Czech Security Forum 2026

The “West” is undergoing a fundamental transformation from a relatively cohesive geopolitical bloc into a politically fragmented and internally contested space. Under the presidency of Donald Trump, divisions within and across Western states have deepened, producing not only interstate tensions but also transnational ideological cleavages that cut across domestic societies. Rather than a simple split between the US and Europe, Western fragmentation can be understood as a dual process of horizontal polarization between states and vertical polarization within them.

Competing political camps, liberal-institutionalists and sovereigntists have formed cross-border alignments, reshaping traditional alliance politics and weakening shared norms underpinning institutions such as NATO. This process has also contributed to the emergence of a new mode of intra-Western interference, in which political signalling, rhetorical support, and digital ecosystems reinforce divisions within allied countries.

At the same time, this has significant external geopolitical consequences, particularly in vulnerable regions such as the Middle East. The conference will therefore also address whether the current polarization represents a temporary disruption or a structural transformation of the Western-led international order.