DSF and TraCe Parliamentary Evening:
Current War Dynamics – Hybrid, Boundary-less, Everywhere?

DSF and TraCe Parliamentary Evening:
Current War Dynamics – Hybrid, Boundaryless, Everywhere?

Hybrid warfare, digital propaganda, new technologies, and the increasing erosion of international law: the global landscape of war is changing rapidly. The implications of these developments for politics, law, and existing norms were the focus of the Parliamentary Evening hosted by the German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF) and the “Transformations of Political Violence” (TraCe) research center on February 24, 2026, at the German Parliamentary Society in Berlin.

Science and Politics in Dialogue

In his opening remarks, Dr. Nils Schmid, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defense and patron of the evening, emphasized the particular importance of scientific expertise for political decision-making processes. Given the multitude of current wars and conflicts, he noted, it is crucial for policymakers to receive well-founded analyses and concrete recommendations for action from the research community.

Prof. Dr. Jonas Wolff took up this idea in his opening remarks and emphasized the growing importance of peace and conflict studies. He noted that research indicates a significant increase in armed conflicts worldwide, growing media coverage, and a qualitative blurring of the boundaries of violence. Formats such as this Parliamentary Evening, which bring together academia and politics, are therefore not merely a “nice-to-have” but an urgent necessity. Experts from the TraCe research network provided key analyses on this topic, such as on forms of hybrid warfare and the increasing blurring of boundaries in the use of violence during wartime.

Language as a Form of Hybrid Warfare

In the first keynote address, Prof. Dr. Monika Wingender focused on the linguistic dimension in the context of warfare. The example of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine clearly demonstrates how language is deliberately used as an instrument of information warfare. As part of hybrid warfare, propaganda spreads with new momentum via social media and has an impact in both the digital and physical spheres. Narratives can thus influence public opinion, destabilize societies, and intensify spirals of violence. Wingender explained that it is therefore all the more important to identify problematic narratives at an early stage, call them out publicly, and strengthen societal resilience through appropriate countermeasures.

Artificial Intelligence: Between Risk and Responsibility

Dr. Thea Riebe highlighted the rapid development of artificial intelligence and new technologies as a key challenge for warfare. In light of rapid advances—particularly in the field of unmanned weapon systems and their trend toward autonomy—civil society, the military, and defense contractors are striving to develop measures that ensure a certain degree of human control. At the same time, when used responsibly, AI can also contribute to the monitoring and documentation of violence. However, a key challenge remains the establishment of international standards, Riebe explained—a process in which Germany must actively participate.

International Law Under Pressure

In the third presentation, Prof. Dr. Thilo Marauhn analyzed current developments in the field of international law. While states used to at least attempt to justify military operations under international law, today there is an increasing trend toward dispensing with such justifications. This development is often accompanied by an earlier use of armed force, a more reckless or excessive application of military means, and a systematic denigration and erosion of central normative categories of international law. Since international law is largely shaped by the behavior of states, Germany must respond to violations—silence is not an option.

Alliances as a Response to Unrestrained Violence

The ensuing discussion focused primarily on how the unchecked dynamics of war could be better contained in the future. Shared political interests are likely to play a key role in this regard, as they enable the formation of alliances to establish rule-based concepts of order—including with partners in the Global South.

At the end of the event, the moderator of the Parliamentary Evening, Tobias Pietz—a member of the DSF Executive Board and Lead for “Climate Security & EU” at the Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF)—concluded that even in these times of crisis, it is worthwhile to consider political options for action beyond the politics of great powers. This topic kept the participants engaged well into the informal part of the evening, during which discussions continued in smaller groups.

The program for the Parliamentary Evening is already available online here.