Europe's Top Thinkers Gather for ECFR's High-Stakes Annual Meeting

Behind closed doors and in open forums, Europe's most influential voices will debate the policies shaping our world. What decisions will emerge?

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2026 April 29 . 6:09 PM

1 min read

The image shows a man and woman standing next to each other in front of a wall, both of them... — The image shows a man and woman standing next to each other in front of a wall, both of them smiling. The man is wearing a black blazer, white shirt, blue tie, and black pants, while the woman is wearing spectacles. On the wall behind them is a white board with the words "sk eu 2016" written on it, indicating that the two people are the President of the European Council.

Panarioti

Europe's Top Thinkers Gather for ECFR's High-Stakes Annual Meeting

The European Council on Foreign Relations' (ECFR) Annual Meeting is a closed-door event that brings together some of Europe's most influential politicians, thought leaders, and analysts to shape the continent's strategic responses to the world's most pressing global challenges. The gathering includes leading European figures from the ECFR Council—among them heads of state, European commissioners, and representatives of key institutions—offering a platform for confidential and candid discussions on geopolitics, security and defense, and global economic shifts. In doing so, it strengthens Europe's capacity to act on the world stage.

This year's Annual Meeting will be hosted by Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austria's Federal Minister for European and International Affairs.

Some sessions will be held under the Chatham House Rule to encourage open and frank exchanges of views. Plenary sessions, however, will be available online, providing a rare opportunity for a broader audience to hear the perspectives of top international speakers and decision-makers.