This Roundtable will discuss non-European views of Europe, with a focus on contemporary Turkey, India, China and Russia. Each panelist will draw on her/his area of geographical expertise to address European/non-European relations from the perspective of these specific countries, with the broader aim to reconsider Europe’s changing place in today’s international affairs.

Thousands of migrants have been gathering at the border between Belarus and Poland in a stand-off that has escalated in recent weeks, threatening a humanitarian disaster on the edge of the EU and raising tensions among political foes across the region. Although people are suffering and the weather is worsening, this conflict has no clear end in sight. Recent events have created a political storm and kindled numerous questions:
How has the crisis escalated?
Who is benefitting from the situation? Who is to blame for that?

The Open Balkan initiative is a regional integration agreement between countries of the Western Balkans, presented as a reaction to the slowing down of the process of European Integration for the six aspiring countries: Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro - confirmed as candidates for membership - and Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo - potential candidates. Three of them - Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia - have signed agreements to open their national borders to each other's citizens and products from 1 January 2023, without restrictions.