Is 2026 the last year of war or the first year of peace in Europe?

In this Visegrad Insight online discussion, Monika Sus and Wojciech Przybylski map out the key forecasts for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in 2026 and beyond: where democratic security is most vulnerable, and what ‘war fatigue’ and hybrid warfare can do to elections and institutions.

The conversation weighs plausible 2026 scenarios for the Russia-Ukraine war, including the risks of a ‘pause’ rather than a settlement, and assesses how the United States, Russia and China shape Europe’s security system. It also explores Europe’s readiness for turbulence: defence production, resilience against sabotage and disinformation and the strategic stakes of European Union enlargement, from Ukraine and Moldova to the Western Balkans.

This episode is for anyone searching for a sober prognosis of what could happen in 2026, from political dynamics to security risks and economic security choices.Recorded online on 15 January 2026.

Watch on YT: https://youtu.be/UwKmeijXz-Y

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tRPrp0jZWuWqd1UiNkVGv?si=qZHmFrW6T_29apn_Zt6lMgListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/the-last-year-of-war-or-peace-foresight-for-2026/id1515725435?i=1000746025538&l=en-GB