The prospects of a Central and Eastern European alternative to Core Europe

Since the 19th century, the countries located between Germany and Russia have envisaged some kind of union. From the Danube Confederation of Lajos Kossuth in 1848 to General Piłsudski's Intermedium proposal of 1918, such a project has been a recurring dream of political thinkers and democratic activists of Central Europe. In fact, the formation of the Visegrád Group (1991) was a manifestation of this historical project. Echoing this idea too, was British Prime Minister Boris Johnson May 2022 proposal to a number of countries in the region to form such a block in alliance with the UK, which he described as a potential alternative to the European Union. Is it possible that in the aftermath of a Russian retreat from Central Europe, such a potential union will shape the future of the region?