April 10, 2026

The EU Conversations 2026

In light of the evolving geopolitical landscape and its impact on the European Union, the upcoming high-level international conference “The EU Conversations 2026: Protecting the Future” will take place on April 10, 2026. Organized by the Latvian Institute of International Affairs in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Latvia and the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia, this event will serve as a key forum for discussing Europe’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.
The project is carried out in collaboration with esteemed partners, including Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science (TSPMI VU) in Lithuania, the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) in Estonia, Think Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI), Tank Europa and Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) in Denmark, Finnish Institute for European Politics (IEP) in Germany, Clingendael Institute in the Netherlands, Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) in Belgium and French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).

Join us for a thought-provoking dialogue on the future of Europe!

Speakers

Jakob Hallgren

Director of Swedish Institute of International Affairs

Dr. Ágnes Vadai

Member of the National Assembly of Hungary

Dr. Tomáš Strážay

Director, Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association

Dr. Funda Tekin

Director, the Institute for European Politics (IEP)

Dr. Roberts Zīle

Vice-President of the European Parliament

Dr. Eulalia Rubio

Associate Senior Research Fellow, CEPS

Dr. Lucia Mokrá

Chairperson of the Board, TEPSA

Dr. Helga Kalm

Deputy Director, International Centre for Defence and Security

Dr. Anaïs Marin

Associate fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House

Tuomas Iso-Markku

Senior Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Dr. Louise van Schaik

Head of Unit, EU and Global Affairs, Clingendael

Dr. Thomas Gomart

Director, French Institute of International Affairs

Dr. Margarita Šešelgyte

Director, Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science

Dr. Michael Holmes

Associate Professor in Political Science, Catholic University of Lille

Martin Vokálek

Executive Director, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy

Dr. Thomas Damsgaard Tørsløv

Chief Economist, Think Tank EUROPA

Past Speakers

Dr. Alexander Stubb

Former Prime Minister of Finland (2014-2015), former Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (2017-2020), and Director of the Florence School of Transnational Governance.

Dr. José Manuel Durão Barroso

Former Prime Minister of Portugal (2002-2004) and Former President of the European Commission (2004-2014). Chairman of the Gavi Board since 2021.

Matti Maasikas

Senior Estonian diplomat, and former ambassador of the EU to Ukraine (2019-2023), advisor on strategic issues to EEAS secretary general (since 2023).

Peter Balas

Ambassador, a senior policy advisor, and a member of Covington’s Public Policy team.

Rasa Juknevičienė

Member of the European Parliament, former Minister of Defense of Lithuania (2008-2012).

Dr. Rem Korteweg

Senior Research Fellow at the Clingendael Institute

Mihails Kozlovs

Member at the European Court of Auditors, Dean of Chamber IV

Martin Schulz

Former President of the European Parliament

Jim Cloos

TEPSA Secretary-General, former Deputy Director-General, General Secretariat of the Council

Rodrigo da Costa

Executive Director, European Union Agency for the Space Programme

Valdis Dombrovskis

European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification

Dr. Pål Jonson

Minister of Defence of Sweden

About the EU Conversations

For the eleventh consecutive year, the EU Conversations has served as a premier international discussion platform, fostering dialogue and the exchange of ideas on key European Union issues while engaging a broad audience. Each year, this high-level event brings together leading decision-makers and experts from across the EU to enhance understanding and facilitate meaningful discussions on the future of Europe.

The Latvian Institute of International Affairs takes pride in its long-standing and close collaboration with the European Commission Representation in Latvia and the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia, ensuring a high-quality, diverse, and impactful discussion platform. Moreover, the EU Conversations stands out for its strong partnerships with leading think tanks from Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, which provide valuable insights and contribute to achieving the project’s objectives.

About the organisers

Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) is the oldest think tank in Latvia, and it aims to carry out scientific work and analytical research, as well as to provide expert opinions on Latvia’s challenges, development scenarios, and strategies within the international and regional security, political, and economic system. LIIA conducts research, issues publications, and organizes lectures, seminars, and conferences related to international policy issues, collaborating with Latvian and foreign partners on its projects.