Why did Germany approve provision of German-made tanks for Ukraine’s defence only after months of pressure and downright bashing of Chancellor Scholz and his party, both at home and abroad? This torment, explains PhD researcher Marius Ghincea, stems from a contest over elementary foreign-policy principles, combined with the rhetorical coercion that is customary practice in democracies.

This response to John Mearsheimer’s recent lecture at the EUI delves into the validity of his central thesis, the quality of the evidence, the broader implications and the concept of academic social responsibility. It finds that Mearsheimer’s explanation of the war in Ukraine is unsatisfactory and rests on shaky empirical foundations.

There is no justification for the atrocities committed by Russia against the people of Ukraine. This does not stop scholars from trying to explain Putin’s decision to invade. John Mearsheimer’s recent lecture at the EUI was one such attempt – which fails on multiple counts, the authors argue.

Analysing a survey in five EU countries, Research Fellows Ioana-Elena Oana and Alexandru Moise find Hungarians and Poles to have the widest disagreement about EU membership for Ukraine and about ending energy dependence on Russia.

Agronomist and Research Fellow Michele Nori describes the likely effects of disrupted cereal exports from Russia and Ukraine, particularly for dependent regions in Africa and the Middle East. Local control of agricultural systems and food supplies, he argues, remains key for coping with growing uncertainties.

In this post, law researcher Miguel Mota Delgado unravels the complex relationship between EU and Member State law when it comes to imposing sanctions on citizens.