Visegrad Insight Podcast

In December, Visegrad Insight held a week-long, foresight event bringing together experts, analysts and leading journalists to discuss the future of CEE in the context of the aftermath of the War in Ukraine. Here are the main highlights from the panel experts: What if Ukraine wins? Moderator: Oleksandr Kraiev - Visegrad Insight, Ukrainian PRISM (1:25) Alena Kudzko - GLOBSEC (2:43) Radu Albu-Comane...

Slovak cabinet is dismissed after losing a vote of no confidence and may join Bulgaria in seeing snap elections next year. The 18 billion euro aid package for Ukraine was approved. Polish and Hungarian governments nearly vetoed the 18 billion euro aid package. A rise of Pro-Russian political forces across CEE: Pro-Russian narratives echo in Bulgaria following the Schengen vote. 9th round of the sa...

The backlash of the Schengen vote, as Austria vetos the accession of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen zone, intensifies. How the national effects the international - domestic agenda of right-wing Austrian party FPO rejects Romania and Bulgaria for their political gains. Hungarian veto bypassed in regards to the 18 billion support to Ukraine. Alarm flags in Warsaw raised as diplomatic language...

On November 30, Visegrad Insight hosted a public discussion on the Future of Europe in Brussels with Katalin Cseh (MEP for Hungary), Éric Maurice (Manager of the Brussels Office of the Fondation Robert Schuman), and Wojciech Przybylski (Visegrad Insight, Res Publica Foundation). These experts debate policy towards achieving energy security in Europe (1:37). From Monday, the EU’s ban for seaborne R...

Central Europe’s reaction to the COP27 Summit has been lackluster yet divergent. Slovakia and Czechia lead the Visegrad Group in terms of political leadership on climate, while Hungary and Poland drag their feet on sustainability targets, as depicted by the latest climate change index. One overarching problem, Climate & Democracy Editor Michał Zabłocki and Foresight Editor Albin Sybera ag...

The G20 and COP-27 summits have been overshadowed as Russia’s assault against Ukraine results in the first casualty on the soil of a NATO member after rocket or air defence missile debris kills two people in a Polish town bordering Ukraine. According to Wojciech Przybylski’s foresight, more collateral damage on the side of NATO can be expected as Moscow raises the stakes due to its faltering objec...

Ahead of key meetings and decisions on access to €5.8bn in Covid recovery funds for Hungary, Wojciech Przybylski and Edit Zgut-Przybylska explore the multi-layered negotiating game between Brussels and Budapest. With EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen expected to arrive in Budapest with a stamp of approval for Hungary’s recovery plan, the looming ‘rule of law’ conditionality mechanism is yet to...

Polling by Wall Street Journal shows Republican opposition to arming Ukraine is growing while support is becoming an increasingly partisan issue: 48% of GOP voters now say the U.S. is doing too much to help Ukrainians, up from 6% in the previous survey. While calls to drastically cut military and economic aid might be limited to a small circle of populist voices within the GOP faction, Visegrad In...

Last week Xi Jinping consolidated complete control over the Chinese Communist Party and vowed to bring Taiwan's independence to an end, by all means necessary. A sense of danger is felt in Taipei as the country looks to Ukraine and Central Europe for experience in resisting a hostile takeover. Taiwan also announces new generous support for Ukraine through its CEE offices. Against this backdrop, Vi...

Yet another Prime Minister swap in the UK reminds of upcoming elections in Britain and the US – the two biggest military donors to Ukraine. According to Luke Cooper, author and senior research fellow at the LSE Ideas, the idea of a ‘long war’ in Ukraine risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Adjustment of economic policy towards a war economy is needed to support the social needs of Ukrainians...

Following the dismissal of Minister for EU Affairs Konrad Szymański less than a week after the firing of Prime Minister Morawiecki’s chief of staff, tectonic shifts in Polish politics are occurring. Polish businesses and the central bank also hit by the ‘hard-line’ crackdown on HR by state authorities. We ask legal expert and Marcin Król Fellow Krzysztof Izdebski what all this means for the likeli...

A human chain made up of thousands of students and teachers last week in Budapest is symbolic of Hungary’s bottom-up resistance to Viktor Orban’s domestic policies. As the Hungarian Forint hits historic low levels against the Euro, and price increases continue to shrink the purchasing power of Hungarians, the Fidesz government is likely to use any ammo available to deflect responsibility. Michał Z...

As European leaders meet for the first time under the new European Political Community format this Thursday in Prague, we take a close look at the diverse set of stakeholders participating in the political conversation over European affairs. In the bustling background, the second round of Czech Senate elections favour the ruling coalition despite earlier upset in local elections. Our esteemed gues...

With a year to go until parliamentary elections, Polish opposition parties are in full campaign mode. Newcomer Polska 2050 party, also a member of Renew Europe grouping, is being led by Szymon Hołownia as a third way between Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform and the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party that offers a renewed focus on dusty topics like Poland’s adoption of the Euro. Meanwhile, Poland is un...

We should have listened to the voices inside our Union – in Poland, in the Baltics, and all across Central and Eastern Europe, said Ursula von der Leyen in the recent State of the Union. But what does CEE have to say really? And is it one or several divergent voices? Based on a strategic foresight carried out in the past 12 months with CEE experts and opinion leaders Wojciech Przybylski explores t...

Visegrad Insight podcast is back to digest the latest summer developments in CEE and Europe. This week we are joined by Anton Shekhovtsov, Director of the Austria-based Centre for Democratic Integrity and the author of a new report detailing the malign influence of Russian media abroad — ‘ RT in Europe and Beyond ’. As a small - but not insignificant wave of social protests begins to emerge in Cen...

European Parliament to debate and vote on the The Three Seas Initiative and discuss its challenges and opportunities. Slovak presidency in the Visegrad Group begins this week, prioritising some of the initiatives from the 3SI - interconnectedness and economy. Czech EU presidency kicks off with its obstacles. European grid operates plan to implement long-term plan to bring Baltic states into the Eu...

NATO summit meeting takes place this week, with security in the region being the main important topic on the docket. The political dimension of CEE turmoil with Czech and Bulgarian governments in peril and the possibility of new elections in these countries. New research coming from Visegrad Insight on China’s digital footprint in CEE. A paradigm shift coming from internal developments of policy i...

The challenges to the Three Seas Initiative - problems, opportunities, and proposals for the region. EU candidate status of Ukraine to be confirmed this week, coming after four EU leaders visited Kyiv last week and voiced their support for Ukraine. The shift towards strategic questions of security and resilience from the Russian aggression balanced with democratic ideals. Increasing role of Romani...

European Parliament adopts a resolution calling on the European Council to agree to start the process to revise the EU Treaties. European Commission pushes pushed forward the approval of recovery funds to Poland regardless of compliance with the rule of law and despite dissent within the College. EU leaders meet in Kyiv. Russian-led Paks nuclear power expansion received the soil stabilisation perm...

Insights from the GLOBSEC Forum meeting, notably missing key Hungarian and Polish representatives. The adoption of the Resilience Recovery plan comes at a (legal) price, as critics claim. Hungary attacks Ukraine on social media. Will the Visegrad format be forgotten when Czechia resumes the EU presidency? Common efforts in the Visegrad Group to increase candidate status for Ukraine minus Hungary....

Ongoing summits in the EU and the focus on democratic security in Europe with a nod towards Ukraine and the Western Balkans. Gas prices lower for Hungarian-registered cars at the checkout, leading to a new type of petrol tourism. The launch of Future of Ukraine fellowship publication schedule for the upcoming week: sport diplomacy, pro-Russian insurgency parties in Ukraine, and territorial claims...

The team summarises the time spent at the first Civil Society Forum based on a recommendation from a special report created by Visegrad Insight. We ask the larger questions in a search for a clarity of purpose for the Three Seas Initiative and what's in the future for it. Polish President Duda on a diplomatic offensive in Slovakia and Ukraine. Visiting Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová, Duda spoke...

A round-up of texts on the Conference on the Future of Europe. A pivotal moment in Germany foreign policy, as Ukraine certifies Germany to be the leader of Europe as of now. US will take up European demand of gas, with latest deal sealed with Bulgaria. Finnish-Baltic gas connection a highlight of energy policy in Europe moving away from Russia. Safeguarding democracy with militant measures in CEE...

On the 9th of May, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his Victory Day Parade. Can Russia win this war? We survey our top experts for the answers. Future of Europe conference final report will be announced today. New sanctions on Russian oil have been postponed. In the second part of the podcast, Editor-in-chief Wojciech Przybylski talks with Václav Štětka Principal Investigator of the Illibera...