On 27 January 2026, the John Lukacs Institute for Strategy and Politics organised a closed-door workshop focusing on China’s growing engagement in the Western Balkans. The event aimed to provide an overview of the economic, political, and security dimensions of China’s presence in the region, as well as to examine how these developments affect the European and, more broadly, Western integration processes of the Western Balkans.
The keynote speaker of the workshop was Igor Lukšić, former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, who visited Hungary at the invitation of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs. During his political career, he played a key role in the launch of Montenegro’s accession negotiations with the European Union and in strengthening the country’s international and transatlantic relations.
In addition to the researchers of the John Lukacs Institute, the workshop was attended by scholars from several Hungarian institutions specialising in China and the Western Balkans. The discussion was conducted under the Chatham House Rule, which contributed to a substantive and open exchange on the geopolitical, economic, and security challenges affecting the region.
Text and photos: Balázs Tárnok