by Oui
Sat Oct 4th, 2025 at 07:32:20 PM EST
Special Summit Series: Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and NATO | Atlantic Council - 8 Aug. 2014 |
With NATO approaching its September summit in Wales, the time has come for Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to join Poland in its efforts to bolster regional security and shape the future of the Visegrad countries' eastern periphery.
Since Russia's annexation of Crimea, the countries that share painful experiences of Soviet invasions of 1956 and 1968 have taken a backseat in support of Ukraine. Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic learned the hard way what it means to have their destinies defined by an external force and are also painfully aware of the consequences of no one coming to their "rescue" for the sake of greater superpower rivalry.
Similarly, these countries also enjoyed the support of the United States and Western Europe at a time when they were themselves shaking off Russian influence on their path to join the western community of values and ideals in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Yet, a series of unfortunate statements made in the past couple of months at the highest levels from Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, have put these countries' commitments to NATO's collective defense in doubt, harmed their image, and undermined their valuable contributions to regional and allied security. Immediately after the rollout of the European Reassurance Initiative, both Slovak and Czech Prime Ministers ruled out hosting any NATO troops, with the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico taking it even further when he compared possible NATO's military presence in the region to the Soviet invasion of 1968. Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban has also been downplaying the implications of the Ukraine crisis for the region's security. Most recently, he made headlines by claiming he seeks to end the liberal democracy in Hungary, citing Russia, Turkey, and China as successful examples of a new illiberal states based on national foundations.
Former Czech PM Babis Makes Comeback With Election Win, Tough Coalition Talks Loom | RFERL |
PRAGUE -- Former Czech Prime Minister Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has made a dramatic political comeback, winning parliamentary elections four years after losing power, but now faces tough talks on forming a governing majority in a vote that's being watched internationally for its impact on the EU and NATO member state's policy on Ukraine.
With some 95 percent of the vote counted, results showed Babis, a billionaire who leads the populist ANO party, as the clear winner. But he does not have a majority of seats, meaning potentially complex efforts to find coalition partners.
Many analysts suggest this may include the far-right SPD, which has called for the Czech Republic to withdraw from both the European Union and NATO.
"If the government is dependent on the position or on the support of the SPD, it's going to be very complicated," Jan Machacek, a foreign policy adviser to Czech President Petr Pavel, told RFE/RL as results came in.
Max van der Stoel's Legacy: Standing with Dissidents Then and Now
Max van der Stoel, who was the Dutch foreign minister at that time, met on March 1st 1977 with Jan Patočka, philosopher and spokesperson for Charter 77. This historic encounter was a turning point for the anti-Communist movement. As the first Western minister to engage with organized dissent in Czechoslovakia, Van der Stoel's bold move gave Charter 77, previously unknown in the West, publicity and international recognition.
After a second term as Foreign Minister (1981-1982), Van der Stoel became Ambassador to the United Nations from 1983 to 1986. He then served as a Member of the Council of State until January 1993. In December 1992, he was appointed as the first OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, a role he held until July 1, 2001. Also after his formal retirement, Van der Stoel remained active as a UN diplomat and human rights expert, furthering his commitment to international justice. In 1996, he received the Order of Masaryk from President Havel.
Frans Timmermans served as van der Stoel's Senior Advisor and Private Secretary since 1995. Max van der Stoel was his mentor and a role model. Timmermans followed in his footsteps, becoming the Netherlands' Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012-2014). Later he assumed a position of the State Secretary for European Affairs (2007-2010) and an EU Commissioner and Vice-President. He is now leading the opposition in the Dutch parliament as leader of the GroenLinks-PvdA party. Frans Timmermans was present at the unveiling of the Max van der Stoel Memorial in Prague that took place in 2017.
The discussion was moderated by Martin Palouš, a former Czech diplomat, spokesman of Charter 77, and one of the importně figures in the country's democratic transition.
Geopolitical anchoring of the Czech Republic in a new era: Foreign Policy Concept 2025 | 13 June 2025 |
The new Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Czech Republic published on May 29, 2025, emphasizes the geopolitical anchoring of the state in a changing world order. The document reveals a strategic shift: Prague no longer bases its international position primarily on the promotion of democratic values, but on ensuring its own security and defense capabilities in a context of growing global competition.
According to the Concept, the fundamental pillar of Czech foreign policy remains the transatlantic partnership based on NATO membership and strategic cooperation with the United States. In case of danger, Prague relies on Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and the assistance of its allies. In the context of developments in US foreign policy and a possible reduction of the US military presence in Europe, the Czech Republic considers it important to strengthen EU security policy without undermining transatlantic unity. The Czechs actively participate in alliance military exercises and European projects for the development of defense technologies with the aim of achieving technological autonomy.
Another key point is the increased importance of NATO's eastern flank, where the Czech Republic is strengthening its presence through alliance missions and bilateral cooperation (for example, with the Baltic states and Poland). This is linked to increased military spending and the modernization of the Czech Armed Forces as a national contribution to the alliance's deterrence, as outlined in the Czech Defense Strategy 2023. The Czech Republic is also strengthening its diplomatic presence in Eastern Europe and participating in reconstruction projects in Ukraine. In this way, it is consolidating its role as an active member of the international coalition for the defense of the European security architecture.
