Unveiling the operational interconnectedness of Euro-Atlantic security

On Monday, 9 December, the Eastern Mediterranean Programme at Oxford hosted a full-day conference on European and Transatlantic security. The event took place at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford. It was organised in partnership with the Security and Defence Academy of the Ministry of Defence of Cyprus and in coordination with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).

The conference focused on how threats to Euro-Atlantic security are linked across different regions, including Ukraine, the Eastern Mediterranean, continental Europe, and the UK. Topics included energy, economy, politics, and military matters. It also looked at the growing relationship between the UK and Cyprus and how this cooperation supports wider European security.

Speakers included the Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection of Cyprus, the UK Ministry of Defence’s Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff for Strategy, and the Head of the FCDO’s Mediterranean Department. Officials from the British and Cypriot armed forces and diplomatic services also joined the discussions.

Experts from top research institutions took part as well. These included representatives from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Belgium’s Egmont Institute, Chatham House, the University of Galway, the European Security and Defence College, and the University of Nicosia. Scholars from South East European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX) also contributed to the debate.

The conference aimed to explore how security threats in Europe are connected and how countries like the UK and Cyprus are working together to face them. Speakers also discussed cooperation between the UK, the European Union, and the United States in the Eastern Mediterranean. Lessons from the war in Ukraine were used to help think about better responses to different types of threats — from traditional military action to cyber and hybrid attacks.

One session focused on migration. The Deputy Minister of Cyprus discussed this topic as part of the wider European security agenda, in conversation with Dr Othon Anastasakis, Director of the European Studies Centre and SEESOX, and Dr Foteini Kalantzi.

The Eastern Mediterranean Programme at Oxford is the first academic programme of its kind focused on the region within a top global university. It aims to improve understanding of the Eastern Mediterranean and support the creation of strong, forward-looking policy ideas.

The Programme is part of SEESOX, which has long studied Southeast Europe. SEESOX focuses on the region’s unique position at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and is committed to deepening knowledge of its complex dynamics.