green border | Institute of Central Europe

Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1672

28 July 2026

Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Green Shield – Natural Infrastructure for Security. Part 3 – Finland and Romania

The examples of Finland and Romania demonstrate that natural ecosystems can serve multiple functions in security policy. In Finland, natural landscape elements have been integrated into defence planning, while in Romania, the Danube waterways can be used for military transport or to create alternative routes for exporting goods. While the potential of natural security...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1668

22 July 2026

Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

The Green Shield – Natural Infrastructure for Security. Part 2 – Poland and the Baltic States

In recent years, the countries on NATO’s eastern flank have increasingly come to view the natural environment not only as an ecological resource but also as an element of security infrastructure. Peatlands, wetlands, and forest complexes play a particularly important role in Poland and the Baltic states, as they can support defence capabilities by limiting the mobility of a...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1664

15 July 2026

Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Green Shield – Natural Infrastructure for Security. Part 1 – Ukraine

The concept of the green border envisages the use of natural ecosystems as an element of a state’s security infrastructure. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated by both historical experience and the ongoing war in Ukraine, showing that wetlands, forests, and rivers can significantly constrain an adversary’s mobility, support defensive operations, and also serve as...

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