Languages: German and English (fluent), Spanish and Polish (conversational)
Areas of Expertise: Eastern Europe; Russia; armed conflict and military affairs; defence policy; missile defence; missile proliferation
Gustav Gressel is a senior policy fellow with the Wider Europe Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations' Berlin office. His topics of focus include Russia, Eastern Europe, and defense policy.
Before joining ECFR, Gressel worked as a desk officer for international security policy and strategy in the Bureau for Security Policy of the Austrian Ministry of Defence from 2006 to 2014, and as a research fellow of the Commissioner for Strategic Studies with the Austrian MoD from 2003 to 2006. He was also a research fellow with the International Institute for Liberal Politics in Vienna. Before his academic career he served five years in the Austrian Armed Forces.
Gressel holds a PhD in Strategic Studies at the Faculty of Military Sciences at the National University of Public Service, Budapest and a Masters Degree in political science from Salzburg University. He is the author of numerous publications regarding security policy and strategic affairs and a frequent commentator on international affairs. His opinions have appeared in media such as the New York Times, the Guardian, Die Welt, NZZ, Bild, the Diplomat, New Eastern Europe, Foreign Policy, Gazeta Prawna, Rzeczpospolita, Kyiv Post, the Moscow Times, Capital, the Telegraph, the Economist, Newsweek, Deutsche Welle, RTL, al Jazeera, TVP, TRT, Polskie Radio, RFI, FM4, Ukraine Today, and Radio Free Europe.
Gustav Gressel, Nicu Popescu, Andrew Wilson - 16 September, 2020
Russia’s goal in its neighbourhood is to regain influence, not to be surrounded by neutral, self-sufficient buffer states.
Gustav Gressel - 2 September, 2020
While this revolutionary movement did not start as a geopolitical endeavour, it will certainly end as one.
Gustav Gressel - 18 August, 2020
The Kremlin knows that intervening militarily would lose it the goodwill of the Belarusian people. But it does not rule out a managed transition to a candidate of its choice.
Gustav Gressel - 12 June, 2020
Russia’s nuclear policy has long been shrouded in secrecy. But a newly published presidential decree on nuclear deterrence clarifies some issues while still leaving ample room for speculation.
Gustav Gressel - 27 May, 2020
A US withdrawal from the agreement would shift the blame from a non-compliant Moscow onto Washington, fuelling anti-Americanism and, perhaps, calls for a US military withdrawal from Europe.
Gustav Gressel, Nicu Popescu - 20 May, 2020
The real test of the EU’s power and its strategic sovereignty will be in how it deals with external problems – not least those in its neighbourhood.
Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Kadri Liik, Nicu Popescu - 9 April, 2020
How is Russia dealing with covid-19? What impact does the pandemic have on the other underlying political issues in Russia – such as the change of the constitution and Putin’s decision to essentially stay in power until 2036? Our ECFR experts also point out the…
Gustav Gressel - 13 February, 2020
Maintaining a self-sufficient defence-industrial complex has long been an uphill struggle for Russia – and recent sanctions have only steepened its climb.
Gustav Gressel - 3 February, 2020
The Kremlin is losing long-time Ukraine policy chief, Vladislav Surkov. But his successor has more in common with “Putin’s Rasputin” than first meets the eye.
Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Kadri Liik - 31 January, 2020
It came as a surprise when Russia’s government resigned just hours after Putin’s announced his plans for a possible referendum of constitutional changes. Host Mark Leonard is joined by Kadri Liik and Gustav Gressel to elaborate on the recent political changes that…
Note from Berlin
Gustav Gressel - 19 December, 2019
The Tiergarten hitman travelling freely across the Schengen area should prompt reflection in European capitals, and greater demands of Berlin to act. But a pan-European response remains unforthcoming.
by Gustav Gressel - 29th August, 2019
The EU, US, and NATO must ensure that these services remain high in the minds of the Zelensky administration and of Rada members
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by Gustav Gressel - 25th June, 2019
Europe should pursue a ‘dual track’ approach of confrontation followed by dialogue with unfriendly cyber powers.
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by Gustav Gressel - 14th July, 2017
Anti-Western elements, exploitable by the Kremlin, exist not only on the fringes of European politics, but reach right into the heart of established parties.
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by Gustav Gressel, Fredrik Wesslau - 19th June, 2017
There is no room for complacency in Europe’s stance towards Russia and Ukraine.
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by Gustav Gressel - 05th October, 2016
Reforms in key state institutions, such as the judiciary, have failed to deliver results.
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by Dennison et al. - 28th January, 2016
The sixth ECFR Foreign Policy Scorecard highlights the EU's diminishing ability to influence its neighbours, and the neighbourhood's growing impact on the EU.
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EPUB
Mobi
by Gustav Gressel - 13th October, 2015
Putin’s expansionist policy in Russia’s neighbourhood is backed up by a poised and professional military.
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by Gustav Gressel - 12th October, 2015
Putin’s expansionist policy in Russia’s neighbourhood is backed up by a poised and professional military
PDF
EPUB
Mobi
Gustav Gressel, Nicu Popescu, Andrew Wilson - 16 September, 2020
Russia’s goal in its neighbourhood is to regain influence, not to be surrounded by neutral, self-sufficient buffer states.
Gustav Gressel - 2 September, 2020
While this revolutionary movement did not start as a geopolitical endeavour, it will certainly end as one.
Gustav Gressel - 18 August, 2020
The Kremlin knows that intervening militarily would lose it the goodwill of the Belarusian people. But it does not rule out a managed transition to a candidate of its choice.
Gustav Gressel - 12 June, 2020
Russia’s nuclear policy has long been shrouded in secrecy. But a newly published presidential decree on nuclear deterrence clarifies some issues while still leaving ample room for speculation.
Gustav Gressel - 27 May, 2020
A US withdrawal from the agreement would shift the blame from a non-compliant Moscow onto Washington, fuelling anti-Americanism and, perhaps, calls for a US military withdrawal from Europe.
Gustav Gressel, Nicu Popescu - 20 May, 2020
The real test of the EU’s power and its strategic sovereignty will be in how it deals with external problems – not least those in its neighbourhood.
Gustav Gressel - 13 February, 2020
Maintaining a self-sufficient defence-industrial complex has long been an uphill struggle for Russia – and recent sanctions have only steepened its climb.
Gustav Gressel - 3 February, 2020
The Kremlin is losing long-time Ukraine policy chief, Vladislav Surkov. But his successor has more in common with “Putin’s Rasputin” than first meets the eye.
Note from Berlin
Gustav Gressel - 19 December, 2019
The Tiergarten hitman travelling freely across the Schengen area should prompt reflection in European capitals, and greater demands of Berlin to act. But a pan-European response remains unforthcoming.
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Gustav Gressel - 9 December, 2019
Zelensky and EU leaders want the Normandy summit to show they are giving diplomacy a chance. But the risk all lies on their side, not Putin’s
Gustav Gressel - 4 December, 2019
Partisan argument in Washington is helping undermine the Open Skies Treaty. The US could lose one of the most useful instruments in its relations with Russia.
Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Kadri Liik, Nicu Popescu - 9 April, 2020
How is Russia dealing with covid-19? What impact does the pandemic have on the other underlying political issues in Russia – such as the change of the constitution and Putin’s decision to essentially stay in power until 2036? Our ECFR experts also point out the…
Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Kadri Liik - 31 January, 2020
It came as a surprise when Russia’s government resigned just hours after Putin’s announced his plans for a possible referendum of constitutional changes. Host Mark Leonard is joined by Kadri Liik and Gustav Gressel to elaborate on the recent political changes that…
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Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Kadri Liik - 4 October, 2019
In this week’s podcast, Mark Leonard, Gustav Gressel and Kadri Liik analyse Macron’s plans and ideas for recreating the European security order, an initiative which he launched with a speech at the Ambassador’s conference this year. Moreover, according to…
Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard - 9 August, 2019
In the third episode of ECFR’s summer series on strategic sovereignty, Mark Leonard talks to Gustav Gressel, Acting Director of the Wider Europe programme and Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR, about hybrid threats. Using Gressel’s recent paper on hybrid threats as a…
Podcast
Stefan Soesanto, Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Kadri Liik - 6 January, 2017
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with ECFR Policy Fellows Stefan Soesanto, Kadri Liik and Gustav Gressel on Russia's interferences in Western politics. The podcast was recorded on 5 January 2017. Bookshelf: Maurice Paléologue, An Ambassador’s…
Podcast
Gustav Gressel, Mark Leonard, Fredrik Wesslau, Andrew Wilson - 31 August, 2016
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with experts Andrew Wilson, Fredrik Wesslau and Gustav Gressel, about rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine in the Donbass, the Minsk agreement, and whether European sanctions on Russia should be renewed. The…