Lydia Theresa Wachs

About me

Lydia Wachs is a PhD candidate in International Relations at Stockholm University. Her PhD research focuses on the Soviet Union's/Russia's role in the global nuclear order, in particular its nuclear nonproliferation policy. Prior to that, Lydia worked as a Research Associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, focusing on nuclear issues, mainly Russian nuclear strategy. She has also previously worked as a Research Assistant in the Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London.

Lydia holds an MA in Arms Control and International Security from King’s College London, for which she received the Sir Lawrence Freedman Award for Best Masters Student at the Department of War Studies in 2020. She also holds a BA in International Relations from Dresden University, Germany, and Saint Petersburg University, Russia (2019).

Publication list

Peer-reviewed articles

Lydia Wachs. “Security vs status: Explaining Russia’s interest in the Presidential Nuclear Initiatives and the Moscow Treaty.” (forthcoming) The Nonproliferation Review.

Lydia Wachs. “Russian Nuclear Roulette? Elites and public debates on nuclear weapons in Moscow after Ukraine.” (forthcoming).

Wachs, Lydia. “Die Rolle von begrenzten Nuklearoptionen für die erweiterte Abschreckung in Europa [Limited nuclear options and extended deterrence in Europe].” SIRIUS – Zeitschrift für Strategische Analysen 7, no. 3 (2023), pp. 237-247. https://doi.org/10.1515/sirius-2023-3004.

Policy articles and think-tank reports

Lydia Wachs. “Russian Missiles and the European Sky Shield Initiative: German plans to strengthen air and missile defence in the current threat environment.” SWP Comment (August 2023). https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/russian-missiles-and-the-european-sky-shield-initiative.

Lydia Wachs. “New Start vor dem Aus? Rüstungskontrolle als Teil Moskaus nuklearer Erpressungsstrategie [New START under pressure? Arms control as part of Moscow`s nuclear blackmailing].“ SWP Short Comment (March 2023). https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/new-start-vor-dem-aus-ruestungskontrolle-als-teil-moskaus-nuklearer-erpressungsstrategie.

Lydia Wachs, Liviu Horovitz. “Frankreichs Atomwaffen und Europa: Optionen für eine besser abgestimmte Abschreckungspolitik [France’s nuclear weapons and Europe: Options for streamlining deterrence polices].“ SWP Comment (January 2023). https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/frankreichs-atomwaffen-und-europa.

Lydia Wachs. “Limited nuclear options and extended deterrence: Adapting to the changing strategic context.” NATO Defense College Research Papers Series (December 2022): https://www.ndc.nato.int/news/news.php?icode=1782&lang=en#.

Lydia Wachs. “Germany Must Adapt Its Mindset on Nuclear Weapons.” 49security (November 2022): https://fourninesecurity.de/2022/11/23/germany-must-adapt-its-mindset-on-nuclear-weapons.

Lydia Wachs, Liviu Horovitz, Anna Clara Arndt. “In der nuklearen Zwickmühle [The nuclear quandary].” Tagesspiegel (November 2022): https://www.tagesspiegel.de/meinung/in-der-nuklearen-zwickmuhle-russlands-atom-drohungen-zwingen-den-westen-in-einen-unbehaglichen-balanceakt-8870809.html.

Lydia Wachs, Liviu Horovitz, Anna Clara Arndt. “The Nuclear Trilemma in Ukraine.” Internationale Politik Quaterly (November 2022): https://ip-quarterly.com/en/nuclear-trilemma-ukraine.

Lydia Wachs. “The Role of Nuclear Weapons in Russia’s Strategic Deterrence: Implications for European security and nuclear arms control.” SWP Comment (Fall 2022). https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/the-role-of-nuclear-weapons-in-russias-strategic-deterrence.

Lydia Wachs. “Wackelt jetzt auch New START? Die Zukunft der nuklearen Rüstungskontrolle ist ungewiss [Uncertain future for New START].“ SWP Short Comment (August 2022): https://www.swp-berlin.org/en/publication/wackelt-jetzt-auch-new-start-die-zukunft-der-nuklearen-ruestungskontrolle-ist-ungewiss.

Lydia Wachs. “Las otras potencias [The Other Nuclear Powers].” La Vanguardia (June 2022): https://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/vanguardia-dossier/revista/revista/20220610/8324548/rearme-nuclear.html.

Lydia Wachs, Liviu Horovitz. “Russia’s Nuclear Threats in the War against Ukraine: Consequences for the International Order, NATO and Germany.” SWP Comment (April 2022): https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/russias-nuclear-threats-in-the-war-against-ukraine.

Lydia Wachs, Claudia Major, Liviu Horovitz. “Der Westen sollte Putins Eskalationsspiel nicht mitspielen [The West should not reciprocate Putin’s escalation game].” Tagesspiegel (March 2022): https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/drohungen-mit-atomwaffen-der-westen-sollte-putins-eskalationsspiel-nicht-mitspielen/28177310.html.

Lydia Wachs, Liviu Horovitz, Claudia Major, Jonas Schneider. “Biden’s proposal for a US ‘sole purpose’ nuclear declaratory policy: Consequences for allies in Asia, NATO and Germany.” SWP Comment (December 2021): https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/bidens-proposal-for-a-us-sole-purpose-nuclear-declaratory-policy.

Lydia Wachs, Anna Clara Arndt, Liviu Horovitz. “The US ‘Sole Purpose’ Debate: A Backgrounder.” SWP Working Paper (December 2021): https://www.swp-berlin.org/publications/products/arbeitspapiere/The_US_Sole_Purpose_Debate_WorkingPaper.pdf.

Lydia Wachs, Liviu Horovitz, Claudia Major, Jonas Schneider, Anna Clara Arndt (eds.) “Euro-Atlantic Concerns regarding a US ‘Sole Purpose’ Policy A Review of Twenty-One National Perspectives.” SWP Working Paper (December 2021): https://www.swp-berlin.org/publications/products/arbeitspapiere/Working_Paper_European_SP_Perspectives.pdf.

Lydia Wachs. “Revival of the ‘Dead Hand’? Russian Political and Military Elites’ Debates on AI and Autonomy in Conventional and Nuclear Forces.” RUSI’s UK PONI Papers (2021): https://static.rusi.org/304_2021_PONI_Papers_0.pdf.

Lydia Wachs, Fabian Hoffman (et al.). “Preemptive Discussions: The Potential Implications of Integrating Deep Learning into Early Warning Systems.” BASIC (2021): https://basicint.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Emerging-Tech-Final.pdf.

Lydia Wachs, Anja Dahlmann, Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan. “Autonome Waffensysteme und menschliche Kontrolle [Autonomous Weapon Systems and Human Control].“ SWP Comment (April 2021): https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/autonome-waffensysteme-und-menschliche-kontrolle/.

Lydia Wachs, Paula Köhler. “Germany’s Greens Go Government: Winds of Change for Germany’s Foreign and Security Policy?” RUSI Comment (April 2021): https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/germanys-greens-go-government-winds-change-germanys-foreign-and-security-policy.

Lydia Wachs. “The Latecomer: Germany’s Debate On Armed Drones.“ RUSI Comment (December 2020): https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/latecomer-germanys-debate-armed-drones.

Lydia Wachs. “Germany’s Greens at 40: Between Pacifist Roots and Potential Government Responsibility.” RUSI Comment (February 2020): https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/germanys-greens-40-between-pacifist-roots-and-potential-government-responsibility.