Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović participates in Yerevan Dialogue 2025

Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović took part in the international conference Yerevan Dialogue 2025, where he participated in the panel discussion titled “Smart, Nimble, and Agile: Foreign Policy for a Fractured World Order.”

In a dynamic exchange with distinguished panelists from across Europe and Asia, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović addressed the challenges facing small states in an increasingly unpredictable global environment, emphasizing the importance of strategic adaptability, regional cooperation, and a consistent foreign policy approach.

Speaking about the position of small countries within a fragmented international system, Ivanović noted that “geography is destiny,” but underscored that this does not imply passivity or limitations, but rather calls for a thoughtful, responsible, and strategic approach.

For small states like Montenegro, geographical positioning and regional instability significantly shape development pathways. For instance, the European Union’s new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans places regional cooperation and economic progress at the forefront, surpassing political differences, Ivanović stated.

He reaffirmed the importance of a credible and attainable EU enlargement policy.

If Montenegro, as the leader in the EU integration process, does not become a member of the European Union after everything it has achieved, it would send a discouraging message to other candidate countries and undermine the credibility of the EU itself, he stated.

Ivanović also emphasized the need for institutional resilience and the ability to adapt quickly in a constantly changing global context.

We are living in highly volatile times. The key is to remain stable and focused—through smart, swift, and strategically considered responses, he concluded.

Alongside Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović, the panel featured Peter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary; Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia; Charles Flanagan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland; and Sachin Pilot, former Minister of Telecommunications, IT and Corporate Affairs of India. The session was moderated by Zbigniew Pisarski, founder and President of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation in Poland.

The panel provided an opportunity to exchange views on innovative approaches to diplomacy and regional connectivity at a time when predictability is no longer the norm, and stability requires proactive and strategic engagement by all actors in the international community.