CMI in cooperation with the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the European Union, and under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union is organising a High-Level Dialogue.
‘EU Peacemaking and Principled Pragmatism: whether and how to go from Political Slogan to Modus Operandi?’ takes place on 22 January 2026 at the Residence Palace, Brussels from 13.30–17.30 (light lunch from 12.30).
In an unpredictable world marked by polycrises and polylateralism, with world leaders calling for strategic partnerships and principled pragmatism, where does that leave EU peacemaking?
In response to the multiple challenges faced by the EU both at home and abroad, we are increasingly hearing that the Union has to practice principled pragmatism in order to build strategic partnerships that will keep Europe safe and ensure its role as a global actor. These messages are coming both from within the EU, and from other global leaders.
However, with fewer agreements between world leaders on our shared future(s) and even the fora in which to pursue discussions thereon – and according to what rules – the calls for principled pragmatism risk reinforcing and accelerating fragmentation and divisions. In short, who gets to define the principles, what constitutes principled pragmatism, and what are the consequences?
Already in 2016, the EU clearly set out principled pragmatism as the central guiding element for global action in the years to come. While in research circles, a debate grew around what principled pragmatism means for EU foreign and security policy, EU policymaking stayed largely silent until in the early 2000’s when transactionalism seemed to emerge as the guiding notion for what is essentially principled pragmatism in practice.
This has given rise to some concerns about values versus interest, and what it means for peacemaking especially, if the EU no longer considers values interests. What political and financial implications will this have, in a context where EU leaders are expected to prioritise, act decisively, and display power.
These are some of the questions that we suggest asking in CMI’s 2026 Brussels High-Level Dialogue, notably by exploring what principled pragmatism can look like in practice, and to what extent it is an opportunity for the EU to more effectively prevent and resolve conflict, and what are the challenges.
Is the EU willing and able to act on those opportunities and address the challenges, and what is needed to do so? Where are the possible success stories from EU strengthening cooperation with key partners in recent times, and what can we learn from those?
Programme
12.30–13.30 — Lunch Reception
13.30–13.45 — Opening and Welcome
Hanna Klinge, Deputy CEO, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Ambassador Petros Mavrikios, Representative of Cyprus to the Political and Security Committee (PSC) of the Council of the European Union, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU
13.45–14.15 — Keynote exchange on Principled Pragmatism and EU CFSP
Discussion on what principled pragmatism has meant for the EU in practice to date, and with some first questions about assessing the outcome and some pointers about near future priorities including main opportunities and challenges.
Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development
João Cravinho, EU Special Representative for the Sahel
Moderator: Janne Taalas, CEO, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
14.15–15.30 — Panel on Leveraging Principled Pragmatism for Peace
Learning from partners and recent experiences of principled pragmatic approaches used to leverage peace, advancing peace negotiations or a peace process, considering issues related to engagement over principled engagement and other relevant implications.
Discussants:
Raya Haffar el Hassan, Chairman of the Board at Bankmed, Member of Women Advisory Council for the MEPP, and former Minister of Finance and Former Minister of Interior and Municipalities of Lebanon
Alice Ekman, Research Director, EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)
Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS)
Richard Gowan, Director, UN and Multilateral Diplomacy, International Crisis Group
Moderator: Sarah Stroup, Academic in Residence, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Foundation; Professor of Political Science, Middlebury College
15.30-16.00 — Coffee break
16.00–17.15 — Panel on the EU’s Role and Priorities in the Shaping of a New World Order for Peace
A strategic discussion on how the EU should be thinking about how to use its renewed focus on principled pragmatism to help shape a new world order for peace, considering both its role in building more effective multilateralism (exploring in particular the regional angle in this work) and what the EU should prioritise to get there. Aspects around narratives, shifting paradigms and communication (including mis- and dis-information) to be addressed as well, and their impact on/inter-relation with operational aspects.
Discussants:
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Member of the AU Panel of the Wise and former UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, and former Deputy President of South Africa
Christian Leffler, former EEAS Deputy Secretary General for Economic and Global Issues
Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, Senior Advisor, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), former State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia, and Georgian Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the OSCE and International Organisations in Vienna
Peter Wagner, Director, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), European Commission
Moderator: Constantinos Adamides, Associate Professor of International Relations, Head of the Department of Politics and Governance, University of Nicosia (UNic)
17.15–17.30 — Closing
Guillem Riutord Sampol, Head of Division, Peace, Security and Defence Partnerships, EEAS
Oskari Eronen, Chief Programme Officer, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Speakers
Speakers in alphabetical order.
Alice Ekman
Alice Ekman is the EUISS Research Director. Previously, she was the Senior Analyst in charge of the Asia portfolio at the EUISS and she covered foreign policy and security developments in the Asian region. Alice also managed regular ‘Track 1.5’ dialogues with the EU’s partners in Asia and coordinated the EU member committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. Before that, she was Head of China Activities at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris and she has been a Visiting Scholar at Tsinghua University in Beijing, at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, she holds a Master’s in International Relations, Economics, and Anthropology from the London School of Economics, a PhD in International Relations from Sciences Po and an Accreditation to Supervise Research (French ‘HDR’, allowing supervision of PhD thesis).
Christian Leffler
Christian Leffler joined the Swedish Foreign Service in 1980. After participating in the Swedish accession negotiations to the EU he joined the European Commission in 1996. After various posts in Cabinets and external relations services, he joined the EEAS at its establishment in 2011 as the Managing Director for the Americas. He became Deputy Secretary General for Economic and Global Issues in 2015 and served in this position until his retirement in March 2020. He carried out his studies at UWC Atlantic, LSE and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, and is active on governance and democracy issues, as a member of the board of governors of the European Endowment for Democracy as well as the advisory boards of International IDEA and the European Partnership for Democracy.
Constantinos Adamides
Constantinos Adamides is Associate Professor of International Relations and the Head of the Department of Politics and Governance at the University of Nicosia. His research focuses on Eastern Mediterranean geopolitics, hybrid threats, disinformation and information operations, the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and security, conflicts and conflict resolution, and securitisation theory. He is currently the Director of the Institute of Studies for Politics and Democracy, and a visiting professor at the University of Malta’s Center for Conflict Resolution and serves on the Executive Academic Board of the European Security and Defense College. He is an alumnus of multiple George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies programmes, works regularly with the government and foreign diplomatic missions in Cyprus and was a member of the Republic of Cyprus’ first Geostrategic Council (2014–2018). He holds a PhD in Political Science and International Studies, an MA in Diplomacy and International Relations, an MBA in Finance, and a BSc in Finance and Political Science.
Eldor Aripov
Eldor Aripov is the Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan since 2019. Before, he worked at the National Security Council under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (2009-2011), the Office of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (2011-2012), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan (2012-2013), and he held the position of Head of the Information and Analytical Center for International Relations (2013-2019). He has a Master’s degree in International Relations, a PhD in Political Science, and numerous publications on regional security and international relations. His research area includes international relations, regional cooperation, security and stability in Central Asia.
Guillem Riutord Sampol
Guillem Riutord Sampo is Head of EEAS PCM.2 / Peace, Security & Defence Partnerships since July 2023, and has been leading the Conflict Prevention and Mediation Support Division since March 2022. In his first posts in the EEAS he worked on regional Latin American affairs and then on Regional Mediterranean Affairs. Between 2015 and 2018, Guillem was Deputy Head of Mission of the Spanish Embassy to Mali and Burkina Faso, based in Bamako. Back in the EEAS HQ in Brussels, he served in the office of the Deputy Secretary General for CSDP and Crisis Response and then became Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Affairs Division.
Hanna Klinge
Hanna Klinge has served as Deputy CEO of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation since May 2021. Prior to this, she served as Acting Executive Director. Earlier, Ms. Klinge was Advisor to CMI’s Executive Director and principal lead on strategic partnerships. Ms. Klinge’s background is in international relations: managing strategic partnerships, large-scale projects and people. Prior to joining CMI, she was Country Director at the British Council in Finland. The broad institutional portfolio included several international capacity building programmes, policy dialogue initiatives, and publications. Ms. Klinge is experienced in forging strategic partnerships and alliances across public, private and third sectors. She has specialised in social development and innovation, equality and inclusion issues, and social enterprise. Ms. Klinge has studied and worked in Greece, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. She holds an Executive Master’s in International Negotiation and Policy-Making from the Geneva Graduate Institute, and an MA in Cultural Studies and Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (UK).
Janne Taalas
Janne Taalas has served as CEO of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation since May 2021. He has almost 25 years of experience in the The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland specialising in matters related to multilateral diplomacy and peace mediation. He worked as the Special Envoy to the 2020 Afghanistan Conference, the Ambassador of Cyber Diplomacy, the Finnish Ambassador to Rome, the Deputy Permanent representative (Ambassador) at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in New York, and as Director of Policy Planning. Janne Taalas has a PhD and MPhil from the University of Oxford (St Antony’s College) and Master of Science in Economics and Master of Social Sciences degrees from the University of Jyväskylä, as well as a University Diploma in Development Studies from the University of Kent.
João Gomes Cravinho
João Gomes Cravinho is currently the EU Special Representative for the Sahel. Previous positions include Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of National Defence in the Government of Portugal. He also served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Ambassador of the EU to India and Ambassador of the EU to Brazil. He has a doctorate (D.Phil) in Politics from the University of Oxford, and undergraduate and Master’s degrees from the London School of Economics. As an academic, at the University of Coimbra, he co-founded the degree in International Relations, and he has taught at the Universidade Nova and at ISCTE. He has also worked as a consultant for the European Commission, the World Bank and the Gulbenkian Foundation. He teaches a Master’s course at Sciences Po in Paris on European defence and is on the board of the European Council of Foreign Relations and of the Centro Brasileiro de Relações Internacionais.
Ketevan Tsikhelashvili
Ketevan Tsikhelashvili currently serves as Senior Advisor at the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Prior to this, she was Ambassador of Georgia to Austria and Permanent Representative to the OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna. From 2016 to 2020, she served as State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia, leading national conflict resolution policy, minority rights and peacebuilding initiatives. She is the author of the internationally acclaimed peace plan “A Step to a Better Future”, recognized for its success, innovation and impact. Previously, she led negotiations on Georgia’s behalf in humanitarian working group of internationally framed peace talks- Geneva International Discussions. As a sole female negotiator, she championed gender perspective, human rights-based and humanitarian solutions to the benefit of conflict-affected populations. Other positions include Chair of Eastern Partnership National Platform – Georgia’s largest NGO association, working to advance the EU integration agenda, and she has engaged with international foundations, research institutions and academia.
Oskari Eronen
Oskari Eronen is the Chief Programme Officer of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation since June 2024. Mr. Eronen earlier led CMI’s Asia Programme, Policy & Learning, and the Programme Management Office, where he was responsible for development of effective methodologies for mediation, including planning, monitoring, evaluation. He joined CMI in 2012. Oskari previously worked at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs as Adviser for Security and Development as well as in several research positions related to international peace and security, with a focus on civil-military affairs. He has over 15 years of experience in conflict management and peace mediation, and is specialised in process design, effectiveness and learning. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences (Political Science) from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Peter Wagner
Peter Wagner is Director – Head of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI). Previous positions in the European Institutions include Principal Adviser; Head of the Clearing house for medical equipment (COVID-19) [Coordination of COVID- and later also Ukraine-related issues], Secretariat General (SG); Director – Head of Support Group for Ukraine DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR); Adviser of Support Group for Ukraine DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR); Adviser, Task Force for Greece (TFGR); Head of Unit “Defence, Aeronautic and Maritime Industries”. DG Enterprise and Industry (ENTR); and Head of Unit “General coordination”. DG Enterprise and Industry (ENTR). Prior to this, he was Researcher at the Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP), Munich/Mainz, and Editor for several regional newspapers in Germany. He holds a D.Phil/PhD from the University of Freiburg and a Magister Artium (MA) from the University of Freiburg: Political Science, History, Psychology and Economics.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is currently Member of the African Union Panel of the Wise, on the board of the global organisation Women Deliver, Global Citizen, Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg and Chairperson of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Advisory Committee on Human Rights. Previous positions include UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, and former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa. She was a member of the first democratic South African Parliament and held the positions of Deputy Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry and Minister of Minerals and Energy. She has authored several scholarly and opinion pieces, including in the Harvard International Review and worked as a teacher in the early 1980s at the Ohlange High School. Following this, she worked as the global coordinator of young women’s mobilisation at World YWCA in Geneva and for TEAM, an ecumenical organisation that focussed on building leaders, especially women, in Cape Town. She holds a doctorate in Technology and Education from Warwick University and a master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Cape Town.
Raya Haffar El Hassan
Raya Haffar is currently the Chairperson-General Manager of Bankmed SAL and board member of Banque des Monts Blancs in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to this, she served as member of the board of directors of Bankmed in Lebanon, Med Investment Bank, and Saudi Lebanese Bank. She was also a member of the Board Audit and Board Remuneration committees in these institutions. Other previous positions include Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Chairman-General Manager of the Tripoli Special Economic Zone, and Minister of Finance of Lebanon. Before that, she was a senior member of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Earlier in her career, she was Advisor to the Minister of Economy and Trade, and Program Specialist for the Economic Governance and Pro-Poor portfolio at UNDP Lebanon country office. She holds an MBA degree in Finance and Investments from the George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut.
Rebeca Grynspan
Rebeca Grynspan is Secretary-General, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Prior to joining the UN, she was Vice President of Costa Rica and held cabinet positions including Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs and Deputy Finance Minister. Previously, she served as Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference, chairing regional summits of Heads of State and Government; UN Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. She was a member of the UN Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti, representing the UN Secretary-General. In 2024, she received the Doha Negotiator of the Year Award for spearheading UN efforts to restore Black Sea trade routes. In 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation awarded her the inaugural Isabel Oyarzábal Women in Multilateralism International Prize for her contribution to multilateralism. She holds degrees in economics from the University of Costa Rica and the University of Sussex, and honorary doctorates from several European universities.
Richard Gowan
Richard Gowan is the Program Director, Global Issues and Institutions at Crisis Group. He was Crisis Group’s UN Director from 2019 to 2025 and previously a Consulting Analyst with ICG in 2016 and 2017. He has previously worked with the European Council on Foreign Relations, New York University Center on International Cooperation and the Foreign Policy Centre in London. He has taught at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and Stanford in New York and worked as a consultant for organisations including the UN Department of Political Affairs, the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on International Migration, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Rasmussen Global, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Global Affairs Canada.
Sarah Stroup
Sarah Stroup is professor of political science at Middlebury College, Vermont, USA. She is a former senior visiting fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and is currently academic-in-residence at CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Foundation. She is author of Borders Among Activists (Cornell, 2012) and co-author of The Authority Trap (Cornell, 2017), winner of the 2019 ARNOVA Outstanding Book Award. At Middlebury, she has served as director of the Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation (2022–25) and the Engaged Listening Project (2018–21). Her research focusses on international NGOs, global humanitarianism, mediation and dialogue, and human rights.