CSS News and Impact

The failure to reach consensus at the 2026 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) reveals widening cracks in the nuclear governance architecture. The delicate balance global non-proliferation norms are based on is increasingly at risk of collapse.

The partnership between the United Nations and ETH Zurich, formalised in 2023, promotes exchange between the two institutions and strengthens projects in the fields of peace and security, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development. In June 2026, the responsibility for the partnership will transfer from the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich to the Albert Einstein School of Public Policy at ETH. The UN–ETH Student Team will also move to the Einstein School at the end of June.

Strategy-led coordination in security, defence and armaments policy has become increasingly important in many European countries. Armaments are a key focal point and driving force behind this development.

The return of armed conflict to Europe has brought fundamental questions of civil defence back to the centre of political and administrative decision-making. The aim of this study is to comparatively examine the current state of affairs as well as the conceptual and operational implementation of protective shelters and evacuations. The findings are intended to promote evidence-based discussions and, indirectly, to support the further development of Swiss civil protection.

Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December 2024 and the attacks by the US and Israel against Iran in February 2026, Russia has worked to reconfigure its influence in the Middle East. It has achieved some success, even benefitting indirectly from the war in Iran thanks to higher oil prices, but its regional standing has suffered lasting damage.

The Military Academy at ETH Zurich and the Center for Security Studies have published the survey "Sicherheit 2026". Since 1999, the annual study has evaluated long-​term trends and tendencies in public opinion on foreign, security and defense policy issues in Switzerland.

Changes to Japan’s security policy are followed less closely in Switzerland than in the EU and NATO, for which Japan has become a key non-European partner. Here, some aspects of the Japanese debates that arose during discussions in Tokyo are highlighted. The purpose of the visit was to promote dialogue between the CSS and Japanese Think Tanks and institutes. This was done in the spirit of deepening relations between Switzerland and Japan, and between Europe and the Indo-Pacific. 

Security and strategic interests are transforming science, technology, and innovation (STI) in Europe. By promoting dual-use and defence research, European and EU policymakers are seeking to facilitate knowledge transfer between civil and military ecosystems in pursuit of economic, technological, and military objectives. Potential benefits and challenges aside, the policies mark a European turn towards strategic science.

In the CSS Annual Report 2025, you can read more about the main focuses and activities of the CSS in a year marked by the continued erosion of the international order and growing geopolitical instability – a development that makes evidence-based security policy analysis and dialogue more important than ever.

Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026. A stronger strategic focus on Europe appears to be favoured by most contestants, but pragmatic relations with Russia are also regarded as essential across party lines. Whether the incumbent government can politically survive and maintain the country’s pro-European course depends on whether the current détente with Azerbaijan can yield tangible results.

CSS Senior Researcher Lucas Renaud shares his insights from a study trip to Armenia.