Section: The Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
The East–West transport axis: between Georgia’s dominance and Armenia’s ambitions
Amid the war in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East, the South Caucasus is gaining importance as a transit region linking Europe and Asia. This is particularly true of Georgia, which serves as the central hub of the Middle Corridor, owing to regional political conditions and existing infrastructure. In the longer term, however, this...
Estonia: assessments of the Russian threat cause friction between Tallinn and Kyiv
On 20 April, the Estonian government criticised Ukraine’s information policy, including public speculation about a possible Russian attack on the Baltic states. This followed a suggestion by President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia was preparing such an offensive and that not all NATO members would be “willing to defend them”. Estonian...
Oil for a loan: EU unlocks financial assistance for Ukraine
On 22 April, Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Denisa Saková and Hungary’s MOL oil company confirmed that Ukraine had resumed the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. Supplies along this route had been suspended since late January following a Russian strike on a pumping station in Brody....
37 hours of Russian air strikes on Ukraine. Day 1518 of the war
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Germany–Ukraine intergovernmental consultations: security as the foundation of a strategic partnership
On 14 April in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the first Germany–Ukraine intergovernmental consultations in over 20 years. The Ukrainian president was accompanied by six ministers responsible for defence, foreign affairs, social policy and development, energy, the economy, and the environment and...
Prolonged Russian air strikes against Ukraine. Day 1505 of the war
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Ukraine’s mobilisation crisis: a new minister, old challenges
On 25 March, the Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced far-reaching changes to Ukraine’s mobilisation system aimed at addressing the armed forces personnel shortages. The reform effort has been endorsed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had previously distanced himself from the issue for fear of negative public reactions, as...
Zelensky visits the Middle East: the beginning of military-technical cooperation with the region
On 26–29 March, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Middle East, where he held talks with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Jordan. He also met with Ukrainian military instructors who, for the past three weeks, have been assisting the armed forces of countries in the region in countering Iranian drone...
Gains amid mounting challenges: the consequences of the war in Iran for Russia
The US-Israeli attack on Iran has had varied consequences for Russia. In political and strategic terms, the challenge posed by the Trump administration’s policy based on the use of force – targeting Moscow’s allies and exposing its inability to protect them – is accompanied by growing benefits resulting from Washington’s...
Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s oil export infrastructure
In March, Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russia’s oil and fuel infrastructure, primarily targeting facilities involved in the export of crude oil and petroleum products. Drones struck oil terminals in the Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, as well as the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, along with adjacent infrastructure. The strikes...
