On June 23-24, the Valdai Discussion Club, in partnership with Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, will hold an expert dialogue in Kaliningrad entitled “From Global ‘Fighting With No Rules’ to a Dialogue of Civilisations”. The event will take place at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University.
The purpose of the Valdai expert dialogue is to exchange views on how to reduce conflict and the level of chaos in international relations, from which all states ultimately stand to suffer. The organisers intend to examine the civilisational dimension of contemporary conflicts and the prospects for a dialogue among civilisations, while also focusing on new initiatives in this area, particularly the Eurasian security architecture.
Humanity is currently living through a critical moment in which some countries are fighting to preserve the dominance and influence that enable them to impose their will on others, while others are struggling for the ability to resist such influence and to maintain their sovereignty and independence within a framework of equal interstate relations. The theme of the expert dialogue, “From Global ‘Fighting With No Rules’ to a Dialogue of Civilisations”, invites discussion of the prospects for moving from conflict to cooperation. In this context, the idea of a dialogue among civilisations may serve as an alternative to hegemonic policies based on coercion.
The expert dialogue in Kaliningrad continues discussions initiated at previous regional events of the Valdai Club, including the recent Valdai expert dialogue in St Petersburg and the Valdai session held as part of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026. At the same time, the recurring themes of Valdai discussions—such as the emergence of a multipolar world, dialogue among civilisation-states, and the construction of a new security architecture in Eurasia—acquire a distinct Baltic regional dimension in Kaliningrad.
In this respect, the choice of venue is far from accidental. The Kaliningrad Region is a strategically important Russian exclave, surrounded by the territories of EU members. It is crossed by major transport routes and lies along the frontier between Russia and NATO member states, where the risks of direct military confrontation continue to grow. Nevertheless, even amid the crisis of the international system, Kaliningrad retains a unique environment for interaction, including at the expert level.
According to the organisers’ vision, the expert dialogue in Kaliningrad will serve as one of the preparatory stages for the Annual Meeting of the Valdai Club in Sochi. The discussions in Kaliningrad will help refine the agenda of the Annual Meeting and further expand the Club’s engagement with Russian regions, as well as attract new participants from Russia and abroad.
The programme is designed as a two-day event and includes an opening session, three thematic sessions, a special session, and an open discussion. During these sessions, experts will discuss the following topics:
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Fighting With No Rules: Norm or Anomaly? Is There a Need for an Alternative to Anarchy in International Relations?
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State, Civilisation, Civilisation-State: Conceptual Foundations and Contemporary Developments
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The Eurasian Security System: A Unique Creation or “Made in the Image and Likeness” of Existing Models?
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Contemporary Media and the Dialogue of Civilisations
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The Future of the Baltic Region: Powder Keg or Model of Peaceful Coexistence?
All events within the expert dialogue will be open to the media. Proceedings will begin at 10:00 local time.
More than 20 Russian and international experts from the United Kingdom, India, Russia, North Macedonia, Serbia, France, and Switzerland will take part in the Valdai Club expert dialogue. The organisers expect the Governor of the Kaliningrad Region, Alexey Besprozvannykh, and the Rector of Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Maxim Demin, to attend as honoured guests and speak at the opening session.
Among the international participants are: Geoffrey Roberts, Emeritus Professor of History at University College Cork and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (United Kingdom); Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow with the Vivekananda International Foundation (India); Biljana Vankovska, President of the Synergia Orbi: Institute for Global Analysis in Skopje (North Macedonia); Milana Živanović, Research Associate at the Institute of Contemporary History of Serbia (Serbia); Raphaëlle Auclert, lecturer at the Catholic Institute of Vendée and researcher at the ICES Research Centre (France); Roger Köppel, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Die Weltwoche (Switzerland); and others.
Among the Russian participants are: Alexander Trofimov, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia; Lydia Kulik, Senior Researcher, Center for Indian Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, RIAC Member; Alexander Filippov, Professor, Head of the Laboratory Centre for Fundamental Sociology, HSE; Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club; Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club; Ivan Timofeev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club; and others.
Working languages: Russian, English.
Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website. Accreditation closes on June 19 at 12:00 p.m. Moscow Time. If you have any questions about the event, please send an email to press@valdaiclub.com or call +7 926 930 7763.
Links to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, X (formerly Twitter), VK, Telegram, and Dzen.
The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004. It is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place.
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