Host Thomas Van Vynckt, Head of Security and Defence at Friends of Europe, is joined by Myroslava Gongadze and Gábor Iklódy, Senior Fellows at Friends of Europe. Myroslava is a Ukrainian-US national whose husband was abducted and murdered in 2000, an event that prompted a career of advocacy and campaigning for press freedom in Ukraine, Europe and the US. Gábor is a Hungarian diplomat who was forced out of the national civil service following the rise of Viktor Orbán. Together, they discuss the warning shot they co-authored and published just days ago.
Europe, not just Ukraine, is at war. Russia’s hybrid operations across Europe reach the level of a sustained, low-intensity hybrid war against Europe and NATO warn Friends of Europe Senior Fellows. Yet Europe continues to apply a peacetime logic to an environment that is no longer peaceful and an adversary that does not feel bound by international law. They call for an urgent shift from a peacetime posture to a genuine defensive mindset, arguing that a renewed focus on defence is not sufficient in the absence of a comprehensive EU defence and security strategy going beyond additional spending.
These are some of the points set out in Friends of Europe's warning shot, 'Europe at war,' co-authored by Friends of Europe's Senior Fellows Myroslava Gongadze, Gábor Iklódy and Jamie Shea.
Read Friends of Europe's warning shot here: https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/frankly-speaking-europe-at-war-friends-of-europes-warning-shot/
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Host Thomas Van Vynckt, Head of Security and Defence at Friends of Europe, is joined by Myroslava Gongadze and Gábor Iklódy, Senior Fellows at Friends of Europe. Myroslava is a Ukrainian-US national whose husband was abducted and murdered in 2000, an event that prompted a career of advocacy and campaigning for press freedom in Ukraine, Europe and the US. Gábor is a Hungarian diplomat who was forced out of the national civil service following the rise of Viktor Orbán. Together, they discuss the warning shot they co-authored and published just days ago.
Europe, not just Ukraine, is at war. Russia’s hybrid operations across Europe reach the level of a sustained, low-intensity hybrid war against Europe and NATO warn Friends of Europe Senior Fellows. Yet Europe continues to apply a peacetime logic to an environment that is no longer peaceful and an adversary that does not feel bound by international law. They call for an urgent shift from a peacetime posture to a genuine defensive mindset, arguing that a renewed focus on defence is not sufficient in the absence of a comprehensive EU defence and security strategy going beyond additional spending.
These are some of the points set out in Friends of Europe's warning shot, 'Europe at war,' co-authored by Friends of Europe's Senior Fellows Myroslava Gongadze, Gábor Iklódy and Jamie Shea.
Read Friends of Europe's warning shot here: https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/frankly-speaking-europe-at-war-friends-of-europes-warning-shot/
This is the eighth episode of Overcoming Polarisation: Paths to Common Ground, a podcast series from Debating Europe, Friends of Europe’s citizen engagement unit.
Europe is feeling fractured. Whether it’s politics, climate, tech, or trust in institutions, more and more people are feeling left out, unheard, and uncertain about the future. But what if we could flip the script? What if instead of fuelling division, we looked for common ground?
In this series, we’re diving into the real issues behind polarisation. Economic inequality, climate anxiety, digital disruption, and bringing together voices from across the spectrum. From policymakers, activists, business leaders, and most importantly, citizens’ voices via our latest study “Voices for Choices”.
In today’s show, host Sabina Șancu spoke with Thomas Coombes, founder of Hope Based Communications (also known as “The Hope Guy”) about the way that hope can be a useful strategy to stay afloat in difficult times and forge ahead with a clear plan.
In the second part of the episode, Jakub Skrzywanek, artistic director at the National Stary Theatre in Krakow and 2025 European Young Leader (EYL), talks about how art in general - and theatre in particular - can help us envision alternative futures.
If you want to comment on this episode you can send us an e-mail: press@friendsofeurope.org
Friends of Europe podcasts
Host Thomas Van Vynckt, Head of Security and Defence at Friends of Europe, is joined by Myroslava Gongadze and Gábor Iklódy, Senior Fellows at Friends of Europe. Myroslava is a Ukrainian-US national whose husband was abducted and murdered in 2000, an event that prompted a career of advocacy and campaigning for press freedom in Ukraine, Europe and the US. Gábor is a Hungarian diplomat who was forced out of the national civil service following the rise of Viktor Orbán. Together, they discuss the warning shot they co-authored and published just days ago.
Europe, not just Ukraine, is at war. Russia’s hybrid operations across Europe reach the level of a sustained, low-intensity hybrid war against Europe and NATO warn Friends of Europe Senior Fellows. Yet Europe continues to apply a peacetime logic to an environment that is no longer peaceful and an adversary that does not feel bound by international law. They call for an urgent shift from a peacetime posture to a genuine defensive mindset, arguing that a renewed focus on defence is not sufficient in the absence of a comprehensive EU defence and security strategy going beyond additional spending.
These are some of the points set out in Friends of Europe's warning shot, 'Europe at war,' co-authored by Friends of Europe's Senior Fellows Myroslava Gongadze, Gábor Iklódy and Jamie Shea.
Read Friends of Europe's warning shot here: https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/frankly-speaking-europe-at-war-friends-of-europes-warning-shot/
