Conference: A Franco-Irish Dialogue on Europe's Security

In recent years, the European Union’s (EU) security environment has become increasingly unstable. The invasion of Ukraine in 2022, ongoing tensions in the Western Balkans, instability in North Africa and the Sahel, and current conflicts in the Middle East have significantly heightened insecurity in the EU’s neighbourhood. These developments are further compounded by hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and the weaponisation of energy resources. At the same time, the EU is experiencing the effects of a growing great-power competition involving the United States, China, and Russia. Such a challenging security environment explains why the EU has had to put tremendous effort into reconsidering its ability to act as a strategic power and security actor. The Common Security and Defence Policy that enables the EU to take a leading role in peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and strengthening international security is a key aspect of this effort.

Thinking about Europe’s security involves a multidimensional reflection at the intersection of EU foreign policy, geopolitical competition, military capability, and strategic autonomy. The idea of “strategic autonomy” in particular refers to the EU’s ability to protect its critical infrastructure and technologies, secure its neighbourhood and supply chains, and act militarily without relying on the United States. However, interpretations of security and strategic autonomy vary among EU member states.

Just over two months before the start of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU in July 2026, the proposed Franco-Irish Dialogue on Europe’s Security aims to examine these issues from a comparative perspective, bringing together Irish and French experts.

The roundtable will feature:

• Ed Burke, Assistant Professor in the History of War since 1945 at University College Dublin (UCD)
• Kieran Doyle, Associate Professor in the Department of International Development and Assistant Director of the Edward M Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention in Maynooth University
• Ken McDonagh, Associate Professor in International Relations at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University (DCU)
• Louise Souverbie is a Research Fellow at IRIS, the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs

The session will conclude with an opportunity for the audience to participate in a Q&A sequence.

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Host or Publisher French Embassy in Ireland