Europe has seen the emergence of potentially the most serious conflict since the Second World War in a geopolitically primordial point. A conflict that, beyond the obvious humanitarian and material impact in Ukraine, has revealed the vulnerabilities of the globalised system, immediately extending its social, economic and political repercussions across the whole of Europe. The forced exodus of millions of people, the accelerated increase in gas prices or the risk of shortages of raw materials that are so basic for large sectors of our economy, such as wheat or sunflower oil, are just some of the most obvious manifestations of the interdependency amplified by this conflict with respect to the rest of the continent.

In this framework of interconnections, what should be the role of Europe’s big cities, such as Barcelona? What impact is the conflict having on global institutions and leading countries? What effects will the increased vulnerabilities of the globalised system have on the supply of key products in the future? At the same time, what could be the impact of the conflict in Barcelona and its future economic prospects? This session will try to address such questions in the midst of an unprecedented situation — with experts and leaders from different fields.