In a new CENS publication, our Zuzana Stuchlíková discusses conservatism in the Visegrad Group, particularly the Czech Republic, and the potential of Visegrad as a conservative coalition.
The publication analyses the emergence of new formats of regional cooperation in the Eastern half of the European Union as well as their role and relationship vis-a-vis older existing ones.
...one should not ignore the context of the inception of the post-2015 regional integration projects. Russia’s aggressive actions in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood have put the Eastern and Central EU countries on guard. Many of them share a border with Ukraine and/or Russia and are exposed to great energy vulnerability due to their dependence on Russian gas imports. Then, the traditionally good relations of ‘old’ Europe with Russia (e.g. the special relationship of Germany, Italy and France) and French President Macron’s vision of an EU of concentric circles have irked many ‘newer’ EU members. It was in this context, that ‘newer’ EU members started to coalesce and to look more at the US and NATO as the main security guarantors.
You can find the complete paper on the websites of CENS.edu, or on the right of this page through the PDF button.
Expertise: Central Europe, EU Institutions