Author: Maximilian Schlenker

Max is an M.Sc. student in International Relations & Diplomacy at Leiden University, with a background in Political Science and International Law from LMU Munich. He writes on European affairs with a focus on EU institutions, transatlantic relations and the rule-of-law challenges shaping Europe’s security and cohesion. His work sits at the intersection of policy and law, translating complex institutional dynamics, from sanctions and migration governance to information warfare, into clear, analytical commentary.

World News

The Drone at the Dock: Europe’s Ports Are Becoming Security Frontlines

By Maximilian Schlenker 27 July, 2026 27 July, 2026 0

A naval drone incident near Romania’s Port of Constanța turned into a symbol of Europe’s changing security landscape. This analysis argues that ports are no longer only commercial gateways, but strategic nodes where trade, energy, military mobility, cyber risk and hybrid threats meet. Using Constanța as an example, the article explores how the EU’s new port-security agenda reflects a wider shift in European security thinking.

World News

Europe’s AI Infrastructure Challenge: Beyond Foreign Clouds

By Maximilian Schlenker 24 July, 2026 24 July, 2026 0

Europe wants to become an AI power, but ambition requires more than regulation. It requires compute. As the EU expands its data centres, cloud infrastructure and semiconductor capabilities, it faces a difficult balance between technological autonomy, global competition and the physical limits of AI development.

World News

Deportation at a Distance: Return Hubs and the EU’s Politics of Externalization

By Maximilian Schlenker 11 May, 2026 13 May, 2026 0

The European Union’s proposed return hubs would allow some people ordered to leave the bloc to be transferred to facilities in third countries. Backers present the scheme as a practical answer to weak return rates and political pressure over migration. This article examines how the proposal emerged, how it is meant to work and why it raises sharp legal, humanitarian and political questions.

World News

Sovereignty as a Service – IRIS² and the EU’s New Connectivity Model

By Maximilian Schlenker 16 March, 2026 16 March, 2026 0

IRIS² is the EU’s bid to secure satellite connectivity for governments while also supporting commercial services. The real test is governance. Who controls access, how crisis priority is decided, and how accountability works in a long public–private concession will shape whether IRIS² actually strengthens EU autonomy.