Geopolitical Pragmatism and Resilience: The Indonesia-Slovakia Emerging Strategic Partnership

Pribadi Sutiono

Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta

As the global geopolitical architecture fractures, small and middle powers increasingly adopt pragmatic foreign policies to enhance their state resilience. This article examines the structural shifts in Slovakia's foreign policy, transitioning from strict Euro-Atlantic institutional compliance to a multidirectional, national-pragmatic approach beyond Europe, and its implications for cross-regional bilateral governance. Utilizing the Indonesia-Slovakia relationship as a primary case study, this research analyzes how Slovakia’s pivot toward a "four corners of the compass" diplomacy intersects with Indonesia's free and active foreign policy within the Visegrad Group (V4). Grounded in neoclassical realism, this study suggests that while geopolitical pragmatism has manifested in diplomatic milestones, including high-level engagements and defense agreements, the resilience of the partnership is tested by institutional bottlenecks and systemic European Union normative barriers. This article aims to provide contemporary global politics literature with empirical insights into how small and middle powers operationalize pragmatic diplomacy to navigate systemic polarization and bureaucratic friction.

Article link: https://www.asianinstituteofresearch.org/JSParchives/geopolitical-pragmatism-and-resilience%3A-the-indonesia-slovakia-emerging-strategic-partnership