Burden-Sharing in Times of Crisis

This panel proposal explores the dynamic interplay of burden-sharing, defense strategies, and threat perception among Western nations as they navigate the shifting geopolitical landscape shaped by the Ukraine crisis and rising radical-right ideologies. It begins by examining how the European radical right’s reconceptualization of the "Anglosphere" as a distinctive geopolitical entity influences mainstream European security narratives and foreign policy stances. Further, it assesses Germany and Canada's divergent approaches to NATO's 2% defense spending target, revealing how external threats and alliance expectations shape national defense commitments. This theme of varying security priorities continues in an analysis of Russian threat perception, offering novel methods to quantify how different Western states gauge Russian aggression, which directly correlates with the level of military support for Ukraine. Examining burden-sharing more closely, the proposal highlights how smaller states have contributed disproportionately to Ukraine’s defense, challenging typical assumptions about alliance contributions and underscoring evolving factors influencing sustained military aid. Finally, it addresses the limits of international sanctions, showcasing how Russia circumvents restrictions to maintain its military capabilities, thus questioning the effectiveness of sanctions as deterrents. Together, these studies offer insights on the factors influencing Western alliances and defense policies in an era marked by crisis and ideological shifts, advocating for adaptive strategies in response to complex, evolving security challenges.