Amid rising tensions over Russia's actions in Ukraine, debates about Europe's nuclear security architecture have resurfaced. The historical reliance on the US extended nuclear deterrent has been questioned, with some arguing for European alternatives or even disarmament. In their article for International Politics, Dr Ulrich Kühn and Prof Dr Michal Onderco (Erasmus University Rotterdam) revisit three schools of thought from the old debates and link them to current discussions about the role of nuclear weapons in Europe. Their paper provides a structured overview of the main ideas and actors in the organisation of nuclear policy in Europe. The first school of thought focuses on transatlantic alliances, the second on exploring European deterrence alternatives and the last on nuclear disarmament.
Onderco, Michal, Kühn, Ulrich: Organizing Nuclear Policies in Europe: Of Bricoleur Plurality, Architect Absence, and Spoiler Disruption. In: International Politics (2025).