Publications on the topic of “Freedom needs Security” - Security – Innovation – Democracy
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Publications on the topic of “Freedom needs Security”
Asset Publisher
IMAGO / Bashir Daher
New Yemen, new Gulf
The war in Yemen and the rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
In the wake of the dramatic events in the Yemeni civil war at the turn of the year, the cards have been reshuffled between the regional powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The military offensive by Emirati-backed separatists and the counterattack by the Yemeni government allied with Saudi Arabia are more than just another chapter in the war – they have caused tensions between the two Gulf monarchies to boil over. Not only has the long-simmering animosity between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi fully come to surface, but the conflict also makes another round of confrontations in the Gulf more likely. Moreover, it raises fundamental questions about stability in the Middle East, for which the Gulf states were in fact considered guarantors. In the Gulf, a new phase of politics could be dawning, with two opposing poles of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pursuing conflicting regional visions with the help of different coalition partners. Likewise, the breakdown of the former Saudi-UAE alliance is not without consequences for Europe's foreign policy in the Middle East, which so far relied on both protagonists as anchors of stability.
Philipp Dienstbier, Nicolas Reeves
February 5, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Zoonar
Mexico Outlook 2026
Mexico under stress: threat of US intervention, erosion of democracy and fragile security
ince the US military intervention in Venezuela, possible US operations in Mexico are no longer considered mere threats. Announcements from Washington are now also perceived in Mexico as a real political risk scenario, presenting President Sheinbaum with a foreign and domestic policy test. At the same time, the country is undergoing a period of profound institutional upheaval. Following the far-reaching weakening of constitutional structures in 2025, the announced electoral reform could also bring the legislature under the de facto control of the ruling party in 2026. If this plan is implemented, it would further substantially damage the already fragile democratic balance. At the same time, the security situation presents a mixed picture. While the number of registered homicides is declining, the number of disappearances continues to rise. At the same time, the population's sense of insecurity remains high.
Hans-Hartwig Blomeier, Nikolaus Rischbieter
February 5, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Avalon.red
U.S. Perspectives One Year Into Trump’s Second Term
“Move Fast and Break Things”
Showing strength, challenging traditions, and putting America’s interests—along with his own—first: the first year of President Trump’s second term has been a whirlwind of national and international change. Nowhere is this more evident than in foreign policy, where he has profoundly reshaped the role of the United States and challenged the existing order.
Dr. Hardy Ostry, Jan Bösche
January 27, 2026
Country reports
Michael Rimmel
Israel's scars after October 7: The return of the hostages and the national trauma
How the Hamas attack exposes social fault lines and calls old principles into question
On January 26, 2026, the remains of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage in the hands of Palestinian terrorists, returned to Israel. The police officer, who belonged to an elite unit, had been fighting Hamas on October 7, 2023, when he was killed by terrorists and abducted to the Gaza Strip. With the return of his body, there are no Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas for the first time since 2014. Now his family and the entire community can say goodbye. Ran Gvili symbolizes the two traumas Israel has suffered since October 7, 2023. The first trauma, the attack on October 7 that left over 1,200 dead, was followed by the second, the taking of 251 hostages, some of whom were held captive by Hamas for two years. It is clear that October 7 was not the beginning, but rather a dramatic escalation of an already familiar pattern.
Dr. Michael Rimmel, Pascal Franz
January 27, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua
EU-Jordan Summit
A Symbolic Step for a Strategic Partnership
With the first bilateral summit between the EU and Jordan, both sides sent a signal of their intention to deepen the partnership at a time of heightened regional instability in the Middle East. Through its support for Jordan, the EU aims to strengthen the country in its stabilising role in the region and to contribute to Jordan’s internal stability, particularly by supporting economic resilience and growth. For the EU, the deepening of relations also provides an opportunity to position itself as a reliable partner and actor in the Middle East against the backdrop of an increasingly unpredictable US foreign policy.
Veronika Ertl, Laura Schranz
January 21, 2026
Country reports
https://t.me/StrategicaviationT/22700
Ukraine Air War Monitor Vol XII
Analyses for the Protection of Ukrainian Cities and Infrastructure
The monthly newsletter “Monitor Air War Ukraine” provides in-depth analyses of current waves of attacks and long-term developments in Russia’s air war against Ukraine. It is based on a comprehensive database that has been documenting every recorded airstrike on civilian targets since autumn 2022. The aim is to formulate data-driven recommendations for short- and medium-term support for Ukraine.
The content is intended for political decision-makers, experts in security and military affairs, as well as specialized journalists. The Monitor is published by the Kyiv Dialogue in cooperation with OSINT and data analyst Marcus Welsch and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Маркус Вельш
January 10, 2026
Blickpunkt Ukraine
KAS
The development of nihilistic violence
Terrorism without a goal?
Nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) is a violent scene that has been growing since the second half of the 2010s. Members of the community reject civil society values, have a misanthropic worldview, communicate primarily via online platforms and are internationally networked. Children and adolescents can be both perpetrators and victims and switch between these roles.
Felix Neumann
January 8, 2026
Single title
Politische Bildung für die Bundeswehr
#Programm 2026
Für die Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung ist es ein wichtiges Anliegen, den Auftrag der Bundeswehr als Rückgrat unserer freiheitlichen Demokratie zu unterstützen. Hier unser Programm für das Jahr 2026.
Dr. Cedric Bierganns
January 1, 2026
Single title
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
The new US security strategy and its consequences for Latin America and Europe
‘America for Americans’?
With the National Security Strategy (NSS) of November 2025, the US government is implementing a far-reaching change of course and once again claiming the Western Hemisphere, which encompasses the American double continent, as its exclusive sphere of influence. In doing so, it is following on from the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which did not tolerate any non-American interference in the affairs of the entire continent. The message is unambiguous: ‘non-hemispheric’ powers – primarily China and Russia – should neither possess strategic installations nor be able to establish military or technological capabilities in the region. At the same time, the hemisphere should be so stable and well governed that there is no mass migration to the US, the fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime is successful, and the region is politically favourable to Washington. These goals are set out in detail in the original text of the NSS, where they are referred to as the ‘Trump Corollary’ to the Monroe Doctrine, supplemented by the operational motto ‘Enlist and Expand’: involve proven partners and expand new cooperation, both economically and in terms of security policy. With its military intervention in Venezuela on 3 January 2026, the Trump administration is showing the world how serious it is about its goals in the Western Hemisphere.
Henning Suhr
December 22, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Peter Homann
Youth protests against military service
Use school strikes against compulsory military service as a starting point for dialogue
After schoolchildren across Germany took to the streets in early December 2025 to protest against compulsory military service, politicians must not respond with rejection. They must openly address the concerns and needs of the younger generation. Only if young people are involved will measures such as the Military Service Modernisation Act or a potential community service find acceptance.
