Simon Koschut is Professor of International Security Policy and Vice President of Research at Zeppelin University. His research focuses on international security, alliance politics, and the role of interpersonal and social relationships in international relations. He is particularly interested in how friendship and emotional trust shape political relationships and cooperation among states. His work on international friendship examines how such relationships emerge, how they are maintained, and how they influence expectations, practices, and policy in international politics. He is also interested in the boundaries between friendship, alliance, partnership, and other forms of political association, and in how these relationships are affected by conflict, crisis, and changing international environments.

Keywords: International friendship, international relations; alliances, trust, emotion, security