The 2026 Analyses focus on the transformation of the international order

We are pleased to present this year’s IIR Analyses: The Shifting World 2026, our traditional collection of expert texts published annually by the Institute of International Relations.

Analýzy ÚMV Svět v proměnách 2026.pdf 1.55 MB

This publication offers a deeper analytical perspective on current issues in international politics and situates contemporary problems and challenges within a broader Czech, European and global context. This year’s edition focuses on the transformation of the international order, rising geopolitical tensions, challenges to European security, and the concrete implications of these developments for Czech foreign policy and the country’s position within the EU and NATO.

The editors of the volume, who also authored the introductory chapter examining the EU’s role as a global actor in a changing international environment, are Federica Cristani, Mats Braun, Jan Kovář and Clément Steuer.

Transatlantic relations in the context of Donald Trump’s return are analysed by Mats Braun and Kateřina Březinová, while Clara Carrera and Clément Steuer examine EU democracy support and development policy towards the Southern Neighbourhood. Azriel Bermant explores the EU’s internal divisions in relation to the war in Gaza and its policy towards Israel and Palestine, and Asya Metodieva focuses on the Union’s dilemma between geopolitical stability and democratic transformation in the Western Balkans. Jan Švec analyses the EU’s approach to China in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and Ondřej Horký-Hlucháň assesses the Global Gateway initiative and its significance for European influence. Federica Cristani and Ester Herlin-Karnell propose ways to systematically integrate an intersectional approach to human rights into the EU’s external relations, Daniel Šitera addresses the question of technological sovereignty and its implications for Czechia, and Matúš Halás opens a debate on the possible reintroduction of military service in light of Europe’s new security reality.