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Institute of New Europe Institute of New Europe
  • About
  • Publications
      • Publications

        The primary categories of materials published by the Institute as part of its research and analytical activities.

      • SEE ALL PUBLICATIONS

      • Analyses
        Daily commentary and analysis on international issues provided by our experts and analysts
      • Reports
        Comprehensive thematic studies on international relations and socio-political issues
      • Video
        Recordings of expert debates and series of video podcasts created by our team and experts
      • Maps
        Selection of maps depicting international alliances and foreign visits of key politicians
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      • Programmes

        The main areas of research and publication activities at the Institute with separate teams of experts, functioning under the supervision of the head of a particular programme.

      • WEBSITE OF THE THREE SEAS PROJECT

      • Europe
        Analyses and commentaries on European integration and the place of Europe on the political and economic map of the world
      • Security
        Studies in the field of international and internal security of individual states, with particular emphasis on the role of NATO
      • Indo-Pacific
        An overview of the political and economic situation in the region, the status of the U.S.-China rivalry, and the EU’s policy towards China
      • Three Seas Think Tanks Hub
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Oct 08
Africa and Middle East, Analysis, European Union, Publications, Security, Syria, Terrorism

Civil war in Syria – major 2021 challenges from a European security perspective

October 8, 2021
Civil war in Syria – major 2021 challenges from a European security perspectiveDownload

Key points:

– The war in Syria has a more considerable impact on Europe than predicted in 2011.

– Uncontrolled migration has created obstacles to international cooperation in Europe to maintain security at the external borders and threaten the internal movement of people in the Schengen Zone.

– The subsequent challenge to Europe is the threat of terrorism that are evolving under the Syrian conflict. There are at least five large terrorist organisations in this country.

– Humanitarian law does not seem to apply in this war-torn country, and the Geneva Conventions are long forgotten.

– From the European perspective, there is a chance to neutralise, or at least minimise, the effects of such threats as uncontrolled migration, terrorism, and humanitarian crises.

Introduction

The inner conflict in Western Asia has blown hot and cold about foreign states’ intervention in Syria’s civil war. Initially, tensions started after Arab Spring in 2011, and it was the very beginning of the dispute between the Syrian Arab Republic and its citizens. Subsequently, the situation became even worse when more entities joined the conflict searching for their benefits due to the state’s disintegration. In addition to various states taking part in the Syrian war, also international and national organisations, as well as terrorist groups, became involved. Each actor in the conflict has its own goals and can only achieve them by joining one of the coalitions, which automatically turns them into an enemy of the other groups. Moreover, even though thousands of civilians have died, many more must have fled from their houses, cities are being regularly bombed, the war is ongoing, and chances for a ceasefire seem fairly limited

After more than a decade of incessant struggles and engagement of many European countries to minimise the Syrian conflict’s damaging effects, it is vital to concentrate on current challenges and obstacles. The war in Syria has a more considerable impact on Europe than predicted in 2011, and numerous problems must be solved immediately. Some of them, such as migration, terrorism, the use of new technologies to wage a war, and the humanitarian catastrophe, have been pressing issues for years, while others, such as the involvement of other countries in the conflict, will emerge in months to come if not stopped.

Migration

Overall, migrations, along with clandestine immigration, are the largest challenges for European security. The Syrian conflict has resulted in 5.3 million refugees in neighbouring countries and 6.6 million internally displaced persons[1]. Refugees from Syria numbered 378,000 in 2015, accounting for 29% of all of the asylum seekers in the European Union – the highest share of any nation[2]. Besides, among 3 million people who applied for asylum in the EU between 2015 and 2017, more than 800,000 were recorded as Syrian citizens[3]. Moreover, Syria has remained the main country of origin for asylum seekers in the EU since 2013. In 2020, the number of Syrian first-time asylum applicants in the EU fell to 63 500 from 74 900 in 2019[4]. In addition, it must be underlined that Syrians accounted for 17% of illegal EU border crossings in 2019. Those people are aware of the European Union’s limits and special programmes offered to migrants but still trying to make their way through illicit passages to Europe, risking their lives and disrupting the EU migration policy[5].

Uncontrolled migration has created obstacles to international cooperation in Europe to maintain security at the external borders and threaten the internal movement of people in the Schengen Zone. Firstly, a vast number of people are willing to come to Europe, but they are still in Syria. Nevertheless, they are going to cross the border if not stopped. Secondly, there are already dozens of camps in Europe, for instance, in Greece, Italy, and Spain, and those migrants who live there rather sooner than later will have to leave these camps. Campsites are overcrowded, the number of people is still growing, and there is no sign of an upcoming decrease or marvellous solution. Thirdly, many European countries have already accepted thousands of migrants. Their pro-migrant programmes have limits, and there has been a lack of space for new incomers since 2015. Moreover, migrants from Eastern Europe – Ukraine and Belarus – are also leaving their countries due to current conflicts or internal political situation. Besides, it must be underlined that European countries are on the edge of their economic efficiency. The global Covid-19 pandemic is placing further obligations on Europe to verify each migrant so that they do not spread the virus, or its new mutations, on the continent.

Terrorism

The subsequent challenge to Europe is the threat of terrorism that is evolving under the Syrian conflict. There are at least five large terrorist organisations in this country, among others Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Nusra Front[6], which are either trying to radicalise people living in Europe or sending their members to the European Union to carry out attacks. The fundamental objective in using refugees, even though the success rate is not high, is a cover transport of jihadists and criminals that will start their illegal activity in Europe[7].

In addition, terrorism is not only about bombs or knife attacks, but it also takes into account other activities such as drug smuggling, extortion, robbery, religious radicalization in the state, and finally, efforts to create a caliphate in Europe. Terrorist organisations are aiming to influence states. Terrorism is a bone of contention between neighbouring countries that blame each other when one of them fails to stop migrants who engage in terrorist activities and cross their external borders. Such problems disrupt international cooperation due to the loss of bilateral trust. Terrorist groups’ members in Syria will continue to plot or inspire external terrorist operations, and one of their main goals are still western European countries.

Humanitarian crisis

The third current obstacle that is a major challenge to Europe is a humanitarian crisis. Millions of people are displaced and many more under the threat of hunger and death. Even though the European Union has continued to condemn violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Syria, and has reiterated support for international accountability efforts, it is not enough to help Syrians. Moreover, humanitarian law does not seem to apply in this war-torn country, and the Geneva Conventions are long forgotten.

Given the above, Europe has another problem to solve. For years, the European Union member states have cultivated equality and respect, enforcing implementation of international law. And now, during the crisis in Syria, there is a lack of identity of Europeans who are perceiving themselves as defenders of human rights and gender equality, supporters of cultivating all religions, and offering support to homosexual communities. Syria has been forgotten, even though the European Union continues to condemn violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Syria, it does not matter. In June 202, the EU hosted its fourth Brussels conference on Syria remotely, focusing on a political solution to the crisis and response to humanitarian needs; however, the situation inside the country has further deteriorated[8]. In addition, currently, Europe is dealing with the unresolved problems of migrants in Africa and the Middle East that should have been solved years ago[9].

Solutions

As it was indicated, the conflict had broken out more than a decade ago, and none of the ideas and solutions was successful enough to significantly ameliorate Syria’s status as well as secure Europe. Nonetheless, some of the actions must be highlighted, such as international missions held by the European Union and NATO members. There are a few missions that protect Europe as well as have an influence inside Syria. Those operations must be taken into account[10]:

– Securing the Mediterranean Sea ‘Sea Guardian’ – a mission carried out on the Mediterranean Sea in order to maintain security, fight terrorism, build defence capabilities in the region, protect freedom of navigation and critical infrastructure, and help maintain cooperation for security with other actors in the region.

– Training mission in Iraq – it is a training mission with the main task of strenghtening Iraqi forces’ capacity and protecting the region from the renewed wave of terrorist attacks and fighting the terrorist organisation Islamic State (ISIS). The training concentrates on the following areas: counteracting the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), civil and military planning, armoured vehicle maintenance, and military medicine. NATO also supports building international cooperation with the Iraqi armed forces. The introduction of such a mission in Syria could prove crucial for building a national Syrian army.

– EUNAVFOR MED ‘Irini’ – the European Union has made an effort to enforce the UN arms embargo against Libya and Syria. It is thus contributing to the peace process in that country by conducting a military operation in the Mediterranean. The operations are carried out using air, satellite, and naval resources in cooperation with European Union’s member states.

– Inherent Resolve – US armed forces are the initiator and commander of the international coalition, and nearly 70 countries engaged in Iraq are involved in the entire operation. Currently, the mission in Syria is overseen by France under the name Chammal – an extension of the mandate of the international coalition Inherent Resolve. Operation Chammal rests on two pillars – support and training. The training pillar consists of educating Syrian soldiers in order to prepare them for the self-defence of the country. It is also an opportunity to familiarize soldiers with new technologies and combat strategies. The support pillar is based on the active participation of French military units in the fight against the Islamic State.

From the European perspective, there is a chance to at least minimise, the effects of such threats as uncontrolled migration, terrorism, and humanitarian crises. The most convenient means is to start acting at the location before those dangers appear in Europe. For this reason, foreign missions, civilian and military, supported by international organisations, are crucial to outrun, alleviate and eliminate threats before they arrive in Europe. The mandate for missions in Syria should be given to all EU and NATO members and be a prolongation of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) that was set up in 2012. Only multilateral and unanimous cooperation can be a foundation to build up an environment for stabilising the situation in Syria. All missions which are being held must be used to strengthen the activity of military and civilian bodies of international organisations to avert the conflict. The first step is to restore the mission in Syria, consisting of representatives of the EU and NATO. It is vital to control the internal situation, offer humanitarian aid for civilians, and control migration and fight the terrorism threat. In the beginning, both organisations could engage observers, and soldiers from other missions conducted near Syria and on the water border with Europe, which were mentioned above.

Summary

Syria is a battlefield on which more and more problems will emerge. The list of threats is enormous, and for this reason, the international community must react swiftly. Migration, terrorism, and the burden of humanitarian support of the Syrian nation are priorities in the process of strengthening European security. After all, those threats are still abroad the European continent, and there is still time to react appropriately. Politicians should use international law and engage the EU and NATO to operate closer to Syria and concentrate on the most critical parts of Syrian territory. If European entities united in organisations do not respond, the Russian Federation, which is very active in Syria, will continue to expand its military bases. Currently, the Kremlin has 4 of them but it has already started to invest in more facilities[11]. This could lead to further attempts to put pressure on NATO and the EU in the Middle East. The security of Europe is strongly dependent on the situation in Syria, and it is the very last moment to act. 

Bibliography:

1. Olech A., Cooperation between NATO and the European Union against hybrid threats with a particular emphasis on terrorism, https://ine.org.pl/en/cooperation-between-nato-and-the-european-union-against-hybrid-threats-with-a-particular-emphasis-on-terrorism, accessed: 02.08.2021.

2. Olech A., Działalność UNHCR w Afryce i na Bliskim Wschodzie, Przegląd Geopolityczny, 2018, s. 134-152.

3. Rogozińska A., Olech A., The Russian Federation’s Military Bases Abroad, Institute of New Europe, Warsaw 2020, p. 46-51.

4. Charity & Security Network, Syria: Listed Terrorist Groups and Humanitarian Crises, https://charityandsecurity.org/country/syria, accessed: 31.03.2021.

5. European Commission, Statistics on migration to Europe, https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en, accessed: 30.07.2021.

6. Eurostat, Asylum statistics, Brussels 2021, p. 3.     

7. Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, From Syria to Europe: experiences of Stateless Kurds and Palestinian Refugees from Syria Seeking Protection in Europe, January 2019, p. 11.

8. Funk M., Parkes R., Refugees versus terrorists, European Union Institute for Security Studies, January 2016, p. 3.

9. More information about the current situation in Syria and the necessity of humanitarian aid can be found here: C. Thépaut, C. Wilder, Expanding Humanitarian Assistance to Syrians: Two Deadlines Approaching, https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/expanding-humanitarian-assistance-syrians-two-deadlines-approaching, accessed: 02.08.2021.

10. Orchard P., Is the European Union Failing Syrian Refugees?, Australian Institute of International Affairs, https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/is-the-european-union-failing-syrian-refugees/, accessed: 01.08.2021.

11. Pew Research Center, Number of Refugees to Europe Surges to Record 1.3 Million in 2015, www.pewresearch.org/Pew Research Center/2016/08/02/number-of-refugees-to-europe-surges-to-record-1-3-million-in-2015/, accessed: 30.07.2021.


[1] P. Orchard, Is the European Union Failing Syrian Refugees?, Australian Institute of International Affairs, https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/is-the-european-union-failing-syrian-refugees/, accessed: 01.04.2021.

[2] Pew Research Center, Number of Refugees to Europe Surges to Record 1.3 Million in 2015, www.pewresearch.org/Pew Research Center/2016/08/02/number-of-refugees-to-europe-surges-to-record-1-3-million-in-2015/, accessed: 30.03.2021.

[3] Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, From Syria to Europe: experiences of Stateless Kurds and Palestinian Refugees from Syria Seeking Protection in Europe, January 2019, p. 11.

[4] Eurostat, Asylum statistics, Brussels 2021, p. 3.                   

[5] European Commission, Statistics on migration to Europe, https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en, accessed: 30.03.2021.

[6] Charity & Security Network, Syria: Listed Terrorist Groups and Humanitarian Crises, https://charityandsecurity.org/country/syria, accessed: 31.03.2021.

[7] M. Funk, R. Parkes, Refugees versus terrorists, European Union Institute for Security Studies, January 2016, p. 3.

[8] More information about the current situation in Syria and the necessity of humanitarian aid can be found here: C. Thépaut, C. Wilder, Expanding Humanitarian Assistance to Syrians: Two Deadlines Approaching, https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/expanding-humanitarian-assistance-syrians-two-deadlines-approaching, accessed: 02.04.2021.

[9] A. Olech, Działalność UNHCR w Afryce i na Bliskim Wschodzie, Przegląd Geopolityczny, 2018, s. 134-152.

[10] A. Olech, Cooperation between NATO and the European Union against hybrid threats with a particular emphasis on terrorism, https://ine.org.pl/en/cooperation-between-nato-and-the-european-union-against-hybrid-threats-with-a-particular-emphasis-on-terrorism, accessed: 02.04.2021.

[11] A. Rogozińska, A. Olech, The Russian Federation’s Military Bases Abroad, Institute of New Europe, Warsaw 2020, p. 46-51.

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Dr Aleksander Olech Aleksander Olech, PhD. Visiting lecturer at the Baltic Defence College. Graduate of the European Academy of Diplomacy and War Studies University. He has undertaken research at several international institutions, among others, the Université Jean Moulin III in Lyon, the Institute of International Relations in Prague, the Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management in Vienna, the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Vilnius, and the NATO Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism in Ankara. Scholarship holder of the OSCE & UNODA Peace and Security Programme, the NATO 2030 Global Fellowship, and the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. His main research interests include terrorism, international cooperation for security in Eastern Europe and the role of NATO and the EU with regard to hybrid threats.

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Dr Aleksander Olech Aleksander Olech, PhD. Visiting lecturer at the Baltic Defence College. Graduate of the European Academy of Diplomacy and War Studies University. He has undertaken research at several international institutions, among others, the Université Jean Moulin III in Lyon, the Institute of International Relations in Prague, the Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management in Vienna, the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Vilnius, and the NATO Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism in Ankara. Scholarship holder of the OSCE & UNODA Peace and Security Programme, the NATO 2030 Global Fellowship, and the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. His main research interests include terrorism, international cooperation for security in Eastern Europe and the role of NATO and the EU with regard to hybrid threats.
Program Europa tworzą:

Marcin Chruściel

Dyrektor programu. Absolwent studiów doktoranckich z zakresu nauk o polityce na Uniwersytecie Wrocławskim, magister stosunków międzynarodowych i europeistyki Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. Prezes Zarządu Instytutu Nowej Europy.

dr Artur Bartoszewicz

Przewodniczący Rady Programowej Instytutu Nowej Europy. Doktor nauk ekonomicznych Szkoły Głównej Handlowej. Ekspert w dziedzinie polityki publicznej, w tym m. in. strategii państwa i gospodarki.

Michał Banasiak

Specjalizuje się w relacjach sportu i polityki. Autor analiz, komentarzy i wywiadów z zakresu dyplomacji sportowej i polityki międzynarodowej. Były dziennikarz Polsat News i wysłannik redakcji zagranicznej Telewizji Polskiej.

Maciej Pawłowski

Ekspert ds. migracji, gospodarki i polityki państw basenu Morza Śródziemnego. W latach 2018-2020 Analityk PISM ds. Południowej Europy. Autor publikacji w polskiej i zagranicznej prasie na temat Hiszpanii, Włoch, Grecji, Egiptu i państw Magrebu. Od września 2020 r. mieszka w północnej Afryce (Egipt, Algieria).

Jędrzej Błaszczak

Absolwent studiów prawniczych Uniwersytetu Śląskiego w Katowicach. Jego zainteresowania badawcze koncentrują się na Inicjatywie Trójmorza i polityce w Bułgarii. Doświadczenie zdobywał w European Foundation of Human Rights w Wilnie, Center for the Study of Democracy w Sofii i polskich placówkach dyplomatycznych w Teheranie i Tbilisi.

Program Bezpieczeństwo tworzą:

dr Aleksander Olech

Dyrektor programu. Wykładowca na Baltic Defence College, absolwent Europejskiej Akademii Dyplomacji oraz Akademii Sztuki Wojennej. Jego główne zainteresowania badawcze to terroryzm, bezpieczeństwo w Europie Środkowo-Wschodniej oraz rola NATO i UE w środowisku zagrożeń hybrydowych.

dr Agnieszka Rogozińska

Członek Rady Programowej Instytutu Nowej Europy. Doktor nauk społecznych w dyscyplinie nauki o polityce. Zainteresowania badawcze koncentruje na problematyce bezpieczeństwa euroatlantyckiego, instytucjonalnym wymiarze bezpieczeństwa i współczesnych zagrożeniach.

Aleksy Borówka

Doktorant na Wydziale Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Przewodniczący Krajowej Reprezentacji Doktorantów w kadencji 2020. Autor kilkunastu prac naukowych, poświęconych naukom o bezpieczeństwie, naukom o polityce i administracji oraz stosunkom międzynarodowym. Laureat I, II oraz III Międzynarodowej Olimpiady Geopolitycznej.

Karolina Siekierka

Absolwentka Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego na kierunku stosunki międzynarodowe, specjalizacji Bezpieczeństwo i Studia Strategiczne. Jej zainteresowania badawcze obejmują politykę zagraniczną i wewnętrzną Francji, prawa człowieka oraz konflikty zbrojne.

Stanisław Waszczykowski

Podoficer rezerwy, student studiów magisterskich na kierunku Bezpieczeństwo Międzynarodowe i Dyplomacja na Akademii Sztuki Wojennej, były praktykant w BBN. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują m.in. operacje pokojowe ONZ oraz bezpieczeństwo Ukrainy.

Leon Pińczak

Student studiów drugiego stopnia na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim na kierunku stosunki międzynarodowe. Dziennikarz polskojęzycznej redakcji Biełsatu. Zawodowo zajmuje się obszarem postsowieckim, rosyjską polityką wewnętrzną i doktrynami FR. Biegle włada językiem rosyjskim.

Program Indo-Pacyfik tworzą:

Łukasz Kobierski

Dyrektor programu. Współzałożyciel INE oraz prezes zarządu w latach 2019-2021. Stypendysta szkoleń z zakresu bezpieczeństwa na Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security w Waszyngtonie, ekspert od stosunków międzynarodowych. Absolwent Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego oraz Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika. Wiceprezes Zarządu INE.

dr Joanna Siekiera

Prawnik międzynarodowy, doktor nauk społecznych, adiunkt na Wydziale Prawa Uniwersytetu w Bergen w Norwegii. Była stypendystką rządu Nowej Zelandii na Uniwersytecie Victorii w Wellington, niemieckiego Institute of Cultural Diplomacy, a także francuskiego Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques.

Paweł Paszak

Absolwent stosunków międzynarodowych (spec. Wschodnioazjatycka) na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim oraz stypendysta University of Kent (W. Brytania) i Hainan University (ChRL). Doktorant UW i Akademii Sztuki Wojennej. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują politykę zagraniczną ChRL oraz strategiczną rywalizację Chiny-USA.

Jakub Graca

Magister stosunków międzynarodowych na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim; studiował także filologię orientalną (specjalność: arabistyka). Analityk Centrum Inicjatyw Międzynarodowych (Warszawa) oraz Instytutu Nowej Europy. Zainteresowania badawcze: Stany Zjednoczone (z naciskiem na politykę zagraniczną), relacje transatlantyckie.

Patryk Szczotka

Absolwent filologii dalekowschodniej ze specjalnością chińską na Uniwersytecie Wrocławskim oraz student kierunku double degree China and International Relations na Aalborg University oraz University of International Relations (国际关系学院) w Pekinie. Jego zainteresowania naukowe to relacje polityczne i gospodarcze UE-ChRL oraz dyplomacja.

The programme's team:

Marcin Chruściel

Programme director. Graduate of PhD studies in Political Science at the University of Wroclaw and Master studies in International Relations at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. President of the Management Board at the Institute of New Europe.

PhD Artur Bartoszewicz

Chairman of the Institute's Programme Board. Doctor of Economic Sciences at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics. Expert in the field of public policy, including state and economic strategies. Expert at the National Centre for Research and Development and the Digital Poland Projects Centre.

Michał Banasiak

He specializes in relationship of sports and politics. Author of analysis, comments and interviews in the field of sports diplomacy and international politics. Former Polsat News and Polish Television’s foreign desk journalist.

Maciej Pawłowski

Expert on migration, economics and politics of Mediterranean countries. In the period of 2018-2020 PISM Analyst on Southern Europe. Author of various articles in Polish and foreign press about Spain, Italy, Greece, Egypt and Maghreb countries. Since September 2020 lives in North Africa (Egypt, Algeria).

Jędrzej Błaszczak

Graduate of Law at the University of Silesia. His research interests focus on the Three Seas Initiative and politics in Bulgaria. He acquired experience at the European Foundation of Human Rights in Vilnius, the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, and in Polish embassies in Tehran and Tbilisi.

PhD Aleksander Olech

Programme director. Visiting lecturer at the Baltic Defence College, graduate of the European Academy of Diplomacy and War Studies University. His main research interests include terrorism, international cooperation for security in Eastern Europe and the role of NATO and the EU with regard to hybrid threats.

PhD Agnieszka Rogozińska

Member of the Institute's Programme Board. Doctor of Social Sciences in the discipline of Political Science. Editorial secretary of the academic journals "Politics & Security" and "Independence: journal devoted to Poland's recent history". Her research interests focus on security issues.

Aleksy Borówka

PhD candidate at the Faculty of Social Sciences in the University of Wroclaw, the President of the Polish National Associations of PhD Candidates in 2020. The author of dozen of scientific papers, concerning security studies, political science, administration, international relations. Laureate of the I, II and III International Geopolitical Olympiad.

Karolina Siekierka

Graduate of International Relations specializing in Security and Strategic Studies at University of Warsaw. Erasmus student at the Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1) and the Institut d’Etudes Politique de Paris (Sciences Po Paris). Her research areas include human rights, climate change and armed conflicts.

Stanisław Waszczykowski

Reserve non-commissioned officer. Master's degree student in International Security and Diplomacy at the War Studies University in Warsaw, former trainee at the National Security Bureau. His research interests include issues related to UN peacekeeping operations and the security of Ukraine.

Leon Pińczak

A second-degree student at the University of Warsaw, majoring in international relations. A journalist of the Polish language edition of Belsat. Interested in the post-Soviet area, with a particular focus on Russian internal politics and Russian doctrines - foreign, defense and information-cybernetic.

Łukasz Kobierski

Programme director. Deputy President of the Management Board. Scholarship holder at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security in Washington and an expert in the field of international relations. Graduate of the University of Warsaw and the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

PhD Joanna Siekiera

International lawyer, Doctor of social sciences, postdoctor at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen, Norway. She was a scholarship holder of the New Zealand government at the Victoria University of Wellington, Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in Germany, Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques in France.

Paweł Paszak

Graduate of International Relations (specialisation in East Asian Studies) from the University of Warsaw and scholarship holder at the University of Kent (UK) and Hainan University (China). PhD candidate at the University of Warsaw and the War Studies University. His research areas include the foreign policy of China and the strategic rivalry between China and the US in the Indo-Pacific.

Jakub Graca

Master of International Relations at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. He also studied Arabic therein. An analyst at the Center for International Initiatives (Warsaw) and the Institute of New Europe. Research interests: United States (mainly foreign policy), transatlantic relations.

Patryk Szczotka

A graduate of Far Eastern Philology with a specialization in China Studies at the University of Wroclaw and a student of a double degree “China and International Relations” at Aalborg University and University of International Relations (国际关系学院) in Beijing. His research interests include EU-China political and economic relations, as well as diplomacy.

Three Seas Think Tanks Hub is a platform of cooperation among different think tanks based in 3SI member countries. Their common goal is to strengthen public debate and understanding of the Three Seas region seen from the political, economic and security perspective. The project aims at exchanging ideas, research and publications on the region’s potential and challenges.

Members

The Baltic Security Foundation (Latvia)

The BSF promotes the security and defense of the Baltic Sea region. It gathers security experts from the region and beyond, provides a platform for discussion and research, promotes solutions that lead to stronger regional security in the military and other areas.

The Institute for Politics and Society (Czech Republic)

The Institute analyses important economic, political, and social areas that affect today’s society. The mission of the Institute is to cultivate the Czech political and public sphere through professional and open discussion.

Nézöpont Institute (Hungary)

The Institute aims at improving Hungarian public life and public discourse by providing real data, facts and opinions based on those. Its primary focus points are Hungarian youth, media policy and Central European cooperation.

The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (Austria)

The wiiw is one of the principal centres for research on Central, East and Southeast Europe with 50 years of experience. Over the years, the Institute has broadened its expertise, increasing its regional coverage – to European integration, the countries of Wider Europe and selected issues of the global economy.

The International Institute for Peace (Austria)

The Institute strives to address the most topical issues of the day and promote dialogue, public engagement, and a common understanding to ensure a holistic approach to conflict resolution and a durable peace. The IIP functions as a platform to promote peace and non-violent conflict resolution across the world.

The Institute for Regional and International Studies (Bulgaria)

The IRIS initiates, develops and implements civic strategies for democratic politics at the national, regional and international level. The Institute promotes the values of democracy, civil society, freedom and respect for law and assists the process of deepening Bulgarian integration in NATO and the EU.

The European Institute of Romania

EIR is a public institution whose mission is to provide expertise in the field of European Affairs to the public administration, the business community, the social partners and the civil society. EIR’s activity is focused on four key domains: research, training, communication, translation of the EHRC case-law.

The Institute of New Europe (Poland)

The Institute is an advisory and analytical non-governmental organisation active in the fields of international politics, international security and economics. The Institute supports policy-makers by providing them with expert opinions, as well as creating a platform for academics, publicists, and commentators to exchange ideas.

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Latest publications

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  • Iran–Israel Conflict Long-Distance Rivalry, Strategies, Toolkits, and Struggle for Penetrating Rival’s Strategic Depth
    by Mehran Atashjameh
    June 24, 2025
  • Ballistic Missiles, Asymmetric Warfare, and Law of Armed Conflict: A Technical Approach to Ensuring Compliance with the Distinction Principle
    by Mehran Atashjameh
    June 16, 2025
  • Russia Affairs Review May 2025
    by Adam Jankowski
    June 15, 2025

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Financed with funds from the National Freedom Institute - Center for Civil Society Development under the Governmental Civil Society Organisations Development Programme for 2018-2030.

Sfinansowano ze środków Narodowego Instytutu Wolności – Centrum Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego w ramach Rządowego Programu Rozwoju Organizacji Obywatelskich na lata 2018-2030.



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