EU

At a time of a deteriorating security situation, voices calling for a reassessment of budgetary priorities are increasingly being heard. Should we invest more in defence instead of decarbonisation? Is it even possible to fund the Green Deal while maintaining effective defence capabilities? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Czech Radio Plus.

Europe's unified approach has traditionally been complicated by Hungary, which openly rejects aid to Ukraine. Martin Vokálek, Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the common European defence.

As expected, the 26 EU leaders found a consensus on Ukraine. While the text did not bring any new commitments, it showed a "new standard" of strong statements without the consent of one hundred percent of the European Council members. EUROPEUM Institute analyst Zuzana Krulichová comments on the situation.

In Brussels, representatives of the Member States discussed a myriad of issues. One of them is the continuation of further military aid to Ukraine. Twenty-six Member States supported the joint declaration on the continuation of aid, while Hungary opposed it. What weight does this declaration carry if it is not unanimous? Filip Křenek, an analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for STVR.

Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented for TN Live on the summit in Brussels, which focuses on competitiveness, defence and European unity. He also discussed the current security situation on the international scene.

For over two decades, there have been numerous attempts to define and frame the relations between the EU and NATO. Three joint declarations and significant steps ahead have been taken and yet, there is no clear vision of how these two organisations should work together more efficiently. The commonly accepted idea of cooperation sees “NATO pulling the strings and the EU pushing the funds” in accordance with their respective nature and scope. Is this unbalanced relation the most suitable strategy to counter current geopolitical threats? No. But can this cooperation be upgraded? Possibly, yet this appears to be easier said than done. Providing the EU with a coherent defence policy and a strong industrial base can be a great additional value for NATO and not just in the extreme case of a possible disengagement of the US. Writes Federica Mangiameli, Programme Manager and Policy Fellow for Defence and Security at GLOBSEC, in her Policy Paper.

Article 7 has been triggered against Hungary for many years, but it is going nowhere. Unanimous agreement is needed from all EU Member States, except Hungary. I doubt that this will ever happen, says Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM.

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.

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.