Steven Blockmans
@stevenblockmans.bsky.social
Wider Europe, rules-based international order, security & defence
Senior Fellow @CEPS.eu & @ICDS-tallinn.bsky.social
Visiting Professor at @collegeofeurope.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief @EFAReview.bsky.social
Project Coordinator @REUNIR.bsky.social
Senior Fellow @CEPS.eu & @ICDS-tallinn.bsky.social
Visiting Professor at @collegeofeurope.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief @EFAReview.bsky.social
Project Coordinator @REUNIR.bsky.social
A new European security architecture is emerging: critical mass is forming around Weimar-UK-NB8. UA is integral to it because of the realisation that theirs is also our fight. But coalitions of the willing are no substitute for full membership of permanent institutions.
#LennartMeriConference
#LennartMeriConference
May 17, 2025 at 9:05 AM
A new European security architecture is emerging: critical mass is forming around Weimar-UK-NB8. UA is integral to it because of the realisation that theirs is also our fight. But coalitions of the willing are no substitute for full membership of permanent institutions.
#LennartMeriConference
#LennartMeriConference
Sikorski explaining to the new US Amb to NATO what the value added of the EU is in joint and cheaper borrowing & mounting a rapid deployment capacity on Europe’s southern border. Nudge nudge, wink wink
May 16, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Sikorski explaining to the new US Amb to NATO what the value added of the EU is in joint and cheaper borrowing & mounting a rapid deployment capacity on Europe’s southern border. Nudge nudge, wink wink
Pushed by increasingly bold Russian sabotage and propelled by the NB8 & JEF, the Council Baltic Sea States has decided to transform #CBSS into a strategic forum for regional security dialogue, setting priorities & providing direction for regional initiatives
#LennartMeriConference
#LennartMeriConference
May 16, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Pushed by increasingly bold Russian sabotage and propelled by the NB8 & JEF, the Council Baltic Sea States has decided to transform #CBSS into a strategic forum for regional security dialogue, setting priorities & providing direction for regional initiatives
#LennartMeriConference
#LennartMeriConference
It was a pleasure teaming up with Profs. Roman Petrov and Adam Lazowski for this special lecture at @collegeofeurope.bsky.social in Natolin
April 16, 2025 at 4:33 PM
It was a pleasure teaming up with Profs. Roman Petrov and Adam Lazowski for this special lecture at @collegeofeurope.bsky.social in Natolin
Looking forward to discussing the State of the Union
April 4, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Looking forward to discussing the State of the Union
Of horses, swords and shields. In Warsaw today for meetings in the context of the EU’s informal defence ministerial. @icds-tallinn.bsky.social
April 3, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Of horses, swords and shields. In Warsaw today for meetings in the context of the EU’s informal defence ministerial. @icds-tallinn.bsky.social
Looking forward to 2 days of meetings in the context of the informal EU defence ministerial
April 1, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Looking forward to 2 days of meetings in the context of the informal EU defence ministerial
Going around Sarajevo, people fear violence as Dodik’s days seem counted. His secessionist moves in response to an arrest warrant for disqualifying laws imposed by the OHR are not supported by citizens, the US, Turkey. Vucic is embattled himself. Experts fear Arkan’s ghost will rear his ugly head
March 22, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Going around Sarajevo, people fear violence as Dodik’s days seem counted. His secessionist moves in response to an arrest warrant for disqualifying laws imposed by the OHR are not supported by citizens, the US, Turkey. Vucic is embattled himself. Experts fear Arkan’s ghost will rear his ugly head
There is already a clear group of beneficiaries from the massive spending programmes: the EU defence industry.
A great column by @ceps.eu colleague @judith-arnal.bsky.social
A great column by @ceps.eu colleague @judith-arnal.bsky.social
March 12, 2025 at 11:45 AM
There is already a clear group of beneficiaries from the massive spending programmes: the EU defence industry.
A great column by @ceps.eu colleague @judith-arnal.bsky.social
A great column by @ceps.eu colleague @judith-arnal.bsky.social
Today's emergency summit is pivotal in building EU military muscle. Eyeing the opportunity of touching big defence grants, Orban is still doing Trumputin's bidding by blocking security guarantees for Ukraine, undermining the continent's security. How much longer?
@ceps.eu @icds-tallinn.bsky.social
@ceps.eu @icds-tallinn.bsky.social
March 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Today's emergency summit is pivotal in building EU military muscle. Eyeing the opportunity of touching big defence grants, Orban is still doing Trumputin's bidding by blocking security guarantees for Ukraine, undermining the continent's security. How much longer?
@ceps.eu @icds-tallinn.bsky.social
@ceps.eu @icds-tallinn.bsky.social
Commissioner Kos at #CEPSLab2025: Ukraine’s accelerated integration into the defence industrial market will be central to the upcoming White Paper on the Future of European Defence.
March 3, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Commissioner Kos at #CEPSLab2025: Ukraine’s accelerated integration into the defence industrial market will be central to the upcoming White Paper on the Future of European Defence.
The most arresting moment at this year's EU Enlargement Conference was Ukrainian poet Olesya Mamchych's personal & family account of the pain suffered as a result of a long history of wars waged by Russia. Each time, Ukrainian identity has been strengthened. Ukraine will prevail 🇺🇦
February 24, 2025 at 9:36 AM
The most arresting moment at this year's EU Enlargement Conference was Ukrainian poet Olesya Mamchych's personal & family account of the pain suffered as a result of a long history of wars waged by Russia. Each time, Ukrainian identity has been strengthened. Ukraine will prevail 🇺🇦
To our participants: welcome to snowy Tallinn
February 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
To our participants: welcome to snowy Tallinn
Maybe that’s what hell is like, spending an eternity in Bruges
February 10, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Maybe that’s what hell is like, spending an eternity in Bruges
⚡️The Big Baltic Synchro. The BRELL treaty expires today. Tomorrow, the Baltics will disconnect from Belarusian & Russian IPS/UPS and connect to the Continental European synchronous electric power system. Worst case scenario: 3-day outage. Population is prepared. Kaliningrad will be a short circuit.
February 7, 2025 at 6:45 AM
⚡️The Big Baltic Synchro. The BRELL treaty expires today. Tomorrow, the Baltics will disconnect from Belarusian & Russian IPS/UPS and connect to the Continental European synchronous electric power system. Worst case scenario: 3-day outage. Population is prepared. Kaliningrad will be a short circuit.
Highly recommend watching Conflict, the Finnish mini-TV series which explores an uncomfortably real scenario of a hybrid attack on a strategic peninsula in the Baltic Sea. More effectively than any govt campaign it sends the message that we can't take a safe & free society for granted. Slava Ukraini
January 24, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Highly recommend watching Conflict, the Finnish mini-TV series which explores an uncomfortably real scenario of a hybrid attack on a strategic peninsula in the Baltic Sea. More effectively than any govt campaign it sends the message that we can't take a safe & free society for granted. Slava Ukraini
HRVP Kallas injects a dose of urgency at #EDAConf: "An incrementalist approach to EU defence won't work ... Russia could test our preparedness in 3 to 5 years ... Last year, member states collectively spent an average 1.9% on defence. Russia is spending 9% ... Weakness invites the aggressor in."
January 22, 2025 at 9:00 AM
HRVP Kallas injects a dose of urgency at #EDAConf: "An incrementalist approach to EU defence won't work ... Russia could test our preparedness in 3 to 5 years ... Last year, member states collectively spent an average 1.9% on defence. Russia is spending 9% ... Weakness invites the aggressor in."
10 reasons to study at one of @collegeofeurope.bsky.social top Master’s programmes in Bruges, Natolin, or Tirana.
Apply before 15 January 2025
👉 www.coleurope.eu/apply
Apply before 15 January 2025
👉 www.coleurope.eu/apply
January 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM
10 reasons to study at one of @collegeofeurope.bsky.social top Master’s programmes in Bruges, Natolin, or Tirana.
Apply before 15 January 2025
👉 www.coleurope.eu/apply
Apply before 15 January 2025
👉 www.coleurope.eu/apply
Making predictions is difficult, especially about the future - Niels Bohr
January 6, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Making predictions is difficult, especially about the future - Niels Bohr
🎆 To friends in Georgia and Serbia: warm wishes for a brighter 2025!
January 1, 2025 at 8:28 AM
🎆 To friends in Georgia and Serbia: warm wishes for a brighter 2025!
OTD in 1991, Gorbachev bowed to the inevitable. He resigned to the expiry of the Soviet empire. Putin’s spasms to rescue the Russian empire are old-fashioned and futile. The Ukrainians were the only ones who voted —overwhelmingly—for their independence. They will fight tooth and nail to keep it.
December 25, 2024 at 3:22 PM
OTD in 1991, Gorbachev bowed to the inevitable. He resigned to the expiry of the Soviet empire. Putin’s spasms to rescue the Russian empire are old-fashioned and futile. The Ukrainians were the only ones who voted —overwhelmingly—for their independence. They will fight tooth and nail to keep it.
In coordination with Estonia, Lithuania imposed sanctions on 17 🇬🇪 Georgian politicians, including PM Kobakhidze. Pressure is growing ahead of EU Foreign Affairs Council which will consider Union-wide sanctions against GD officials.
December 15, 2024 at 6:30 PM
In coordination with Estonia, Lithuania imposed sanctions on 17 🇬🇪 Georgian politicians, including PM Kobakhidze. Pressure is growing ahead of EU Foreign Affairs Council which will consider Union-wide sanctions against GD officials.