Op-eds & Guest Contributions
April 2025
Canada must lead on supporting Ukraine with Russia’s frozen assets: DSI-led open letter in Canada’s National Post
Open letter, spearheaded by DSI and published in Canada’s National Post, on why Canada must use its G7 chairmanship to lead internationally on seizing Russia’s $300 billion in frozen state assets.
Signed by four former Prime Ministers and over 70 senior politicians, experts, and prominent Canadians – both major Canadian political parties made election manifesto commitments to confiscate Russia’s frozen assets during the period this letter was published.
March 2025
Trump is right to fear a Canada-Europe team-up. But Canada must step up – The Globe and Mail
DSI Senior Fellow Aaron Gasch Burnett’s op-ed in Canada’s Globe and Mail about the importance of Canadian natural resources to a more resilient democratic world – and the necessary strategic discussions Canada must have to unlock the potential of those resources.
Canada can send a clear message to Russia by making this one bold move – Toronto Star
Canadian Senator Donna Dasko and DSI Senior Fellow Aaron Gasch Burnett co-author this piece in Canada’s highest-circulating newspaper – the Toronto Star – about how Canada must prepare to independently freeze its own share of Russia’s frozen state assets – in case a European sanctions vote fails in July.
February 2025
A Lifeline for Ukraine that Costs Canadian Taxpayers Nothing – National Newswatch
With Canadian Parliament prorogued but Ukraine’s needs urgent, DSI Senior Fellow Aaron Gasch Burnett co-authors this piece with Non-resident Legal Fellow Yuliya Ziskina and Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Balkan Devlen in National Newswatch on the measures Canada can take to move on seizing Russia’s frozen assets denominated in Canadian dollars.
November 2024
Europe and Canada Must Form a Coalition of the Willing to Secure Ukraine: DSI-led open letter in Byline Times
More than 75 senior politicians, military leaders, and experts sign DSI’s open letter – spearheaded by Director Benjamin Tallis – outlining five things Europe and Canada must do to secure Ukraine following Donald Trump’s election victory.
Letter: US election presents Ukraine and its allies with a vital dilemma: DSI joint appeal in Financial Times
DSI joint appeal in the Financial Times with over 100 senior parliamentarians, security & intelligence experts, retired military commanders, and ambassadors, calling on Europe to secure Ukraine – whatever the outcome of the US election.
A German copy of the open letter is also available here.
September 2024
The Strategic Importance of Hope – Dust Magazine
The right to a hopeful future is what sets liberal societies apart from our authoritarian competitors - we have to live up to that in our foreign & domestic policy, argues DSI Director Dr. Benjamin Tallis for Dust Magazine.
Parliament must investigate shameful public funding for Russian propaganda film – Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Aaron Gasch Burnett writes for Canada’s Macdonald-Laurier Institute on why Canadian Parliament must use its powers to find out how the propaganda film “Russians At War” received Canadian taxpayer funding.
August 2024
Neo-Idealism: Grand strategy for the future of the transatlantic community – Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Writing for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, DSI Director Benjamin Tallis writes of the necessary strategic changes needed in both Germany and Canada, towards a foreign policy guided by the democratic world’s values – as its interests – that of Neo-idealism.
The End of the Zeitenwende – German Council on Foreign Relations
Reflections after two years of Action Group Zeitenwende by DSI Co-Founder Dr. Benjamin Tallis for German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) – in the final AGZ report. The report argues that the “Turning Point” originally championed by previous German Chancellor Olaf Scholz failed to materialise.
