Yesterday, the Czech Security Forum 2025 brought together leading experts on international relations and security at Prague’s Kampus Hybernská. The conference was organised by the Institute of International Relations Prague (IIR) and the Peace Research Center Prague, in cooperation with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Prague and the Embassy of Canada to the Czechia. This year’s edition focused on a pressing question — have we already entered a Second Cold War?
The conference was opened by Director of IIR Mats Braun, and Jörg Bergstermann, Director of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Prague. The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Barry Buzan, Emeritus Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), one of the most influential theorists in contemporary International Relations. Professor Buzan argued that the world has already entered a Second Cold War — marked by the end of Western hegemony and the rise of pluralism, in which power and wealth are spread among multiple actors.
Following Professor Buzan’s keynote, the first panel, morated by Michal Smetana and brought together Mariya Grinberg and Erik Lin-Greenberg from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Heidi Hardt from the UC Irvine, who discussed how today’s geopolitical rivalries compare to those of the first Cold War and the growing unpredictability of U.S. foreign policy.
The second panel featured Sergei Medvedev from Charles University, Kåre Dahl Martinsen from the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, and Kristin Bakke from University College London, focusing on Russia’s and China’s strategies of influence and the shifting public attitudes in post-Soviet states, moderated by Asya Metodieva. The closing panel was moderated by Jakub Eberle and included Tomáš Weiss from Charles University, Šárka Kolmašová from the Metropolitan University Prague and Michal Onderčo from the Erasmus University Rotterdam, who explored how Czech foreign policy can strengthen resilience and maintain credibility amid growing global competition.
Czech Security Forum 2025 once again confirmed its position as a major international platform bridging academia and policy. In their closing remarks, Michal Smetana, Director of PRCP, and Emily McLaughlin, Ambassador of Canada to Czechia, highlighted the importance of open dialogue and cooperation in a world entering a new era of global rivalry.
A heartfelt thank you to all our partners, speakers, and the incredible organising team for making this year’s forum an inspiring success. We look forward to welcoming you again next year!
