Publications

The “Defending Baltics: War Lessons from Ukraine” International Security Conference held in Vilnius on 8–9 October offered a valuable platform for discussing and reflecting on the lessons from the Russia–Ukraine war. What made the conference particularly unique was its diverse mix of participants, including politicians, military personnel, academics, NGOs, and representatives from the defence industry, all gathering to assess the ongoing war in Ukraine from multiple perspectives.

The Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review is an analytical journal focusing on global issues and analyzing their impact on Lithuania. It is published annually in cooperation with the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2018, the partners have included Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the US Embassy in Lithuania. The journal was established in 1998. Gradually, it moved towards covering the security and foreign policy issues of the countries in Central Eastern Europe and the geopolitical and security problems of the whole region. Since 2018 the concept of the journal has changed from a peer-reviewed journal to an analytical publication. ISSN: 1392-5504

After the prime minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced a decision not to pursue the opening of EU accession negotiations and to reject EU financial support at least until 2028, Georgia is experiencing significant political unrest.

The Russia’s war against Ukraine has rocked the bedrock of security on the European continent.

Diplomatic interactions between China and Russia remain frequent and take place at the highest levels. Between July and September, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had as many as eight high-level meetings with their Chinese counterparts in various formats. The frequency of these meetings signals a strong focus from both sides on strengthening relations and expanding cooperation, exemplified by the first China–Russia consultation on the peaceful Uses of Outer Space Affairs, held on 8 August.

Significant political shifts can be expected in Georgia and Moldova if the October elections favor opposition forces. The Georgian legislative elections on October 26 may lead to a redistribution of political power, currently concentrated in the hands of the Eurosceptic ruling party, Georgian Dream.

Mario Draghi, the former President of the European Central Bank, recently unveiled a long-awaited plan aimed at invigorating Europe’s economic growth. Central to his proposal is a call for the European Union (EU) to adopt a genuine foreign economic policy. For this ambition to be realized, unity among the EU’s 27 member states on their approach to China policy is essential.

Ukrainian diplomacy in favour of sanctions against Russian military aggression, which began in February 2022, drew attention to threats linked to Russian hybrid operations in Europe. In this context, the EU experienced a geopolitical awakening, reflecting its internal vulnerabilities to the malign influence exerted unhindered by Russia on EU member states for decades.

The developments in the South China Sea have recently received more media attention than ever before. The region’s contested nature is not new: territorial claims by various countries have frequently placed it at the centre of disputes (e.g., in the first half of the 20th century, France formally declared that the Paracel and Spratly Islands belonged to the French Union).

Leaders and guests of the 75-year-old NATO alliance met in Washington DC on 10-11 July. The NATO Washington Summit Declaration released by the leaders highlights reinforces collective defence, new instruments to coordinate assistance and training to Ukraine and pledges significant but unspecified long-term support related to Ukraine’s irreversible path towards NATO membership. The NATO summit outcome assessments are discussed by experts Henrik Larsen and Prof. Tomas Janeliūnas from the Eastern Europe Studies Centre.

The transformation of “frozen conflicts” in the EU-Russia common neighbourhood around the Black Sea region is in full swing in some cases, and somewhat intact in others. The central factor in the changing geopolitical environment surrounding post-Soviet territorial conflicts remains the 2022 Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

The three-part documentary series "Traitors", produced by Aleksey Navalny's associate Maria Pevchikh, was released on 16 April, 23 April and 1 May this year. According to Pevchikh, it is a screening of Navalny's manifesto published last year, which embodies the thoughts of the oppositionist who was killed in prison.