As an important commercial gateway and a rich source of natural resources, the South China Sea holds great economic and strategic significance. This is manifested not only in the conflicting territorial and maritime claims of the coastal states, but also in the simmering geopolitical rivalry...

In this new report DIIS researchers Yang Jiang and Lars Erslev Andersen explore the changing strategic roles of the USA and China in the Persian Gulf region, in particular in view of US (mis)handling of local conflicts and China's expanding economic interest there, in order to identify the...

This DIIS Report identifies Russian national interests in the BSR (Baltic Sea Region) and discusses whether there are continuities and changes in these interests in the post-Crimea era. The Russian discourse on the BSR is explored, including Russian foreign policy schools and official foreign...

Great power politics in the Arctic are intensifying. The US, Russia and China are all strengthening their presence in the region. With the Arctic strategy of the Kingdom of Denmark presently in the process of being updated, this report analyses the assessments and strategies of Finland, Norway...

The Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022 shook continental geopolitics and led to a major shift in EU energy policy. The necessary speed of the combined diversification away from the Russian energy sources, fossil fuel phase-out and mass scale-up of low-carbon energy and technologies are...

This report offers an analysis of Russia's Africa policy since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Three major conclusions emerge from it. First, Russia is engaged in a concerted effort to maintain and, if possible, extend its politico-military influence on the continent. To this end, it...

There is a widespread perception these years that strongmen around the world are winning, posing new geopolitical challenges and threats to the Western liberal order and security architecture. This DIIS Report takes a closer look at one of these strongmen, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The...