On January 23, 2025, a public debate took place at the Anglo-American University (AAU) in Prague’s Letenská Street, co-organized by the Strategeo Institute and Anglo-American University. The event occurred three days after the inauguration of the re-elected U.S. President Donald Trump and aimed to discuss expectations in areas such as global security, economics, transatlantic relations, and challenges for Czech and European diplomacy.
Panel participants included:
- Kateřina Weissová – Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations at CEVRO
- Petr Kolář – Advisor to Czech President Petr Pavel and former Czech Ambassador to the USA
- Jan Macháček – President of the Strategeo Institute
- Ondřej Jonáš – Investment Banker
The debate was moderated by Veselin Vačkov, Director of the Strategeo Institute.
The panelists expressed differing opinions on Donald Trump’s initial steps after returning to office. Petr Kolář and Ondřej Jonáš were more critical of his actions, while Kateřina Weissová and Jan Macháček displayed greater optimism. Nevertheless, all agreed that Europe must take a more active role in matters of security and economics. They emphasized that the Czech Republic should also seek its own ways to engage effectively with the new administration by strengthening ties with third countries such as Israel, Italy, or Poland.
The debate attracted an audience consisting of diplomats, academics, experts, and students. The AAU hall was completely filled, reflecting significant interest in the topic. The discussion was lively and interactive, lasting two hours and including numerous questions from the audience.
This was the first public debate conducted in Czech by the “boutique” think tank Strategeo Institute. The previous three debates had been held in English. The event provided valuable insights into current political and diplomatic issues and contributed to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of transatlantic relations in the current geopolitical context.
