Horizons presents an exclusive interview with Thierry de Montbrial, Founder and President of the French Institute of International Relations and the World Policy Conference, as well as a Member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
In this discussion, Thierry de Montbrial advances a realist view of international affairs, arguing that states are driven less by universal ideals than by interests, power balances, and historical experience. From the collapse of the Soviet Union onward, he traces how the illusion of the “end of history,” the failure to redesign Europe’s security architecture, the rise of political Islam, China’s ascent, and the fragmentation of globalization have combined to produce a far more unstable world order. In that context, the war in Ukraine, the European Union’s internal strains, the growing weight of the Global South, and intensifying U.S.-China rivalry are presented not as isolated crises, but as interconnected expressions of a broader geopolitical transformation. The central message is that only a sober, reality-based understanding of complexity can improve the chances of preserving peace in an increasingly volatile international landscape.
The interview was conducted by Horizons Editor in Chief Vuk Jeremić and recorded in February 2026.
