Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia are joined by Mikuláš Dzurinda, former Prime Minister of Slovakia and President of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, to discuss Central European and Eastern European countries' integration into regional and international economic, security, and political organizations. Former Prime Minister Dzurinda traces the history of his home country, Slovakia, from being the "black hole of Europe" to a committed, productive member of the EU and NATO.

All discuss existing divisions among Western European and other European countries, yet PM Dzurinda notes how the war in Ukraine, among other European crises in recent years, have demonstrated that countries like Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia, and Poland are determined, willing partners standing in solidarity with Europe at large.