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Europe is facing an intensifying migration crisis along the Balkan and Central Mediterranean routes, prompting a shift from earlier open-door policies toward more restrictive approaches. This paper analyzes the geopolitical forces driving the EU’s evolving migration strategy, focusing on border security, demographic pressures, and political tensions within and between EU Member States. Using a multidisciplinary framework and a critical case study design, it examines governmental speeches, media narratives, scholarly research, comparative national policies, and official data. Germany, Hungary, and Sweden are assessed to illustrate contrasting open- and closed-door models and their implications for security, regional stability, and collective EU governance. The study argues that sustainable migration management requires a more balanced, geopolitically informed framework that reconciles security imperatives with the EU’s normative and humanitarian commitments, thereby ensuring long-term stability and coherent policy outcomes across the EU.

This article provides a brief overview of the 25-year history of the Partnership for Peace Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes. It highlights the renewed international commitment to the Consortium and its principles, as observed during its 25th anniversary in 2024. The article then examines the Consortium through the Theory of Change concept, a logic modeling method for articulating how immediate actions link to long-term outcomes, particularly within complex systems. This approach analyzes the logical chain of events from the Consortium's three strategic focus areas-intellectual interoperability, security sector cooperation, and institutional capacity building-and connects them to its desired strategic impacts: increasing regional stability, enhancing global security cooperation to address transnational security challenges, and fostering a more peaceful world that shares values such as a commitment to democratic principles and the rules-based international order.

This article evaluates the effectiveness of the Jordan Security Management system by exploring four elements: institutional design, inter-institution relationships, policy coordination, and democratic supervision. An article based on quantitative survey 368 National Security Procedures in Jordan shows that centralized architecture leads to strategic cohesion but suffers from weak and sometimes fragmented coordination between agencies. The results emphasize a significant gap in the field of training, with less than half (48.64%) providers achieve satisfactory operating efficiency and minority (58.15%) of them trained with specific specialties. In addition, the results show that there is a continued digitization of protection because 47.01% of respondents receive artificial intelligence systems into their company structures. This study contributes to a better understanding of hybrid proceedings in the Middle East and North Africa region (Mena) and sets the basis for informing regional security strategies with international partners, in particular, the European Union.

The Visegrad Group countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia) and the Western Balkan countries share strong historical trade and cultural ties, and their trade relations are becoming increasingly significant in the context of geopolitical changes and economic transformations in the region. Recent trends indicate growing mutual trade, and analysis of the Trade Complementarity Index reveals high trade compatibility, confirming the potential for effective cooperation. The Trade Intensity Index also shows high values, particularly for Hungary. This paper evaluates trade exchanges and examines the intensity and compatibility of economic relations, with a focus on the Visegrad Group countries’ trade with Serbia, their key trade partner. The results suggest that enhanced cooperation between the regions could bring substantial economic benefits and strengthen regional stability and competitiveness.

With the increasing capacity of doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs), the diameter of the wind turbine is increasing, the blades are getting longer and longer, and in the process of power generation, the tower shadow effect as well as the role of wind shear are more obvious, and the random blade stresses caused by this is also getting bigger. Random blade stresses cause random and cyclic fluctuations in the power generated by the wind turbine, and power fluctuations often cause voltage flicker, which affects the control system and power quality. To address the impact of random blade stresses on the grid‐connected stability of DFIG, the results of the traditional stability analysis methods may be too conservative or lead to too high a dimensionality to be analyzed. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes a grid‐connected stochastic stability analysis method for DFIG sets considering random blade stresses based on the stochastic averaging method under the Hamiltonian system. a stochastic dynamics model of the doubly fed wind farm was established by considering random blade stress. Subsequently, using the proposed generalized Hamiltonian principle, the model and energy functions in the proposed Hamiltonian form H, based on the stochastic averaging method (SAM), were established to obtain the system energy diffusion equation. Probability density function and regional stability probability were obtained from explicit expressions of the mean and regression square root processes. The drift and diffusion coefficients were obtained using the SAM, and the backward Kolmogorov equation was derived from the Ito equation to obtain the conditional reliability function and the probability density of the first crossing time. Finally, the effects of torque fluctuations with different stochastic intensities on the grid‐connected stability of doubly fed wind farms were investigated, and the effectiveness of the proposed generalized Hamiltonian SAM applied to the stochastic stability analysis of DFIG was verified by numerical analysis and Monte Carlo simulation. This provides a theoretical foundation for analyzing the grid‐connected stability of DFIG affected by random blade stresses. In this paper, based on the stochastic averaging method under the Hamiltonian system, a grid‐connected stability analysis method for doubly fed generator sets considering random blade stress is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed generalized Hamiltonian stochastic averaging method applied to the stochastic stability analysis of doubly fed wind turbines is also verified by numerical analysis and Monte Carlo simulation.

This paper addresses the asymptotic stabilization of a class of continuous-time nonlinear systems under a sampled-data control. The proposed approach is based on a quasi linear parameter varying (quasi-LPV) model for the nonlinear system and the use of a parameter dependent looped-functional to deal with the aperiodic sampling effects. Explicitly taking into account that the model parameters are functions of the state and therefore are bounded only in a given region of the state space, quasi-LMI conditions are proposed to compute a regional stabilizing nonlinear state feedback control law under aperiodic sampling. These conditions are then incorporated in convex optimization problems to compute the control law aiming at the maximization of an estimate of the region of attraction of the origin or the maximization of an upper bound on the intersampling time, with a guaranteed region of stability.

Purpose This purpose of this study aims to critically evaluate the feasibility of establishing a single currency area within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) by examining the economic integration of its member states. The analysis focuses on the extent to which the region meets the criteria of the optimum currency area (OCA) theory, particularly in terms of business cycle synchronization, labor mobility and capital flows. Design/methodology/approach Using a vector autoregression (VAR) model within the aggregate demand-aggregate supply framework, this research investigates the symmetry of supply and demand shocks across SAARC economies. The study analyzes the synchronization of business cycles and the mobility of labor and capital to determine the readiness of SAARC for a unified currency. Findings The results indicate significant asymmetries in business cycles among SAARC countries, with substantial disparities in economic responses to shocks. These findings suggest that the region lacks the necessary economic synchronization required for a successful single currency area. Limited labor and capital mobility further complicate the potential for economic integration within SAARC. Research limitations/implications The study is constrained by data inconsistencies and the limited range of economic indicators available for SAARC countries. Future research should expand the analysis to include a broader set of socioeconomic factors and more comprehensive data sets to better assess the region’s potential for monetary integration. Practical implications The study highlights the challenges of forming a currency union in South Asia due to economic disparities and limited mobility. However, gradual steps toward deeper regional integration, improved financial infrastructure and enhanced cross-border collaboration could foster long-term economic stability, growth and social cohesion in the SAARC region. Social implications The research highlights the potential social benefits of enhanced economic integration, such as increased community resilience and social cohesion, while also warning of the risks associated with premature monetary union in a region with significant economic disparities. Originality/value This study provides a detailed analysis linking the theoretical framework of the OCA to the practical realities of economic integration in South Asia. By focusing on the specific economic conditions of SAARC member states, the research offers valuable insights for policymakers considering regional monetary integration.

Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the Partnership for Peace Consortium, this introductory article examines its pivotal role in fostering peace, security, and cooperation across Europe and beyond. Established in a tumultuous post-Soviet landscape, the Consortium has navigated complex geopolitical shifts while advocating for collaborative approaches to conflict resolution, progressive visions for Europe and NATO, and the achievement of sustainable peace. By reviewing the articles in this issue of Connections and the Consortium's contributions to regional stability, democratic reform, and educational development, this article showcases the transformative impact of its various working and study groups. Topics range from defense cooperation in Southeast Europe to the evolution of military education in response to contemporary security challenges, such as hybrid warfare and disinformation. The article emphasizes the ongoing need for innovative governance and adaptive methodologies to address emerging threats, as well as the importance of historical understanding in shaping modern security strategies. Ultimately, this reflection underscores the Consortium's enduring commitment to enhancing global security cooperation and its vital role in promoting democratic values amidst evolving security challenges.

This study provides a comprehensive review of South Korea-China relations over the past three decades, focusing on the evolution of their economic cooperation, political interactions, and responses to the changing international context. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, the two countries have experienced significant growth in bilateral trade, investment, and cultural exchanges. However, the relationship has also faced challenges, notably the THAAD controversy and intensifying US-China rivalry. This study examines how South Korea-China relations have evolved between cooperation and competition, highlighting the importance of pragmatic diplomacy and building mutual trust. The study concludes that maintaining a delicate balance and exploring new areas of cooperation are crucial for future stability and mutual development in the region.

This study explores the concept of resilience within the teachings of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, comparing these with established psychological resilience theories by Ungar and Holling. Through a comprehensive analysis of documents sourced from the Vatican’s official website, resilience is examined across individual, community, and global dimensions. Individual resilience emphasizes spiritual resources such as faith and hope, which Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis underscore as essential for overcoming personal and societal crises. Community resilience is highlighted in the context of solidarity, cooperation, and cultural identity, as demonstrated in responses to natural disasters and sociopolitical challenges. At a global level, Pope Francis advocates ecological sustainability and systemic justice, tying resilience to shared responsibilities and global solidarity. Methods include textual frequency analysis and semantic mapping of resilience-related terms within papal documents, complemented by a comparative analysis with psychological resilience frameworks. Findings reveal unique contributions of papal teachings, such as the integration of spiritual, moral, and ecological dimensions, which expand traditional resilience concepts. This theological lens adds normative and prescriptive elements, offering transformative perspectives for resilience studies, emphasizing faith, values, and sustainability as pivotal components for enduring and thriving amidst adversity. Limitations of data mining methods suggest potential for further interdisciplinary research.