Russia

Before the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, a debate was held on TV Nova among the leading figures of the seven main political parties, movements, and coalitions. Important issues such as the migration pact or the conflict in Ukraine were discussed. Martin Vokálek, Director of EUROPEUM Institute, provided an analysis for TV Nova regarding the main threats facing the European Union.

With Ukraine’s defence against Russia heading toward a stalemate in the second half of the year and increased pressure inside the EU to deliver on its promises to provide the country with needed financial and military support, Serbia’s ambiguous relationship with Russia and the West has been brought increasingly into the spotlight in 2023. The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), ruling since 2012, and President Aleksandar Vučić have been responsible for continued democratic backsliding and have failed to align with the Union’s foreign policy during Serbia’s lengthy EU accession process, pushing the situation closer towards a tipping point in Serbia-EU relations. Senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, Jana Juzová, describes this in more detail in her article for the European Institute of the Mediterranean.

The threat of Russian nationalism poses a serious danger to Europe, as emphasized by the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in his speech in April. Russia is attempting to reassert its influence, particularly through its war against Ukraine, which undermines European security. What impact does the reemergence of Russian nationalism, supported by China, have on European security, and how should the West respond to this geopolitical reality? In his commentary for the American news website The Hill, Hugo Blewett-Mundy, an external collaborator and research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, addresses this topic.

On April 18th, EUROPEUM’s Brussels Office in partnership with PISM Brussels Office under the Think Visegrad platform hosted a discussion titled “Regional Cooperation in Central Europe in the Aftermath of Russia’s War: Changes and Prospects”. This event was attended by 15 experts from think tanks and representatives of EU institutions.

French President Emmanuel Macron is talking about sending troops to Ukraine, but his country has already sent 600 million euros to Russia for liquefied gas this year. And the country is not alone in this. What do Martin Vokálek and Vít Havelka from the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy say about this?

Russia has a significant interest in influencing European elections, which raises awareness in the European Parliament. The issue of Russia's interference will also be addressed in the plenary session. Measures such as restricting visits to the Parliament building or holding events on its premises are being considered. Nevertheless, member states still play a crucial role in foreign and security policy of EU, as commented Jonáš Syrovátka, a researcher at the EUROPEUM Institute, for main evening news broadcast on TV Nova.

The anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the European Union are not having the desired effect. After two years, it is becoming clear that the sanctions are hitting the Russian economy, but are not preventing them from being circumvented, with Asian countries, led by China, playing a major role. Thus, the Union included several companies from China and Hong Kong in the February round of sanctions. Viktor Danek, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the possible consequences in a report for the main broadcast news TV Nova.

Support for Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, agricultural policy and other - topics of this month's EU summit in Brussels. What will be the most pressing topics? What will the EU say about the situation in Gaza, will it adjust the demands on agriculture and negotiate the freezing of Russian funds? Vít Havelka, an analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the topics for ČT24.

The G7 countries are considering the transfer of frozen Russian financial assets to Ukraine. This sum, ranging between $200 and $300 billion, could provide significant support to Kiev. However, such move would be unprecedented and raises questions about compliance with international law and concerns about creating a dangerous template. Martin Vokálek, executive director of the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke on the topic for Slovakian Radio RTVS.

On October 25th, EUROPEUM’s Brussels Office under the representation of Think Visegrad Brussels and in cooperation with Fondation Robert Schuman organized an expert discussion titled “Impact of the Russian War in Ukraine on European Security Architecture and EU’s Eastern Neighborhood”. This discussion, which was held under the Chatham House rules, gathered 19 experts from think-tanks, EU institutions, NATO and diplomats from EU Member states.

Our research Associate Tereza Novotná commented on the changes in North Korea's domestic politics and the gradual opening of the country to foreigners in a new article for Kyiv Independent.

Tereza Novotná was a guest on The Globalist podcast in which she commented on Kim Jong-un's extended visit to Russia.