Researching peace in times of war

Wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan. Major powers that are increasingly relying on military force. And a United Nations (UN) with dwindling influence. Peace and conflict research in Germany engages profoundly with the big challenges of our turbulent times. 

Peace is more than just a ceasefire

It shouldn’t come as any great surprise that the 2026 Peace Report paints a rather bleak picture of the current situation. It is published annually by four institutions: the Leibniz Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) in Frankfurt am Main, the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH), the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (bicc) and the Institute for Development and Peace (INEF) at the University of Duisburg-Essen. They warn in particular against the “new warlords”: rulers who disregard international law and use force to assert their interests.

According to the report, efforts to secure long-term peace processes are vital. In the view of the researchers, any possible ceasefire in Ukraine needs verifiable security guarantees to prevent a renewed Russian attack. In Gaza, how to disarm Hamas and enable Palestinian self-determination needs to be clarified. The report says that in Syria it is essential to integrate former fighters and involve minorities in political decisions, as otherwise there is a risk of renewed violence.

The issues that German peace research addresses are wide-ranging and complex. bicc Director Conrad Schetter researches how local power structures, armed groups and international interventions influence conflicts. INEF researcher Tobias Debiel studies for example the post-war process of state-building and warns against neglecting civilian peacebuilding. PRIF Director Nicole Deitelhoff explores, among other things, the crisis facing international standards, while IFSH Director Ursula Schröder focuses on the European security order. The Berlin-based Berghof Foundation supervises dialogue and mediation processes in conflict regions. The German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF) in Osnabrück promotes research and early-career researchers. 

Europe must become more capable of action

Many institutes are particularly critical of the way the UN has become weaker. Vetos in the Security Council have blocked necessary decisions, while funding for peace missions, humanitarian aid and development cooperation has decreased. Rather than replacing the UN with new circles of power, the researchers recommend strengthening the General Assembly. Furthermore, they believe that Germany, together with the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK), should reinforce alliances with states such as Brazil, India or Canada. Germany should also clearly call out any violations of international law, even when committed by its allies, so as not to lose credibility.

Another point of criticism raised by numerous researchers is that Europe has made insufficient use of its economic and diplomatic power to date. Claudia Major from the German Marshall Fund (GMF) for example has called for more European autonomy in defence policy. She believes that EU member states could jointly gain greater influence when it comes to avoiding or resolving international conflicts - not only by rearming but also through trade policy, development cooperation and diplomatic initiatives. The future of Ukraine must not be decided without Europe either, she says, adding that Germany, as an economic heavyweight, has a particular responsibility in this context.

Deterrence or more arms control?

The role that military might should play remains controversial. Carlo Masala from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich sees credible deterrence as a prerequisite for successful diplomacy. Max Mutschler from bicc is in favour of plugging gaps in military capability but warns against an arms race. Bremen-based political scientist Klaus Schlichte criticises the “militaristic narrowing” of the security policy debate.

Despite the differences in their positions, there is one conclusion that all the researchers agree on: a ceasefire alone is no guarantee of peace. This requires reliable security guarantees, political participation and international institutions that can also enforce agreements.