October 8th – 11th 2026

11^th ZAGREB SECURITY FORUM 2026

Quo Vadis Europe

in 21^st Century

A decade proven: The eleventh confirms it: ZSF XI

Organized by 

Day 1: Thursday, October 8^th, 2026

 

Day 2: Friday, October 9^th, 2026

09:00 – 09:30   Arrival and Registration

09:30 – 10:00  Opening Ceremony

• Assoc.Prof. Gordan Akrap, Hybrid Warfare Research Institute, and Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University, Zagreb
• Norbert Eschborn, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Office for Croatia and Slovenia
• Prof.Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 
• Prof.Dr. Ivo Lučić, rector of Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University, Zagreb

10:00 – 11:00 Introduction to Forum

• Ivan Anušić, Minister of Defence, Croatia (tbc)
• Guest from NATO – recommended by NATO SPS
• Andrej Plenković, Prime minister of Croatia (tbc)

11:00-11:20 Coffee Break

11:20-13:00 WORKSHOP 1 - STRATEGICAL CHALLENGES

Chair: Assist. Prof. Daria Vilkova, Taras Schevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kiyv, Ukraine

1. Prof.Dr. Iulian Chifu, National Defence University, Romania: Great Powers, Middle Powers consortiums, Minor Powers. A Geopolitical Pragmatic Realism

2. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Blum, Institute for Economics and Techonologies of Lithium, Germany: Innovative Defence against Hybrid Attacks – Can West do Better?

3. Dr. Agata Kleczkowska, Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences: The International Order at a Crossroads: Is It Time for International Law 2.0?

4. Dr. Ahmed El-Sayed Gabr Habaieb, PhD, NATO Defense College, Rome: The Enemy Among Us: The Prevalence of Extremism in Military, Veteran and Law Enforcement Communities

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)

14:00 – 15:40 WORKSHOP 2 – DEVELOPMENTS IN HYBRID WAFARE

Chair: Assoc. prof. dr. Vira Ratsiborynska, Free University Bruxelles, Belgium 

1. Prof. Dr. Kristian Kotarski, University of Zagreb, Croatia, and Prof. Dr. Ashok Vaseashta, Institute for National Strategic Studies, USA: The Architecture of Power: China’s Regulatory Weaponization and Technological Denial in the Global Rare Earth Supply Chain 

2. Prof. Dr. Driss Larafi, Université Ibn Tofail Kenitra- Morocco: “Donroe Doctrine" and NATO Europe

3. Prof. Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Dr. Barak Bouks, Bar Ilan University, Israel: Hybrid Warfare and Military Operations in Gaza and Iran Wars: Lessons for European Security

4. Dr. Anders Strindberg, Swedish Defence Research Agency-FOI, Sweden: The Shifting Sands of Jihadism: European Counterterrorism in a Changing Strategic Landscape

5. Ljubomir Filipović and Peggy-Jean llin, Arisona State University, USA: Information Warfare and the Shrinking Bargaining Space of European Security 

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

15:40 – 16:00 Coffee Break

16:00 – 17:50 BRAINSTORMING SESSION 3 - DISINFORMATION AND ELECTORAL INFLUENCE

Chair: Assoc. Prof. Gordan Akrap, Zagreb, Croatia

1. Assoc. Prof. Viacheslav Semenenko, PhD., Military Academy, Ukraine: Ukraine’s National Resilience in War: Lessons for Post-Conflict Governance 

2. Dr. Roman Domović, Hybrid Warfare Research Institute, Zagreb: Disinformation and Informaiton Environment: Case of Croatia – Results of ATENA project

3. Dr. Michał Marek, NASK (Disinformation Analysis Centre), Poland: Russian Psychological Operations: A Real Threat to the Security and Stability of European Countries 

4. Danylo Naumenko-Dyakiv, advisor to the Head of the Centre for Countering Disinformation, Kyiv, Ukraine: Russia’s Cultural Intervention: Soft Power as a Domain of Cognitive Warfare

5. Prof. Dr. Rastislav Kazansky, Head of the Department of Security Studies, Faculty of Political Science and International Relations of UMB, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia: Anti-Americanism, Russophilia and the Erosion of Democratic Resilience: Challenges for NATO–EU Strategic Cohesion in the 21st Century

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

20:00 - Networking dinner for all Forum participants, (two non-alcoholic beverages included) – Hotel Westin 

 

 

Day 3: Saturday, October 10^th, 2026

WORKSHOP ROOM A

10:00 – 11:45 Workshop IV_A: WESTERN BALKAN 1

Chair: Assoc. Prof. Thomas Wegener Friis, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

1. Dr. Jurica Botić, Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University, Zagreb: The European Path of the Western Balkans: Identity as a Challenge to Loyalty

2. Angela Kukushev, PhD student, MoI, and Prof. Dr. Vasko Naumovski, “Iustinianus Primus Faculty of Law”, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, N. Macedonia: Hybrid Threats and Security Sector Vulnerabilities in the Western Balkans: Russian Interference Below the Threshold of Conflict

3. Aleksandra Karppi, PhD student, King's College London, UK: Varieties of Hybrid Repression: Evidence from Serbian and Georgian Protests

4. Dr. Tal Pavel, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, Romania: Patterns of Russian Cyber Electoral Interference in the Balkans (2016–2025): Tactics Timing and Targets

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

11:45 – 12:00 Coffee Break

12:00 – 13:30 Workshop V_A: FIMI ACTIVITIES

Chair: Prof. Dr. Kristian Kotarski, University of Zagreb, Croatia

1. Prof. Dr. Bojana Lakičević Đuranović, University of Montenegro: International Humanitarian Law and Russian Aggression on Ukraine – Influencing Information Environment
2. Assoc. Prof. Gordan Akrap, Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University, Zagreb and Assoc. Prof. Dražen Barbarić, University of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Information environment in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina – Results of Info25 project
3. Kie Jacobson, KAS, Germany-Canada: Fragmentation Across Both Arenas: Croatia’s Strategic Role in EU-NATO Security and the Western Balkans
4. Dr. Przemyslaw Gasztold, IPN and War Studies University, Warsaw, Poland: Manufacturing contestation: Russian Disinformation, Populist Mobilization, and Polish-Ukrainian Relations 

13:30 – 14:30 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)

14:30 – 16:00 Workshop VI_A: RESILIENCE AND HYBRIDITY OF THREATS

Chair: Assist. Prof. Janis Berzins, Center for Security and Strategic Research (CSSR) at the National Defense Academy of Latvia, Latvia

1. Dr. Sofia Menezes, Portuguese Military Academy, Portugal: Engaging Generation Z in European Defence: Strategic Communication Challenges and Policy Responses

2. Assist. Prof. Dr. Csongor B. Veress, Károli Gáspár University, Budapest, Hungary: Adapting to a Changing Security Environment: Romania’s and Moldova’s New Defence Paradigms

3. Jan Schmucker, SOAS University of London / German Armed Forces: The Baltic–Adriatic Axis: An Emerging Strategic Space in Europe’s Security Architecture

4. Megi Benia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia: Deterrence through Resilience: Strengthening European Security in the Age of Hybrid Threats

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

WORKSHOP ROOM B

10:00 – 11:45 Workshop IV_B: ENERGY AND RESILIENCE  

Chair: Assist. Prof. Dr. Csongor B. Veress, Károli Gáspár University, Budapest, Hungary:

1. Prof.Dr. Gilliam de Valk, University of Leiden, Netherland: Conditional Analysis as an Alternative for Cause-and-Effect Analysis

2. Dr. Gintaras Labutis, General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania: Refined Fuel Production Dynamics in Europe: How it will Affect Resilient Energy Supply

3. Genny Dimitrakopoulou, Center for Security Studies, Atena, Greece: Digital Interdependence and Strategic Risk: Hybrid Threats in the Energy Sector

4. Yordan Katsarov and Simeon Arnaudov, Bulgarian Air Force Academy “Georgi Benkovski”: Energy Resilience in Hybrid-Threat Environments: The Role of Small Modular Reactors

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

11:45 – 12:00 Coffee Break

12:00 – 13:30 Workshop V_B: AI AND CYBER RESILIENCE

Chair: Prof. Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Israel

1. Dr. Eleni Kapsokoli, University of Piraeus (post-doctoral researcher), Greece: The Role of AI in Electoral Interferences: Challenges for the EU’s Societal Resilience

2. Dr. Inga Kristina Trauthig, Florida International University, USA: Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Resilience: How Political Propagandists Actually Use AI

3. Yilmaz Akkoyun, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany: Digital Non-Alignment Framework

4. Aleksandre Buzaladze, University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia:  Cybersecurity Governance in Small European States: A Comparative Analysis of Georgia and Croatia

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

13:30 – 14:30 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)

14:30 – 16:00 Workshop VI_B: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND SOCIETAL RESILIENCE

Chair: Dr. Eleni Kapsokoli, University of Piraeus, Greece

1. Assoc. Prof. Dr.sc Vesna Poposka, Assoc. Prof. Dr.sc Aleksandar Grzizhev, Assist. Prof. Dr.sc Ljupcho Shosholovski, Military Academy „General Mihailo Apostolski“-Skopje, N. Macedonia: Scenario-Based Pathways for Democratic Resilience and Euro-Atlantic Cohesion under Hybrid Pressure

2. Dr. Andrew N. Liaropoulos, University of Piraeus, Greece: Hybrid Challenges in NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood

3. Jungseob Scott Kim, Staff (Lead) Cyber Defense Analyst – Threat Intelligence, USA:  Cyber-Enabled Data Leaks as Cognitive Warfare: Implications for EU–NATO Coordination

4. Sergiu Mitrescu, New Strategy Center (Associate Expert), Romania: Unintended Consequences of Responses to Hybrid Threats

Lessons Learned, Workshop Conclusions and Recommendations – for 10 minutes

 

WORKSHOP ROOM A

16:00 – 16:30 Conclusions of the 11^th ZSF: Future Challenges, Joint Responses

Co-chairs: Assoc. Prof. Gordan Akrap, Prof. Dr. Shlomo Shpiro

The aim of this session is to integrate the lessons learned from the individual presentations of the previous two days, both in terms of threat analysis and of networked responses. Furthermore, this session will facilitate a wider discussion on the needs for joint capacity building, intensive inter-operability, and mutual multi-level crisis assistance.