Articles Archive

Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 has brought EU enlargement back as a priority of the EU policy towards the neighbourhood and as a geopolitical tool to ensure peace, stability and prosperity on the entire continent. That resulted in the EU recognising the aspiration of the Associated Trio countries to join the EU and granting membership candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova in 2022 and to Georgia in 2023. In record time, the former two countries also started the EU accession process in June 2024. The accession process of the candidates from the Western Balkans also accelerated. Bosnia and Hercegovina was granted the candidacy status and accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia started in 2022. However, despite the general consensus that enlargement is a geopolitical necessity, the question posed by French President Emmanuel Macron in Bratislava in 2023 – How should we do it? – still remains unanswered. Writes Marta Szpala, a Senior Fellow in the Central European Department at the Center for Eastern Studies.

DATE AND PLACE: Thursday, March 20, 5:00 pm, Březnice Municipal Library (V Koleji 1, Březnice) GUESTS: Moderator: Veronika Rajmanová The discussion will be an opportunity for an interesting debate. We look forward to hearing your views! The event is organised in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic. For more […]

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to significant changes in the Ukrainian transport sector due to disruptions in supply chains, cargo flows, and damage of the country’s infrastructure. The Ukrainian transport system has undergone significant transformations. The country's borders with Russia and Belarus and its airspace have been closed. In the first months of the full-scale war, the temporary blockage on the operation of Black Sea ports forced Ukraine to develop land transport corridors to the EU countries and neighboring Moldova to enable both export and import of goods needed for the economy. Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine has accelerated a long-planned reform of the country's transport system to adapt its infrastructure to the EU standards and integrate it with the European transport network. Writes Sandra Baniak, a Research Fellow at the Centre for Eastern Studies in the Connectivity and Regional Integration Programme.

The war between Israel and Hezbollah, after a phase of full-scale confrontation, was halted by an armistice concluded at the end of 2024. The situation, however, remains far from stable, and the effects of the crisis are long-term. The surprise caused by the 7 October attack was shared by the European Union. The new iteration of the crisis in the Middle East represented another major political challenge for the European community, overlapping with those related to the Russia-Ukraine war, the migration crisis and other pressing issues requiring Union’s involvement. The EU's policies towards Israel and Palestine came under scrutiny, and the situation once again highlighted the extensive level of divisions among the EU states, affecting the potency and perception of its actions. Writes Michał Wojnarowicz, an Israel and Palestine analyst in the Middle East and Africa program at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, in his policy paper.

EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss defence, competitiveness and support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with both Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Europe remains the main pillar of support for Ukraine - despite the efforts of some leaders, such as Viktor Orbán, to undermine the unity of the EU-27. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of Institutut EUROPEUM, comments on the situation in Studio 6.

Building a Europe that is militarily resilient, socially cohesive, and prepared for climate change comes with many challenges. Klára Votavová, Associate Research Fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute, shared her insights with Deník N.

On March 17th, the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM representing the Think Visegrad Platform co-organised with IRSEM Europe (The Institute for Strategic Research at the Military School) a public event entitled ‘European Defence at a Crossroads: Can the EU Build a Stronger Defence Industry?’ The event took place at IRSEM-Europe Offices, 73 Rue de Namur, with a participation of thirtyseven leading experts, policymakers, and civil society actors. The aim of the discussion was to examine the fundamental transformation in Europe’s security architecture, and to consider the challenges and opportunities in developing a more independent European defence and security framework.

The Brussels Office of EUROPEUM, representing the Think Visegrad Platform, in collaboration with IRSEM EUROPE – The Institute for Strategic Research at the Military School, invites you to an expert discussion on the future of the European defence industry.

The British Prime Minister has called on his foreign colleagues to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Will Europe be able to create enough pressure to get Russia to the negotiating table and could Donald Trump exert similar pressure? Viktor Danek, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented for CNN Prima News.

The British Prime Minister held a virtual summit on Ukraine on Saturday 15 March. It was to discuss peacekeepers to oversee a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. How many countries would send their peacekeepers to Ukraine? Viktor Danek, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the summit for CNN Prima News.

Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff has had a night of meetings in Moscow. U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio said the ceasefire remains uncertain, but admitted to signs of optimism. The Kremlin made a similar point. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ČT24.

EUROPEUM is currently looking for journalists and civil society representatives to participate in a project titled “Assisting independent media and CSOs in enhancing the access to reliable information on the European Union and EU enlargement on social media in Armenia” supported by the Transition Promotion Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. As a part of a project, selected participants will travel to Brussels and Prague to meet media experts and communication professionals involved in image creation, branding, strategic communication and narrative production.