The Hague Research Institute

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The Hague Research Institute

...for Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus & Central Asia is an independent non-profit think-tank.

16/06/2026

„The apocalyptic narrative of the movie “2012” offers a stark metaphor for contemporary global inequality: while a privileged elite secures survival via pre-purchased sanctuary and chartered transit, the global periphery is left to navigate systemic collapse with vastly inferior resources. This dynamic perfectly mirrors the EU’s geoeconomic behavior during the recent energy crisis. Possessing superior macroeconomic capacity, the EU leveraged its vast capital reserves to aggressively outbid the Global South for critical resources following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.“ 🇪🇺

Is Europe's growing reliance on imported hydrocarbons creating unintended consequences far beyond its own borders? When the EU can outbid others for scarce energy supplies, what happens to developing and emerging economies that cannot afford to compete? And can Europe achieve its climate ambitions without increasing energy insecurity and economic pressure elsewhere in the world?

Read the full article by Barış Sanlı and Caner Can here: https://hagueresearch.org/how-the-eus-hydrocarbon-deficit-threatens-global-energy-security/

11/06/2026

„The Middle Corridor sits at a particularly consequential junction: linking resource-rich generating zones in Central Asia and the South Caucasus with energy-hungry markets in Europe, through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan that are actively investing in the renewable foundation required to make that link real. The question is no longer whether transcontinental green energy corridors are technically or economically feasible. Changji-Guquan answered that in 2019. The question now is which routes get built first, which countries position themselves as indispensable nodes, and which economies capture the industrial and investment value that flows alongside the electrons.“ 🗺️

What exactly turns a collection of renewable energy projects into a transcontinental green energy system? Why is the Middle Corridor emerging as one of the most strategically important routes in the new global energy architecture? And by 2040, which countries and industries stand to capture the greatest economic value flowing alongside the electrons?

Find the full article by Elchin Ismayilov here: https://hagueresearch.org/rewiring-the-middle-corridor/

04/06/2026

„Candidate countries need a more realistic understanding of how political the process can become, while the EU benefits from maintaining greater consistency between commitments and outcomes. In my view, candidate countries also need to recognise moments of political opportunity and be ready to act on them. The accession process is not only technical, but also shaped by timing and political context, and progress often depends on the ability to move forward when such windows open.“ 🇲🇰🇺🇦

Have you ever wanted to know more about the ins and outs of EU enlargement? Our THRI research fellow Oksana Baitala recently was lucky enough to sit down with a real insider: Drita Abdiu-Halili, former State Secretary and Deputy Chief Negotiator of North Macedonia with the EU, and current Senior Expert within Ukraine2EU, a flagship initiative of the European Union supporting Ukraine to successfully complete its EU accession process and prepare for EU membership.

Read the full interview here: https://hagueresearch.org/interview-inside-eu-accession-lessons-from-north-macedonia-and-ukraines-integration-path/

A massive thank you once again to Ms Abdiu-Halili for sharing such detailed insights with us and for making the „science“ behind EU accession accessible to our readers!

28/05/2026

Although she has already been part of the team for a few weeks now, we are excited to officially introduce Tekla Sigua, who joined THRI as an intern earlier this month! 🎉

Meet Tekla Sigua:
Tekla holds a BA in Political Science from Tbilisi State University and is currently pursuing an Erasmus Mundus Joint MA in European Public Policy at the University of York (UK) and Central European University (Austria). She also studied in Germany (Universität Trier) and Romania (West University of Timișoara) during her undergraduate studies. Tekla has professional experience across executive, diplomatic, and international organizational roles. A three-time European Commission scholarship recipient, including a fully funded award for her MA, she specializes in the EU’s external affairs, Eastern Neighborhood policy, enlargement, and European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Her work also focuses on countering anti-Western disinformation, building public resilience and awareness, and fostering strategic communications.

22/05/2026

A big thank you to all those who joined us in Groningen yesterday afternoon for Paul Dziatkowiec's guest lecture „Making Conflict Mediation work in a time of geopolitical crisis“, co-organised by THRI.

Couldn't make it? Check out this interview we published earlier this year, in which he discussed his philosophy of mediation, as well as opportunities and pitfalls of international conflict management: https://hagueresearch.org/interview-with-mr-paul-dziatkowiec-conflict-dialogue-and-peacebuilding/

Also, see below for some impressions of the event... 📸

18/05/2026

No summer plans yet? You’re in 🍀!

Applications for our 2026 THRI Summer School „Energy Security and the Geopolitics of Critical Raw Materials in Global Energy Corridors“ are officially open and for one more week, you even have the opportunity to secure an exclusive early bird discount!

Head to our website now for more information. The regular application deadline is 7 July at 23:59 CET.

Link: https://hagueresearch.org/summerwinter-school/

Details about speakers and exact programme will follow in due time. We can’t wait to meet you!

15/05/2026

„For decades, manganese extraction has been a load-bearing column of Georgia’s economy. According to statistics from the United Nations Comtrade database and WITS, the gross export of manganese and its derivatives was approximately 307,063.226 tons in 2024, primarily distributed to the United States, Turkey, and Europe. At the same time, the EU heavily relies on manganese imports given its fundamental and irreplaceable nature for steel production, iron-ore refining processes and battery manufacturing. Recognising this strategic importance, manganese has been included in the EU’s list of Critical Raw Materials since 2023 due to its crucial role in decarbonization and in the transition to renewable and clean energy. Yet the strategic value of manganese comes at local costs.“ 🇬🇪🇪🇺

How is Europe’s green transition reshaping the lives of mining communities in Georgia? What happens when a ‘critical raw material’ comes at the cost of environmental degradation, unsafe labour conditions and collapsing villages? And can the EU secure the minerals needed for decarbonisation while ensuring ethical and sustainable supply chains?

Check out the full article by Jessica Zappalà here: https://hagueresearch.org/georgias-black-gold-and-europes-green-transition-the-not-so-hidden-cost-of-manganese/

🌊 Originally written in the context of our THRI Winter School in January 2026, this article was chosen as one of the three most exceptional submissions - a distinction made all the more meaningful given the remarkable quality of contributions we received. We are delighted to now feature it on our website, reaffirming THRI’s commitment to amplifying the voices of young professionals and bringing their ideas into political and academic discussions. Want to be part of our next summer school and see your article published? Check out https://hagueresearch.org/summerwinter-school/

14/05/2026

„In its search for sustainable access to critical resources, Europe is turning towards Central Asia, a region rich in underexploited deposits. The European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela has estimated that up to 40% of Europe’s demand for strategic raw materials could eventually be met through imports from this region. Within this strategy, Kazakhstan holds a special place.“ 🇰🇿🇪🇺

Could Kazakhstan become Europe’s strategic alternative to China for the critical raw materials driving the green and digital transition? And can the EU turn its growing partnership with Kazakhstan into a genuine model of co-development rather than another extractive supplier relationship?

Find the full article by Laura Couneau on our website: https://hagueresearch.org/could-kazakhstan-become-europes-strategic-partner-for-critical-raw-materials/

🌊 Originally written in the context of our THRI Winter School in January 2026, this article was chosen as one of the three most exceptional submissions - a distinction made all the more meaningful given the remarkable quality of contributions we received. We are delighted to now feature it on our website, reaffirming THRI’s commitment to amplifying the voices of young professionals and bringing their ideas into political and academic discussions. Want to be part of our next summer school and see your article published? Check out https://hagueresearch.org/summerwinter-school/

13/05/2026

„By approaching CRMs as another battleground for great power competition and trade wars, Europe risks undermining Uzbekistan’s sovereignty and its actual needs. This dynamic would make Uzbekistan another region where China, Russia, the United States, and the EU fight each other to assert influence. However, Central Asia’s foreign policy is known for being multivectoral; Tashkent tries to balance itself between multiple global powers, without binding itself exclusively to a single one, in order to achieve its own national interests. (…) For Uzbekistan, it would be ideal to engage with multiple powers, without creating asymmetric dependency on any single one, following the same diversification strategy that the EU is trying to pursue for itself.“ 🇺🇿🇪🇺

Can Uzbekistan’s critical raw materials become a driver of sustainable development, or will they deepen extractive dependency? As Europe races to secure supply chains independent from China, is the EU building a genuine partnership with Uzbekistan, or reproducing neo-colonial patterns under a green label? And what would a truly mutually beneficial CRM partnership actually look like for both Uzbekistan and Europe?

Read the full article by Alice Nenci here: https://hagueresearch.org/uzbekistan-and-europe-partnership-on-critical-raw-materials-development-opportunity-or-dependency-trap/

🌊 Originally written in the context of our THRI Winter School in January 2026, this article was chosen as one of the three most exceptional submissions - a distinction made all the more meaningful given the remarkable quality of contributions we received. We are delighted to now feature it on our website, reaffirming THRI’s commitment to amplifying the voices of young professionals and bringing their ideas into political and academic discussions. Want to be part of our next summer school and see your article published? Check out https://hagueresearch.org/summerwinter-school/

12/05/2026

Did you know that you can still apply for our THRI summer school „Energy Security and the Geopolitics of Critical Raw Materials in Global Energy Corridors“, taking place 24-26 August 2026? If you submit your application by the early bird deadline of 25 May, you can even make sure to snag an early bird discount 👀

Find all the information here: https://hagueresearch.org/summerwinter-school/

And in case you’re not yet convinced, here’s what Bart Lensvelt, a THRI summer school participant from last year, has to say about how the event helped shape his professional journey:

„The THRI Summer School on Energy Security and the Geopolitics of Critical Raw Materials gave me a valuable foundation in critical raw materials and Central Asia’s strategic importance. This knowledge gave me a head start for my internship at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Astana, Kazakhstan.“

Join us this summer to connect with students, researchers, and professionals from around the world, and deepen your understanding of one of the most pressing geopolitical questions shaping the energy transition today! 🌍

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