Germany and France agree Ukraine may strike Russian Military Targets
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany would not prohibit Ukrainian attacks on Russian military targets, saying Ukraine "is allowed to defend itself."
War in Ukraine: what prospects after the counter-offensive?
Interview between Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, and Thierry de Montbrial, Founder and Executive Chairman of the French Institute of International Relations, Founder and Chairman of the World Policy Conference.
Gabrielius Landsbergis: "The Ukrainians have shown that they have the capacity to win this war"
On 8 June, Ifri welcomed the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis. Isabelle Lasserre, diplomatic correspondent at Le Figaro, conducted a video interview with the minister.
Dimitri Minic: 'The Russian army is influenced by beliefs that detaches it from objective reality'
According to the researcher, the failure of the Russian army in Ukraine is the result of the implementation of a theory that emerged in the 2000s, which places a central focus on 'psychological-informational' warfare rather than armed combat.
France's Macron is sending China the wrong signals
More realistic posture would strengthen Paris' role in Indo-Pacific region
Does Macron's stance on Taiwan weaken G7 deterrence against China?
One of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s top goals for next month’s Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima is to create a united front on issues like China and Ukraine. But finding a unified approach to dealing with Beijing’s assertiveness might have just become harder.
France’s Macron Renews Call for a Sovereign Europe Less Reliant on Foreign Powers
French president’s remarks follow criticism over his warning that Europe should steer clear of U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan
Europe is ‘counting on China’ to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, leaders tell Xi Jinping in Beijing
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron deliver united message to Chinese president during visit ; but as French leader signed over 20 business deals on China trip, EU chief took sterner line with Xi on economic grievances, human rights and Taiwan
In China, Macron appeals to Xi to help end Ukraine conflict
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to help convince Russia to hold negotiations toward ending the war in Ukraine as the two leaders met in Beijing on Thursday.
France’s Emmanuel Macron to Press Xi Jinping on China’s Support of Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to press Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a trip to China this week to limit support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, according to French officials, amid growing Western concerns over Beijing’s deepening economic and political ties with Moscow.
“At the Other Side of the Hill”: The Benefits and False Promises of Battlefield Transparency
Recent conflicts have highlighted a key characteristic of contemporary warfare, unprecedented in its scale and impact on the conduct of operations: “battlefield transparency”.
Russian Strategic Thinking and Culture Before and After February 24, 2022: Political-Strategic Aspects
Written by Dimitri Minic, the scientific article "Russian Strategic Thinking and Culture Before and After February 24, 2022: Political-Strategic Aspects" in Russia’s war against Ukraine: Complexity of Contemporary Clausewitzian War by the National Defence University Department of Warfare, Helsinki 2024.
Russia’s Ideological Construction in the Context of the War in Ukraine
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Russian government has been proactive in the ideological realm to ensure the sustainability of the war for Russian society.
The World Through the Lens of Ukraine
This issue of Politique étrangère looks at three conflicts currently unfolding around the world.
The Military Stakes in the War in Ukraine: An Illusory Stalemate?
The Ukrainian counter-offensive, which was supposed to result in a major breakthrough in 2023, came up against solid Russian defenses and ended in failure.
The Wind Rose’s Directions: Russia’s Strategic Deterrence during the First Year of the War in Ukraine
The Russo-Ukrainian Conflict: An Opportunity for Türkiye
In response to the Ukrainian conflict, Ankara, which had previously developed a special relationship with both sides based on history and economic interests, adopted a balancing strategy of active neutrality.
Türkiye’s Stifled Ambitions
As its elections have unfolded this spring, Türkiye has again shown itself to be symptomatic of the times. Across the world, numerous political regimes oscillate between democratic forms of government and an authoritarian concentration of power; impressive periods of growth give way to inflation and recession; and international deregulation gives rise to widespread diplomacy in an effort to juggle a myriad of shifting political loyalties. Faced with the war in Ukraine, Ankara is playing a strong hand by enlarging its areas of presence and intervention. Türkiye is more important to its partners than ever, independent of its eventual domestic trajectory.
Western discourse predicted the advent of Chinese dominance in the very short term, but events have taken a rather different turn. The drivers that enabled the unprecedented growth of recent decades seem to have run out of steam. Moreover, the outcome of Beijing’s economic strategies is still uncertain, in a context shaped primarily by U.S. policies. China’s influence in the future will be considerable, but the direction its rebound will take remains unclear.
For Europeans, the events in Ukraine and the thorny issue of the Sino-American rivalry cannot paper over the other security problems we face: On what common vision of our history and future will we build the Europe of tomorrow? Has drug trafficking already changed the nature of our societies? Can we afford to turn away from instances of destabilization in Africa, from the Horn to the Sahel?
Emmanuel Macron Visits China: Stability in the Taiwan Strait Should be a Priority for France
President Emmanuel Macron will visit China from April 4 to 8 for the first time since 2019 and five months after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali.
Rebooting the Entente: An Agenda for Renewed UK-France Defense Cooperation
The Franco-British Summit on March 10th, 2023, will mark a much-needed reset in bilateral cooperation, following years of strained relations. With a recently re-elected French president and a new British Prime minister, both sides are committed to making this summit a success and re-launching a positive agenda for bilateral cooperation. The summit, the first since Sandhurst in 2018, will focus on three key topics: migration, energy, and foreign policy. Defense cooperation will also be addressed, as it remains the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship, though it may take a less prominent part than on previous occasions.
Germany and France agree Ukraine may strike Russian Military Targets
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany would not prohibit Ukrainian attacks on Russian military targets, saying Ukraine "is allowed to defend itself."
France is already sending an armored ‘oddity’ to Ukraine. Now this can send a little odd.
France may send Ukraine its AMX-10Ps, an amphibious infantry fighting vehicle that was phased out of service by the French army nearly a decade ago.
Military briefing: How will Russia’s mobilisation affect the war in Ukraine?
Kyiv expects new recruits to appear within two months but Moscow struggles with training and logistical obstacles.
Russian army hobbled by shortage of soldiers
Following the last Ukrainian victories over the Russian Army in the Kharkiv oblast, Russian administration currently faces controversies. As a matter of fact, many question the degree of intensity Russian general staff has decided, avoiding for now general mobilization. According to Dimitri Minic, researcher attached to the Russia / NIS center at the French Institutes of International Relations and expert in russian armed forces, the current russian army not only lacks men but also modern equipment.
Is Macron’s ‘European Political Community’ a realistic prospect?
France’s presidency of the EU ends on June 30 with Emmanuel Macron’s new big idea, a “European Political Community”, hanging in the balance. This community would encompass EU membership candidates like Ukraine and possibly ex-member Britain. For some observers, the French president’s idea offers a way to bring countries into the European project while the long accession process takes its course. Others argue that Macron’s plan offers few clear objectives.
President Zelensky’s Increasingly Critical Stance toward the West
After the recent intensification of dialogue between official Kyiv and President Biden’s administration, in the wake of the rising threat to Ukraine posed by Russia and in anticipation of President Biden’s visit to the UK and EU, President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team began sharpening their rhetorical stance toward Ukraine’s Western partners.
France and Germany back Ukraine’s call for Russian troop pullback
Zelensky’appeal for help in Paris follows Biden’s condemnation of Russian ‘aggression’.
War in Ukraine: what prospects after the counter-offensive?
Interview between Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, and Thierry de Montbrial, Founder and Executive Chairman of the French Institute of International Relations, Founder and Chairman of the World Policy Conference.
Gabrielius Landsbergis: "The Ukrainians have shown that they have the capacity to win this war"
On 8 June, Ifri welcomed the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis. Isabelle Lasserre, diplomatic correspondent at Le Figaro, conducted a video interview with the minister.
A conversation between Dmytro Kuleba and Thierry de Montbrial, World Policy Conference 2022, Abu Dhabi
Dialogue between Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and Thierry de Montbrial, founder and president of Ifri and the World Policy Conference, held in Abu Dhabi (Dec. 11), on the occasion of the 15th edition of the World Policy Conference.
Interview with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee
Can you describe the humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine, in Europe, including with regards to displacement, and beyond the outside of Europe?
Security Situation in & around Ukraine. Online Briefing by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba
Since 2014, Ukraine's territorial integrity and security have been challenged by Russia's annexation of Crimea and by the conflict in Donbas. Military maneuvers in spring and October 2021 have raised the threat of open armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Kyiv, on the other hand, continues to strengthen its defense capabilities.
Support independent French research
Ifri, a foundation recognized as being of public utility, relies largely on private donors – companies and individuals – to guarantee its sustainability and intellectual independence. Through their funding, donors help maintain the Institute's position among the world's leading think tanks. By benefiting from an internationally recognized network and expertise, donors refine their understanding of geopolitical risk and its consequences on global politics and the economy. In 2024, Ifri will support more than 70 French and foreign companies and organizations.
