Aspenia international 1/2025 – the first of two issues for this year – focuses on the nuclear question, both in energy and in military terms, with one section dedicated to a broader discussion of America’s geopolitical role in today’s power plays. Sanctions and tariffs are wreaking havoc in diverse areas of the economy, and the EU must prepare to face adversaries and allies alike. Challenges to the peaceful prosperity of Europe abound.
As ever, articles are drawn from the previous two issues of Aspenia in Italian, and Trump’s second presidency acts as a connecting fiber between the content from those editions of the journal. Authors include Carlo Stagnaro, Stefano Monti, Ali Mustafa, Lapo Pistelli, Andrew Spannaus, Jean-Pierre Darnis, Erik Jones, Thomas Duesterberg, Carlo Jean and Francesca Giovannini. The illustrations are by Klaas Verplancke and Gloria Di Bella.
As Europe moves forward in its long-term energy transition, countries are reconsidering their aversion to nuclear power. Recent developments are making the technology safer, lowering its environmental impact and reducing the geographic footprint of power plants. While renewables remain a key element in the continent’s energy mix, wind and solar are perforce intermittent sources, thereby increasing the appeal of a reliable alternative. Given the current US administration’s approach to security and to alliances and given the various conflicts surrounding Europe, it is time for the Union’s member states to guarantee greater autonomy in the energy sector.
While controversial and complex, the civilian nuclear energy sector has certainly been on the agenda for some time. The nuclear weapons sector, however, is only now returning to the fore of discussions. As major power shifts buffet all the world’s players, Europe is also needing to recalibrate its military stance. Dangerous developments near and far are forcing the EU to shore up defense capabilities and to focus anew on deterrence. Here too, more concrete efforts are called for, to achieve strategic autonomy.
