“Taming the Storm”: Unity and support for Ukraine at forefront of GLOBSEC Forum
The GLOBSEC 2024 Forum, held in Prague over the weekend under the patronage of Czech President Petr Pavel, centered around the theme “Taming the Storm,” with an emphasis on central and eastern Europe’s crucial role in maintaining global stability. It attracted more than 2,300 participants from more than 80 countries including heads of state and businesses, diplomats, journalists, and more.
In her opening remarks at the Forum, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen discussed the need for ongoing support for Ukraine, a stronger European defense strategy, and plans to appoint a dedicated Defence Commissioner. She said that while NATO and U.S. support are vital, Europe must take primary responsibility for its own security.
“We Europeans have many different histories. We speak many different languages, but in no language is peace synonymous with surrender. In no language is sovereignty synonymous with occupation. So, those who argue that if we stop supporting Ukraine, they do not argue for peace. They argue for appeasement and subjugation of Ukraine.”
Speaking on the second day of the Forum, Czechia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský, said that we have to keep in mind that Russia’s aggression against the West extends beyond Ukraine in the form of disinformation, meddling in elections, and contributing to polarization. He also warned that a Russian victory in Ukraine would probably extend beyond Europe's borders.
“If we want to succeed, we have homework to do. Recent elections in Europe and elsewhere show that our societies are becoming further polarized. It is as if we are finding it increasingly difficult to reach a consensus on our future and the key issues we face. Central Europe is an area where this political polarization is one of the strongest in Europe. Russia wants to divide us and is supporting populists from all sides, no matter if they are left or right.”
A key point of debate – and even consensus – among many heads of state was supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine. The Czech foreign minister stated that his country does not impose any limitations on Ukraine's use of the military equipment it provides. But he clarified that Czechia does not supply long-range weapons or advanced weapon systems to Ukraine, so it does not face the dilemma of deciding whether or how Ukraine should be permitted to use them against Russia.
Prime Minister of Denmark Matte Frederiksen highlighted that Danish F-16s are "already in action" in Ukraine. She also confirmed that Denmark has permitted Ukraine to use the supplied weapons to target Russia. Amid the challenges facing the EU, the Danish prime minister reminded listeners of the power of solidarity and its continued importance as Russia’s full-scale invasion continues into its third year.
“It’s 26 against 1 or 1 against the rest of Europe, and until now we have been able to manage the situation. Our unity, of course, is one of our strongest weapons, we have to stick to it and fight for it.”
Over the course of the three days, panel discussions also explored the direction of the EU after the EU Parliament elections, EU enlargement to the Balkans, Russian opposition leaders, sustainable energy, the upcoming U.S. presidential election, and a host of other issues.
