The Escalation of Modern Conflicts
Workshop with the Ministry of Defence
Jun 18, 2026 / Vienna / European Security and Defence
On 18 June 2026, the AIES, in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence, hosted an expert workshop entitled "The Escalation of Modern Conflicts: Perceptions between War and Peace in Europe."
The speakers were Henrik Praks, Research Fellow at the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS), Łukasz Kulesa, Deputy Head of Research at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), and Brigadier Klaus Anderle, Director of the Military Policy Division at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence. Ulf Steindl, AIES Senior Research Fellow, moderated the event.
The discussion centred on three closely interlinked thematic areas: hybrid threats, escalation dynamics, and the European architecture of mutual defence, with particular focus on Article 42.7 TEU. Special attention was given to differing threat perceptions across Europe, particularly the perspectives of Poland and the Baltic states, which have been especially affected by Russia's hybrid pressure campaign.
A further focus was on the relationship between deterrence and escalation in the transition from hybrid threats to open warfare, as well as on the lessons the war in Ukraine holds for European defence planning. The discussion also addressed the role Article 42.7 TEU, together with NATO's mutual defence clause, its potential role as response mechanism across different levels of escalation. In addition, the discussion took stock of European defence initiatives, with particular attention to strengthening joint capabilities and deepening cooperation between the EU and NATO.
Related Events
Ready for 2029
19.05.2026 / Workshop at the Forum Wachau
Ready for 2029
05.05.2026 / First Workshop at the AIES
Cold War 2.0 (?): The Transformation in the International System
26.11.2025 / Lecture by AIES Research Fellow Ulf Steindl
