Core of countries to emerge in Era to coordinate security and defense issues – GLOBSEC President

The founder and president of the international forum GLOBSEC, Robert Vass, expressed this opinion in a comment to Ukrinform.

The future of the West will be determined in the East, particularly in Ukraine. The expert believes that how the EU handles this situation will have implications for the continent for decades to come, adding that the EU should not underestimate the responsibility it bears towards future generations, as failure to do the “right thing” could have disastrous consequences.

Wass believes that Ehr must take the lead in defending freedom and values “if America is no longer willing to do so.” He notes that there is a growing awareness among European politicians and the general public of the criticality of this moment in history, which is seen as a gradual awakening. In particular, he mentioned the likely next German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who is sending “very clear signals that Ehr must step up and that Germany is ready to lead this effort.”

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Overall, Vass believes that a coalition of states will emerge in Era, possibly based on the “Coalition of the Willing,” which will form a new core of European security and defense that exists outside the EU or NATO, offering a new format. The continent needs a coordinated mechanism, especially in matters of critical infrastructure protection, an integrated missile defense shield, powerful cyber defense and other elements, the expert believes.

Wass added that Ukrainians can teach Europeans to defend themselves.

He also shares the view that Russia can be defeated, and that no one knows how to defeat the Russians better than the Ukrainians. He added that if the partners had acted quickly enough at the start of a major war, Russia could have been defeated in the first months of the invasion.

But he acknowledged that international support had been too slow and cautious, adding that decision-making had been delayed, giving the Russians time to redouble their efforts and correct serious mistakes in command.

Now, in response to the US's actual refusal to support Ukraine, the expert noted that the ER has significantly increased its aid. However, he stressed that the US has many critical assets in the ER, including military ones, so efforts must be made to explain to the Americans who is the enemy, the aggressor, and who is the victim. These two concepts should not be confused.

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The Slovak expert warned against repeating the mistake of 1938, as history shows that appeasing dictators has never worked. Wass recalled how Britain's Chamberlain returned from Munich, where the fate of Czechoslovakia was being decided, holding a piece of paper and claiming that he had secured peace for Eure. That peace lasted only a year.

A similar situation should not be repeated, since a ceasefire does not mean peace, the expert stressed.

Vass also believes that the motto “support Ukraine for as long as it takes” is not a winning strategy. Partners need a strategy that ensures victory.

Over the past 20 years, the GLOBSEC Forum (Global Security) has become an influential expert platform, primarily in Central and Eastern Europe, and one of the leading strategic conferences in the world. For the past 2 years, the forum has held its annual conferences not in Bratislava, where it was founded, but in Prague due to the position of the current leadership of the Slovak government.