From 27 to 29 March, I had the great honour and pleasure of attending the European Roundtable organised by the Martens Centre and held at the former summer residence of Konrad Adenauer, one of the EU’s founding fathers, in Cadenabbia.

During this period of profound historical change, marked by a transition in transatlantic relations, mounting global instability and a shifting world order, European citizens are increasingly looking to the European Union to speak the “language of power”. This means performing well not only politically, but also in terms of security and defence, the economy, competitiveness and technological innovation. These critical challenges framed our stimulating and thought-provoking discussions.

The roundtable brought together an exceptional group of participants, including the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius; nine former heads of state and government from the EU member states; a former President of the European Commission; a former President of the European Parliament; leaders of the European People’s Party; a Minister of Foreign Affairs; and some of Europe’s leading experts.

It was truly an intellectual feast. I am especially grateful to President Mikuláš Dzurinda for the invitation. As the youngest person in the room, I found the experience deeply enriching.

I was also delighted to contribute to the discussions by presenting my recent publication on the European Security Council and outlining my vision for its implementation within the EU’s security and defence framework.

I would also like to thank my colleague Jančošeková Viktória for including my policy brief in the “goodie bag” distributed to our distinguished guests. It’s not every day that some of Europe’s most brilliant minds and influential personalities read your work