Zuzana Čaputová, President of the Slovak Republic, addresses GLOBSEC 2022, Thursday 2 June.

  • Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová addressed GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum
  • She stressed the need to recognize real challenges and expressed hopes for next EU Council to formalize Ukraine’s status

As leaders gather in Bratislava, Slovakia to discuss how to further mobilize support for Ukraine and increase the resilience of Europe in the face of a new harsh geopolitical reality, Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová, delivered a special address on the opening of GLOBSEC 2022 Forum, saying more help is needed, and not just humanitarian. She also pledged Slovakia will take active part in Ukraine‘s reconstruction.

In her speech she said: „Russia is not just fighting our Eastern neighbour. Ukraine was attacked for daring to be different.“ She also looked back into the Slovak past and explained that “history teaches us if an aggressor opposes your values on the way of life, giving up territory is not going to stop him.”

„Let’s not repeat the same mistake. To restore peace in Europe, we must continue our support for Ukraine,“ she said

Watch the full session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4aNjnQlGvY

This year’s GLOBSEC summit, dubbed a “summit at the frontlines of war”, takes place on June 2 – 4, with the main theme of “building resilience in a divided world.” It convenes at a strategic time when more than 1,500 public figures, global and business leaders, meet in person to confront the current issues of a crisis-driven world, including restoring stability amid a new era of geopolitical conflict; strengthening resilience in the sphere of energy security, health care, sustainability, cyber and tech; maintaining economic growth and defending democracy among others.

Robert Vass, President of GLOBSEC, in his opening speech has called for action to mobilize support for Ukraine. He said: “This conflict is about far more than Ukraine. It is also about us and the world we live in. The future of the West is being decided now in Eastern Europe … Whatever the upcoming weeks and months will bring, the leaders of NATO and the EU should be designing their responses. There is no time to lose. This is what we are here for at the Forum – to offer solutions.”

This year, the 17th edition of the Forum is be the biggest conference in the CEE region with the most impressive lineup yet, including more than 30 delegations alongside a roster of internationally recognized business and opinion leaders. Furthermore, as a part of the framework of the Forum, GLOBSEC, in cooperation with the Slovak and Ukrainian governments, kicks off a campaign to mobilize political, military, financial and economic support for Ukraine.

About GLOBSEC:

GLOBSEC is a global think-tank based in Bratislava committed to enhancing security, prosperity and sustainability in Europe and throughout the world. It is an independent, non-partisan, non-governmental organisation. Its mission is to influence the future by generating new ideas and solutions for a better and safer world. To this goal contributes the annual GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum, one of the leading conferences on global security in the world. GLOBSEC also organises the annual GLOBSEC Tatra Summit, a conference that provides the opportunity for experts to have fruitful political discussions on the future of Europe.