About this Event
We invite you to a public discussion on how Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is reshaping political dynamics across Central Europe. The conversation will examine what recent parliamentary elections in Czech Republic and the upcoming 2026 elections in Hungary reveal about the electoral appeal of leaders such as Andrej Babiš and Viktor Orbán, as well as shifting public attitudes toward Brussels and Washington.
Panelists will explore how Russian influence in the region is perceived—whether real or exaggerated—how narratives around the war and sanctions factor into electoral politics, and how Central European governments balance EU and U.S. commitments with domestically popular “pragmatic” or sovereigntist agendas.
Keynote speakers include Dr. Martin Palouš, former Czech ambassador to the United States and a signatory of Charter 77, and Dr. Réka Szemerkényi, former Hungarian ambassador to the United States and a leading expert on transatlantic security and Central European politics.
The discussion will be moderated by Denis Bilunov, Board Member of the Prague Society for International Cooperation.
Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be provided.
RSVP is recommended, and donations welcomed.
Dr. Réka Szemerkényi is a Hungarian economist, political scientist, and seasoned diplomat with over three decades of experience in government, academia, and policy. She served as Hungary’s Ambassador to the United States (2015–2017) and was National Security Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Hungary in multiple administrations. Szemerkényi has held senior roles in transatlantic policy institutions, including Executive Vice President of the Center for European Policy Analysis and Senior Advisor in Transatlantic Strategy at the International Republican Institute. A recognized expert on security, energy, and transatlantic relations, she also lectures internationally and serves on boards such as the Fulbright Association and the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Dr. Martin Palouš is a Czech diplomat, academic, and human rights advocate with a distinguished career spanning dissident activism and international diplomacy. Born in Prague in 1950, he was among the first signatories of Charter 77, serving as its spokesperson and later helping found the Civic Forum during Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution. Palouš served as Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States (2001–2005) and as Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2006–2011). He has held senior roles at Florida International University and with the Václav Havel Library and Program for Human Rights and Democracy, and has lectured widely on international relations and law.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Free Peoples of Russia House, 301 Maryland Avenue Northeast, Washington, United States
USD 0.00
