The ongoing energy crisis, inflation, internal division, domestic unrest and fatigue faced by European nations has resulted in difficulty balancing support for Ukraine with the aforementioned factors. A well thought-out mix of realpolitik and idealpolitik is crucial for the victory of Ukraine, which will have a direct, beneficial effect on all Europeans.
In this opening discussion of the Riga Conference of 2022, panelists H.E. Egils Levits (President of the Republic of Latvia), Amb Dr Christoph Heusgen (Chairman of the Munich Security Conference) and Carl Bildt, (Former Prime Minister, and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden) discuss:
-Balancing realpolitik and idealpolitik
-Democracies challenging the rise of autocracy in the Global South, supported by Russia and China
-Has NATO been galvanized enough by the war in Ukraine to overcome “Westlessness”?
-Navigating dilemmas and balancing realpolitik/idealpolitik in Europe’s dealings with non-democratic regimes?
-Does the War in Ukraine present a window of opportunity for Europe? Will Europe seize the opportunity?
-Is neutrality still a possible and/or viable path for nations in a post
-Cold War era? -De-Putinization of Russia after Ukraine’s victory & establishing an international tribunal
Moderator: Sandra Kalniete, Experienced diplomat, Latvian politician, Member of the European Parliament since 2009
00:00 Opening statements of the Riga Conference 2022
6:00 Introducing the topic & panelists
8:10 What can democracies do to challenge the authoritarianism supported by Russia and China in the Global South?
9:50 Realpolitik vs. Idealpolitik
19:11 Has the War in Ukraine galvanized NATO enough to overcome Westlessness?
27:00 The geopolitical dilemmas of cooperating with non-democratic regimes, balancing realpolitik and idealpolitik
32:50 Is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a window of opportunity to reimagine Europe?
40:15 Is neutrality a viable path for countries in a post-Cold War era?
45:40 What can democracies do to revitalize multilateralism in an era of power politics? How can the UN Security Council be reformed to serve its purpose?
52:05 The De-Putinization of Russia & establishing an international tribunal
1:02:55 How would Latvia contribute to the UN Security Council?