RUSI Europe

📣 RUSI Report: Online Hate Speech and Discrimination in the Age of AI 💻 In this report, Petra Regeni, RUSI Europe Research Analyst, and Claudia Wallner, Research Fellow, examine how AI is reshaping the online hate speech and discrimination landscape in Europe and beyond. 🤝 The report offers insights from academia, civil society, and the private sector, gathered at a roundtable discussion organised by the Royal United Services Institute's Terrorism & Conflict Studies team, in collaboration with ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue) Germany. The report highlights: 🔗 the critical intersections between AI technology and various forms of hate speech and presents the rapidly evolving threat landscape. 🧩 what's missing in current regulatory frameworks, where tech responses are falling short and what civil society needs to do to effectively respond. 🌐 the borderless political, social and cultural challenge of addressing online hate speech and AI-amplified discrimination, going beyond technological and legal issues. Read the report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/egFfyrkG Learn more about the RUSI 'Online Hate and Discrimination in the Age of AI' project here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eW6vCe26

📢 RUSI Maritime Sanctions Taskforce report: Insurance and Flag States The report, authored by Gonzalo Saiz, Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS) at RUSI, covers discussions on several key challenges: ⚓ the role of the insurance sector in maritime sanctions, 🌐 strategies for enhancing flag state accountability, 🕸️ and enhancing the targeting of the network of enablers supporting maritime sanctions evasion. Read the report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eWRsJGhR To learn more about the RUSI Maritime Sanctions Taskforce, visit our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/dhZUztBn

📅 RUSI Webinar: The Future of the Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture ⏰ 10:30 – 18:30 CEST, 15 July 2025, online 🛡️ This conference will explore contemporary debates on how Europe is tackling the rapidly shifting security environment and seek to identify key emerging trends and outline new strategic thinking. 🌐 Specifically, it will consider the UK position following the NATO Hague Summit, the UK-EU summit and the Defence and Security Partnership, and the publication of the UK Strategic Defence Review and National Security Strategy documents. Register now 👉 https://lnkd.in/eaXcf7aH

🔔 RUSI Commentary: A Zeitenwende for German Defence Finance? 🛡️ "There is money to be made in defence and governments have an obvious appetite for spending this money on disruptive technologies. This is also reflected in the increased interest of venture capitalists across Europe in the sector," write Dr Jonathan Eyal and Dr Linus Terhorst in their latest Royal United Services Institute commentary. 🔁 The German Speer Group fund is an example, branding itself as the first Germany-based defence-focused venture capital fund. Having been launched in May 2025, RUSI’s Dr Jonathan Eyal and Dr Linus Terhorst interviewed the Speer Group’s founder and CEO, Max Buechner and David Colombo, member of the group’s advisory board. Read the article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBDUdvyt

📣 RUSI Commentary - Defending Democracy: Sanctions on Disinformation 🛑 Democracies need to fight back against harmful disinformation. Sanctions can be a useful tool to counter malign operations – if enforced correctly. 🛡️ While sanctions against disinformation remain a contentious issue from a freedom of speech perspective, they can be used as legitimate tools to counter harmful propaganda - if sanctions are reversible when certain conditions are met. 🕵 However, implementation and enforcement face important challenges - including managing the bureaucratic layers of enforcing bans and keeping up with Russian disinformation actors’ circumvention techniques, such as ‘mirror websites’. To learn more, read Balázs Gyimesi's Royal United Services Institute commentary 👉 https://lnkd.in/efwWp5wj Visit the #SIFMANet project page for more information on the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS) at RUSI's work on sanctions 👉 https://lnkd.in/eZfJTDKV Royal United Services Institute | Centre for Finance and Security (CFS) at RUSI | RUSI Europe

📣 RUSI Commentary: 'SAFE Alone Won’t Rearm Europe: Benefits and Challenges of the Instrument' 🛡️ 'EU financing of defence procurement is sensible. But excluding non-EU European industry risks delays and reliance on bond markets limits long-term, strategic security,' writes Dr Linus Terhorst, Research Analyst in his Royal United Services Institute commentary. Read the article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e4v6Q7cA

💡 New RUSI report: Russia, AI and the Future of Disinformation Warfare 💻 In this new Royal United Services Institute report, Claudia Wallner, Dr Simon Copeland and Dr Antonio Giustozzi analyse how Russian state-affiliated and state-aligned actors are discussing, conceptualising and framing AI within their online communications. Read the report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eMW-Uz9s The project was supported by the European Media & Information Fund (EMIF). #Russia #AI #disinformation

📽️ Project CRAAFT webinar recording: Virtual Threats - Terrorist Financing via Online Gaming 💻 In this webinar, Gonzalo Saiz, Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS) at RUSI, and Jessica Davis, expert on terrorism and illicit financing, discuss the findings of Gonzalo's paper on how terrorist and extremist groups exploit online gaming platforms for fundraising activities. 🎮 The session reviews documented cases, analyses the ways gaming and related platforms facilitate financial support for extremist activities, and outlines policy recommendations to address these emerging risks. The webinar was supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. Read the 'Virtual Threats: Terrorist Financing via Online Gaming' report by Gonzalo Saiz here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eaaFVzXF Watch the recording here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eH9sQSqw Learn more about Project CRAAFT here 👉 https://lnkd.in/euddCzP

📣 RUSI commentary - All About Trump: the 2025 #NATO Hague Summit, by Ed Arnold, RUSI Senior Research Fellow 🧭 'At this year’s NATO Summit, Donald Trump won, Ukraine lost, Europe rolled out the red carpet and exposed the total psychological dependency on the US,' writes Ed Arnold, RUSI Senior Research Fellow in his latest Royal United Services Institute commentary. Read it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/euHf288u

📺 In the latest episode of RUSI Reflects, Rachel Ellehuus, RUSI Director General, outlines why the NATO summit at The Hague will be consequential for the alliance's resilience, particularly if a pledge to increase defence spending is agreed. Become a RUSI member today to watch the full analysis: