Maria Mälksoo spoke at the panel ‘What if Russia tests NATO in the Baltics?’, organised by the Security Risk Management Student Association at the University of Copenhagen on 26 August 2026. The panel discussed threat scenarios in the Baltic region and beyond, NATO’s credibility, and the problems with crying wolf.
On 27 August Mariia Vladymyrova attended the PhD symposium within the framework of the Law and Security Conference at the Law Faculty, University of Copenhagen. She presented her recent study of the coercive signaling elements embedded in the Russian regime of the Northern Sea Route. This regime provides a framework through which Moscow asserts its dominance in the Arctic and signals resolve and commitment by introducing escalatory threshold without resorting to the overt hostility (and cost) of militarized threats.
While it is difficult to provide a “credible number” of Russian fishing vessels involved in espionage operating in European waters, their presence is increasing. By leveraging ambiguity and dual-use capabilities, Russia blurs the line between civilian and military operations, complicating NATO’s maritime situational awareness and demanding adaptive countermeasures in an evolving security environment. The EU has recently made a step into the right direction with issuing sanctions against two major Russian fishing players. However, national governments, including those overseeing port authorities and domestic legislation, can be just as effective. “More meaningful interventions can be made at the national level because fisheries are usually a matter for the coast guard or police, depending on national laws,” Mariia argues.
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Book review for the Robert Jervis International Security Studies Forum at H-Diplo
Fraise, Thomas, H-Diplo|Jervis Forum Review 190: Fraise on Lubot, “Keeping a Finger on the Button”, 29 July 2026, https://networks.h-net.org/group/discussions/20156799/h-diplojervis-forum-review-190-fraise-lubot-keeping-finger-button