@congeostrategy
Dedicated to making Britain and other open nations stronger and greener. Co-founders: James Rogers and Viktorija Starych-Samuolienฤ ๐ป https://www.geostrategy.org.uk/ ๐ฉ https://councilongeostrategy.substack.com/subscribe
๐จ NEW EPISODE OUT TODAY๐จ
@paulmason.bsky.social and @starychsam.bsky.social sit down with @shashj.bsky.social, Defence Editor, @economist.com, and Baroness Dr Sophy Antrobus MBE, Co-Director, @fasikcl.bsky.social, to unpack the impact of the ๐บ๐ธ-๐ฎ๐ฑ-๐ฎ๐ท conflict on ๐ฌ๐ง defence
#DefenceTalks
๐ช โUltimately, the British Army should assess its abilities candidly, and be willing to prioritise what is essential to ensure long-term effectiveness,โ writes Rory Copinger-Symes CBE
#Memorandum #BritainsWorld #StrategicDefenceUnit
โ โThe question becomes less about being tough towards ๐ฎ๐ท, and more about the challenge to remain firm in policy as the requirement for defensive (and offensive) activity mounts,โ notes Dr Louise Kettle, @uniofnottingham.bsky.social
www.britainsworld.or...
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
โReducing ๐ฎ๐ท capacity to support ๐ท๐บ can only benefit ๐ฌ๐ง in its pursuit of its primary European security concern; ensuring ๐บ๐ฆ attains peace via military capabilities and meaningful security guarantees,โ writes Prof. Richard Whitman, @kent.ac.uk
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
โDeciding after the fact to deploy ๐ฌ๐ง forces to defend Cyprus and sail HMS Dragon to the region...only reinforces that Sir Keirโs original decision was ill-considered and politically costly,โ argues @joshuachuminski.bsky.social, Centre for the Study of Presidency & Congress
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
๐ โEscalating tensions with ๐ฎ๐ท could expose ๐ฌ๐ง military assets abroad to retaliation and increase the risk of entanglement in a wider Middle Eastern conflict,โ notes Dr Marina Miron, Kingโs College London
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
๐ช โSir Keirโs response to Operation EPIC FURY has been appropriate and entirely understandable. The ๐ฌ๐ง Armed Forces are already stretched, and it makes little strategic sense to extend them further,โ argues @warmatters.bsky.social, Swedish Defence University
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
๐ก๏ธ โYes, ๐ฌ๐ง should adopt a tougher approach towards ๐ฎ๐ท. The UK has a clear strategic interest in confronting a regime which is openly hostile and threatens its allies across the Middle East,โ states Dr Timothy Less, @camgeopolitics.bsky.social
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
๐ฅ โIf another strike occurs and ๐ฌ๐ง is unwilling to launch a token retaliation strike against ๐ฎ๐ท or its proxies, it should give up the pretence that it would be willing to defend its deterrence force in ๐บ๐ฆ,โ states @willfreer.bsky.social, our Research Fellow
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
๐ซ โThe UK should take a tougher line with ๐ฎ๐ท, but this does not equate to escalating. โToughโ should mean making it crystal clear that attacks on British people and territory will bring consequences,โ writes Dr Hillary Briffa, Kingโs College London
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
Should ๐ฌ๐ง embrace a tougher approach towards ๐ฎ๐ท?
We asked 8 experts in todayโs #BigAsk
โ๏ธ Dr Hillary Briffa, @warmatters.bsky.social, @willfreer.bsky.social, @joshuachuminski.bsky.social, Dr Louise Kettle, Dr Timothy Less, Dr Marina Miron, Prof. Richard Whitman
#BritainsWorld
Read this weekโs #Tracker - your ๐จ๐ณ news roundup
๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ 3 men arrested in ๐ฌ๐ง on suspicion of spying for ๐จ๐ณ
๐ข๏ธ Beijing stockpiled ๐ฎ๐ท crude oil before war
๐ฐ CCP sets lowest GDP target in decades
Get the full briefing here ๐
A cultural shift is required by HM Government to โmobilise the economy for national survivalโ.
Our Adjunct Fellow, Ben Goodwinโs #BritainsWorld analysis featured in this Naval Technology article ๐
๐ โThe 15th FYP is a massively important document. It requires study by foreigners. Behind its many targets and aspirations lies great geopolitical significance,โ writes Charles Parton OBE, Chief Adviser to our #ChinaObservatory
#Investigator #ObservingChina
Read the #Tracker - your weekly ๐จ๐ณ news roundup ๐
๐จ๐ณ state-linked cyber operations increased in 2025
๐ฐ IMF urges ๐จ๐ณ to cut industrial subsidies by 50%
๐บ๐ธ meets with ๐ท๐บ and ๐จ๐ณ for #nuclear talks
#ObservingChina
โAlong with ๐ฉ๐ช, ๐ฌ๐ง should convene a vanguard of like-minded European countries, along with ๐บ๐ฆ, and establish a clear plan for ๐บ๐ฆ victory within two to three years,โ writes @james-rogers.bsky.social, our Co-founder (Research)
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
โ๐ฌ๐ง at least has the strongest set of available tools to help a ๐บ๐ฆ victory come around. These revolve around three core pillars: troops, trade, and ties,โ argues @philippelefevre.bsky.social, @uniofsurrey.bsky.social
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
โWar fatigue, budgetary pressures, and hostile narratives โ especially from populist parties โ will all contribute to declining support for ๐บ๐ฆ if left to fester,โ argues @so3brocktree.bsky.social, our Adjunct Fellow
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
โ๐ฌ๐ง has been one of the most clear-eyed and forward-thinking supporters of Kyiv, assuming key leadership roles in coordinating military aid while vouching for its interests in international discussions,โ says @lanoszka.bsky.social, our Adjunct Fellow
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
๐ โThe reactive incrementalism of the past 4 years, providing just enough aid for ๐บ๐ฆ survival but not to allow it to regain the initiative, should be replaced by concerted proactive policies,โ says John Foreman CBE, Defence Attachรฉ to ๐บ๐ฆ (2008-2011) and ๐ท๐บ (2019-2022)
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
โ๐ฌ๐ง and its allies and partners must treat ๐บ๐ฆ security as their own: if ๐บ๐ฆ loses, Putin will target another state, perhaps a #NATO ally,โ writes Ian Bond, @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
โWhat the ๐ฌ๐ง should immediately do is board and seize โshadow fleetโ tankers transiting the North Sea and English Channel to export Putinโs oil and gas overseas,โ argues Dr Marc De Vore, our Adjunct Fellow
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
โIf ๐ฌ๐ง is to anchor European deterrence and help bring the war to a favourable conclusion, defence needs a structurally higher priority in public expenditure,โ says Dr Przemyslaw Biskup, Polish Institute of International Affairs
#BigAsk #BritainsWorld
Four years on, what should ๐ฌ๐ง do to expedite a ๐บ๐ฆ victory?
โ๏ธ Dr Przemyslaw Biskup, @cerianbond.bsky.social, John Foreman CBE, @lanoszka.bsky.social, @so3brocktree.bsky.social, @philippelefevre.bsky.social, @james-rogers.bsky.social and Dr Marc De Vore
#BritainsWorld #BigAsk
๐ฐ โUntil systemic diversification reduces ๐จ๐ณ market power meaningfully, and #G7 members are prepared to absorb shortโterm economic costs on each otherโs behalf, economic coercion will remain an attractive tool for Beijing,โ says @athenaktong.bsky.social, University of Tokyo
#ObservingChina
๐ก โIt is hard to see how the recent purges are a sign that Xi is concerned about a challenge to his authority, even though that might make for a more interesting headline,โ writes @gracetheodoulou.bsky.social, our International Fellow
#Tangram #ObservingChina
โ๐จ๐ณ watchers do not know the precise reason why Xi might have felt the urgency to act now...What is clear, however, is that these purges were largely political in nature,โ says @helenalegarda.bsky.social, @merics.bsky.social
#Tangram #ObservingChina
๐จ โAs the PRCโs top leader, failure to exercise full control over the PLA shows fundamental flaws in Xiโs leadership,โ argues Willy Lam, Centre for China Studies
#Tangram #ObservingChina
๐ช โA #PLA which is more thoroughly under Xiโs control, and less politically powerful, may be something Xi sees as important for the next five years as he prepares to hand over power,โ writes Charles Parton OBE, Chief Adviser to our China Observatory
#Tangram #ObservingChina