Members of the European research network PEACE met on 21 and 22 May 2026 in Kaunas, Lithuania, to discuss the changing European security architecture with practitioners. Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, mounting pressure on key European security institutions such as NATO and the OSCE, and strained transatlantic relations, the PEACE working group “Europe, Peace and Security” discussed the implications of current developments for the European security architecture. The working group is led by IFSH Director Prof. Dr. Ursula Schröder and IFSH Senior Researcher Dr. Holger Niemann. The workshop was organised by Prof. Dr. Ainius Lašas (Kaunas University of Technology) together with the working group’s co-chair, Dr. Holger Niemann.
Speakers included former Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, representatives of the European Commission, as well as practitioners from NGOs and Lithuanian volunteer organisations. The workshop provided researchers with a valuable opportunity to learn more about the day-to-day practice of the European security architecture. Discussions focused in particular on the importance of evidence-based decision-making, the role of hybrid threats, increasingly interconnected insecurities, and the far-reaching consequences of Russian aggression. Participants also emphasised the importance of forward-looking and conceptually ambitious approaches to ensuring peace and security in Europe over the long term.
