On May 22, the Geopolitics and Security Studies Center (GSSC) participated in the GLOBSEC Forum 2026 in Prague, Czechia, a conference focused on security, defense, and foreign policy. During the forum, GSSC organized a high-level roundtable discussion on NATO’s Eastern Flank titled “From Catching Up to Leading: Lessons from Europe’s Eastern Flank.”
In a highly engaging discussion, the session explored the challenges facing European security in an increasingly contested environment and the need to strengthen credible deterrence. Drawing on the experiences of NATO’s Eastern Flank states, participants highlighted the importance of military preparedness, whole-of-society resilience, cognitive resilience, and a shared understanding of threats across Europe. The discussion also emphasized the value of cross-border cooperation and frontline lessons in shaping a more proactive and resilient European security posture.
The event featured high-level speakers:
- Adm. Rob Bauer (Former Chair of the NATO Military Committee and Chair of the Advisory Board, European Defence Initiative, GLOBSEC)
- Ambassador Kurt Volker (Distinguished Fellow CEPA; Former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine)
- Jakob Hallgren (Director, The Swedish Institute of International Affairs)
- Merle Maigre (Head of Cybersecurity Competence Centerat, e-Governance Academy)
- Marcin Zaborowski (Distinguished Fellow, Future of Security Programme GLOBSEC)
The session was moderated by the Center’s Chief Project Officer Juljan Jachovič.
