Global Security Briefing

Can Peace Without Democracy Work? RUSI experts discuss the rise of illiberal peacebuilding in the Middle East and what it means for UK foreign policy. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, host Neil Melvin is joined by RUSI Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security Dr. Burcu Ozcelik, Dr Claire Smith, Deputy Associate Dean for the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty Director of...

GSB turns 100: RUSI experts look back on key security shifts and explore what's next for the UK in a rapidly changing global landscape. In this special 100th episode of Global Security Briefing, host Neil Melvin is joined by the RUSI International Security team to reflect on how global security has evolved since the podcast's launch in 2021. Recorded live in London, the episode examines a world ma...

As Europe races to rearm, can it do so fast enough to deter looming threats? We explore this question with Shashank Joshi and Dr. Daniel Fiott. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, host Neil Melvin is joined by Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist, and Dr. Daniel Fiott, Head of the Defence and Statecraft Programme at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy of the Vrije U...

As China increases its 'grey zone' pressure, can Taiwan defend its sovereignty without sparking open conflict? In this episode of Global Security Briefing, host Neil Melvin speaks with Dr. Philip Shetler-Jones, RUSI Senior Research Fellow for Indo-Pacific Security, Sze-Fung Lee an independent researcher specialising in Chinese hybrid warfare, and Dr. Jyun-yi Lee, Associate Research Fellow at Taiwa...

How have the initial weeks of President Trump's second term of office impacted the transatlantic relationship, and will it survive his administration? In this episode of Global Security Briefing, host Neil Melvin speaks with Dr Liana Fix from the Council on Foreign Relations to explore the evolving transatlantic alliance. With growing security challenges, shifting US priorities, and Europe's push...

How is the global security landscape evolving, and what role can think tanks play in shaping the debate? In this episode of Global Security Briefing, host Neil Melvin sits down with Rachel Ellehuus, RUSI's new Director-General, to explore the major security and defence challenges facing Europe, the transatlantic alliance and the wider international order, drawing on her extensive experience in NAT...

Is Japan's evolving national security profile altering its role in global security? Prof. Chris Hughes & Hirohito Ogi discuss this strategic shift.                                                                                                Japan is undergoing a major transformation in its defence policy, expanding its industrial base and forging new international partnerships. What are the stra...

Shifting alliances and global power struggles are redefining the Middle East's future. Neil Melvin, Burcu Ozcelik and Michael Stephens explore who will ultimately hold the power.   This episode dives into the evolving power dynamics of the Middle East in the wake of war and regional instability. As global and regional players – from the US and China to Iran, Israel and Russia – compete for influen...

As 2025 gathers pace, we reflect on security challenges from the previous year and look at what to expect in the coming months. What was foreseen and what was unexpected in last year's global security developments? And how have security events altered the trajectory of various regions? In the second episode of this two-part special, host Neil Melvin is joined by colleagues in RUSI's International...

At the start of 2025, we reflect on security challenges from the previous year and look at what to expect in the coming months. The past year registered many landmark events in global security. But what was foreseen, and what was unexpected? And how have security events altered the trajectory of various regions? In the first episode of this two-part special, host Neil Melvin is joined by colleague...

Following the fall of the Assad regime, what comes next for Syria and the future of the region? The Middle East is experiencing significant challenges and transitions as 2024 draws to a close. The war between Israel and Hamas continues to dominate regional dynamics, with Gaza suffering a severe humanitarian crisis. Efforts towards a ceasefire are ongoing, but questions about Gaza's reconstruction...

Following Donald Trump's election victory, we ask if this could be the beginning of the end of the fighting in Ukraine. President-elect Trump has famously claimed he can end the Ukraine war in a day. While there is skepticism about this claim, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has recently indicated that Russia's war in Ukraine will end 'faster' when Trump re-enters the White House. But what...

As Russia turns to Pyongyang for reinforcements against Ukraine, we explore the events that have shaped North Korea as a security actor. Following the stalling of the 'Six Party' talks about North Korea's nuclear weapons programme in 2008, the country attracted little international attention until 2019 and Donald Trump's ultimately fruitless attempts to unlock the relationship through summit diplo...

The world order is being challenged by new organisations and initiatives designed to sideline existing Western-led institutions. The latest summit of the group of states known collectively as the BRICS is a case in point. Originally involving Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining later, the group has now expanded to bring in new members, including Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the...

One year on from Hamas' 7 October attack on Israel, we look at the current state of the conflict in the Middle East and its future trajectory. Last week marked the one-year anniversary of the horrific Hamas attacks on 7 October. There are still no indications of how and under what conditions the war will end. To the contrary, all indications are that the region is on the precipice of a wider and d...

Two years on, how has Japan progressed with its planned national security reforms, and how is it adapting to regional security challenges? In December 2022, Japan announced plans to almost double its defence budget and acquire a new set of strike capabilities. The context for that decision was a sense of rising danger and a need to be prepared to assume a larger defence burden. The plans progresse...

As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, we launch a new mini-series dedicated to understanding the dynamics shaping the region. We are launching a regular new series of episodes of Global Security Briefing designed to foster a better understanding of the current situation in the region, entitled 'The Middle East in Crisis', which aims to review and provide analysis on the unfolding politi...

In this edition, we will be returning to Russia's war against Ukraine as both sides increasingly look towards another winter of fighting. Since the autumn/winter of last year, there have been further swings in the war as Russia launched a long offensive and Ukraine suffered a lack of weapons due to political deadlock in the US Congress and a shortage of manpower. More recently, in a surprise opera...

This episode of Global Security Briefing explores NATO's interest in China and the Indo-Pacific amid ongoing security challenges in Europe. At last month's NATO summit in Washington, DC, China was identified as a 'decisive enabler' of Russia's war against Ukraine. It was also noted that China 'continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security'. Many argue that the principal need is f...

Concluding our series on how the UK's new Labour government is approaching key foreign policy questions, we turn to the Middle East. It is in the Middle East that Labour's 'progressive realist' foreign policy will be most tested – especially in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict.  Signalling the importance of the Middle East to the new government, Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Is...

Current UK China policy is defined by the three main concepts of protecting national interests, aligning with allies and engaging with China on key matters such as climate change where possible. But how are these approaches coordinated and prioritised? The previous UK government was prepared to live with the ambiguity inherent in this approach, arguing that complexity of relations with China deman...

On the heels of a landslide victory, this episode examines the newly elected UK Labour government's plan to refashion the UK's security and defence ties with Europe. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his team have identified the forging of a new relationship with the EU as a priority. Security, which was not part of the withdrawal agreement, is seen as a low-hanging fruit in this context, given...

In this episode, GSB takes a look at how the 75th Anniversary Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization aims to shape the future of the Alliance. The summit takes place in Washington, DC, from 9 to 11 July, and is being billed as a celebration of the Alliance, often termed the most successful in history. There will also be attention to NATO's recent efforts to rebuild its capacity to deter...

The South Atlantic and the Antarctic have drawn considerable attention from big powers, who are racing to strengthen their regional footprints and presence as the region opens up for navigation and other potential uses. Despite very low tensions, the South Atlantic is a recurrent area of discussion in the UK given the territorial claim over the Falkland archipelago by Argentina. The UK's commitmen...

In the face of growing security challenges, this episode discusses what is on the agenda for Taiwan's new leadership. Taiwan is not merely a democracy; it is an outstanding example of a democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2023 Democracy Index ranked Taiwan top in Asia and 10th globally (ahead of the UK and US) among the 167 countries and territories it surveys. Like all democratic countri...