Who Will Defend Europe? book launch

Join Keir Giles for the launch of his book Who Will Defend Europe?, an urgent, vital look at the stark choices facing leaders and societies as they confront the return of war in Europe. The event will be chaired by Dr Natasha Kuhrt, Senior Lecturer in International Peace and Security in the Department of War Studies, with Dr Jade McGlynn, a Leverhulme EC Researcher in the War Studies department at King’s College London, serving as the discussant.

For almost three years Ukraine has been the front line of Europe, protecting us all by holding back Russia’s plans for conquest and expansion. But now, the war could come much closer to home. The outcome of the US presidential election will decide Ukraine’s future – but Vladimir Putin has made it plain his ambition doesn’t stop there. And the Kremlin’s campaigns of murder and sabotage across the continent and in the UK have already resumed, while Russia has been rebuilding its army faster than Ukraine has been able to destroy it. If the US steps away from the defence of Europe, and the British Armed Forces are hollowed out and still shrinking, who is left to protect us?

Keir Giles’s new book Who Will Defend Europe? looks for the answers. In this presentation and open discussion, Keir will share the results of his research. He will discuss what the US election result means for the UK, and what must be done to safeguard our future against an aggressive Russia bent on attacking us. Most of all, he will explain how the front-line states have been preparing to be the next line of our defence but preparations by Western Europe and the UK lag desperately behind the threat.

About the author

Keir Giles has advised governments worldwide on the Russian threat. A senior fellow with Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme, and Director of the Conflict Studies Research Centre, he is a regular commentator for the BBC and international media. His prescient books include What Deters Russia and Moscow Rules.