The Tenth Europe-Ukraine Forum in Poland

The Europe-Ukraine Forum is a key event organised by the Polish Institute for Eastern Studies. In 2017, the motto of the X Forum was ‘Opportunities not to be missed’ with the main focus on Ukraine’s modernisation and potential following the directions and pace of the ongoing reforms. Ukraine is still facing crisis including ongoing Russian belligerence, military attacks and the loss of territory but the country has reaffirmed its European vocation. During the Forum, such challenges as political divisions, economic instability and ineffective reforms were discussed, insofar as those have caused growing frustration of society. The Forum was composed of plenary sessions, more than thirty panel discussions and presentations. Some 900 participants from Ukraine, Europe, North America, Russia and neighbouring countries attended the forum, including representatives from government, business, the Euro-Atlantic institutions, international organisations, think tanks and expert circles.

The Dean of the Baltic Defence College, Dr. hab. Zdzislaw Sliwa and the Director of the Department of Political and Strategic Studies, Mr. James Rogers, attended the forum. The latter spoke during a panel on cooperation between the Baltic and Visegrad nations, particularly in the face of Russian revisionism and aggression. Mr. Rogers outlined the ‘anti-hegemonic’ nature of the Russian challenge, based on his recent co-authored article for Diplomaatia, asking whether the Russian threat is fully understood in European countries, particularly in relation to the strategies and methods the Kremlin has deployed to seek to divide Western countries, not least the Baltic and Visegrad states.