The European Values Center for Security Policy presents a new strategic plan for the development of its activities. It will mainly focus on issues pertaining to cooperation with the Indo-Pacific region and security challenges therein, including the rise of China, tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and other factors shifting the balance of power in this critical region. European Values Center for Security Policy thus takes advantage of its unique position as the only European think tank with a permanent office in Taipei. Part of the leadership of European Values is establishing a new partner organisation that will focus on disinformation, Russian influence in the Czech-Slovak context and current and future geopolitical challenges facing the democratic West.
European Values will primarily focus on a sustainable Czech strategy towards Taiwan and China in the European context, from both the Prague and Taipei offices of the organisation. The People’s Republic of China is, next to the Russian Federation, the most important enemy of liberal democracies and there will be a strategic discussion in the European and transatlantic context in the coming years on how to deal with the upcoming conflict. This is where the European Values Center for Security Policy sees its main role and added value for the future. The organisational changes and the shift in content will already be reflected in the program of the 9th International Security Conference European Values Summit in mid-June.
The Security Academies program continues unchanged for the time being with ongoing projects and activities. Discussions about its future form are currently underway with the partners and donors of the program and it is in the interest of European values and the emerging new organisation to continue and further develop the educational activities aimed at students and other target groups.
Since 2014, analysts at the European Values Center for Security Policy have worked extensively on uncovering Russian influence and disinformation. As part of the Kremlin Watch program, we have played a significant role in bringing this previously underestimated security issue into the Czech political, media and expert debate. In the spring of 2022, immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Values Center for Security Policy launched a series of activities to assist in the uncertain, initial, phase of European support for Ukraine against Russian aggression. Ukrainian experts to date working in Prague under the banner of European Values are gradually returning home to Ukraine to continue their activities. European Values has run into the limits of sustainable long-term funding for a team of this scale, thus management has been forced to cut back on the organisation’s operational costs and thematic focus. With great regret we must say goodbye to a significant part of the team, despite the excellent work they have done in their respective areas in recent years.
On the Russian influence and disinformation agenda, ongoing projects and related commitments will be completed, and future activities will continue under the umbrella of the newly emerging partner organisation. The aim to innovate methods and approaches to the topic of disinformation and its impact on society in other areas beyond security policy. It will be headed by Andrea Michalcová and Kremlin Watch team leader Veronika Víchová. The two organisations will work together to make the most of the know-how and contacts built up over the years for the benefit of these socially necessary activities.
Unfortunately, due to these necessary changes, it has been necessary to lay off most staff. This step hurts us the most. These are quality and professional employees that we wished to keep in our teams. These people have done important and visible work in the fight against hostile influences, for which we thank them very much.
On behalf of the European Values Center for Security Policy
Jakub Janda, Director
Andrea Michalcová, former Deputy Director
Veronika Víchová, former Deputy Director, Kremlin Watch Program Manager
For media inquiries, please contact: Jakub Janda, Director of European Values Center for Security Policy, [email protected]
