Deputy Prime Minister Cătălin Predoiu, Minister of Internal Affairs, participated between April 24 and 26 at the World Policy Conference 2026, held in Chantilly, France, where he gave an intervention in the panel dedicated to the future of the European Union. The event, considered one of the most important international debate forums on global governance topics, brought together political, economic and academic leaders from around the world.
The panel in which Cătălin Predoiu spoke was moderated by the former president of the European Central Bank, Jean‑Claude Trichet, and included personalities such as Thierry de Montbrial, the founder of the conference, Gabriel Felbermayr, director of WIFO, and Norbert Röttgen, member of the German Bundestag.
Europe, facing a major transformation
In his speech, the Deputy Prime Minister of Romania emphasized that the European Union is going through a period of profound changes, in which it must redefine its role and capabilities in order to face the new geopolitical, economic and security challenges.
Cătălin Predoiu insisted on the need for Europe to transform its values into strength and capacity for action:
“Converting values into capacity and power, transforming political legitimacy into effective results for people, transforming the legal and normative framework into an instrument of power, transforming Europe’s moral heritage into democratic loyalty – these are, in my opinion, the key elements of the new recipe for the Europe of the future”.
Cătălin Predoiu, at the World Policy Conference 2026. PHOTO Gov.ro
The Deputy Prime Minister also drew attention to external pressures – economic and technological competition, migration, cyber warfare, foreign interference – but also to the Union’s internal vulnerabilities, such as excessive bureaucracy or tensions between European and national policies.
“This is the reality of the eastern part of the continent, every day”
The Minister of Internal Affairs also highlighted the crucial role of the states in the east of the EU, located in the proximity of emerging conflicts and threats:
“I would like to add a word about the former communist countries in Eastern Europe, which are today part of the European Union. Because of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the proximity of the Middle East, we live the new context more intensely every day. That is why I believe that the east of the continent, the eastern part of the European Union and NATO, is no longer just a border or a margin of the European Union and NATO, but is a space in which the challenges that will mark the future of Europe. Hence the need to consider the East not only as a space of this experience, but as a space of strategic knowledge. And this strategic knowledge must be integrated into the strategic thinking of the European Union.” said the Romanian official.
Cătălin Predoiu also reported the recent incident of the crash of a Russian drone with an explosive charge in Galati.
“I would like to offer one more argument that these are not theories about the East. Just a few hours ago, I was online with my colleagues from Romania, because we had another incident. O Russian drone fell, this time, in a city. It was equipped with a bomb. It is a very difficult, ongoing operation. The information is public. I have informed public opinion in Romania and therefore I can share this with you. This is the reality of the eastern part of the continent, every day”, said the Romanian minister.
World Policy Conference 2026. PHOTO Gov.ro
“Today’s foreign policy, without military power – a decent one – unfortunately remains in the area of ideals”
During the debate, the deputy prime minister emphasized the importance of building a European security pillar:
“The most urgent thing is to agree on our future pillar of security – military security. Today’s foreign policy without military power – a decent one – unfortunately remains in the realm of ideals“.
Cătălin Predoiu also pleaded for the strengthening of European political leadership, in the context of the upcoming elections in several member states.
Answering a question about the identity wave in Europe, Cătălin Predoiu stated that the long-term solution is investment in education:
“Education, education, education. That’s the long-term key“.
At the same time, the Minister of the Interior emphasized the need for European leaders to be closer to the citizens, in order to prevent the rise of extremism.
“In the short term, however, it takes the effort of the leaders to explain, to discuss and to be closer to the people. Otherwise, populists and extremists will occupy this space. We have to keep the center. The democratic center. I recently talked with an American about the long-term strategy of Europe to build a defense pillar. He told me: you will find a way to do it, maybe in three years, maybe in five, maybe in ten, depending on your efforts. But the big question regarding the future, he told me, is whether one day you will be able to say that a Greek citizen is ready to fight for a Romanian citizen. This would be a form of identity related to security: freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. These are our values“, explained the minister.
Europe between NATO and the new global realities
At the end of the intervention, Predoiu warned of the risks of internal fragmentation of the European Union and rejected the idea of a variable geometry in the future of the European project:
“Europe is connected to NATO. We need to understand how we rethink this relationship, taking into account the shift of American attention to the Indo-Pacific. There are strong economic arguments for the existence of several clubs in the European Union, from an economic point of view. But, with all due respect, I do not believe in the theory of variable geometry for the future of Europe. Because, although apparently it can create some synergies between certain countries, it can become a huge opportunity for Russia to diversify threats, to shake the construction European, to penetrate it and dismantle it”.
