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Can Germany lead on security? This article aims to address this question by looking at recent German contributions to European defence cooperation. In 2013 Germany introduced the Framework Nations Concept (FNC) as a systematic and structured approach towards joint capability development. The concept relies on the idea that bigger nations take the overall responsibility for coordinating the contributions of smaller partners in a capability package. The framework nation model as such is not new but the initiative has been welcomed as a potential game changer in European defence cooperation and as confirmation of Germany's commitment to NATO. In light of the Ukraine crisis, measures to adapt NATO and to strengthen the European pillar of the alliance have become more urgent. Allies and partners increasingly want Germany to extend its role as Europe's dominant economic and financial power to matters of security and defence. The framework nation model allows Germany to take international responsibility, while avoiding debates about leadership and hegemony. Moreover, as a framework nation, Germany can advance flexible cooperation among a smaller number of allies without undermining its commitment to multilateralism. But the FNC initiative also raises further questions: what is the added value of the framework nation model compared to similar formats; what should be the place of smaller groupings in the evolving Euro-Atlantic security architecture; and how reliable is Germany in the role of a lead nation? (International Affairs (Oxford) / SWP)

Mit dem politischen Wechsel in der BRD 1966 und 1969 verbesserten sich die deutsch-norwegischen Beziehungen. Willy Brandt und seiner engen Verbindung mit Norwegen kam hierbei eine entscheidende Bedeutung zu. Gleichzeitig intensivierte sich auch der Kontakt zwischen Norwegen und der EG, indem die Erweiterungsfrage neue Impulse erhielt. Von der Vorbereitung des zweiten norwegischen Antrags auf Mitgliedschaft 1967 bis zum negativen Referendum 1972 und dem Abschluss eines Freihandelsvertrages 1973 konzentrierten sich die deutsch-norwegischen Gespräche auf europapolitische Fragen. In diesem Beitrag werden die zentralen Problemstellungen und methodischen Herausforderungen eines Dissertationsprojektes diskutiert, das sich mit dem Verhältnis von bilateralen und multilateralen Ebenen der deutsch-norwegischen Zusammenarbeit auseinandersetzt und die Bedeutung von Bürokratie, Parteien und individuellen Akteuren darin zu erfassen sucht.

"Twenty-five years after the end of the Cold War, Euro-Atlantic security is under pressure. Faced with major geopolitical shifts, instability at its frontiers and financial crisis at home, the European nations and their American Allies will have to rethink how to design common security. Failure to animate the European Union (EU) and to reinvigorate the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as efficient tools for peace and security might lead the West back to the spectre of divided security, to fragmentation and renationalisation. This book addresses the main challenges to Western security from the perspective of two European Allies: Germany and Norway"--Provided by publisher

While Russia's chairmanship of the Arctic Council emphasizes peaceful cooperation, the country's military buildup in the region continues. Due to climate change and great-power rivalry, the Arctic is no longer a remote and exceptional place, but part of a complex security environment. To deal with Russia in the Arctic, NATO allies need a double-sided strategy combining credible deterrence with dialogue. Regional actors like Norway are well placed to shape this approach, but the EU, including Germany, should do more.

The NATO 2030 reflection process was sparked by worries that the Alliance might falter as a forum for political consultation. Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States all have a shared interest in ensuring NATO's coherence, improving the credibility of its deterrent, and strengthening its capacity to act. This report from the Security in Northern Europe (SNE) project presents contemporary views on NATO's Strategic Concept 2030 from Berlin, London, Oslo, and Washington D.C.