We researched this report independently under the general ‘Progress’ framework that organizes Clingendael’s collaboration with the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.

We are grateful to Karin Wester (Dutch Foreign Ministry), Nadine Linders (Dutch Ministry of Defence) and Wouter Zweers (Clingendael) for their patience and guidance throughout the research period.

We also wish to extend a warm thank you to Julien Barnes-Dacey (European Council on Foreign Relations), Mohammad Kanfash (independent analyst), Inna Rudolf (King’s College), Michael Köhler (European Commission) and Mariska van Beijnum (Clingendael) for their review of the report in whole or in part.

Finally, we greatly appreciate a workshop on 3 December 2020 with key staff from the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence to discuss the report’s main findings and further develop its recommendations.

Naturally, the authors remain fully responsible for the contents of the report.