameworks and to help defence SMEs comply with reporting standards and banks’ de-risking processes to improve their access to finance.

Head over to our website to learn more.

Additionally, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) struggle significantly with the high cost of meeting regulatory and banks’ own de-risking standards that are not related to ESG.

Investment hurdles come from broader structural problems. The way governments are contracting, and reputational concerns in defence pose risks to investors and financial services providers.

ESG disclosure and labelling regimes in the UK and EU do not preclude investment in defence, but public confusion arises because some specialised 'ethical' investment funds choose to voluntarily exclude the defence sector for brand or reputation reasons.

Contrary to the public debate, our new report highlights that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards are not the primary reason for the European defence industry's difficulty in accessing capital and financial services.

Are ESG Standards the Scapegoat for Stalling Defence Growth? Europe’s defence industry needs investment to meet growing security demands. The real problems are not ESG standards, but bureaucracy, banks’ reputational concerns and the general defence market.

🚨🧵New RUSI report, ‘Are ESG Standards the Scapegoat for Stalling Defence Growth?’ by Dr Linus Terhorst is out now!

The US Supreme Court's Tariff Trolley Problem The US Supreme Court must soon decide on the future of American international economic policy and the power of the American presidency.

'If the Supreme Court, on the other hand, permits the President to issue tariffs under IEEPA, it will shape the future of US international economic policy in both predictable and unpredictable ways' writes Samarth Gupta.

UK Cyber Effects Network Royal United Services Institute

Ready to make your mark in cyber policy? Early career professionals are invited to share their perspectives on offensive cyber operations—submit your abstract and help shape tomorrow's strategies! More details below.

Episode 1: Project Solarium: Dwight D. Eisenhower's Approach to Strategy Making Often touted as the gold standard in national security strategy making, 1953's Project Solarium was President Eisenhower's way of developing a strategy to counter Soviet expansionism. With frequent current calls for a new Project Solarium, was the origi...

🎙Project Solarium: Eisenhower's strategic masterpiece or a product of its time? Our latest Talking Strategy episode explores the enduring legacy of this Cold War-era national security initiative. Tune in now for an in-depth analysis.

The Saudi-Pakistan Nuclear Agreement. The Same But Very Different The announcement of a nuclear agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has been carefully implemented in relation to recent events.

'The real value of the agreement [Saudi-Pakistan Nuclear Agreement] is that it adds an additional layer of complication (and thus a degree of deterrence) for the next time New Delhi contemplates military action against Pakistan' writes Tim Willasey-Wilsey.