Geopolitical momentum for WB-EU relations: chances and risks for Western Balkans in the context of the war in Ukraine

Organized by the Czech Academy of Sciences and Department of Political Philosophy and Globalization Research

Further information

Geopolitical momentum for WB-EU relations: Chances and Risks for Western Balkans in the context of the war in Ukraine

In Western Balkans, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was met mostly with rejection but also by support among Russia's clients who were at the same time EU accession candidates or aspirants. Will the war in Ukraine negatively affect the stagnating EU-Balkans relations or can it in fact bring some progress in terms of geopolitical alignment, security and energy cooperation and enlargement?

Three authors of the paper "Geopolitical momentum for EU-WB relations" invite to a debate that will assess the last six months of geopolitical upheaval in the Western Balkans and inquire into the possibilities of EU-Western Balkan relations in the context of "geopolitical momentum."

They will present and offer to a debate three medium-term scenarios in which they project various current approaches to EU-WB relations into the near future. They allow analysing of their potential to deal with threats affecting the Balkans and also to reflect on possible consequences of various policy decisions or the lack of foresight.

Programme

17:00 Welcome

17:15 Introduction and presentation

Zora Hesová (FLÚ AV ČR)

17:30 Paper presentation:

Luka Sterić (Center for Security Studies, Belgrade)

Asya Metodieva (Institute for International Relations, Prague)

Zora Hesová (FLÚ AV ČR)

18:15 Comments

18: 00 Debate