SMA hosted a speaker session with CDR Stefan Lundqvist, PhD(Swedish Defence University) with Guest Host Dr. Nicholas Wright (Intelligent Biology) as part of its SMA EUCOM Speaker Series.

Western scholars and policymakers, particularly in the United States, find the prospect of a China–Russia military bloc increasingly concerning. However, despite these concerns, there is no unified consensus among Western leaders that the current Sino-Russian partnership constitutes a direct threat. In her presentation on the China–Russia Military Relationship Project, Dr. Mastro proposed a new empirical framework for evaluating the purpose and nature of Sino-Russian strategic cooperation. This framework assesses the degree, scope, and impact of the two nations’ security collaboration and incorporates Chinese and Russian sources to analyze how each country would perceive the partnership in various warfighting scenarios.

Nuclear latency refers to a state’s ability to engage in nuclear deterrence without developing or possessing nuclear weapons. Dr. Fuhrmann illustrated why nuclear latency may be more advantageous for many states compared to becoming a full nuclear power. He emphasized that two primary factors are necessary for a state to effectively engage in latent nuclear deterrence: the possession of sensitive nuclear technology (such as the capacity to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels) and the maintenance of a restrained nuclear program. A restrained program refers to a state that has the technological capability to produce nuclear weapons but chooses not to pursue their development overtly.

Xi Jinping is frequently described as a fundamentally new type of leader in Chinese politics—one who has dismantled the tradition of collective leadership and revived elements of Maoist ideological discourse. While these characterizations contain some validity, they do not fully capture the nuances of Chinese elite politics or the current role of ideology within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP has long functioned as a system that is notably leader-centric, and assertions that Xi is abandoning Deng Xiaoping’s institutional leadership framework do not align with recent historiographical reassessments of Deng’s governance. Although Xi appears committed to restoring ideological conviction among party members as essential to the CCP’s survival, his formative experiences during the Mao era likely instilled a degree of skepticism toward radical politics. Xi’s ideological approach appears to chart a middle path—seeking to preserve the economic dynamism of the Reform and Opening period while selectively invoking elements of earlier ideological frameworks to address the socio-political challenges stemming from those reforms. Furthermore, given the CCP’s top-down power structure, it remains improbable that internal elite coalitions will compel a strategic realignment.

Kashmir has long been a region of contention between Pakistan and India, while many Kashmiris view themselves as belonging to neither nation. It was granted special status in the 1940s with a promise of plebiscite from the United Nations. In 2019, India revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status and the promise of plebiscite, making it known as the world’s most militarized zone, with police and military entities being granted special privileges to operate in the region as they see fit. Dr. Biberman noted that Kashmir’s population of 10 million people are policed by 750,000 paramilitary personnel. These paramilitary forces have taken over public and private buildings for their use. Military installations are often located near male-only religious universities and colleges, which India considers potential hotbeds for Islamic radicalization in Kashmir.

SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Sidharth Kaushal (Royal United Services Institute) as part of its SMA EUCOM Speaker Series.

Robert “Jake” Bebber is an officer in the United States Navy. He has served at various locations throughout his career, including Afghanistan, Fort Meade, US 7th Fleet staff, Carrier Strike Group 12, Information Warfare Training Command-Corry Station, and US Special Operations Command.

The ongoing war in Ukraine is testing Russia’s armed forces in ways they have not experienced in decades.

National headlines about China’s economy have focused on its decelerating economic growth and gross domestic product (GDP).

The Arctic, considered a space of geopolitical cooperation following the Cold War, is increasingly becoming a region of strategic rivalry among Russia, China, and other Arctic states.