The European Leadership Network (ELN)

The Women Leaders podcast: Destruction and disorder Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979 was a shock to the Middle East, with the Gulf states aligning with the US, and Iran cultivating a

Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979 was a shock to the Middle East that continues to echo today. Dina Esfandiary joins ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El to guide us through the historical and geographic complexities of Iranian-American hostilities.
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/multimedia/t...

Erdogan desperate to stay neutral as Iran war approaches Turkey’s borders The Turkish president has urged diplomacy as fears of a refugee wave grow, but a missile targeting his country has changed the dynamic

Great to see ELN Senior Associate Fellow @ziyameral.bsky.social speak to @thetimes.com and @lizcookman.bsky.social on Turkey's approach to the Iran war, check it out below ⤵️
www.thetimes.com/world/middle...

From Risk to Reduction: Practical steps for safer nuclear systems

Today also marks 56 years since the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty entered into force, showing what's possible when states choose dialogue over deadlock. Watch this animation to learn how we can all contribute to nuclear safety.
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/from-risk-to...

Inside the Issue: Dr Nathalie Tocci on the erosion of nuclear agreements YouTube video by European Leadership Network (ELN)

To mark International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, the ELN would like to share Senior Network member and Director of @iaionline.bsky.social, @nathalietocci.bsky.social's comments on the erosion of nuclear agreements.
#NuclearSafety #ReduceNuclearRisk
youtu.be/Oolj_4EFS-c?...

Read the full piece here ⤵️
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/n...

And sign up to our Global press call, starting at 15:00 GMT today, here ⤵️ zoom.us/meeting/regi...

@olivermeier.bsky.social, ELN Policy and Research Director, writes that Europe should oppose this war in defence of the rules-based order and the multilateral institutions that maintain European interests.

Sahil V. Shah, ELN Senior Iran Policy Advisor, calls for Europe to collaborate with regional partners to advance a diplomatic solution and avoid further escalation.

Michel Duclos, ELN Senior Network member and former French Ambassador, writes that Europe should start to plan ahead, and consider what it can offer to the people of the Middle East who will have their lives affected by this resurgence in conflict.

@janekinninmont.bsky.social, ELN Senior Associate Fellow and CEO of the @una-uk.bsky.social, calls for European governments to work together to stand up for international law.

Tarja Cronberg, ELN Senior Network member and former EU Parliament Delegation to Iran Chair, fears that Europe has lost nearly all influence with Iran and will struggle to find a role in the conflict.

Network reflections: Iran war – what role should Europe be playing? Following the recent US–Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent regional escalation, Europe’s response has been mixed. As the conflict widens, we ask members of the ELN Network how they assess Euro...

Following the recent US–Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent regional escalation, Europe’s response has been mixed. As the conflict widens, we ask members of the ELN how they assess Europe’s approach so far and what role it should play. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/n...

European perspectives on the Non-Proliferation Treaty: Ireland In May, States Parties to the NPT will meet for the 11th Review Conference under difficult circumstances. In the second of our commentary series exploring different European perspectives, Ciarán Doyle...

Thanks to @theeln.bsky.social for giving Ireland the opportunity to contribute to this series. I gave some perspective on our commitment to the #NPT and nuclear disarmament in this piece.

europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/e...

Towards a better understanding of human bias in nuclear decision-making and its interaction with emerging and disruptive technologies This report by Ganna Pogrebna and ELN Senior Policy Fellow Rishi Paul presents findings from an ELN workshop that examined the ‘human’ and ‘machine’ components of bias and their points of interaction....

Read the report here ⤵️
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/report/towar...

In a new report, Ganna Pogrebna and ELN Senior Policy Fellow Rishi Paul, present findings from an ELN workshop on the ‘human’ and ‘machine’ components of bias and how they interact. It highlights how human judgment and AI systems can interact in ways that reinforce, rather than reduce, risk.

European perspectives on the Non-Proliferation Treaty: Ireland In May, States Parties to the NPT will meet for the 11th Review Conference under difficult circumstances. In the second of our commentary series exploring different European perspectives, Ciarán Doyle...

Continuing our commentary series ahead of the NPT RevCon,
Ciarán Doyle reflects on the importance Ireland places on the Treaty and calls for a commitment to enhanced transparency and accountability from the nuclear weapon states. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/e...

The Women Leaders podcast: Gisèle Pelicot and opposing objectification Following the release of Gisèle Pelicot’s memoir and the revelations in the Epstein files still coming to light, we are reminded of a common theme: women remain the ultimate objects. Whilst most peopl...

In this episode of the Women Leaders Podcast, ELN's Ilana Bet-El is joined by two journalists to discuss how misogynistic crimes are reported and how journalism shapes the public understanding of sexual violence.

europeanleadershipnetwork.org/multimedia/t...

Very happy we at @theeln.bsky.social could publish this first Commentary on P5 perspectives on #NPTRevCon by Emmanuelle Maitre. 👇‼️

For more views on how the crucial 27 April - 22 May meeting can help in "Protecting the NPT" see project website at europeanleadershipnetwork.org?p=19759

P5 perspectives on the 2026 NPT Review Conference: France The first in our series exploring P5 perspectives on the forthcoming 2026 NPT Review Conference, Emmanuelle Maitre writes that for France, constructive participation in the RevCon will require delicat...

Starting our series on P5 perspectives for the 2026 NPT RevCon, Emmanuelle Maitre writes that, for 🇫🇷, constructive participation requires a delicate balance. Preserving dialogue is a priority, but it must not prevent calling out problematic behaviour.
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/p...

Life without the New START Treaty: What nuclear weapons states can do to help strengthen the non-proliferation regime On 4th February, the New START Treaty – the last treaty constraining the nuclear weapons of the United States and Russia – expired. We now face the prospect that the half-century process of reducing t...

On 4th February, the New START Treaty, the last treaty constraining the nuclear weapons of the United States and Russia, expired. The situation appears bleak, but Edward Ifft argues that nuclear weapons states can still act to reinforce global stability. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/l...

What the end of New START means for Europe: Two views For these two experts, Europe needs not to misunderstand what the end of New START means and must advance its own arms control agenda.

In collaboration with @thebulletin.org, ELN Senior Network member Angela Kane and YGLN member and Researcher @ifri.bsky.social, @hfayet.bsky.social, have written on the end of New START and the urgent need for Europe to advance its own arms control agenda.

thebulletin.org/2026/02/what...

What the end of New START means for Europe: Two views For these two experts, Europe needs not to misunderstand what the end of New START means and advance its own arms control agenda.

🚨 JUST IN: For Angela Kane and Héloïse Fayet (@hfayet.bsky.social), Europe needs not to misunderstand what the end of New START means and must advance its own arms control agenda.

thebulletin.org/2026/02/what...

#NewSTART #Europe #nuclearweapons #armscontrol #nukesky

At @theeln.bsky.social at #MSC2026: United We Stand? Europe, the US and NATO, with
Catherine Ashton, Rose Gottemoeller, Norbert Röttgen and Robert Ondrejcsák.
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/event/eln-at...

Bei der MSC wird hinter verschlossenen Türen & auf offener Bühne diskutiert. Beim @theeln.bsky.social ging es um die Frage, ob die NATO noch geeint ist. Meine feste Auffassung ist, dass wir Europäer die Zukunft der NATO mit in der Hand haben, indem wir unsere eigenen Fähigkeiten stärken!

Today at #MSC2026. Join us from 1800-1930 as we examine the constraints shaping Europe’s defence choices, how concerns over predictability in US policy are influencing strategy, and whether Europe can take on greater responsibility while staying closely allied to the US 🔜 tinyurl.com/ydzsm88r

Statement by the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG): Call for strengthened fail-safe measures to prevent accidental nuclear use Former and serving senior officials, military leaders, and experts from across the Euro-Atlantic region call for strengthened fail-safe measures to prevent accidental nuclear use.

(Also this morning, senior security figures from the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group released a statement "calling on all countries that possess nuclear weapons to strengthen their safeguards to prevent unauthorised, inadvertent, or mistaken use of a nuclear weapon.")

@theeln.bsky.social

Support for Preventing the Accidental, Mistaken, or Unauthorized Use of a Nuclear Weapon: Nuclear "Fail-Safe" Statement by the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, European Leadership Network, Grandview Institution, and Nuclear Threat Initiative

Every nation with nuclear arms bears responsibility for reducing the risk of unintended, mistaken, or unauthorized nuclear use. They should take immediate action to prevent a possible catastrophe.

The world cannot afford to wait for more peaceful times to reduce the risks of nuclear use.

Group Statement: Supporting Nuclear Fail-safe | Asia-Pacific Leadership Network

75 former senior officials & experts call on all nuclear-armed states to strengthen safeguards against accidental, mistaken, or unauthorised nuclear use.

Joint statement by APLN, EASLG, @theeln.bsky.social, Grandview Institution & @nti.org, released at #MSC2026.

www.apln.network/analysis/sta...

Statement by the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG): Support for Space Security and Stability Former and serving senior officials, military leaders, and experts from across the Euro-Atlantic region call for support for space security and stability.

The EASLG has issued another statement, in advance of #MSC2026, supporting space security and stability amid the increased dependence of critical military functions on space-based infrastructure, and the risk of increased militarisation of this domain.
europeanleadershipnetwork.org/group-statem...

Statement by the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG): Call for Strengthened Fail-Safe Measures to Prevent Accidental Nuclear Use Former and serving senior officials, military leaders, and experts from across the Euro-Atlantic region call for strengthened fail-safe measures to prevent accidental nuclear use.

In a group statement, with @apln.network & @nti.org, the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG) calls for strengthened fail-safe measures to prevent accidental nuclear use, signed by serving & fmr senior officials, military leaders, & experts. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/group-statem...

From Risk to Reduction: Practical steps for safer nuclear systems

This animation explains both the challenges and the credible paths forward. Watch in full: europeanleadershipnetwork.org/from-risk-to...

#ReduceNuclearRisk #NuclearSafety #EveryonesBusiness