Credit: Ievgenii Karanov, Chronicle.lu
On Wednesday 1 July 2026, Luxembourg's Institut Pierre Werner (IPW), with the support of the French Embassy in Luxembourg, welcomed more than 100 guests to neimënster in Luxembourg-Grund for a discussion with French historian and Director of the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), Thomas Gomart.
The event, organised as part of the Advocacy Coalition, an initiative of LUkraine asbl dedicated to sustaining support for Ukraine and Ukrainians in Luxembourg, saw Thomas Gomart present his latest book, Qui contrôle qui? Les nouveaux rapports de force mondiaux (Who Controls Whom? The New Global Balance of Power).
Opening the evening, Sonia da Silva, Director of the Institut Pierre Werner, described Thomas Gomart's latest book as "a nuanced reading of the way the world is evolving", adding that it was written at what she called "a turning point in history" and examines the profound changes reshaping the international system.
She explained that the book is structured around three themes - war, trade and desire - inspired by a quotation from the French political thinker Benjamin Constant: "War and commerce are only two means of achieving the same end: possessing what one desires." Introducing the speaker, Sonia da Silva highlighted Thomas Gomart's expertise in international relations, Russia, digital governance and geopolitical risk, noting that he has led Ifri since 2015 and authored several books on global affairs. Among those attending the event was Anne Calteux, Head of the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg.
Thomas Gomart explained that his latest book was written out of what he described as a "sense of strategic urgency", arguing that Europe is facing a profound transformation of the international order. He said Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine had fundamentally altered Europe's security environment, depriving the continent of what had long been its greatest comparative advantage: strategic stability.
He argued that globalisation should no longer be understood solely through trade or economics but through the strategic importance of critical routes and supply chains. Using the Bosphorus, the Strait of Hormuz and the Taiwan Strait as examples, Thomas Gomart said these maritime chokepoints illustrate both the interconnectedness and vulnerability of the global economy, warning that conflicts can disrupt essential flows of food, energy and advanced technology almost overnight.
Turning to geopolitics, Thomas Gomart suggested that Europe is experiencing what he called an "ideological schism" with the United States. Reflecting on the 2025 Munich Security Conference, he said comments by US Vice President JD Vance and subsequent debates over digital regulation convinced him that Europe and the United States increasingly differ not only on security priorities but also on democratic values, freedom of expression and the regulation of digital platforms. He argued that these developments inspired the central questions explored in his book.
Concluding this part of his presentation, Thomas Gomart warned that Europe is simultaneously facing military pressure from Russia, technological and industrial competition from China, and growing commercial and technological pressure from the United States. He argued that these developments should encourage Europeans to strengthen their strategic autonomy, stressing that such autonomy begins with "the ability to understand and think about the world for ourselves."
The event concluded with a discussion and question-and-answer session involving members of the audience.
Representatives of LUkraine asbl left before the event began. Speaking to Chronicle.lu, the association's Vice-President, Inna Yaremenko, said they had learned that a representative of the Russian Embassy in Luxembourg had registered to attend and had arrived at the venue. She explained that the association opposes providing such platforms to representatives of what it considers the aggressor state and therefore decided not to remain at the event.
The next event in the series will take place with the support of the Embassy of Belgium in Luxembourg on Thursday 17 September 2026, when Ukrainian violinist Dmytro Udovychenko, winner of the 2023 Queen Elisabeth Competition, will give a recital at the Philharmonie, accompanied by Luxembourgish pianist Stephan Dorneanu.
