NATO | Institute of Central Europe

IEŚ Commentaries 1673

29 July 2026

Jakub Bornio | Agata Tatarenko

The Coalition of the Willing and changes in Europe’s security architecture: Implications for Central and Eastern Europe

On 13 July 2026, another summit of the so-called Coalition of the Willing was held in Paris. The consolidation of this format constitutes yet another indication of a changing approach to organising security in Europe. Flexible forms of cooperation bringing together states willing to undertake concrete military commitments are growing in importance, regardless of the formal...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1666

17 July 2026

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

NATO after the Ankara Summit: Deepening the Europeanisation of the Alliance amid Persistent Instability

The NATO Summit in Ankara, held on 7–8 July 2026, should be regarded as a moderate success. The principal directions of NATO’s evolution were maintained, with the gradual Europeanisation of the Alliance remaining the central element of this process. At the same time, the meeting confirmed that NATO continues to face structural challenges – both internal and external – that...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1625

26 May 2026

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

The United States Is Making Decisions Regarding Its Military Contingents in Europe: Six Implications for Poland

The decision to suspend the deployment of a rotational contingent of the United States Armed Forces to Poland has brought to light structural deficiencies in bilateral relations. The uncertainty generated by this decision merely exemplifies the broader challenges inherent in the asymmetrical Polish-American partnership. Improving the condition of these relations requires Polish...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1524

12 February 2026

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

The Impact of the Expiration of the New START Treaty on the Security of Central and Eastern Europe

On 5 February 2026, the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START), concluded in 2010 by the United States and Russia, expired. Although the treaty did not cover the systems used by Russia for nuclear coercion against the states of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), its termination has global implications and therefore...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1515

28 January 2026

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

The United States National Defense Strategy and the Security of Central and Eastern Europe

The United States National Defense Strategy, published by the Department of War, operationalises and further specifies the assumptions of U.S. foreign policy articulated in the National Security Strategy. The Pentagon’s vision of the international environment assumes that U.S. policy will be guided by a doctrine of “practical realism”, the prioritisation of the Indo-Pacific...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1492

23 December 2025

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

The U.S. National Security Strategy and the Security of Central and Eastern Europe

The U.S. National Security Strategy, published by the administration of Donald Trump, is a fundamental document diagnosing changes in the international security environment and outlining the United States’ efforts to adapt to new geopolitical conditions. The Strategy’s assumptions are of key importance for the security of central and eastern European states, whose...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1461

3 November 2025

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

The “Estonianisation” of European Foreign Policy as a Challenge to NATO Cohesion

Recent Russian provocations directed against certain members of the North Atlantic Alliance have generated yet another axis of internal division within NATO. In this context, the Alliance faces a series of challenges in the sphere of strategic communication. The principal objective of NATO member states remains the mitigation of the adverse effects of such divisions on the...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1415

20 August 2025

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

Diplomatic Manoeuvring over the Question of ‘Peace’ in Ukraine: The Trump–Putin and Trump–Zelensky Meetings

In August 2025, diplomatic efforts towards achieving a ‘peace agreement’ in Ukraine intensified. In the days following a remote meeting between European leaders and Donald Trump, a summit was held in Alaska between the US and Russian presidents. This was followed by a meeting in Washington between the US and Ukrainian presidents, with the participation of European leaders....

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1411

14 August 2025

Jakub Bornio - Baltic Team

Extraordinary Meeting of European Leaders with U.S. President Donald Trump Prior to the Russia–United States Summit in Alaska

The announcement of a meeting between the US and Russian presidents in Alaska led to a further increase in diplomatic activity among European political leaders. The series of talks with Donald Trump on 13 August 2025, organised by the German Chancellor, provided an opportunity to present the position of the so-called European Big Five and Finland on the war in Ukraine and in the...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1236

31 October 2024

Damian Szacawa - Baltic Team

Sweden’s Security Policy: Operationalising Its Role in NATO

Upon joining NATO in March 2024, Sweden embarked on the process of integrating into the Alliance’s missions (including deterrence and defence) and embedding within NATO’s political and military structures. The centre-right coalition government led by Ulf Kristersson has significantly raised defence spending, reaching 2.14% of GDP in 2024. Over the next few years, priorities...

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