On 26.4 Late Night Diplomacy had the seventh session of the project with Mr. Lukáš Kovanda, Chief Economist at the Trinity Bank in Prague. The topic of discussion was dedicated to the complicity of the economic dimension of international relations, especially in spite of the war in Ukraine. Great emphasis was put on the place of the Czech Republic in the global international trade system, the impact of sanctions on Russia as well as its collateral damage on the European states. Mr. Kovanda also used his knowledge and expertise when it came to the analysis of the feasibility and impact of the counter-measures against the Putin government from a long-term perspective. His unique insights, which are very different from the perspectives of the Czech mainstream media, allowed our participants to see the broader picture of global trade relations and also allowed them to analyze the current economic affairs from a more professional angle.

The followed-up simulation, inspired by the recent developments in Ukraine, was designed in order to practice both, multi-level negotiations between four states - two directly involved in the conflict, one allied state of one of the confronting parties, and the mediator state - and the economic dimension of the conflict. Participants had various tools of leverage - political, economic, and military - to achieve their goals. The mechanics of the game with positive and negative outcomes showed how the states act in critical situations and tested the ability of participants to plan actions and make their own predictions by national interests of their states. Such a mix allowed them to develop not only analytical skills, but also to explore, how various actions might not only harm the opponent state, but also their state both, in terms of social, economic, and political stability.