Security, scale, and self-confidence: Filip Scherf on Czechia’s place in Europe

Russia, security, and uncertainty have returned to the centre of European politics. But security, says analyst Filip Scherf, is not only about threats — it is also about self-confidence, responsibility, and partnerships. In this episode of Czechast, Scherf explains what Russia means for Czechia today, why size matters less than mindset, and what gives him hope in an increasingly fragile world.

Russia as an adversary, not an enemy

Is Russia a threat to Czech society and democracy? It is a question that continues to divide Czech public opinion and political representation — and one that opened the conversation with Filip J. Scherf, a foreign-policy analyst and academic at the University of St Andrews. Answer is measured, but clear.

“At the moment, yes,” he says. “In the long term, we should be frank and recognize that. Russia is an adversary, not an enemy, but an adversary.” For Scherf, the distinction matters. Seeing Russia as an adversary allows for realism without sliding into fatalism — and avoids turning international politics into a civilizational or emotional conflict.

Security is also about scale and self-confidence

But the conversation does not stop with threats. For Scherf, security is also about how a country understands itself.

Czechia, he argues, often underestimates its own weight — especially when comparing itself to larger neighbours such as Germany. Yet in European terms, the country is far from insignificant. What matters most, says Filip, is not size alone, but attitude.

Filip Scherf in interview with Vít Pohanka|Photo: Vít Pohanka, Czech Radio

“If you're self-confident, if you're responsible, if we create partnerships that help us and work independently elsewhere, then we can truly ensure that we not only survive, but that we thrive.” From a historical perspective, he adds, today’s Czech living standards are exceptional.

“For anyone who is interested in history, it is beyond any doubt that the quality of life that we have enjoyed in this part of Europe is unprecedented, historically speaking.”
What gives hope in uncertain times In a world that often feels fragile and unstable, Filip Scherf sees hope not in abstract geopolitics, but in society itself.

Hope for Czechia

“Creativity that has been proven across domains from culture, film, art to science and at times politics,” he says. Equally important, in his view, is the international experience of many Czechs — something that shapes expectations and standards. “Many Czechs have had international experience and have recognized that the quality of life that we have built in the Czech Republic, despite all the problems, is incredibly high and it is worth fighting for and preserving.”

Listen to the full episode of Czechast on all major podcast platforms and at radio.cz