Security policy challenges in the 21st century: The role of big power politics in Central Europe

Security policy challenges in the 21st century: The role of big power politics in Central Europe

5 comments

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INVITATION

Uncertain Times: The Future of Trans-Atlantic Relations from the Perspective of NGOs and Think Tanks in Central Europe and Hungary
- online webinar series organised by the Hungarian Europe Society -
Sixth Debate
Security policy challenges in the 21st century: The role of big power politics in Central Europe

Date: 7 June 2021, Monday 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. (CET)

Welcome address by István Hegedűs, Chairman, Hungarian Europe Society (Budapest)

Panelists
Roland Freudenstein,
Policy Director, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies (Brussels)
Charles Gati, Senior Research Professor of European and Eurasian Studies, Johns Hopkins SAIS, Johns Hopkins University (New York)
Hanna Shelest, Director of Security Programmes, Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" (Kyiv)

Moderator: István Hegedűs, Chairman, Hungarian Europe Society

Short briefings are followed by an open debate.

For the corresponding papers please scroll down. Sign in or register on our website and share your comments on the papers after scrolling down to the comment section (below).

This event is part of the "Uncertain Times: The Future of Trans-Atlantic Relations from the Perspective of NGOs and Think Tanks in Central Europe and Hungary" project which is supported by the Embassy of the United States of America in Budapest.

Please note that the language of the event is English and no translation will be provided.

This event is being video recorded for archival, educational, and related promotional purposes. By attending or participating in this event, you are giving your consent to the video recording.

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There are 5 Comments

MET's picture

You are all welcome to our webinar.
Let me start with a short introduction. When we applied to the grant of the US Embassy, we had in mind to discuss among other issues whether we still live in a liberal international order and what can expect from the 20ies of the 21st century. Do we all face a general disorder in international politics, or we live now in a global competition between big powers which have their own interest spheres and their own different rules of the game, a new era of geopolitics? Does it mean that the traditional Western World and its entities and institutions, their alliances need to use engagement and deterrence just like the Cold War when they need to co-operate with often hostile big national actors in international arena? 
There is much debate about the real intentions of Russia on the one side, and a perhaps more dangerous rival giant, China. What should be the strategy of the free community of liberal democracies towards these partners and enemies at the same time? 
Looking at Europe, and Central Europe, there are member states of the European Union (and NATO) which do not share the same values like the bigger players within the European and the transatlantic alliances both domestically and in the international arena. Following the more than significant shifts of the American global positions to a co-operative behavior after four turbulent years of Trump and Trumpism, how can the mainstream political elites cope with the maverick Sonderweg of the relatively small country, like Hungary which has used its veto right many times recently blocking EU decision-making processes and joint political proposals, undermining the EU’s smart power in global politics? So, as we focus on the Central European region today, we have to look at the bigger picture at the same time.
These are just the first questions. There will be more after the presentations of our guest speakers. I would like to thank them for accepting our invitations, sending us their short papers and participating at our webinar.

MET's picture

To Hanna: How do you evaluate the Hungarian blockade on Ukraine-NATO cooperation? Do you consider it as a bilateral issue or you suppose a tacit Hungarian-Russian cooperation behind it? Does this blockade cause any severe damage to Ukraine defence and security stand and situation?

MET's picture

I think the Ukraine is the critical issue. Is the East still occupied?
I am too far away to follow!

MET's picture

To Roland: i notice that recently, the European Commission is much more vocal on European values. Just on my field, in higher education, work has started how to ensure fundamental academic values, how to enforce academic freedom. It has happend, I think first time, that Orbán lost EU money - the Recovery and Resilience Facililty loans - partly because of violating academic freedom of universities. Do you think it is related to the fact that Fidesz is not in EPP any longer?

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