Independent perspectives on NATO, defence and security
The Diplomatic Compass Review: regular analysis for policy-makers, diplomats and analysts across NATO affairs, transatlantic security and the Southern Neighbourhood. All issues, newest first.
Issues 1–11 were published as the Diplomatic Compass Newsletter.
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Edition No. 11 · From Commitments to Command: Nuclear Deterrence under Pressure
Kaliningrad, JFC Norfolk, hybrid attribution, the Franco-Belgian Nuclear Steering Group and NATO’s southern maritime readiness.
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Edition No. 10 · 16 September 2026
The strategic debate within NATO is increasingly shifting from commitments to delivery: 25 years after 9/11, NATO 3.0, U.S. CBRN preparedness, Ukraine support, Belgian F-16s in Iceland and pressure from…
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Special Edition No. 9 · NATO Delivers – But Can Momentum Become Lasting Capability?
Special edition on the NATO Summit in Ankara, 7–8 July 2026: from commitments to collective capability, NATO 3.0, sustaining Ukraine’s defence, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, and the Defence…
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Edition No. 8 · 1 June 2026
Ahead of the Ankara Summit, the debate shifts from commitments to capabilities: GLOBSEC 2026, the Helsingborg Ministerial and NATO 3.0, Ukraine and democratic resilience, drone warfare and the NATO-EU capability…
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Edition No. 7 · 19 May 2026
NATO 3.0 is not a vision of ambition; it is a response to necessity. The 11th NPT Review Conference, the B9 and Nordic Allies Summit, Europe’s defence delivery gap, NATO-EU…
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Special Edition No. 6 · BEDEX 2026: Belgium Emerging as a New Hub for Europe’s Defence Industry
Special edition on the inaugural Brussels European Defence Exhibition & Conference (BEDEX), 12–14 March 2026, with exclusive conversations with Defence Minister Theo Francken, BEDEX co-founder Joan Condijts, FN Browning Group…
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Special Edition No. 5 · Munich Security Conference 2026
Special edition on the Munich Security Conference, 13–15 February 2026: NATO’s strategic adaptation and “NATO 3.0”, transatlantic recalibration under the Trump administration, the European defence pillar, and strategic competition in…
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Edition No. 4 · Reading the Signals, Naming the Stakes
As 2026 begins, strategic signals are sharpening: Greenland and NATO’s Arctic test, Ukraine’s security guarantees inside the Coalition of the Willing, Luxembourg’s defence bond, unrest in Iran and Red Sea…
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Edition No. 3 · Continuity Under Pressure
The final edition of 2025: the European Council’s €90 billion for Ukraine, NATO’s 2026 common budgets, the U.S. FY2026 NDAA and its commitment to Europe, military mobility in NATO–EU coordination,…
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Edition No. 2 · Reading the Signals Ahead
As Europe approaches 2026, strategic signals are accumulating: Rutte’s Berlin meetings and MSC address, the 25th NATO PA Transatlantic Forum, energy security as a shared NATO–EU priority, and countering migrant…
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Edition No. 1 · Welcome to Diplomatic Compass
The first edition of Diplomatic Compass: NATO’s December Ministerial on the road to Ankara 2026, hybrid drone alerts over Belgium, President Trump’s National Security Strategy and its implications for Europe…
