Dr. Julian Pawlak is a researcher at the International Security Division of German Institute for International and Security Affairs and a NextGen Associate Fellow at the NATO Defence College. His expertise covers security and defense policy, maritime strategy, and strategic studies, with a focus on NATO’s northern flank, the Baltic Sea region, and Northern and Eastern Europe. Previously affiliated with Helmut Schmidt University, GIDS, and Kiel University, he has authored numerous publications and frequently contributes analysis to leading international media, including The New York Times, Foreign Policy, El País, SPIEGEL, and WIRED.